Organic sugar can refer to several types of sugar made usually from sugar cane. In all cases, the materials used to make the sugar are organically grown, though definition of organic may vary in different countries. Usually a loose definition is that the sugar cane or sugar beets aren’t treated with things like pesticides or grown with commercial fertilizers.

Sugar made from organic sugar cane isn’t necessarily organically processed. When it is refined it can be treated with numerous chemicals in order to promote crystallization and remove impurities. For many people, this process makes them avoid most forms of table sugar (white or brown sugar from most commercial vendors). Chemicals used are not organic, and sugar processed by these methods usually cannot be labeled as organic, even if it comes from organic beets or sugar cane.

Many people who would avoid non-organic sugar still miss the sweetening aspects of sugar and this has led to production of different types of organic sugar. These may be made in a variety of ways, and can provide an excellent substitute. Products labeled organic crystal sugar can be made from the first crystallization of sugar. Since they are not treated with chemicals, the sugar crystals aren’t snow white, but have a slight blond color. Otherwise, many people find this sugar quite similar to crystallized table sugar.

Others forms of organic sugar involve different processes. Whole cane sugar contains molasses instead of having this sugar byproduct filtered out. Sucanat is created from sugar cane which has its water removed and then is crystallized. Most types of organic sugar can be used in exactly the same measurements as regular sugar. This may not be true of sugar substitutes like xylitol, which is sugar alcohol produced from sugar and which may be organic.

One thing people may notice is that most organic sugar comes from sugar cane and not usually from sugar beets. This is because most sugar beet producers use a genetically modified seed for sugar beets that helps the beets be resistant to the herbicide Roundup. Generally, when people are looking for organic substances they tend to avoid genetically modified organisms on principal. Many feel that changing the genetics of food sources may have unknown and potentially serious consequences for those who consume the food and for the environment in general. Thus organic beet sugar is far less common, though it is possible to find a few brands made from beets that are grown from non-modified sugar beet seeds.