The US government has given a strong warning to its people: sugar is harmful and should be avoided. On Tuesday, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. called sugar “poison” and advised Americans to stop eating added sugar completely.

Kennedy admitted that it might be hard to remove all sugar from food products, but he said that better labeling could help people know exactly what they are eating. He stressed that most people don’t even realize how much sugar is in their food.

“We need to educate Americans,” he said. “With the new nutrition guidelines, we’ll make it clear—people should not be consuming any added sugar.”

Kennedy also mentioned that food products often contain artificial colors and dyes, many of which come from petroleum. He said the government plans to ban these harmful dyes within the next two years.

Earlier, the Biden administration had already started this process by working to ban Red No. 3, a food dye linked to cancer in animal studies.

The overall message from the government is clear: check your food labels, avoid added sugar, and stay informed about what you’re eating.