Cutting out sugar

[zoebartlett]

I''m considering going cold turkey on my sugar intake, but if I do, it will take all my willpower to stay off it. I know, everything in moderation, but one bite size snickers (for example) inevitably turns into 2 or 3. Have you cut out sugar from your diet? If so, what are some good things to keep in mind? Do you use sugar substitutes like Splenda and/or do you have sugar-free snacks, or did you cut out all that stuff?

I just tried soybean pasta (angel hair) for dinner and while it wasn''t the same as regular or even whole wheat pasta (which I''ve gotten used to), it was edible. But man, the carbs! I think it was something like 24 grams for 1/4 of the box (or something like that). And here I was, thinking that because I was doing the soy thing, I was being healthier. I think I have a lot to learn...

 

[lumpkin]

Cutting out sugar is tough. I think it could arguably be classified as a drug because of the way it interacts with the production of insuline. I think it is very addictive. I think it''s waaaaaayyyyyy harder than quitting smoking (at least for me), but then my family has a history of type II diabetes and I may be very susceptible to sugar addiction. I don''t care what substitute is used, there just is nothing like refined white sugar, and because of the interaction with the production of the body''s insuline, nothing else satisfies the urge for something sweet the way it does. Except maybe high fructose corn syrup in beverages.

Complex carbohydrates are something else, though. They occur naturally and are necessary for proper nutrition. If you are really ready for a lifestyle change, why not make an appointment with a like minded nutritionist and have her help you come up with a plan? If you decide to cut out the sugar I hope you will post about it because I''d be very interested in your experience.

 

[zoebartlett]

Thanks Lumpkin! I''ll let you know what I decide to do. I definitely agree that sugar is addictive. It won''t be an easy road (if I take it), that''s for sure. I''ve been to a nutritionist before but not for this purpose. I think I''ll call her up and make another appt. to at least her what she says. If anyone has experience and/or advice, I''d love to hear about it.

 

[icekid]

I stopped eating sugar (for the most part!) when I was 19 (26 now- can''t believe how long it''s been). I was a bit mature for my age

Some people can eat sugar all day everyday and be thin. I am not one of those people. Genetically (Type II DM in my fam), I am very sensitive to carbs. And for me white bread/potato is the exact same thing as sugar.

Different people do best on different types of diets, by no means is there a one size fits all where that is concerned. Personally, I maintain my weight easily when I keep my white carbs on the very low side. When I do dip into that naughty region, I find myself wanting more. And more. It''s a terrible cycle, so for me it really is more of an all or nothing proposition. Again, some people can do white carbs/ sugar in moderation. I cannot. And the biochemistry of the situation supports this as well. High sugar = create insulin spike. Insulin spikes drives your glucose low, which drives you to eat more sugar. In addition, insulin also functions to cause your body to store fat. It''s much better when you can keep your insulin at a constant level, so you don''t create those glucose drops.

I do use substitutes- drink the occasional diet soda, splenda in my coffee daily, and sugar free ice cream too. And I also eat complex carbs as well- lots of fiber one cereal, the high fiber/whole grain bread and tortillas, sweet potatoes sometimes. Real sugar is a special occasion thing for me now. It also helps that I am not a rice or pasta lover at all. Though I have to say I do enjoy some nice restaurant white bread occasionally!

If/when you stop cold turkey, you WILL have headaches. I did! There is definitely a light addiction factor. Let me know if you have any more questions, I''ve been doing this for a while now and I do believe it''s one of the best things you can do for your health, if you are someone who is carb sensitive. Good luck!

 

[Miranda]

Oh my goodness...I wish you luck! I could never do it. DH calls sugar my life blood. I eat a bunch. I try to cut it out sometimes and eventually find my way back to it. I loooove all things sugary. Icekid''s post is so interesting to me. It is amazing that everyone has such a different body.

 

[neatfreak]

Zoe,

I have tried to cut out most sugars in my diet before, and I don't think it is a good idea to "replace" them with sugar substitutes because they are mostly chemicals and thus empty calories (i'm thinking like the sugar free cookies here, not the substitutes themselves). Much better to replace them with "natural" sugars like fruit, etc. in moderation. I can't imagine that all the chemicals in the sweeteners are good for you, so I try to use them as little as possible.

