Eliminating Sugar From Your Diet

[AnaD]

Have you tried stevia, it doesn't contain sugar and it's naturally sweet. Also (this may sound crazy) but have you tried drinking your plain coffee iced? It's nuts but I've always found it tastes much less bitter and smoother when it's cold and icy, especially if you add a little cinnamon or something.

I hope you start feeling much better soon

 

[Phuel]

Gosh Mullet, then you really should eliminate as much granulated sugar from your diet as you’re able to without losing the capability to function as a sane human. (A lot more serious than I originally thought.)

One thing’s for certain— we both need to get off our diet of sleazy greasy hot men. It’s so hard… sigh… LOOOOL

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ Not hard for me I have no taste at all for that type of man ...

Probably this is really no better for anyone than white sugar, but I use turbinado in my coffee by choice and much prefer it to white. Luckily no diabetes other than gestational in my family ...

Have you tried chai tea as an alternative? All tea I drink black ... Just went for 6 days without coffee, so I know I'm not addicted. I think it must be a physical thing ... probably with the right genes I would be.

 

[URBAN]

Let me just say it's one of the hardest things to do I find. I'm currently in the midst of the whole 30 diet which is no added sugar, no carbs from grains, no alcohol, and no dairy. Literally everything we find in the supermarket has added sugars. And the first week of being on it, I had the largest migraine which I'm assuming is withdrawal from sugar. I'm currently just about halfway through the program. I had to take a small break during my friend's engagement sadly and the program is extremely strict on slipping so who knows if it'll work out for me in the end. But I have noticed that my sleeping is a lot better, I don't feel bloated at all anymore, and absolutely no random heartburn. YAY!

 

[MulletProof]

I've been drinking my coffee with cinnamon for the past days and it's much much better! (thanks tigerrouge!).. I was gonna try fewormany's cardamon suggestion next but clove got on my way first and oh my.. I love it! I love clove so much..

URBAN, good luck!

 

[Phuel]

^^^ Amazing! So great that cinnamon and cloves works for you!

 

[lucy92]

I decided to quit ground sugar this week.. but it's proving to be so damn hard!. I didn't have sugar so I thought, what a great opportunity to finally quite this bad habit (I add 3 teaspoons to my black coffee.. brown though , haven't had white in a long time). Well.. I have somewhat managed with other things I used it for (like porridge) but man, coffee is so disgusting without it, it's like washing a duster in hot water and then drinking it. I've been waiting for it to cool off and then drink it as a shot because I can't handle the horrible taste (which kills the entire purpose of having a nice cup of coffee!)... it's definitely been making me reconsider even my attachment to coffee as a whole. Also can't add milk to make it less harsh.. my stomach is super sensitive to regular milk and coconut/almond/rice/soy milk with coffee grosses me out even more (just like splenda).

Ranting, but yeah, coffee without sugar is so hard.. and so many people drink it like that all the time and so proudly. I hope I adapt to the taste soon.

I did notice I crave less sugar as a result.. I'm always searching for something very sweet in the afternoon, usually panda bears or pastries most people find too much (boston cream donut/pfannkuchen) and that suddenly stopped. Maybe it's psychological, who knows. Either way, I feel a little proud of that.. I was tested for sugar levels not long ago and they were perfect, but I still carry predisposition to diabetes.. it's all around my paternal family.

wow. getting rid of ground sugar would be a herculean task for me. for me, chocolate and upscale fresh baked goods are a weakness. don't know if i could break the habit.

Why not get rid of added sugar? it's in most processed food here - bread, ketchup, salad dressing etc. food companies sneak it into nearly everything without the consumer realizing it.

i use splenda every day with my coffee - wouldn't be able to drink it otherwise. it does have a weird frothing quality if the drink isnt hot enough to dissolve it quickly. is that what grosses you out?

 

[tigerrouge]

I've been low-carb since February, and I haven't found it difficult, but I also reflect that as I've got older, I've lost interest in sweet things. These days, I can easily pass over items that I couldn't have imagined giving up back when I was twentysomething.

I make a lot of my food from scratch, but the real key to avoiding sugar is to cut down on snacks, I find. That's where the menace lies, pleasure for a short moment, but not much benefit.

 

[gius]

Hi tigerrouge^ is that low-carb without grains?

 

[tigerrouge]

For the most part - my diet is mostly based around fish or eggs as my main source of protein, and then I build on that. For example, I'd make an omelette with prawns or mushrooms, then add some vegetables, plus herbs or even something like capers, for a kick. I can alter the mix of the omelette, so I don't get bored, and I find a protein-based meal far more sustaining, in terms of energy, than morning cereal or something bread-based. I don't think grains are the devil, only that they don't seem to work as well for me as they do for others.

