The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

[Pavati]

The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

OK, I will commit. I am starting first with giving up the dessert/ice cream/candy that I have started doing. Will (for now) keep sugar added products like jam (I don't eat much as I don't eat bread) and ketchup.

Thanks for the prompting, Skull. I needed it!

[myhappyplace]

The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

Pav and Skull you don't need to give up jam. I've tried one of these types and they're good and easy to put together too

raspberry chia jam – A House in the Hills

Up to you whether you use honey or some other type of sweetener. Rice malt syrup is good and so is agave. Depends on where you stand with these.

[NoSugar]

The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

myhappyplace;1657785 wrote:
Up to you whether you use honey or some other type of sweetener. Rice malt syrup is good and so is agave. Depends on where you stand with these.

Hi, MHP

I think it depends on why a person is eliminating sugar. Rice malt syrup is essentially glucose so not good for people with any blood sugar problems. Agave is very high in fructose (with no fiber, like in whole fruit, to slow its absorption) and that is the form of sugar that specifically is involved in many of the negative metabolic consequences of eating sugar (sucrose, a disaccharide of glucose and fructose).

Since our taste buds can be recalibrated quite quickly, I've found it easier not to add "sweetness" in any form. The result is that now, plain berries and 85% dark chocolate seem very sweet and satisfying.

That said, my goals are more focused than many people would require so everyone should look into what is known about the sucrose substitutes and decide what is best for them.

Have a good day, NS

[skullbabyland]

The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

Thanks for the jam recipe MHP! I may try to make that soon, one of these days. For right now I'm going to try NoSugar's thing of eliminating any added sweetness. I don't need it from a blood glucose standpoint, per se, but I do want to do it because I've found that any time I have a little, a little becomes a LOT. It feels very very much similar to when I have one drink, then the floodgates open and I don't bother trying to moderate.
I'm not saying sugar and alcohol are similar, obviously alcohol is much more dangerous. But my inability to moderate sugar once I have a taste reminds me of my drinking days.
So, a little sugar probably wouldn't hurt me but in my case, a little sugar becomes a giant binge, like last weekend, and that's obviously not good. So, time to cut the small doses (and thus the large binges) out completely for a while.

[skullbabyland]

The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

Pavati;1657777 wrote: OK, I will commit. I am starting first with giving up the dessert/ice cream/candy that I have started doing. Will (for now) keep sugar added products like jam (I don't eat much as I don't eat bread) and ketchup.

Thanks for the prompting, Skull. I needed it!

Super cool, Pav, glad to have you on board, we'll keep eachother motvated!

As for dessert- I found that bits of dark chocolate, (70% cacao or above and lowest sugar content possible) was a good substitute for sugary desserts.

Also, for sugar-free sauces such as ketchup, teriyaki, etc, I go with Trinity Hills Farms. Great stuff!

[Pavati]

The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

The power of a group---

I had a candy in my hand from one of the ubiquitous bowls at work, and I thought of you all and put it back. I am currently resisting a pint of my favorite ice cream in the freezer - must have DH get rid of it!

I had a bran muffin with 11g of sugar, a smoothie with plain yogurt, blueberries and peaches (frozen, no sugar added) and about 1/8 c. juice in my sparkling water. Pretty low sugar day for me as I have been eating lately.

Thanks for the recipe, MHP. NoSugar, I don't think I want to be as restrictive as that just yet...

Happy healthy eating.

[skullbabyland]

The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

Very cool, Pav, so glad to hear it.

BTW, I've read many times that the first few weeks of cravings are the toughest to get through, and that L-Glutamine can be really helpful. It does seem to be true-- I'm now using between 1 to 3 scoopfuls (5 grams each) per day and sugar cravings seem to be much less.

Apparently, with the lack of sugar, the brain craves it because it wants fuel. L-Glutamine can be used by the brain as fuel , a much healthier alternative, so it satiates it.

[NoSugar]

The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

Hi, SBL

You might be able to decrease that dose considerably. I used 500 mg gel caps dissolved under my tongue as needed. I don't think I ever used more than ~ 6 (3 g) in a day and usually much fewer.

It has been tested and found safe in gram quantities but I'm not sure exactly how high and for how long.

NS

[NoSugar]

The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

WSJ article

Interesting to find this in a mainstream publication:


The Questionable Link Between Saturated Fat and Heart Disease - WSJ.com

[skullbabyland]

The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

NoSugar;1658409 wrote: Hi, SBL

You might be able to decrease that dose considerably. I used 500 mg gel caps dissolved under my tongue as needed. I don't think I ever used more than ~ 6 (3 g) in a day and usually much fewer.

It has been tested and found safe in gram quantities but I'm not sure exactly how high and for how long.

NS

Interesting- do you think I'm overdosing? The thing I have says 5g per scoop- take 1 to 3 scoops per day. I got it from the Seven Weeks to Sobriety/Bio Recovery people.

My sugar cravings do seem to be down the last few days.

[NoSugar]

The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

Hi, SBL

That dose may be safe -- I really don't know and couldn't find any long-term studies. With any "medication", I usually try to go for the lowest effective dose.

NS

[skullbabyland]

The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

NoSugar;1658848 wrote: Hi, SBL

That dose may be safe -- I really don't know and couldn't find any long-term studies. With any "medication", I usually try to go for the lowest effective dose.

NS

That's cool, thanks NS

[skullbabyland]

The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

Just checkin' in. Been sugar free for about a week, 8 days or so, after my big sugar binge a couple weekends ago. The L-Glutamine seems to be doing quite well and my sugar cravings have been almost unnoticeable, even nonexistent. Even had my brother in town and I planned my food out beforehand, and just told him honestly about my health kick, my clean eating thing. So no beer and junk food for me, and he decided not to bother drinking beer either and ate healthy with me. Good stuff
Since I'm jsut over a week now sugar free, I think the worst should be behind me cravings wise!

[NoSugar]

The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

I think the worst is behind you, SBL. After about a month you'll find some naturally sweet things seem almost too sweet -- I never would have thought that possible.

[skullbabyland]

The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

Yes, NS- it's hard to imagine that but easier now than it used to be... I'm so looking forward to haveing so many cravings under control.
Thanks for all your support