Six Facts You Should Know About Sugar Beets
Sugar beets are an important part of Longmont's history, but you may not know how great they really are. These are six facts to let you know why they are so awesome.
1. No Artificial Colors. White table sugar from beets does not need to be artificially dyed. Unlike sugarcane, they are naturally white.
2. No waste. When sugar beets are processed, all of the parts can be utilized. For example, beet molasses can be used to make animal feed, yeast, and pharmaceuticals.
3. Only water is used during the washing, slicing, and diffusion phases that the beets go through while being processed in the factory. Few chemicals are used to extract sugar from them.
4. Sugar beets help our local economy. Even though they aren't nearly as successful as they were in their hay day, there is still a small sugar beet industry in Northern Colorado. In fact, they have made a recent comeback in the past few years bringing prosperity and hope to local beet farmers.
5. Beets are the second largest source of table sugar.
6. Many of today's sugar beet factories are owned by the farmers that grow the beets. This cuts out the middle men and benefits the farmers.
