Eliminating Sugar From Your Diet

[ChloeFrancoise]

Can you post a recipe for raw cheesecake, pretty please? I'm not a raw foodist/vegan but ever since my nutrition teacher in one class brought some people on the raw food diet, I wanted to try some recipes. I still haven't gotten around to it.

 

[shoppingirl89]

Can you post a recipe for raw cheesecake, pretty please? I'm not a raw foodist/vegan but ever since my nutrition teacher in one class brought some people on the raw food diet, I wanted to try some recipes. I still haven't gotten around to it.

I haven't tried this recipe, but I found this online and it came recommended... hope this is what you were looking for!

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Crust
1 cup brazil nuts (or almonds)
1 cup walnuts
1/2 cup dried figs (or dates)
1/4 cup raisons
2 tbs. of orange juice
pinch of salt[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Filling
2 cups raw cashews (soaked for 10 hours)
1 cup almonds or mac nuts (soaked for 2 hrs)
3 tbs. pine nuts
2 tbs. rejuvelac or lemon juice
pinch of salt
1/3 cup coconut water and 3 tbs. chopped meat
1 sun dried vanilla bean or 1 ts. vanilla extract
4 tbs. agave nectar or honey or 7-12 soaked dates[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Whipped Cream
1 cup young coconut meat (chopped up)
3 tbs. raw cashews or mac nuts (soaked for 8-10 hrs)
8 soaked dates or 2 tbs. honey (or more if you like it sweeter)
3 tbs. coconut water or almond milk
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
drop of vanilla extract [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Topping
1 pint really ripe red strawberries (sliced fine and put into a bowl)
3 tbs lemon juice
1/2 tbs agave nectar or honey
pure water (not tap)[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]How to: Ok, begin with a round cheezcake pan (spring form pan). Process all the ingredients for the crust. Press the mixture into the pan and set aside (chill in the fridge).
Now the filling. In the vitamix or champion juicer blend/process the cashews and almonds or macnuts untill they are creamy. Put this in a bowl and add the rejuvelac and salt. Mix really well. Put in a nut milk bag or cheese cloth or bowl covered with a towel and leave it out in a warm place (room temp) for 10-12 hrs. Combine this "cream cheez" mixture and blend it with the 1/3 cup coconut water and coconut meat, vanilla bean or extract, agave nectar or honey. Put in the freezer untill ready to use.
Blend all the ingredients for the whipped cream and chill in the freezer
Now for the topping. Take the strawberries and strain them, to get the strawberry liquid from the bowl, mix that with the lemon juice and a little agave nectar or honey. Set aside untill ready to use. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Assembly:
Yay, we're almost done. Ok. Take the spring form pan, pour the filling in and tap the pan down to get all the air bubbles. Layer the slices of strawberries on top and pour the lemon mixture over it. Put the whipped cream in a star tipped pipeing bag and pipe it all along the sides of the cake, or all over. Garnish with extra lemon zest, and put in the freezer for 8 hrs. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Make a strawbery sauce to go with the cake.
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 tbs. lemon juice
1/2 cup water or orange juice[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Blend in a high speed blender, and strain out the seeds. Serve along side the cake.This cake is soo good, it's better to make two. It's a little time consuming but well worth it. Trust me.[/FONT]

http://www.rawguru.com/recipe36.html​

 

[ChloeFrancoise]

Thanks for the recipe. I wasn't looking for a specific recipe. That one sounds good though.

 

[Fabulyss]

Wow! Who has the money/time to make that? I wish I did

 

[shoppingirl89]

Wow! Who has the money/time to make that? I wish I did

haha my thoughts exactly!
i think it would take my an entire day...

 

[SiennaInLondon]

Ok that is an INSANE recipe. This is the one I use that rocks my world. I usually don't bother with the sauce. And it might take a while the first time to puree the nuts, but I can do it fairly quickly now. Soaking the cashews is crucial, as is cutting the macadamias in half before processing them. Means the processor has an easier time. Oh and SOFT dates. Hard ones are impossible.

Raspberry Cheesecake
Makes: 24 slivers

For the Crust:
2 cups raw macadamia nuts
1/2 cup dates, pitted (medjools)
1/4 cup dried coconut

For the cheese:
3 cups chopped cashews, soaked for at least 1 hour
3/4 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup honey
3/4 cup coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon celtic sea salt (optional)

For raspberry sauce:
1 bag frozen raspberries
1/2 cup dates

DIRECTIONS
To make the crust, process the macadamia nuts and dates in the food processor. Sprinkle dried coconut onto the bottom of an 8 or 9 inch springform pan (found in Target). Press crust onto the coconut. This will prevent it from sticking.

