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Welcome back to Healthy California! I’m here to empower you with the knowledge to make simple, sustainable, and science-backed health choices. In this episode, we dive into the sweet—and not-so-sweet truth about sugar.

From table sugar and honey to high-fructose corn syrup and stevia, we break down what sugar actually is, how it's metabolized in the body, and the difference between natural, added, and artificial sugars. You’ll learn about the chemical structure of monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides, and how they function as energy, plus the role sugar plays in gut health, inflammation, weight gain, and chronic disease.

We also uncover how hidden sugars sneak into your diet under over 200 different names and explore why sugar-free doesn't always mean guilt-free. You'll hear how sugar affects your microbiome, blood sugar, insulin levels, brain, and even oral health.

Ready for change? I'll guide you through practical strategies to reduce sugar intake, tips to curb cravings, and how to take the 7-day sugar-free challenge—with journal prompts and daily wins along the way.

🎧 Listen now to learn how to recognize sugar's many forms, protect your health, and reclaim your energy—one sweet decision at a time.

Here are some the different names for sugar – hidden names?

| Beet sugar | Brown sugar/Dark brown sugar | Cane sugar/crystals/syrup
| Coconut sugar | Powdered sugar | Date sugar/syrup
| Demerara sugar | Golden sugar/syrup | Grape sugar
| Muscovado sugar | Panela sugar | Raw sugar
| Turbinado sugar | Yellow sugar | HFCS/corn syrup/corn sweetener
| Corn syrup | Agave nector/syrup | Barley malt syrup
| Barley malt sugar | Blackstrap molasses | Honey
| Maple syrup | Rice syrup | Sorghum syrup
| Rice syrup | Carob syrup | Dextrine/Dextran/Dextrose
| Fruit juice concentrate | Auamiel | Barbados
| Buttered syrup | Cane juice | Caramel
| Castor sugar/syrup | Clarified grape juice | Any fruit concentrate
| Confectioner’s sugar | Cooked honey | Crystalline
| D-mannose | Evaporated cane juice | Ethyl maltol
| Florida chrystals | Free flowing | Fruit sugars/sweeteners
| Galactose | glycerin | Anything hydrogenated
| Icing sugar inulin | Inverted sugar | Jaggery
| Anything malt | Maltodextrose | Maltodextrin
| Maltose | Treacle | Modified food starch
| All nectars | Organic raw sugars | Panocha
| Pectin | Xanthum gum | Succanat

Sugar Alcohols and Artificial Sweeteners
- Erythritol - Lactitol - Maltitol - Mannitol - Sorbitol - Xylitol | - aspartame - stevia - Splenda - equal |

📩 Have questions? Contact me at linda@heal-throughfood.com or visit heal-throughfood.com
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I want to share a helpful resource with you—a free health questionnaire designed to pinpoint the areas in your life that need focus for optimal wellness. If you're interested, simply click the link in my show notes or visit www.heal-throughfood.com to access it.

Thank you for listening to Healthy California.

If you have tried all my suggestions and are still having trouble with your health, and would like an appointment with me, please email me, text, or call me via the contact information below.

My contact:

Linda Brown, MPT, Doctoral Candidate Functional Nutrition

916-426-2543

linda@heal-throughfood.com

www.heal-throughfood.com