sugar weight loss myth

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Myth No. 3: All-natural sugars like honey & coconut sugar are more weight-friendly than the normal white stuff.

The Truth: "Calories from sugars contribute to weight gain no matter if they come from a natural source or not," says Ashley Koff, RD, a dietitian in Washington, DC. That's because your body still metabolizes them as added white sugar, she says, which has been linked to a long list of health issues like increased risk of breast cancer and heart disease and memory problems. The bottom line: keep all added sweeteners to a minimum.

Keep This in Mind Too: As for the purported health gains of using au natural sugars, "It's true that some options like coconut sugar go through minimal processing—so they preserve more nutrients like potassium and iron—but you would need to consume huge amounts to get any benefits from them," says Pritchett.