To make the cheese, blend the cashews, lemon, honey, gently warmed coconut oil (do not use microwave), vanilla, sea salt (if using), and 1/2 cup water. Blend until smooth and adjust to taste.

Pour the mixture onto the crust. Remove air bubbles by tapping the pan on a table.

Place in the freezer until firm. Remove the whole cake from the pan while frozen and place on a serving platter. Defrost in the refrigerator.
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I forgot to add the vanilla, but mine still tastes amazing! and instead of honey I used agave and dates. And I had to use frozen strawberries as we've just had tons of rain here in South Island, New Zealand and our raspberry crops are pretty much all washed away!
Oh, and another tip. BLEND, BLEND, BLEND all the cheese mixture so it is very creamy and there aren't big chunks of cashews. Probably an obvious thing to say, but hey!

 

[shoegal2183]

I highly recommend STEVIA as a sugar substitute. It's not bad for you like artificial sweetners. It's a plant that is naturally sweet and is calorie free! Also, it will not spike up your blood sugar! It can be purchaced at any health food store and some grocery stores.

Can anyone suggest specific places to find Stevia? I have been looking at various Whole Foods locations, but have yet to find it.

 

[knightley]

It's an arduous process to rid yourself of sugars, but I am so proud of myself for weening myself from what I think was my sugar dependency!

It took me 21 days to really beat it cos I have a huge, big, large, ginormous sweet teeth and I crave my refined sugars and chips, biscuits, cookies, all of that! The first week was awful, but the key was everytime I really wanted something with sugars, I ate an orange slice. The peeling of it took my mind off and I'd eat one slice and if it was particularly bad in craving, I'd indulge and have a second! I just started forcing myself to replace my cravings. It took me around a month, but now I crave oranges, apples, boiled eggs, and bananas! I sometimes put raspberries on my fingers as a treat. The great thing is now when I see cookies in the pantry, I can shut the door and not think I want just one! and when I do have one: I just have one.

But for people looking to cut the cravings, sometimes it is good to start slow. Substitute in, but let yourself have Sunday to eat whatever you want. You'll feel good you made it a week and the craving will turn into a reward and I suspect by your third Sunday you'll feel guilty and not even want to binge on sugars. It's amazing how much better I feel without them: more alert, keener, quicker, more awake... I am like

 

[moirla]

It's an arduous process to rid yourself of sugars, but I am so proud of myself for weening myself from what I think was my sugar dependency!

It took me 21 days to really beat it cos I have a huge, big, large, ginormous sweet teeth and I crave my refined sugars and chips, biscuits, cookies, all of that! The first week was awful, but the key was everytime I really wanted something with sugars, I ate an orange slice. The peeling of it took my mind off and I'd eat one slice and if it was particularly bad in craving, I'd indulge and have a second! I just started forcing myself to replace my cravings. It took me around a month, but now I crave oranges, apples, boiled eggs, and bananas! I sometimes put raspberries on my fingers as a treat. The great thing is now when I see cookies in the pantry, I can shut the door and not think I want just one! and when I do have one: I just have one.

But for people looking to cut the cravings, sometimes it is good to start slow. Substitute in, but let yourself have Sunday to eat whatever you want. You'll feel good you made it a week and the craving will turn into a reward and I suspect by your third Sunday you'll feel guilty and not even want to binge on sugars. It's amazing how much better I feel without them: more alert, keener, quicker, more awake... I am like

Congrats! This is something I am still working on. A little while ago I was off it for about a week, slipped, and it's been back-and-forth ever since. I did notice while I was off it how good I felt. Hopefully there will be no slips for me today!

 

[shoegal2183]

I made the raw cheese cake this weekend! I'm suprised at how sweet it is without any added sugar. I didn't have coconut oil, so I just used vegetable oil and it seems to be fine. Also, be cautious about the type of shredded coconut you buy. Many of them are sweetened which sort of diminishes the point. I blended the "cheese" filling in the blender which seemed to work nicely. Next time I'll blend a bit more however.

This was really very easy to make and yummy!

 

[shoegal2183]

Day 2 of the reaw cheesecake and I'm not loving it so much anymore. I had some last night and woke up this morning with a minor stomach disruption Has anyone else experienced and problems eating it?

