Sugar can come from several sources, but when we talk about table sugar – that white, refined, granulated sweetener we all know so well – there are two main crops that produce the substance: the sugar beet plant and the sugarcane plant. Both types of sugar, from both types of plants, are very common and often found in many of the same products.
So are there any differences between beet sugar and cane sugar, aside from the fact that they come from slightly different crops? It turns out there are several: from the way each type of sugar is produced, to their taste profiles and overall usage.
Let’s dig into everything we know about beet sugar and cane sugar so you can differentiate between the two.

Differences in the crops
People may not be as familiar with beet sugar as they are with cane sugar, but sugar beets actually account for around 55% of total sugar production in the US. Sugar beets are root vegetables, similar to beetroot or chard plants (but much larger in size), which grow in fairly cool climates where the soil is rich. The growing season for sugar beets is about five months long. You’ll find this type of sugar produced in states like Wyoming, Washington, Montana, California, Minnesota, and Michigan, to name a few.
Sugarcane, on the other hand, is more tropical in nature and grows in warmer climates; you’ll find it in places like Hawaii, Texas, Louisiana, and Florida. Rather than a root vegetable, sugarcane is a tall stalky plant – sometimes reaching up to 10 to 20 feet high – that looks more similar to bamboo. Sugarcane is a perennial, so it essentially gets snipped and then continues to grow and harvest without being replanted.
Differences in production
The sugar in a sugar beet plant is contained in its roots, so to produce beet sugar the beet itself is cut open, thinly sliced, and boiled so that the sugar can be extracted. The liquid is concentrated into a sugary syrup, which is then crystalized; the molasses is separated and removed, and the crystals are refined into small granules of white sugar (or some molasses is added back in after refining, in the case of brown sugar).
The sugar in sugarcane is found inside its stalks, made inside the leaves by the process of photosynthesis and stored in the form of a sugar juice. To produce sugar from sugarcane, the plant is chopped down and harvested, and then the cane juice is extracted. From there, it’s produced similarly to beet sugar: the substance is purified, filtered, and crystalized into raw sugar, and eventually refined into white sugar, brown sugar, or various other types of sugar.
While cane sugar often uses animal bone char or activated charcoal to bleach the sugar during the processing of refined white sugar – which can cause concerns for those who are vegan – beet sugar doesn’t require this addition. But where beet sugar is often genetically modified in the US, sugarcane is considered non-GMO. Both crops are used to make many other types of sugar outside of white sugar, like brown sugar, powdered sugar, liquid sugar, and molasses.
Differences in taste and use
Because they ultimately come from different types of plants, beet sugar and cane sugar tend to have slight nuances in their overall taste profile. Both are considered fairly neutral sweeteners, but beet sugar has a bit of an earthy flavor to it, with almost a burnt-sugar aftertaste. Cane sugar typically tastes sweeter and is often considered to have a fruity aroma.
And because they taste slightly different, they are often used in different ways when it comes to cooking and baking, recipes, and food production. For example, beet sugar tends to be crunchier in texture, which works well in certain baked goods, so it’s often a go-to in commercial baking. Cane sugar typically blends uniformly into recipes, and it caramelizes well (which can mean more flavor), so it’s often used in sweet snacks and processed foods.
Beet Sugar | Cane Sugar | |
Crop Source | Sugar beets: root vegetable plant that’s grown in a five-month season in cooler climates | Sugarcane: perennial plant with stalks that’s grown in warm or tropical climates |
Production | Natural sugar is stored in the root of the plant; beet is cut off, sliced, and boiled to extract a sugar-containing juice that’s concentrated into a syrup. This is purified, filtered, and crystalized and eventually processed into refined sugar. | Natural sugar is stored inside the stalks of the plant; the stalks are separated, then grinded and boiled with water to extract the sugar juice. The resulting concentrated syrup is purified and crystalized to make raw sugar, which is then sent for further processing to become refined sugar. |
Taste | Earthy, oxidized aroma, burnt aftertaste | Neutral, fruity aroma, sweet aftertaste |
Usage | Commercial baking, sweets and baked goods, processed foods | Beverages, processed foods, bakery products |
Nutritionally speaking, beet sugar and cane sugar are essentially the same. One type of sugar is not considered more or less healthy than the other, because both are ultimately processed into refined sugar. Some consider cane sugar a better choice due to concerns with sugar beets coming from genetically modified seeds, and others consider beet sugar a better choice due to concerns with cane sugar using bone char during processing.
Most cane sugar is labeled accordingly, but beet sugar often isn’t indicated on packaging. Because it makes up such a large percentage of sugar production, you can assume that any sugar labeled generic “sugar” on the packaging or ingredients list – rather than “cane sugar” or “pure cane sugar” is derived from beet sugar.
Yes, while many don’t notice the subtle difference, especially once cooked or baked into food, the two types of sugar do have slightly different taste profiles. Beet sugar is earthier with a burnt or bitter aftertaste, and cane sugar has a fruity aroma and tastes more sweet.
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