Nutrition Diet: Uncovering What sugar brands are cane sugar?

November 4, 2025 •

4 min read

From a nutritional standpoint, pure, refined cane sugar is virtually identical to refined beet sugar, with both being 99.95% sucrose. However, many home cooks and bakers have a strong preference for cane sugar due to perceived differences in flavor and performance, prompting the common question: What sugar brands are cane sugar?

Quick Summary

This guide reveals brands that produce pure cane sugar, explaining the key differences between cane and beet sources. It also explores various types of cane sugar and their nutritional implications for dietary choices.

Key Points

Labeling Matters: Brands like Domino and C&H explicitly state 'Pure Cane Sugar' on their labels, while sugar simply labeled 'Sugar' may be beet sugar.
Nutritionally Identical: Pure, refined white sugar from cane and beet sources are virtually identical chemically and have the same caloric content.
Vegan Consideration: Some cane sugar refining processes may use bone char, an animal product, for decolorizing. Beet sugar is always processed without it.
Trace Minerals in Raw Sugar: Less processed cane sugars (like Turbinado) retain small amounts of molasses, which contains trace minerals, but these are not nutritionally significant.
The Health Focus: A healthy diet hinges on moderation. Reducing overall sugar intake, regardless of its source, is the most effective approach for managing blood sugar and weight.
Flavor Nuances: Some bakers and tasters perceive subtle differences in flavor and caramelization between cane and beet sugar, though these are minimal for most applications.

The Fundamental Differences: Cane vs. Beet Sugar

While refined sugar from both sources is chemically identical, the journey from plant to pantry differs significantly, leading to distinct marketing and processing practices. Sugar cane is a tropical grass, while sugar beet is a root vegetable grown in temperate climates. This difference in origin and initial processing is at the heart of the cane vs. beet debate. Refined sugar from either source is processed to remove impurities and molasses, leaving behind pure sucrose.

For most purposes, refined granulated white sugar from cane or beet is functionally interchangeable. However, subtle variations in the remaining trace impurities (about 0.05%) can reportedly influence aroma, flavor, and performance in some high-level baking applications. For those concerned about vegan ingredients, it is important to note that some traditional cane sugar refining processes use bone char as a decolorizing agent, whereas beet sugar is never processed with bone char.

Identifying Cane Sugar Brands in the Marketplace

Identifying 100% pure cane sugar is often as simple as reading the label. Brands that explicitly use sugarcane are proud of this fact and will clearly state “Pure Cane Sugar” on their packaging. If a brand simply says “Sugar,” especially for many store-brand products, it could be beet sugar or a blend of both. This ambiguity is what drives many consumers to seek out explicitly labeled cane sugar.

Prominent Cane Sugar Brands

Several well-known brands are dedicated to producing only cane sugar. Here are some of the most recognized names:

Domino® Sugar: This is one of the most prominent cane sugar brands in the US. Domino clearly states that its products, from granulated white sugar to brown and powdered, all come from pure sugarcane.
C&H® Sugar: The West Coast counterpart to Domino, C&H guarantees that its sugars are 100% pure cane. They even explicitly state that their products contain no beet sugar.
Florida Crystals®: This brand offers a range of organic and raw cane sugars that are grown and milled in the United States. They emphasize their homegrown, minimally processed cane sugar, which retains natural molasses.
Trader Joe's Organic Cane Sugar: For those seeking organic options, Trader Joe's sells an organic evaporated cane sugar. The product description highlights that the cane is crushed, and the juice is evaporated to produce golden-hued crystals with a natural molasses flavor.
Wholesome® Organic Cane Sugar: A widely available organic brand, Wholesome offers a variety of organic cane sugar products, including fair-trade options.
Sugar in the Raw®: This brand is famous for its turbinado sugar, a type of raw cane sugar known for its larger, golden crystals and natural molasses flavor.
Zulka® Pure Cane Sugar: This brand, often labeled as "morena sugar," is a minimally processed pure cane sugar.

Types of Cane Sugar and Their Nutritional Profile

Not all cane sugar is the same. The refining process dictates the final product's form and, to a lesser extent, its nutritional content.