 

[Fabulyss]

"Aspartame's Toxic Contents

PHENYLALANINE
The essential amino acid phenylalanine comprises 50 per cent of aspartame. In people with the genetic disorder, phenylketonuria (PKU) the liver cannot metabolise phenylalanine, causing it to build up in the blood and tissues. Chronically high levels of phenylalanine and some of its breakdown products can cause significant neurological problems, which is why foods and beverages containing aspartame must carry a warning for PKU sufferers.

But according to Dr HJ Roberts, sensitivity to aspartame is not limited to PKU sufferers. PKU carriers - people who inherited the gene for the disorder but do not themselves have the condition (around 2 per cent of the general population) - are also more prone to adverse effects. In Roberts' data there is also a high incidence of aspartame reactions among the close relatives of patients who cannot tolerate aspartame. Furthermore, there is evidence that ingesting aspartame, especially along with carbohydrates, can lead to excess levels of phenylalanine in the brain even among those not affected by PKU.

Athough phenylalanine is sometimes used as a treatment for depression, excessive amounts in the brain can cause levels of the mood regulator serotonin to decrease, making depression more serious or likely. Build-up of phenylalanine in the brain can also worsen schizophrenia or make individuals more susceptible to seizures. Moreover, decrease in serotonin levels can result in carbohydrate craving. This could explain aspartame's lack of effectiveness as a diet aid.

DKP
DKP is a breakdown product of phenylalanine that forms when aspartame-containing liquids are stored for prolonged periods. In animal experiments it has produced brain tumours, uterine polyps and changes in blood cholesterol. Before the FDA approved aspartame, the amount of DKP in our diets was essentially zero. So no claim of DKP's safety can be accepted as genuine until good-quality long-term studies have been performed. No such studies have been done.

ASPARTIC ACID
Aspartic acid (also known as aspartate) is a non-essential amino acid that comprises 40 per cent of aspartame. In the brain, it functions as a neurotransmitter - facilitating the transfer of information from one nerve cell (neuron) to another. Both human and animal experiments have demonstrated a significant spike in blood-plasma levels of aspartate after the administration of aspartame in liquids. Too much aspartate in the brain produces free radicals, unstable molecules that damage and kill brain cells.
Humans are five times more sensitive to the effects of aspartic acid (as well as glutamic acid, found in MSG) than rodents, and 20 times more sensitive than monkeys, because we concentrate these excitatory amino acids in our blood at much higher levels and for a longer period of time. Aspartic acid has a cumulative harmful effect on the endocrine and reproductive systems. Several animal experiments have shown that excitotoxins can penetrate the placental barrier and reach the foetus.

In addition, as levels of aspartic acid rise in the body so do levels of the key neurotransmitter norepinephrine (also known as noradrenaline), a 'stress hormone' that affects parts of the human brain where attention and impulsivity are controlled. Excessive norepinephrine is associated with symptoms such as anxiety, agitation and mania.

METHANOL
Methanol (wood alcohol) comprises 10 per cent of aspartame. It is a deadly poison that is liberated from aspartame at temperatures in excess of 86° Fahrenheit (30° centigrade) - for instance, during storage or inside the human body. The US Environmental Protection Agency considers methanol a 'cumulative poison due to the low rate of excretion once it is absorbed', meaning that even small amounts in aspartame-containing foods can build up over time in the body.

The most well known problems from methanol poisoning are vision disorders, including misty or blurry vision, retinal damage and blindness. Other symptoms include headaches, tinnitus, dizziness, nausea, gastrointestinal disturbances, weakness, vertigo, chills, memory lapses, numbness and shooting pains in the extremities behavioural disturbances, and neuritis.

The EPA tightly controls methanol exposure, allowing only very minute levels to be present in foods or in environmental exposures. But Blaylock says: 'The level allowed in NutraSweet is seven times the amount that the EPA will allow anyone else to use.'

FORMALDEHYDE
The methanol absorbed from aspartame is converted to formaldehyde in the liver. Formaldehyde is a neurotoxin and known carcinogen. It causes retinal damage and birth defects, interferes with DNA replication, and has been shown to cause squamous-cell carcinoma, a form of skin cancer, in animals. Several human studies have found that chronic, low-level formaldehyde exposure has been linked with a variety of symptoms, including headaches, fatigue, chest tightness, dizziness, nausea, poor concentration and seizures.

FORMIC ACID
Formic acid is a cumulative poison produced by the breakdown of formaldehyde. It concentrates in the brain, kidneys, spinal fluid and other organs, and is highly toxic to cells. Formic acid can lead to accumulation of excessive acid in the body fluids - a condition known as acidosis. The small amounts of formic acid derived from the methanol absorbed from aspartame may or may not be dangerous; there are no human or mammalian studies to enlighten us."

read the rest here: http://www.theecologist.org/archive_detail.asp?content_id=457

 

[palyxa]

I made the raw cheese cake this weekend! I'm suprised at how sweet it is without any added sugar.

