Which Fruit is Used for Making Sugar?

January 7, 2026 •

4 min read

While many plants contain natural sugars, the overwhelming majority of table sugar is derived from a tall, perennial grass known as sugarcane. Though it may look like bamboo, this fibrous plant is the primary source for roughly 80% of the world's sugar production. Sugarcane's high sucrose content and efficient cultivation make it the ideal raw material for the world's sweet supply.

Quick Summary

This article explores the primary sources of commercial sugar, detailing why sugarcane and sugar beets dominate production. It discusses the differences between natural fruit sugars and refined sucrose, outlining the processing steps involved. The text also explains why other sweet fruits are not economically viable for industrial sugar manufacturing.

Key Points

Primary Source: The main 'fruit' used for commercial sugar production is actually sugarcane, a tall, fibrous grass grown in tropical and subtropical climates.
Secondary Source: Sugar beets, a root crop, are the second most common source of sugar, thriving in cooler temperate regions.
Economic Viability: Most other fruits, while containing sugar, are not used commercially because their sugar concentration is too low to be cost-effective for large-scale extraction.
Processing Differences: In refined table sugar, the sucrose molecule is identical whether it comes from sugarcane or sugar beets. The process simply isolates the pure sucrose from the plant material.
Health Distinction: The sugar in whole fruit is contained within fiber, which slows digestion and absorption, unlike the 'free sugars' found in table sugar.

The Dominance of Sugarcane in Sugar Production

Sugarcane, a perennial grass native to tropical regions, is the most important commercial crop for sugar manufacturing. Cultivated extensively across vast plantations in countries like Brazil, India, and China, its stalks are exceptionally rich in sucrose. This high concentration is a key factor in its economic viability, allowing for large-scale, cost-effective processing. Harvesters cut the cane and transport it to a mill where a series of rollers crush the stalks, extracting the sugary juice.

The Sugarcane Harvesting and Milling Process

Harvesting: The cane is either cut by hand or with mechanical harvesters. In some traditional methods, fields are burned first to remove excess leaves and unwanted animals.
Crushing: The harvested cane is taken to a mill and fed through a series of heavy rollers that squeeze out the juice.
Clarification: The extracted juice is treated with lime and heated to remove impurities, leaving a clearer liquid.
Evaporation: The clarified juice is then boiled to evaporate water, concentrating the syrup.
Crystallization: The thick syrup is seeded with sugar crystals, encouraging the formation of larger crystals.
Centrifuging: The mixture is spun rapidly in centrifuges to separate the sugar crystals from the remaining liquid, known as molasses.

The Role of Sugar Beets

While sugarcane is the world's primary source, sugar beets account for nearly all of the remaining global table sugar supply. This root crop thrives in cooler, temperate climates, and its sucrose is concentrated in the large, tuberous root. The processing of sugar beets is different from sugarcane, but yields the same pure sucrose molecule. Beet sugar production is dominant in Europe and parts of North America.

Sugar Beet Processing Steps

Washing and Slicing: After harvest, sugar beets are washed and cut into thin strips called cossettes.
Diffusion: The cossettes are soaked in hot water to extract the sugar, creating a raw juice.
Purification: The juice is purified by adding alkaline solutions to precipitate impurities.
Crystallization: Similar to cane sugar, the clarified juice is boiled and concentrated before crystallization.
Separation: The crystals are separated from the liquid, and the final white sugar is dried.

Why Other Sweet Fruits Are Not Used for Commercial Sugar

While many fruits like dates, grapes, and apples contain natural sugars such as glucose, fructose, and sucrose, they are not used for the large-scale production of table sugar. The reason is a matter of economics and efficiency. Sugarcane and sugar beets have a significantly higher yield of sucrose per acre compared to other fruits. Furthermore, the type of sugar and its availability within the plant structure make a difference. In fruits, sugars are often bound in complex molecules or mixed with other compounds, making isolation more expensive. This contrasts with the highly concentrated sucrose found freely in the sap of sugarcane stalks. For example, studies have shown that even exceptionally sweet fruits like dates yield significantly less sugar per ton of fruit compared to the prolific growth of sugarcane.

Comparison of Sugar Sources


Feature	Sugarcane	Sugar Beet	Common Fruit (e.g., Dates)
Primary Sugar	Sucrose	Sucrose	Fructose, Glucose, Sucrose
Typical Climate	Tropical and Subtropical	Temperate	Diverse, depends on fruit
Sugar Concentration	Very high (12–16% of plant weight)	High (12–21% of root weight)	Varies, generally lower
Commercially Viable	Yes, dominant source	Yes, secondary source	No, too costly
Main Byproducts	Bagasse, Molasses	Pulp, Molasses	Seeds, pulp, etc.
Refining Process	Often involves two stages (mill and refinery)	Typically single-stage process	Non-standardized, experimental
Final Product	Pure white sucrose	Pure white sucrose	Specialized syrups or date sugar

Conclusion: The Economic and Botanical Factors

In conclusion, while all photosynthetic plants produce sugars, the choice of sugarcane and sugar beets for commercial sugar production is driven by their exceptionally high sucrose content and the economic efficiency of their cultivation and extraction processes. Although fruits like dates and grapes contain natural sugars, they are not used for mass-market table sugar because the cost of extraction and lower yield per acre make them commercially unviable. The fundamental difference lies in the plant's natural storage mechanism and concentration of sucrose, solidifying sugarcane's position as the world's leading source for sugar.

A Note on the Nutritional Difference Between Sugars

It's also important to distinguish between the final refined sucrose and the natural sugars in whole fruits. As noted by Medical News Today, fruit sugars are contained within the plant's cell walls, which consist of fiber. This slows their absorption, reducing the impact on blood sugar levels compared to refined, or "free," sugars. Consuming whole fruit offers fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants, benefits largely stripped away during the refinement of table sugar. For most people, consuming whole fruit is healthier than consuming refined sugar.

Frequently Asked Questions

The primary plant used for commercial table sugar is sugarcane, a tall grass that is highly efficient at producing and storing sucrose in its stalks.

Apples, grapes, and other sweet fruits are not used for mass sugar production because their sugar concentration is lower than sugarcane and sugar beets, making the extraction process economically unviable.

The refined sucrose molecule from sugarcane is chemically identical to the sucrose molecule found in fruits. However, the sugar in whole fruit comes packaged with fiber, vitamins, and minerals, which changes how the body absorbs and processes it.

Sugar beets account for roughly 20% of the world's sugar supply. They are a root crop grown in temperate climates and are processed directly into refined white sugar.

Once the sugary juice is extracted from sugarcane, it is clarified, boiled, and crystallized. The resulting raw sugar is then shipped to a refinery for further purification to produce the final white granulated sugar.

The sugar found naturally in whole fruit is generally considered healthier because the accompanying fiber slows its absorption into the bloodstream. Refined sugar, stripped of all other nutrients, is absorbed rapidly, leading to different metabolic effects.

Yes, smaller-scale sugar production can come from other sources like the date palm or sorghum, but these are not the dominant commercial methods due to factors like yield and cost.