Types of sugar. Selection of different types of sugars. From top left: dark brown Muscovado, golden caster sugar and icing sugar. From middle left: fine Demerara, preserving sugar, caster sugar. From bottom left: Demerara, fruit sugar, granulated sugar. Sugar (sucrose) is extracted from sugar cane or sugar beet. It has a variety of uses as a sweetener for foods and drinks, and is a preserving agent for fruit.