For example, instead of switching from sugar to splenda in my tea, I just slowly weaned myself down with the sugar, and now I use none and I genuinely like it. At least for me, as I reduced my sugar intake I found that I craved it a LOT less, so I promise it does get easier. But the cravings won't go away if you just substitute with fake sugar, so you'll still want it, and the sugar free might not satisfy, and then you might binge. But that is just my experience...

 

[Mara]

i did a low sugar diet for 2 weeks at the suggestion of my nutritionist...it was pretty cool actually. i didn't find it hard at all but i don't think that i felt like i was 'addicted' to sugar. i didn't have a very high sugar diet to begin with. i still did have sugar...but low amounts of it and in items that also had complex carbs as well. overall it wasn't bad for 2 weeks but i don't know that i could have done it forever! i can definitely do it in spurts, like maybe 2-3 weeks at a time every 2 months or something. it does help you lose weight for sure, when i cut it out and just had uber complex carbs (and still cut out a fair amount of carbs overall) for those 2 weeks i lost 3 lbs and these were stubborn pounds i was trying to get off for weeks before that. so it definitely does work for weight loss. but overall, i think hard to maintain. sugar is addictive overall. it creates a rush to your brain that makes you feel happy but only lasts about 20 minutes. so within about 20 minutes after you eat sugar, your body wants more because it remembers how great it felt to eat it a while ago.

in any case, i think you should definitely try going 'lower sugar' and see what you think. maybe make a mental note to do like a week and see how you feel. i wouldn't try to go totally cold turkey right off the bat. i think it's hard to go entirely no sugar. i don't know if we are meant to go entirely no sugar. but less, definitely is better!

one great way to avoid sugar is to not eat processed foods. i ate mostly veggies (not corn, carrots, or potatoes), fruits (not melon, grapes, bananas), lots of lean protein like egg whites, turkey, chicken, i had sprouted wheat bread only, plain oatmeal, and high fiber/protein/low sugar cereals. but many things have sugar in them. like milk. you can get lower sugar pastas like Dreamfields...it is higher fiber and protein and lower sugar and carbs. and it tastes just like regular pasta.

like icekid, i am very carb sensitive for my body. when i eat too many carbs, i get so bloated in my abdomen. but if i eat a higher protein, lower carb diet (not no carb, just lower carb)...i definitely can keep more of a lean tone to my body overall. on the weekends i tend to splurge but during the week i tend to eat lower carb and higher protein. it's interesting actually because as you noted, many sugary items have lots of carbs too. they do tend to go hand in hand...!

 

[gailrmv]

I''ve been working hard to lower my sugar too. It''s hard but I think it''s worth it. The easiest thing to cut out is sugar you add (i.e. to coffee) and obviously sweet things like candy, soda etc. I am pretty good about avoiding those things. I have a harder time when sugar is hiding in something, i.e. apparantly healthy cereal, or even corn syrup in tomato products, etc. Now I read labels more carefully and choose my splurges carefully. I try to limit the white carbs (highly processed) too.

 

[diamondfan]

Sugar is a baddie. I am trying to get off it now. You will go thru withdrawal for sure. Headaches, fatigue, etc. It will take a long time to really get clean off it, and you cannot have one bite. Even sugar substitutes are not great, because they trick your body. But the best thing you can do for yourself is to get off of it, that is for sure. And soy is not a great substitute. You need to read labels like crazy.

 

[lyra]

Cutting sugar out of my diet wasn''t that hard, because I had a big motivation: I was diagnosed diabetic type 2 exactly 2 years ago. Actually, it''s a myth that type 2 diabetics can''t eat sugar. It''s carbs that give us the most problems. I went the splenda route for a bit, but gave that up. It''s also essential to give up even diet soda, it gives the body a response that makes you still crave sugar, plus it is very bad for you anyway. I can eat anything in moderation, but it was easier at first to do what you suggest, just go cold turkey. Keep yourself hydrated. Water is best. If you''re really going all out sugar free, watch your fruit intake. Apples and blueberries are great. Small apples, a small banana. Citrus fruit is not great, grapes are bad. Fruit juice, even all natural is bad. If you look at labels, read the carb value, that gives you an idea sometimes how much sugar is in something (in Canada sugar is listed on it''s own as part of the carb value). Don''t bother with no sugar added products (none added, but still has sugar!). Sugar free is some form of chemical usually. For most foods, look at the carb value and subtract the fiber value. High fiber foods are good. Watch out with cereal. Keep in mind that for your 3 meals a day, you should be looking at no more than 40 grams of carbs per meal.

