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Are you using EarthFood's sports nutrition? Then you're getting carbohydrates from sugars derived from beets from organic farms in the Netherlands and Germany.

Text by Rik Booltink
Photography by Gijs Ferkranus, FuturumShop

By far, most nutrition manufacturers source their sugars from Brazil and India, the world's largest sugar-producing countries. However, transparency regarding the exact origin is often lacking. EarthFood deliberately takes a different approach. This relatively young, organic sports nutrition brand sources its sugars—essential for carbohydrates during cycling rides—from the Netherlands and Germany. These come exclusively from organically certified farms, each passionate enterprises that prioritize health and adhere to the strictest production standards.

Healthy Ambitions

One of these farms is Mühlenhof, a larger-than-average producer located in Zepelin, a town in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, in the northeast. The company has over 2,100 hectares of land and cultivates sugar beets on about one hundred hectares. Additionally, it grows around twenty other crops, including carrots, onions, potatoes, and wheat.
Since 2018, Mühlenhof has embraced organic production, shares Lorenz Petersen, one of the managers. Health problems of a family member convinced the owner, Benedikt Ley, to definitively stop conventional production. "It was always his dream and ambition to grow healthier products, and this was the final push he needed," says Petersen. "We now combine our belief in healthy products with the drive to achieve the highest possible yield per hectare."

Strict Regulations

This is easier said than done, as Mühlenhof, being an organically certified farm, is bound by numerous regulations. For example, it cannot use synthetic pesticides. The use of artificial fertilizer is also prohibited. Instead, the company relies on animal manure, largely sourced from its own livestock and supplemented with purchases from regional chicken farms with surplus manure. These too are organically certified.
At various points during the season, the strict regulations pose significant challenges. "In March, we prepare the land. We fertilize it and ensure good sowing conditions. In the second half of April, we proceed with sowing; the exact timing depends on temperature and humidity—it must not be too wet. In the initial days, we lose some seeds as worms and other insects eat them—synthetic pesticides are strictly forbidden. Especially in the first ten weeks, a lot of manual labor is involved. We remove weeds using robot machines and manually inspect the rows of sugar beets with our staff. Manual control is crucial, as weeds are detrimental to the growth of sugar beets. After two and a half months, the issue is no longer significant, as the leaves of the sugar beets cover the ground, and shade prevents weed growth."
Toward the end of the growing period, there is the highest risk of diseases. "But it's a risk we have to accept because there are no alternative means to combat diseases. As an organic business, we can't do anything about it."

Power of Innovation

The stringent conditions associated with organic production drive up the prices of organically grown sugar. "A conventional farmer sprays for weed control three times and then has no more trouble with weeds, but we're simply not allowed to do that. On our farm, we use three robots. These are equipped with cameras and AI technologies and can remove all weeds within two to three centimeters around the plant. Closer to the plant, we have to do it manually. Ten to fifteen of our people are tasked with this, meaning that up to 250 hours of manual labor are performed per hectare. That amounts to about three thousand euros in labor costs, which equals the total sum a conventional farmer spends per hectare for production," explains Petersen.
He praises the innovative power of the agricultural industry and observes that robots and technologies are becoming increasingly better and more advanced, reducing the need for manual labor. "We are on a continuous journey and always looking for technological improvements we can implement. It's all about reducing the amount of manual labor, the most expensive element of organic farming. We are still far from where we want and need to be, but we have made enormous strides in recent years. For example, the robot we use to remove weeds can also sow seeds. Using satellite data, we achieve precisely the same distance between sugar beets, about fifteen to twenty centimeters."

