1 Brief history of sugar beet The first references to the family of plants known as “Beta” can be found in Greek literature around 420BC. They were described as garden plants; dark and light varieties are mentioned. Sugar beet was first grown 2000 years ago originally for its leaves, which were probably the spinach or swiss chard of their day. Beet gradually spread throughout France and Spain, often in monasteries but also by peasant farmers. By the fifteenth century beet was grown all over Europe