Log in

View Full Version : what vegetable has most sugar?


shartitude
2007-04-18, 03:52
Beets? blood red kind is what I say, but if anyone has an answer with a basis of fact, I'd be grateful. And any kind of fruit that would grow in the midwest USA. just whatever i can convert into the most sugar, I guess sugar cane though too?

RAOVQ
2007-04-18, 04:54
im going to assume this is about ethanol.

something like swtichgrass (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switchgrass) is a good candidate because it grows everywhere and produces good yields of ethanol.

it may be misleading to state that the plant with the most sugars per acre is the best, as things like water, hardiness and fertiliser complicate things.

however if you just want raw sugar, go with sugarcane.

deus-redux
2007-04-18, 17:28
Sugarcane and sugarbeet are your obvious candidates, depending on climate.

Over here, sugarbeet grows well.

-deus-

Prometheus
2007-04-18, 20:27
Here in the US, about 40% of our sugar comes from sugarcane, which only grows in the tropics. The other 60% comes from sugar beets, which will grow anywhere. It's practically the state vegetable here in MI, we grow a disproportionately large percentage of US sugar.

Come deer season, you can get a 50 pound bag of those things (about 22 kilos) for $2.50 to $4 at just about every gas station in Michigan. Cost is is influenced by what county laws are.

A few times I've actually rendered sugar at home from sugar beets. It's pretty damn easy.