No Mixing

Mühlenhof has been fortunate in collaborating with the factory that collects and processes the harvested sugar beets. Most such factories are only open for the intake of organic sugar beets early in the harvest season, but Mühlenhof's partner, a company from Anklam, located about 170 kilometers away, cleans its factory mid-season in October to then process the organic stream.
"In other places, organic farmers are forced to harvest as early as August, but then the beets aren't fully grown. They only really gain volume in September and October. We are fortunate that our factory starts with conventional beets and then cleans the entire facility in early October to prevent mixing of regular and organically grown beets. Our beets then have six to eight weeks longer to grow without any extra cost to us. After harvesting, the factory processes all organic sugar beets collected from the wider region in a day or two."
In total, about 25,000 tons of organic sugar beets are processed in that relatively short timeframe. These come from thirty organically certified farms. Mühlenhof, with seven thousand tons, is by far the largest supplier of the entire group. "We harvest almost the same amount of sugar beets from the same area, while the average organic farmer has half the yield per hectare compared to a conventional farmer."

Transparency

Petersen does not see other organic farmers in the region as competitors at all. On the contrary, he desperately needs them. "We must collectively produce a minimum quantity of twenty thousand tons per year; otherwise, it is no longer profitable and feasible for the factory to carry out the processing. An alternative processing location is not easily found," he says. "Unfortunately, there is a lot of competition from overseas suppliers, including those from Brazil. They claim to supply organic sugar, but it's often unclear how they carried out the production and what happened to the sugar. We do offer that transparency, which is why many serious buyers, like EarthFood, consciously choose our sugar."
It is difficult to say how much healthier organic sugar is compared to regular sugar. "The only thing we can say with certainty is that we meet all requirements. There's a lot of paperwork involved to claim that we are organic; every small detail is recorded and systematically checked by authorized bodies. The most important thing is that we do not use artificial fertilizers or synthetic pesticides anywhere in the production process. This means that no residues can remain. With conventional production, it is also common for burdensome substances to be applied after harvest in a storage shed. We do not want that and are not allowed to do that as an organic farm. In essence, we therefore deliver very healthy products."

Always Outside

Petersen states that he has the most beautiful profession in the world. As a child, he grew up on an organic farm—his parents also strongly believed in organic products. After a detour of about ten years, he has settled back into a familiar environment at Mühlenhof. "We really have challenging work and must adhere to all kinds of rules while pursuing the highest possible production through intensive management and supervision. You have a hundred tasks in one day. The best thing is that you are always outside, with your feet in the clay. What is nicer than being able to breathe fresh air every day? Every cyclist, actually every outdoor athlete, will confirm that. As a passionate rower, I know what a positive effect the natural environment can have on you."

More Available Energy

The sugars from Mühlenhof and other organically certified farms are indispensable in EarthFood's organic bars, gels, and sports drinks. They provide the carbohydrates that ensure you always have enough energy during that Sunday morning ride with friends or during the grueling Gran Fondo in the high mountains. All energy products from EarthFood contain glucose and fructose (simple sugars). These are applied in a ratio of 1:0.8. The body absorbs glucose and fructose in different ways. By combining both sugars in exactly this ratio, you can absorb more carbohydrates per hour without any stomach problems. To be precise, 90 to 120 grams, depending mainly on the fitness level of your body. This leads to more available energy and better performance, especially during prolonged exertion such as cycling, running, and triathlons. After training, a combination of glucose and fructose helps in faster replenishment of glycogen stores in your muscles and liver.

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The 30 30 30 Principle

To make it even simpler for every athletic cyclist to eat and drink enough, EarthFood promotes the 30 30 30 principle. The number 30 represents 30 grams, the exact amount of carbohydrates in each EarthFood sports nutrition item. If you consume three EarthFood products every hour, you get a total of 90 grams of carbohydrates, which is more than enough for most exertions. You can combine the items yourself, for example, a water bottle (500 milliliters) with Isotonic drink, a High Energy Bar, and a Fast Energy Gel. You always choose the flavors you prefer.

A tip for prolonged exertions: start the ride with solid food (bars) and switch to liquid nutrition (gels) towards the end. Consuming gels is easier since you don't have to chew first. Moreover, the body digests a gel faster, ensuring your muscles are quickly supplied with new energy. Of course, you should keep drinking; 500 milliliters per hour is a standard guideline. How much you need to drink exactly depends on factors like the weather and your body.