The Sugar Confusion
Refined vs Naturally Occurring
You might think the solution to fear around consuming sugar is to try harder to eliminate it completely.
That is incorrect.
First, language matters
Carbohydrates are simply sugar under a more technical name.
The word carbohydrate refers to carbon and hydrogen molecules.
Carbohydrates are essential for life.
Just like amino acids found in protein, we need them to survive.
For human energy, carbohydrates come first, then protein.
Carbohydrates naturally appear in:
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Foods derived from these sources
When people hear the word sugar, what they should not fear is an apple, watermelon, or cantaloupe.
What we should fear is refined sugar.
Refined sugar is sugar that has been:
- Extracted
- Isolated
- Stripped of fiber, minerals, and context
That is the real problem.
Eating fruit is not the problem.
Eating refined sugar is the problem.
- Balance matters across all macros
Just as we can overdo carbohydrates, we can overdo:
- Protein
- Fat
Every beneficial substance becomes harmful in the wrong dose.
How much of each macronutrient we need depends on:
- Overall health
- Activity level
- Stress load
- Total calorie needs
Simply avoiding sugar is not the solution.
Avoiding refined sugar is the solution.
Even better, avoiding all refined foods is the solution, whether they are:
- Refined carbohydrates
- Refined proteins
- Refined fats
We are afraid of the wrong thing
Yes, intoxicating substances should be reduced or eliminated:
- Alcohol
- Drugs
- Highly processed foods
But culturally, we are aiming at the wrong target.
We must eat fruit.
We must eat vegetables.
Depending on climate and activity, we need calories from these foods.
You cannot rely solely on animal protein as your primary calorie source and expect long term balance.
That is not how the human body was designed.
Some people appear to do well on extremely high animal protein diets, but often for reasons unrelated to protein itself.
For example, in environments like Alaska, where only fish and animal fat are available, people survive. Especially when:
- Food is not refined
- Stress levels are low
But survival is not the same as optimal health.
These diets come with their own problems.
What works best for most humans
The most efficient diet for most people is high in carbohydrates from whole plant foods:
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Sprouts
Animal protein can be included, but in smaller amounts and less frequently than most people consume it.
One reason people crave high amounts of animal protein is stimulation.
We confuse stimulation with energy.
We overstimulate ourselves.
We intoxicate ourselves.
That has become normal.
Awareness creates space for change.
Keep an open mind.
Sugar is not one thing
Sugar is a word that describes carbohydrates in simpler molecular forms.
Fiber and starch are also carbohydrates, structured differently.
All carbohydrates break down into sugars during digestion to fuel the body.
Carbohydrates are demonized not because they are harmful, but because refined carbohydrates are intoxicating when stripped of fiber and nutrients.
At the same time, animal protein can feel energizing because it stimulates the nervous system.
That stimulation feels like strength or clarity, but it is physiology, not magic.
Animal protein and fat increase alertness through hormonal and nervous system activation.
This can bias people against carbohydrates, even though whole carbohydrates are essential.
Refined Sweeteners and Hormonal Impact
Sugar in the Raw and Brown Sugar
What they are
- Mostly sucrose
- Brown sugar is white sugar with molasses added back
- Sugar in the Raw is still refined
Endocrine negatives
- Insulin spikes similar to white sugar
- Fructose stresses the liver
- Dysregulates leptin
- Promotes cortisol via blood sugar crashes
Key truth
Trace minerals are nutritionally insignificant at real intake levels.
Domino White Sugar
What it is
- Highly refined sucrose
- Pure glucose and fructose delivery
Endocrine negatives
- Insulin spikes and crashes
- Increases insulin resistance
- Disrupts ghrelin and leptin
- Increases fatty liver risk
- Elevates cortisol indirectly
Equal (Aspartame)
What it is
- Synthetic compound
- Breaks into aspartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol
Endocrine negatives
- Alters insulin signaling
- Disrupts gut microbiome
- Increases cortisol in sensitive people
- Stresses detox pathways
Sweet and Low (Saccharin)
What it is
-
Petroleum derived synthetic sweetener
Endocrine negatives
- Alters gut bacteria
- Increases insulin response
- Linked to thyroid disruption in animal studies
Splenda (Sucralose)
What it is
-
Sugar molecule altered with chlorine
Endocrine negatives
- Disrupts microbiome
- Impairs insulin sensitivity
- Interferes with thyroid signaling
- Forms toxic byproducts when heated
Stevia
What it is
-
Plant derived, but heavily processed
Notes
- May trigger insulin in some people
- Whole leaf differs from refined powder
- Less disruptive than artificial sweeteners
Organic Maple Syrup
What it is
-
Sap concentrated through heat
Why it behaves differently
- Contains polyphenols
- Lower glycemic impact
- Provides minerals that support insulin
- Predictable hormonal response
Still sugar. But aligned with physiology.
Sweetener hierarchy for hormonal health
Worst to best:
- Splenda
- Equal
- Sweet and Low
- White sugar
- Brown sugar
- Stevia in moderation
- Organic maple syrup
The goodsugar philosophy
Sweetness is not the enemy.
Disconnection is.
Sugar becomes a problem when it is stripped of:
- Fiber
- Minerals
- Context
- Restraint
goodsugar is not anti sugar.
goodsugar is anti confusion.
goodsugar rules
- If it tastes sweet, your body should be able to metabolize it honestly
- If you cannot explain the process to a twelve year old, it does not belong in the body
- Sweetness should bring something besides dopamine
- Predictable blood sugar beats clever low calorie tricks
- Sweetness is a condiment, not a foundation
Fruit and starchy vegetables are foundational
Humans did not get sick because fruit and roots exist.
We got sick because food was refined, industrialized, and weaponized.
Fruit provides:
- Glucose for the brain
- Potassium and vitamin C
- Hydration and antioxidants
Starchy vegetables provide:
- Glycogen restoration
- Mood stability
- Stress tolerance
- Sleep support
Glucose is not the villain.
Glucose is the primary fuel of the brain.
Chronic low carbohydrate intake increases:
- Cortisol
- Anxiety
- Sleep disruption
Fiber changes everything.
Fiber:
- Slows absorption
- Feeds the microbiome
- Buffers hormones
Remove fiber and hormonal chaos follows.
Fruit is not dessert.
Fruit is regulation.
Final truth
The problem is not carbohydrates.
The problem is refinement.
goodsugar stands for food that calms the body, not scares it.
A nervous system that feels safe:
- Digests better
- Regulates appetite
- Makes better decisions
Whole fruits and starchy vegetables are honest fuel.
They do not lie to hormones.
If we remove them, we do not become disciplined.
We become stressed.
And stressed bodies do not heal.