Are added sugars worse for my health than naturally occurring ones?

No, because the human body does not differentiate between sugars naturally present in food or sugars added during the cooking process. Once ingested, all sugars, regardless of their origin, are broken down into the molecules of glucose, fructose and galactose and are subsequently absorbed by the body.

For example, fructose naturally found in honey or apples will be digested in the same way as fructose found in table sugar or in a glucose-fructose syrup added to an ice cream.

What matters the most is the total amount of calories. Eating more calories than required by our body can lead to unhealthy weight gain. Like any other food, food containing sugar should be consumed in moderation.