I use whole wheat pasta, but a portion is only one cup. You''re supposed to fill your plate with salad or veggies, and just have pasta as a small side dish. Not fun!

If you feel too deprived, that''s not good. If you must have chocolate, use Lindt 70% bars, and just eat 2 squares. Low fat cottage cheese is a great choice. Avoid peanut butter, read the labels. Hope that gets you started.

 

[Catmom]

My husband and I gave up sugar 5 years ago. We were terrible sugar addicts and I will tell you it was very hard. Two weeks worth of terrible headaches until we got past the sugar overload in our bodies. We use splenda as a sugar substitute these days. One thing I would advise is to be very, very careful of what you eat in restaurants, etc. Any place were you can''t control the food. You would be amazed to find how much sugar is added to everyday food in the American diet. For example did you know that IHOP adds pancake batter to their omelettes to make them more fluffy and "taste better". The good news is once you are off of susgar you can taste immediately if it has been added to something it shouldn''t have been.

 

[Mara]

oh and zoe some interesting information on sugar. my nutritionist was telling me that while it can take something like 4-6 weeks for sugar to leave your body (aka for you to be entirely weaned off it if you are doing a lower or no sugar thing)...it only takes ONE BITE of something sugary for your body to remember it, and remember the positive response it has to it and want it more again. how sad is that?!?!?! it's like you can work for 4-6 weeks but then boom, one bite of a snickers and your body is like yes more more more!

i used that to kind of keep things in perspective for me on the lower sugar thing. i felt like no sugar was just too extreme and i would end up wanting it more because i was having zippo. i also thought no sugar would be unnecessary torture...but i def did lower. i used SOME sugar subs but not really. i used to put a ton of sugar in coffee and tea, now i use absolutely none, not even splenda. the two things that i ate while on my lower sugar thing that did have sugar that my nutritionist was okay with was Luna bars (had one as a snack in the afternoon) and slow churned dreyers ice cream at night. she said to keep my sugar intake on a 'splurge' under 20g and the luna bars had like 9g and the dreyers was about 14g for one serving. but other than those 2 things, everything else was pretty much unprocessed.

it is much easier for me to have NONE of a bad thing than SOME. people were asking me, gosh how are you going to do 2 weeks of lower sugar! i said 2 weeks is easy. now if it was forever, i'd have a problem. but also if i don't have any, then i don't want more. it's kind of a simplistic view but it's super true for me. i can't eat just one donut. i want three! so better to have none. anyway, good luck if you decide to do it !

 

[zoebartlett]

Thanks everyone for your replies! It''s great info. to have. I''ll definitely talk to the nutritionist I had seen a while back...I''ll need all the help I can get. The good thing is that I try to go the ''no sugar added'' or at least the ''low sugar'' route as often as I can. My FI drinks a lot of diet soda (sprite zero) but I''m pretty good at staying away from soda...except on occasion. I had yogurt for breakfast this morning and I thought it was a healthy choice until I read the label. By then I had already gotten to school and didn''t have other alternatives. It seems easy...eat right and exercise. It''s SO NOT EASY but I''m trying.

One thing that I''ve gotten in the habit of having for dessert at night is a cup of International Delights No Sugar Added Suisse Mocha. It''s really tasty and it''s better (I think) than some of the pretzels I could have had (too many carbs) or something else. I should probably go back and read the label to see if it''s really a good choice.

I was sad to learn that bananas aren''t the greatest choice...I love them! I''ll find a substitute though...

Anyway, thanks again for the replies and the help!

 

[lumpkin]

Bananas are loaded with potassium and minerals, though. Bananas are something I really can have a little of and leave alone. I know they have a high glycemic index, but I''ve never craved a banana. I wonder what your nutritionist will say about them.

