Sugar Shorts: How It's Made

America is one of the world's largest producers of sugar, and American farmers are among the most efficient. Sugar comes from sugarcane and sugar beets, and supports 142,000 jobs across the country. Though the end product is the same, the refining process for the plants is slightly different. Here's how it works. Sugarcane is grown in states with warm climates. It is a grass that regrows after harvest. Once it leaves the field, the harvested cane is washed and fed into mills close to the farm, where huge rollers press out the juice. Next, it's clarified, concentrated, and crystallized. The raw sugar is then off to the refinery, usually close to a big city with lots of nearby customers. There, the crystals are dissolved and filtered to remove impurities, and recrystallized before being packaged for consumption. Sugar beets are grown in states with colder climates. It's a vegetable that grows below the ground, similar to a red beet or a potato, just a lot bigger. Sugar beet processing happens at one factory. Beets are washed and sliced into thin strips. The strips are cooked to extract the sugar juice. The juice is then filtered and boiled in a vacuum to produce syrup and crystals. The crystals are separated from the syrup with centrifuges. The crystals are then dried in rotating drums before they are packaged and sent to customers across the country. Yes, it's a lot of work, but it's worth it because it keeps America supplied with an affordable, homegrown staple of the human diet.