Now that we’ve got that out of the way,
let’s talk about what we mean by “added”
sugars.
First, we’re not talking about the natural
sugars found in whole foods, like fruit.
Remember, we don’t practice food
reductionism—fruit is not sugar, fruit is food!
There is sugar in fruit, but as we’ll soon
discuss, that sugar comes in a micronutrient-
dense package of vitamins, minerals,
phytonutrients, fiber, and water. That kind of
sugar is not the stuff we’re cautioning you
against.
Added sugar is any form of sugar or sugar
alternative added to foods or beverages when
they are processed or prepared. It’s the raw
sugar you put in your coffee, the honey you
add to your tea or the agave syrup that
sweetens your ice cream. We don’t
discriminate between the source or the form,
and we don’t care whether it’s “all natural” or
“unrefined.” As you’ll learn in this chapter: