Sugar in the Raw

摘要

To the casual observer, the swift-burning fires at U.S. Sugar Corp.'s 200,000-acre sugar cane farm in Florida's Everglades Agricultural Area are an ominous sight. But the burning fires belie what's really happening-the growth of natural sweeteners. As consumers have started to scrutinize artificial sweeteners and seek out healthier alternatives to refined white sugar, a variety of natural sweeteners from honey and agave to stevia (a sugar substitute extracted from a plant) and cane sugar are helping to satisfy the growing demand.