Sugars: Natural vs Added
Sugars: Natural vs Added
Sugar is one of the most talked-about nutrients, and also one of the most misunderstood. Conversations about sugar often lump everything together, as if the sugar in a strawberry and the sugar added to a soda are nutritionally identical. They are not.
For years, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans have recommended limiting added sugars in the diet. The 2020-2025 guidelines suggest keeping added sugars to less than 10 percent of total daily calories for people aged two and older and avoiding added sugars entirely for infants and toddlers. (Note: as of January 10, 2026, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025-2030 have yet to be released, but likely, the guidelines will still recommend limiting added sugars.)
The key phrase here is added sugars.
Yet I still hear statements like:
“I don’t eat carrots because they’re high in sugar.”
“Potatoes are basically all sugar.”
“Fruit has too much sugar, so I avoid it.”
Avoiding nutrient-rich plant foods because they contain naturally occurring sugar is one of the more misguided nutrition trends that continues to circulate. It is absurd, really. And yes, I usually respond with something along the lines of, “Right, because eating too many carrots is clearly the problem.”
Natural Sugars Are Not the Problem
Naturally occurring sugars are found in whole foods like fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. These sugars come packaged with fiber, water, vitamins, minerals, and, in some cases, protein and fat.
Carrots, for example, contain naturally occurring sugars along with fiber, potassium, vitamin A, and water. Potatoes provide carbohydrates, fiber, vitamin C, potassium, and other micronutrients. Fruit contains natural sugars plus fiber, antioxidants, phytochemicals, and a wide range of vitamins and minerals.
These foods are not driving excessive sugar intake in the typical American diet.
Here is a helpful comparison I often share. It takes about one pound of carrots to equal the calories in a standard candy bar. That pound of carrots contains fewer than 200 calories. Most candy bars contain well over 200 calories.
The sugar content may look similar on paper, roughly 20 to 25 grams, but nutritionally, these foods are not even in the same category. I hope no one would confuse them as being in the same category, but people do it all the time, blaming the sugar in fruits and vegetables for being too high. The sugar in carrots, and all fruits and vegetables, is naturally occurring and comes with fiber, micronutrients, and a high water content. The sugar in candy is added sugar with very little nutritional value beyond calories.
So, really, is the “sugar” the problem here?
Added Sugars Are the Real Concern
Added sugars are sugars that are added during processing, preparation, or at the table. These include white sugar, brown sugar, honey, syrups, and other sweeteners added to foods and beverages.
The concern with added sugars is not that they are inherently toxic or forbidden. The issue is quantity and displacement. Added sugars tend to add calories without adding much nutritional value, and they often replace foods that would otherwise provide fiber, protein, or essential nutrients.
In the typical diet, excess sugar intake comes largely from:
Sweetened beverages
Desserts and baked goods
Sweet snacks
Sweetened coffee and tea drinks
Some flavored yogurts and breakfast foods
Not from carrots, potatoes, or fruit.
Some Foods Need Added Sugar to Be Edible
This is where nuance matters.
Some foods are simply not palatable without some added sugar. Cranberries are a classic example. They are incredibly tart and difficult to eat on their own. Try it sometime. I have plenty. Adding sugar makes them edible and enjoyable, while still allowing people to benefit from their nutrients.
Yogurt is another example. Plain yogurt works well in recipes, but many people prefer some sweetness when eating it on its own. A small amount of added sugar can make yogurt enjoyable and sustainable as a regular food choice. Greek and Skyr-style yogurts tend to be lower in added sugars than some products marketed to children.
Cocoa powder is not something most people want to eat straight. Chocolate without any sugar is bitter and unpleasant for most palates. Adding sugar turns cocoa into chocolate that people actually want to eat. And will deliver health benefits when chosen wisely.
The question is not whether added sugar exists in a food. The question is how much, how often, and in what overall context.
Reading Added Sugars on the Nutrition Facts Panel
One of the most helpful updates to the Nutrition Facts Panel was the addition of the added sugars line.
Labels now list:
Total sugars, which include both naturally occurring and added sugars
Added sugars, listed directly underneath total sugars
For example, if a food lists 12 grams of total sugar and includes 4 grams of added sugars, the remaining 8 grams are naturally occurring. Those 4 grams are part of the 12 grams, not in addition to them.
This change removed a lot of guesswork. Before this update, it was impossible to tell how much sugar was added to a yogurt, smoothie, or cereal versus what was naturally occurring.
Now, people can see that plain milk has natural sugar but no added sugar, while a flavored yogurt might contain both.
Read more about the Sugars and Added Sugars line on the Nutrition Facts Panel.
Do We Need to Avoid Added Sugars Completely?
No.
Avoiding added sugars entirely is not realistic, necessary, or even desirable for most people. The goal is not elimination. The goal is moderation and awareness.
The guideline of limiting added sugars to less than 10 percent of calories provides a helpful framework. A guideline. For someone eating around 1,600 calories per day, that equals fewer than 160 calories from added sugars, or about 40 grams.
That number may sound high to some people, but when you look closely at daily intake, those grams add up quickly through beverages, snacks, and convenience foods.
This does not mean tracking every gram forever. It means understanding where added sugars tend to show up and deciding which ones are worth it and which ones are not.
Putting It All Together – What’s the Bottom Line?
Natural sugars and added sugars are chemically similar, but nutritionally very different in the context of whole foods versus processed foods. Naturally occurring sugars come with fiber, water, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. Added sugars often do not.
This distinction matters, especially when carbohydrates are already such a confusing topic. Cutting out fruits, vegetables, or dairy because they contain sugar misses the bigger picture of nutrition and health.
This post is part of an ongoing series focused on carbohydrates and foundational nutrition concepts. The goal is to replace fear and confusion with understanding, context, and practical decision-making.
Read more:
Real World Nutrition Refreshed: I am revitalizing and updating my blog archive and re-publishing it. Stay tuned as I review, update, refresh, and re-share these posts to provide you with even more valuable information on nutrition, health, and overall wellness—and keep things timely. A portion of this blog was initially posted on October 6, 2022, and has been updated here.
