That's where paying attention to the food labels (however accurate they are) comes into the picture. And one can seek out alternative recipes that omit sugar.
And fruits do have simple sugars that are quickly released into the blood ergo you're better off eating an orange than drinking OJ. But one must always look at glycemic load (not perfect but the best measure at the moment) rather than glycemic index.
Myles, as you know, I'm on a sort of 'paleo' regime, staying off the processed sugar, starches, bread, pasta, dairy, and couldn't be happier. Lot's of fruit, veggies, salad, no problem with a steak or a high quality piece of meat (I find chicken to be too dry or too greasy, much as I love real down home fried chicken). I eat raw cashews for the 'crunch' and don't feel deprived in the least. If I want to have a slice of serious pizza, I'll do it, but most of the time, I stay in this groove, and it feels right to me. I don't feel nearly as bloated after a meal, and combined with pretty rigorous exercise, have lost a considerable amount of weight gradually, over the course of 2 years. My wife made a 'paleo' dressing for Thanksgiving, along with a more conventional one, and the non-bread one (which had sausage, spinach, apples, onion, cranberry, mushroom, etc.) was a huge hit among all the eaters. I did help myself to a nice slice of homemade mince pie, but hey, you only live once. (I hope that's true).