 

[lyra]

Bananas are fine. Where did you see that they weren''t okay? Just think small banana. The reason apples are so great is that when you eat them with the skin on, you are getting even more fibre. Definitely read those labels. Yogurt is a great choice, but check the label. Go for active culture but sugar free if you can, or simply one that is lower sugar. For breakfast, I most often just have a nutrional drink (Glucerna specifically). The dietician says to add a banana to make it more balanced. I have trouble eating anything in the morning really. If you''re eating a carb, balance it with a protein. Try to have some form of protein at every meal. Read the labels for serving sizes and stick to it. After a while, it all becomes just second nature.

 

[Mara]

For bananas depends on how strict you are going. On the lower glycemic diet my nutritionist put me on she said no bananas. I have seen other lists saying small bananas are fine. So I guess it just depends. I like bananas but really they have too many calories and not enough nutrients for me. I can get my potassium elsewhere with less cals, carbs, sugar when I''m doing lower sugar. However, fresh banana bread and all bets are off!

 

[partgypsy]

I read Sugar Blues and ate no refined sugar for 4 years. I am like Mara where for me it was easier to go cold turkey. However I am off the wagon, nowadays try to do the whole moderation is key. During that time I was a student had more time on my hands, and so was able to do things like bake my own bread and other baked goods, make homeade soup, etc. I didn''t use any artificial sweetners but would make "cookies" using mushed up bananas or dates simmered in orange juice for sweetness. I also used condensed apple juice to sweeten homeade granola, put raisins on my peanut butter sandwich, etc to satisfy my sweet tooth.
It was good for me because it made me eat very healthy, but it is very difficult to keep up with it because sugar (and corn syrup) is in so many things, including soup, spagetti sauce, salad dressings, etc, so you are forced to make your own food. Another good thing after being on it for years my sweet tooth is as intense as it was.
I still enjoy my sweets. I have realized that I don''t need to eat alot to enjoy them, that is, quality vs. quantity. And if you make your own food you can control what goes into it and get rid alot of the unnecessary sweetners and other stuff added to everything.

If I could make one suggestion is, do not drink your sweets (no sodas or softdrinks, sweetened coffee, etc). It''s amazing how much sugar one can consume from just one of those types of drinks.

Good luck!!

 

[partgypsy]

oops! I mean my sweet tooth is not as intense.

 

[VegasAngel]

I thought I would ask here since this thread is about sugar. I am trying to cut down on excesive sugar as well. I was talking to this woman about all things healthy & she mentioned that she uses Stevia. Apparently it is a natural sweetner that may actually lower blood sugar levels. Supposedly diabetics can use it. Just curious if anyone here uses it & if you like it? Does it taste strange? Perhaps this is a better alternative to regular & artificial sweetners?

 

[Mara]

i have used stevia in baking previously, it doesn''t taste as weird if you use it in baked goods but it has a really distinct taste, i don''t like it at all mixed into coffees and stuff. it''s not as ''good'' as splenda. if splenda''s weird taste bothers you, you will absolutely not like stevia.

 

[Julianna]

I eat sugar. I''m talking, half pound of M&Ms for breakfast eating of sugar. No veggies, just bread and candy. I have high metabolism that has kept me small, but I don''t figure it''s going to last forever.

THUS, I am on a new "sugar only on weekends" plan as of late. I don''t find it hard to have NO sugar during the week, I only find it hard to have LIMITED sugar. I don''t want to have to set a limit, so I just cut it out. That''s easy. For sweet I do Equal in iced tea to try to fool myself. Haven''t had many slipups thus far. We''ll see how long it lasts though.

 

[lyra]

Date: 11/16/2007 11:35:46 AM
Author: VegasAngel
I thought I would ask here since this thread is about sugar. I am trying to cut down on excesive sugar as well. I was talking to this woman about all things healthy & she mentioned that she uses Stevia. Apparently it is a natural sweetner that may actually lower blood sugar levels. Supposedly diabetics can use it. Just curious if anyone here uses it & if you like it? Does it taste strange? Perhaps this is a better alternative to regular & artificial sweetners?

