Skirting around the sugary dilemma of our lives, we often fool ourselves into thinking that substituting standard table sugar with "natural" alternatives like honey or maple syrup is a health victory march. But does this substitution make a significant splash in our health puddle? Considering the average American gulps down more than 17 excessive teaspoons of added sugar daily, it's time to cast off the sugar-coating.

Manifested in whole fruit and milk, natural sugars are all good and groovy. The baddies are the added sugars, generously tossed into foods during processing or prep, like the notorious high fructose corn syrup and the common table sugar. Tricksters like honey, agave nectar, and maple syrup may charm you with their "natural" tag, but don't be fooled - they are added sugars in disguise.

Frank Hu, fancy professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, drops the bombshell that honey, maple syrup, and agave nectar are only marginally better than other added sugars. They have a lower glycemic index and pack some vitamins and minerals, but overindulging in any added sugar can still trigger the same health havoc.

Take agave nectar, for example. It's been hailed as a "healthier" substitute because it's 1.5 times sweeter than table sugar, so you might use less of it, right? Well, don't pop the champagne just yet. It's stuffed with up to 90% fructose - that's even more than high-fructose corn syrup. And unlike glucose, fructose doesn't spark a robust insulin response or make you feel full, priming you for overeating.

Meanwhile, honey springs an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory surprise, earning its "healthy" stripes. However, a 2015 research sting reveals that honey, white cane sugar, and high fructose corn syrup have a similar impact on blood sugar and inflammation.

The truth? Ditch the idea of a sugar-free existence. Embrace healthier sugar sources like fruits, supplying fiber, vitamins, and minerals. As Hu explains, liquid sugars like soda might be digested rapidly and result in soaring blood sugar spikes. In contrast, sugar hanging out in whole fruits, such as apples, is digested at a slower pace, resulting in a gentler blood sugar rise.

While the war on sugar rages on, let's not demonize carbohydrates, the natural energy boosters in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. "We could not live a healthy or long life without any carbohydrates," asserts Sandra J. Arévalo, the director of community health and wellness at Montefiore Nyack Hospital.

She warns that if your body can't tap into carbohydrates, it would resort to using fat and protein, which could be detrimental in the long run. And low-carb diets? They skimp on critical nutrients like fiber and could potentially have an opening act for heart disease or cancer.

So, at the end of the day, the healthiest option is something more natural. But remember, moderation, not annihilation, is key when it comes to sugars. Your best sugar allies? Naturally occurring sugars in whole fruit and milk. Yes, that includes you, honey and maple syrup. Just don't go overboard with them.