I don't bother with anything marketed as 'protein' or low-carb, I just try to keep to simple foods.

 

[gius]

Cool - I am still learning about what will work for me. But i was curious just how much of a meal would be protein for that. Have you met others who do the same thing, only the amounts are different or even the sources of protein?

 

[EuropeanGlamour]

I have SUCH a sweet tooth and for me, Goji berries have been amazing for curbing any of my sugar cravings. I just eat a few from a little trail mix tub I got from Whole Foods and I no longer crave something like chocolate or junk.

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ When I've done a sugar-free cleanse before for 21 days, my go-to fix was a date (or part of one).

 

[Phuel]

^^^ A few bite of yam and I’m so nauseous from the sweetness of it I can’t even eat anything sugary for days.

Cool - I am still learning about what will work for me. But i was curious just how much of a meal would be protein for that. Have you met others who do the same thing, only the amounts are different or even the sources of protein?

You can also get all the protein intake you’d like from tofu. White plain tofu is not the only option if it’s too bland for your taste: There are so many types, with rich textures and tastes. I love several kinds of tofu in a fresh tomato broth with chunky rice noodles, and served with lemon, parsley, green onions, mint and shallot dressing. It’s so rich in taste and light in fat. Stir frying white tofu with brown rice and vegetables is also amazing. I could sustain on a diet of mainly tofu easily.

 

[MulletProof]

Yesterday I made it to week 3 without sugar in my coffee (baby steps )..

Also yesterday I did add a bit of sugar to an afternoon coffee (lol) and was glad to realise it didn't taste as great as I remembered it and only did it because I've been getting crazy headaches (car accident whiplash this week too..), not even advil will cut it so.. yeah.

I've also been using dried fruits in replacement of sugar and honey for porridge.. mostly dried figs, it tastes soo good. I can't really eat dried fruits alone, I don't know why, I also haven't been getting sweet cravings in the afternoon.. probably due to stress and not a healthy mentality I guess.

 

[gius]

Isn't artificial sweetener a fussy thing?
I recently found out the sweetener I'm using is banned in the States but not in this country. I was happy that it doesn't have much of a weird taste depending how you use it. I won't have it long-term anyhow(if the studies are true).

I saw your earlier post, MP --I read people with this condition use honey ink: The way it is structured makes it easy to digest.

I wanted to add also..I have done low-carb (no grains) before and it worked great. Especially for craving but later I learned I am more of a carb person. I can get hungry quick if a meal is too much protein or i will just feel funny. My meals generally change portions though.
I like tofu, dairy, nuts etc but I like the mention of the lighter sources like eggs and fish. Animal sources tend to do magic on my body even if I am having a small amount.

And finally~my go-to was/is citrus.. like orange Isn't goji sour? I've had the raisin version. And tougher skin too.

 

[dermluxe]

I just want to start off by saying that I'm not looking for weight-loss diet advice I want to modify my current diet to optimise my health, both physical and mental.

I am very seriously contemplating cutting out sugary junk for good. I have never been able to stop at one square of chocolate, or one biscuit (cookie). I have attempted to practise moderation and failed miserably. Failure = depression = more biscuits

This would be a *huge* challenge for me. Rarely a day goes by that I would not consume some sweet food, and it is by far my favourite type of food. There is little I enjoy more than dunking chocolate bicuits in a cup of hot tea, pathetic as that is!

Has anybody ever cut out a food/ food group that they felt they were addicted to? How hard was it, and how long did it take for you to stop craving it? Is it possible to reach a point where you can breeze past the e.g. dessert menu and not even feel like you're missing out?

I used to eat way more sweet stuff like chocolates/biscuits, I cut down over few months. I find most important is not having them in the house! And staying well hydrated, stocking up on healthy snacks like fruit, nuts etc and eating nutritious meals that keep you full for longer.. It takes a while to change habits I think!

 

[dermluxe]

^^^ A few bite of yam and I’m so nauseous from the sweetness of it I can’t even eat anything sugary for days.



You can also get all the protein intake you’d like from tofu. White plain tofu is not the only option if it’s too bland for your taste: There are so many types, with rich textures and tastes. I love several kinds of tofu in a fresh tomato broth with chunky rice noodles, and served with lemon, parsley, green onions, mint and shallot dressing. It’s so rich in taste and light in fat. Stir frying white tofu with brown rice and vegetables is also amazing. I could sustain on a diet of mainly tofu easily.

Tofu is awesome, good source of protein

 

[gius]

I have been making cookies lately without sugar and they are magnificent.

I conquered shortbread two days ago. I wanted to figure it out without a recipe