甜菜,又名糖萝卜,是我国北方制糖的重要原料。人们只知道糖萝卜的肉质根可榨糖,但对这种肉质根的演变和形成却很少了解。甜菜的发源地是地中海沿岸和西亚一些国家。大约在三四千年以前,甜菜便以“叶丛繁茂,清鲜肥嫩”而被古代人作为蔬菜和草药。我国种植甜菜的历史也比较久远。大约在公元五世纪,甜菜便由阿拉伯传入我国。当时的名称叫菾菜、火焰菜,仍限于作蔬菜或药用。公元七世纪成书的《新修本草》记载,甜菜叶片常被人们盛赞为“香甜味美”的佳肴。元代的《农桑辑要》与清代的《群芳谱》对甜菜都有详细的描述。 Beet, also known as sugar radish, is an important raw material for sugar production in northern China. People only know that the fleshy root of sugar radish can sugar, but little understanding of the evolution and formation of this fleshy root. The birthplace of beets is the Mediterranean coast and some countries in West Asia. About three to four thousand years ago, beets were “ancient and bushy, fresh and fat,” and the ancient people used as vegetables and herbs. The history of growing sugar beet in our country is also quite old. About the fifth century AD, beets from Arabia into our country. At that time, the name is Teppanyaki, flame dishes, still limited to vegetables or medicinal. Recorded in the seventh century AD, “New Book” records, beet leaves are often praised as “sweet and delicious” cuisine. Yuan Dynasty’s “Nongsang digest” and the Qing Dynasty “Qunfang spectrum” on beets have a detailed description.