History tells us that sugar has been around for over 1,000 years. Alexander the Great recorded sugar cultivation as early as 327 BC, but it was not until the eighteenth century that sugar cane cultivation began in the United States. The very first refinery was built in New York City around 1690. By 1830 the sugar cane industry was established. Today the United States sugar cane industry has twelve refineries and thirty-four mills, which produce sugar in Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, and Texas. While most of us think of sugar as coming from sugar cane, there is also the sugar beet, which uses almost one and one-half million United States acres to cultivate its product in thirteen states. In 1747, Robert Muggraf, from Berlin, discovered that there was sugar in beets. Thinking there wasn’t enough sugar present to develop a technique to extract the sugar, he didn’t take his discovery any further. About fifty years later a former student of his, Mr. Achard, led new experiments leading to his founding of the first beet sugar factory in 1802 in Germany.
Sugar cane is a member of the grass family and grows best in very warm climates. It can grow up to 15 feet tall, with hollow stalks filled with a sweet thick juice or sap. The sugar beet has a bulbous root and resembles a fat parsnip. It is sown in the spring and harvested in the early fall. It prefers a temperate climate. There is no difference between the sugar that comes from sugar cane or sugar beet, but there is a difference in the processing of sugar. Most sugar from cane is made in two stages. Raw sugar is made where the sugar cane grows and then shipped to the country where it is needed. Beet sugar is easier to purify so it is grown where it is needed and white sugar is made in only one stage.
Sugar is processed by separating the sugar stored in the cane stalk or beet. In sugar cane this process is accomplished by pressing the cane to extract the juice. The juice is pretty dirty from some of the fiber and dirt from the fields. The factory cleans the juice using a chalk like substance, which is then separated from the juice. Next the juice is boiled and seeded with tiny sugar crystals that encourage crystallization. The crystals and the mother liquid are placed in a centrifuge to separate the two. The crystallized sugar is then dried and stored until it is ready for dispatch to its final destination for refining. This sugar is known as raw sugar. Beet sugar processing is similar but it is done in a continuous process without the raw sugar stage. The sugar beets are washed, sliced and soaked in hot water to separate the juice from the beet fiber. The juice is then purified, filtered, concentrated and dried much in the same way as sugar cane processing, however it is cleaned more thoroughly and therefore the final product is white sugar. Unlike raw sugar, white sugar is ready to use in the kitchen.
Although there is a lot of crushed cane and sugar beet pulp leftover after making sugar, it does not go to waste. The leftover cane that has been crushed is known as “bagasse” and is burnt in large furnaces producing steam and electricity for the factory, making it especially environmental friendly to run the factory. Sugar beet pulp does not burn as well as sugar cane but it is still used again. The pulp is turned into animal feed or sent to a fermentation plant such as a distillery where alcohol is made.
So what is sugar? Where does sugar fit into our diets? Sugar is a carbohydrate that occurs naturally in every fruit and vegetable. It is the major product of photosynthesis. Carbohydrates provide energy, yet contain no fat. One teaspoon of sugar contains 15 calories. Refined sugar contains no preservatives or additives-it is pure sucrose. A recent Food and Drug Administration study on sugar affirmed that sugar does not cause diabetes, heart disease, obesity, hypoglycemia, childhood hyperactivity or nutrient deficiencies. The FDA also stated that other than its contribution in creating dental cavities, sugar does not cause any hazards to the general public when consumed at the levels that are currently practiced. Although many believe that in order to diet, one must cut sugar from their diet. This is not true. Healthy dieters can lose weight on a high-sugar, low-fat diet just as easily as they can on a low-fat, low-sugar diet. Weight loss depends on reducing the number and kind of calories as well as burning calories, therefore many low-calorie, low-fat sweets such as fruit juice or angel food cake can be included in a weight loss diet. As stated earlier, sugar does not cause diabetes and the American Diabetes Association has stated that some sugar and foods that contain sugar can be substituted for other carbohydrate foods as part of the total meal plan.
Sugar has many important functions beyond making things taste great. Sugar helps bread rise by acting as a yeast. Sugar syrups protect frozen and canned fruits from spoiling and browning, or withering. Sugar enhances the smoothness and flavor of ice cream, and serves as a whipping aid to stabilize beaten egg foams. Overall, sugar contributes to the flavor, aroma, texture, color, and body of different types of food.
Since there are so many different types of sugars one could use, it’s time to pick one and start cooking. I think everyone enjoys a wonderful sweet dessert from time to time. I’ve included a couple of great recipes to get you started.
This article appears in March 2024.