SUGAR: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SUGAR CONSUMPTION

Sugar comes in many different forms in food. Most healthy foods, including fruits, vegetables, dairy, and grains, contain naturally occurring sugars or carbohydrates. Processed foods can contain naturally occurring carbohydrates plus added sugars. These added sugars come in many forms, and some are labeled "natural" to be more appealing to consumers.

The FDA does not have a definition of the word natural; they do allow the word to be used if a product has no added colors, artificial flavors or synthetic substances but this is a loose regulation. "Naturally" added sugars like agave nectar, honey and maple syrup also have calories but are reported to have more helpful nutrients as well, like B vitamins, selenium and iron. Unfortunately, in order to see those nutritional benefits, you'd have to eat quite a bit of these added sugars each day.