Sugar beet

Sugar Beet

A sugar beet is a special plant that grows underground roots full of sugar. People use this sugar every day! It looks a bit like a beetroot, but it has much more sugar inside.

Farmers grow sugar beets in cooler places where it is too cold for another sugar plant called sugarcane. In 2024, Russia and Germany grew the most sugar beets in the world. Together, they helped make a lot of sugar.

Sugar beets have white, cone-shaped roots with flat tops. They also have green leaves that grow in a circle above the ground. The sugar is made in the leaves and stored in the root. The root of a sugar beet is about three-quarters water, one-fifth sugar, and one-twentieth pulp.

People have used sugar beets to make sugar for a long time. In the 1700s, a scientist in Prussia found sugar in beetroots. Soon after, factories began making sugar from these beets. Today, sugar beets are very important, especially in colder regions.

Sugar beets need special care to grow well. They like sandy soil that drains well and need about 460 mm (18 inches) of rain if there is no extra watering. The best temperatures for sugar beets are between 15 to 21 °C (59 to 70 °F).

In many places, sugar beets are used to make white sugar, syrup, and even alcohol. The pulp left after making sugar can be used to feed animals. Sugar beets are an important part of farming and help give us sweet treats every day!