Refined White Cane Sugar: This is the most common form, where all molasses is stripped away during processing, leaving pure sucrose. It provides 4 calories per gram with no significant vitamins or minerals.
Raw and Unrefined Cane Sugars: Varieties like Turbinado, Demerara, and Muscovado are less processed and retain some of the natural molasses from the sugarcane juice. This gives them a distinct color, texture, and flavor, and they contain trace minerals and antioxidants from the molasses. However, the amount of these nutrients is not nutritionally significant and should not be relied upon as a source.
Organic Cane Sugar: This is produced from sugarcane grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers. It can be found in both raw and refined forms, depending on the brand.

Comparison Table: Cane vs. Beet Sugar


Feature	Cane Sugar (Refined)	Beet Sugar (Refined)
Source	Sugarcane plant	Sugar beet root vegetable
Final Product (Chemical)	99.95% Sucrose	99.95% Sucrose
Processing	May use bone char for decolorization, though modern methods vary	Never processed with bone char
Flavor	Some report a cleaner, less robust flavor profile	Can have a slightly sweeter or more robust flavor profile, though most can't tell the difference
Baking Performance	Preferred by some bakers for specific caramelization and texture	Works identically to cane sugar for most home baking
Molasses	A byproduct that is separate or added back to make brown sugar	A byproduct with an unpalatable flavor that is not used for human consumption
Vegan Status	Potentially non-vegan if bone char is used in processing	Always vegan as bone char is not used

The Nutritional Verdict: Moderation is Key

It's crucial to remember that from a core nutritional perspective, refined sugar is refined sugar, regardless of its plant source. All added sugars, whether from cane or beet, contribute to the same health risks when consumed in excess, such as blood sugar spikes and potential weight gain. Choosing a minimally processed raw cane sugar might offer trace minerals, but the amounts are negligible for daily nutritional requirements.

The most important nutritional takeaway is to prioritize moderation. Whether you choose an unrefined cane sugar for its flavor profile or a standard white sugar for its versatility, the key to a healthy diet is to limit overall added sugar intake. Using explicit cane sugar brands can be a matter of taste or ethical preference (vegan concerns), but it's not a shortcut to a healthier diet. Always consider the total sugar content in your diet and how it fits into your overall nutritional goals.

Conclusion

In summary, many popular and specialty brands, including Domino, C&H, Florida Crystals, and Wholesome, are explicitly pure cane sugar. While refined cane and beet sugars are nutritionally identical, variations in processing and the resulting trace impurities can lead to subtle differences in flavor and baking performance. For those with ethical concerns, like vegans, checking for bone char use in refining is important, as beet sugar is always bone-char-free. Ultimately, for the sake of a healthy nutrition diet, focusing on the amount of sugar consumed, rather than its specific plant source, is the most impactful choice.

Frequently Asked Questions

The most reliable way is to check the packaging. Brands that use only sugarcane will often label their product 'Pure Cane Sugar'. If the label only says 'Sugar', it may be beet sugar or a blend.

No, from a fundamental nutritional perspective, pure refined cane sugar and beet sugar are almost identical, both being 99.95% sucrose. Any health benefits claimed for less-processed versions like raw cane sugar are from trace minerals that are not nutritionally significant in small amounts.

Not necessarily. Brown sugar can be made by adding cane molasses back into refined white sugar, regardless of whether the white sugar was originally from cane or beet. However, only cane sugar molasses is palatable for human consumption.

This depends on the refining process. Some traditional cane sugar refineries use bone char (from animal bones) to decolorize the sugar. For a guaranteed vegan sugar, look for beet sugar or certified organic cane sugar, which typically uses alternative filtration methods.

Well-known brands that explicitly market themselves as pure cane sugar include Domino, C&H, Florida Crystals, Wholesome, and Sugar in the Raw.

For most people, the taste of refined white sugar from cane and beet is indistinguishable. However, some experienced tasters and bakers report subtle differences in flavor profile and baking performance, often attributing a cleaner taste to cane sugar.

These are types of raw or minimally processed cane sugar. Turbinado and Demerara are less refined than white sugar and retain some of the natural molasses, which gives them a light brown color, larger crystals, and a hint of caramel flavor.

Not necessarily. While many organic sugar brands are made from cane, organic sugar can also come from other plant sources like coconut blossoms. It's best to check the ingredients to confirm the source.