42. You assume added sugar is always bad for you

THE RESULT: Less-tasty food.

THE FIX: Sugar is essential in the kitchen. Consider all it does for baking—creates a tender cake crumb and ensures crisp cookies, for example. Then there’s its role in creating airy meringue or soft-textured ice cream. Keep in mind that other sweeteners like “natural” honey are basically refined sugar anyway, and they’re all metabolized by your body the same way. Sugar also balances flavors in healthy foods that might not taste so great on their own. A wee bit of sugar to balance a savory tomato sauce is a good thing, as is a teaspoon of honey on a tart grapefruit half or in plain yogurt. Don’t go overboard, of course. Most health experts suggest that added sugar supply no more than 10% of your total calories—about 200 in a 2,000-calorie diet.