All of life's energy originates from the sun. Green plants harness solar energy and store it in the form of carbohydrates. By careful selection and breeding, sugar cane has become one of the most efficient converters of solar energy into food carbohydrates and fibre.

The cane stalk transports water and nutrients from the soil to the leaves, where they are combined with carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to form sugar (sucrose). The stalk also serves as a reservoir for sugar as the cane ripens and is protected by a hard rind.