Between the honey, dates and rasberries that recipe is loaded with sugar. I can't see how eating like this can be good for you in the long run. Every recipe I've read is full of nuts and fruit. I'm not picking on raw foodists, I'm honestly trying to understand and would like to incorporate it into my diet.

 

[Fabulyss]

So I tried replacing regular sugar in my Yorkshire tea with Stevia - and it was disgusting Strangely enough it tasted just as chemical-y as Splenda (despite it being all natural). I was so bummed.

 

[*Bianca*]

Sugar is a carbohydrate, so when it's not burned off for energy, it's stored as fat.

I think they were asking about artificial sweeteners

Regarding artificial sweeteners, I'm so lost as to what I should do. I'm very concerned about calories and also want to cut back on sugar so drinking the normal soft drink is definitely not an option - but fizzy drinks are really the only drinks that make me feel refreshed - I probably have 3-4 glasses of either diet-coke or coke zero per day. Is that excessive? I also will have a sugarfree red bull 2-3 x a week.

And regarding Stevia, how do you know that is safe? Have there been studies done that show it is safe for humans to consume over a period of time, like the studies people want for aspartame & splenda?

I just hear so many contradictory things when it comes to what people should eat or not eat; it gets really confusing and you get to the point where you basically feel you can't eat anything (or worse, you say screw it, and eat just as you've been normally eating which is junk).

Anyway, I'm basically aiming for low-calorie, no-refined-sugar, minimal-artificial sweeteners and possibly dairy-free and/or wheat-free — but I haven't really decided 100% on that yet. I don't know how long I'll last on it though!

I guess I just need to create a list of foods that I CAN eat and make up meal plans from that, instead of thinking of all the foods I can't eat

 

[junegloom]

^ Well at my house we use Splenda instead of sugar and it was recommended to my parents (they both have diabetes) by their doctor so I'm assuming it's good! You can put it in nearly anything - tea, coffee, etc - and there's even a specific type for baking if you're into that. Personally I prefer it to Sweet & Low or any other artificial sweeteners, but that's just my opinion!

 

[cheepmunk]

Bianca, do your fizzy drinks need to be sweetened? If not, you could try plain old seltzer water or club soda. If you do like them sweet, you could still try the club soda and add your own sugar, slowly cutting back on the amount you add each week.

 

[haute femme]

glad I found this thread..

I've been pretty certain sugar (along with simple carbohydrates/starches) has been causing lots of problems in my body.

Anyone read "The Yeast Connection" or know about Candida? I've been on and off the right diet for treating candida (along with taking good probiotics and herbs)... it's just so hard to stick to longterm. Maybe this thread will help!

 

[ivypixie]

I really want to eliminate sugar, and I don't drink soda or eat sweets and all the obvious sugar-things, it's all the other things that's hard to avoid. I mean, it's sugar in everything almost!

 

[iluvjeisa]

I think they were asking about artificial sweeteners

Regarding artificial sweeteners, I'm so lost as to what I should do. I'm very concerned about calories and also want to cut back on sugar so drinking the normal soft drink is definitely not an option - but fizzy drinks are really the only drinks that make me feel refreshed - I probably have 3-4 glasses of either diet-coke or coke zero per day. Is that excessive? I also will have a sugarfree red bull 2-3 x a week.

And regarding Stevia, how do you know that is safe? Have there been studies done that show it is safe for humans to consume over a period of time, like the studies people want for aspartame & splenda?

I just hear so many contradictory things when it comes to what people should eat or not eat; it gets really confusing and you get to the point where you basically feel you can't eat anything (or worse, you say screw it, and eat just as you've been normally eating which is junk).

Anyway, I'm basically aiming for low-calorie, no-refined-sugar, minimal-artificial sweeteners and possibly dairy-free and/or wheat-free — but I haven't really decided 100% on that yet. I don't know how long I'll last on it though!

I guess I just need to create a list of foods that I CAN eat and make up meal plans from that, instead of thinking of all the foods I can't eat

This is because - we are not all made equal. Some people are adversely affected by artificial sweeteners - it may not be so much the genetic differences as the differences between the microbial organisms that live inside us. Candida is only one out of thousands of organisms. Certain types of organisms are associated with obesity, in fact.

Essentially, a person who consumes artificial sweeteners and has not had adverse appetite effects should probably not worry too much.