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Sugars either occur in foods naturally or are added during processing. Sugars that occur naturally in plants are the result of photosynthesis, in which plants use the sun’s energy to create carbohydrates that serve as food for the plant’s growth. Fruits and vegetables are examples of plant foods with naturally occurring (intrinsic) sugars.

Plants also can change carbohydrates to suit their own needs. For example, a fruit changes a carbohydrate from a starch to a sugar as it matures. This is why ripened fruits taste sweet. In contrast, vegetables tend to change their carbohydrates from sugars to starches, which is why younger vegetables taste sweeter before they mature.

Lactose is another sugar that occurs naturally in foods. It is found in milk, but is much less sweet than sugars such as sucrose.

Sugars also can be added to foods during preparation and processing. Many home-cooked meals include added sugar. Baked foods may have added sugar or honey, homemade jellies and jams may have added sugar and homemade baked beans may include molasses and sorghum molasses. Sugars such as sucrose and fructose also are added to many foods during processing.

Foods that get their flavor and in some cases, texture and bulk, from sugars include:

• Breads
• Candies
• Fruits
• Ketchup and other condiments
• Milk
• Salad dressings
• Soft drinks
• Vegetables

Foods that are the most common sources of added sugars in the American diet include:

• Cakes, cookies and pies
• Candy
• Dairy desserts (e.g., ice cream)
• Drinks such as fruit punch and lemonade
• Regular soft drinks (not diet or sugar-free)