Sorry, just clearing up a myth. Diabetics can have real sugar. I definitely prefer it in baking and cooking. We have tried all the alternatives but find just cutting down on some of the sugar in any given recipe (not by a lot) gives much better results. There are no natural sweeteners that lower blood sugar levels. Only medicine can do that in a direct way.

 

[VegasAngel]

I have been reading articles about Stevia online today this is the last one I read http://reid_j.tripod.com/blood_sugar.htm states that "Several modern clinical studies suggest that stevia may have the ability to lower and balance blood sugar levels, support the pancreas and digestive system, protect the liver, and combat infectious microorganisms (Oviedo et al., 1971; Suzuki et al., 1977; Ishit et al., 1986; Boeckh, 1986; Alvarez, 1986).

Unlike traditional sucrose based sweeteners, stevioside does not promote tooth decay, actually inhibiting the growth of Streptococcus mutans, bacteria associated with promoting tooth decay (Berry et al., 1981; Yabu et al., 1977). Most of the articles state the same thing. Of course I dont know all the variables of the studies but it does sound good.

I dont know anything about diabetes except that a bunch of the men in my family have it. Thank you for explaining Lyra.

 

[Independent Gal]

Hiya Zoe! Just piping up to say: one of my relatives was always battling with his weight and was definitely addicted to sugar. So about 20 years ago, he quit anything with ADDED sugar (so, no chocolate, ice cream, candy, cakes, cookies, soda pop, etc... but fruit are fine as are, of course, carbohydrates which we need to live). He just up and quit cold turkey and has managed to maintain a healthy weight - with some fluctuations - ever since.

It is a very smart move! And before long, you won''t miss it.

 

[icekid]

Date: 11/16/2007 2:09:57 PM
Author: lyra

Sorry, just clearing up a myth. Diabetics can have real sugar. I definitely prefer it in baking and cooking. We have tried all the alternatives but find just cutting down on some of the sugar in any given recipe (not by a lot) gives much better results. There are no natural sweeteners that lower blood sugar levels. Only medicine can do that in a direct way.

Diabetics CAN have sugar, but should they? No. Sorry, but I don''t encourage my type II diabetics to consume sugar. It''s not exactly the road to good control, not to mention the fact that it''s not exactly good for weight management either.

I cannot find anyone that said there were any natural sweeters that lower blood sugar. However, there are things that lower blood sugar besides medications. Exercise!! and cutting down on white garbage food are good examples.

 

[VegasAngel]

Date: 11/16/2007 3:04:25 PM
Author: Independent Gal
Hiya Zoe! Just piping up to say: one of my relatives was always battling with his weight and was definitely addicted to sugar. So about 20 years ago, he quit anything with ADDED sugar (so, no chocolate, ice cream, candy, cakes, cookies, soda pop, etc... but fruit are fine as are, of course, carbohydrates which we need to live). He just up and quit cold turkey and has managed to maintain a healthy weight - with some fluctuations - ever since.

It is a very smart move! And before long, you won''t miss it.

This is what I''m doing. Natural sugars are fine just none of what you listed. Also no fried foods & no dairy for me. My mind is made up now to eat better & stick with it. I never had a sweet tooth until my pregnancy. Actually, since being pregnant my appetite & cravings changed & not for the better.

 

[VegasAngel]

Date: 11/16/2007 3:07:22 PM
Author: icekid

Date: 11/16/2007 2:09:57 PM
Author: lyra

Sorry, just clearing up a myth. Diabetics can have real sugar. I definitely prefer it in baking and cooking. We have tried all the alternatives but find just cutting down on some of the sugar in any given recipe (not by a lot) gives much better results. There are no natural sweeteners that lower blood sugar levels. Only medicine can do that in a direct way.

Diabetics CAN have sugar, but should they? No. Sorry, but I don''t encourage my type II diabetics to consume sugar. It''s not exactly the road to good control, not to mention the fact that it''s not exactly good for weight management either.

I cannot find anyone that said there were any natural sweeters that lower blood sugar. However, there are things that lower blood sugar besides medications. Exercise!! and cutting down on white garbage food are good examples.

I would always yell at my dad when he would eat sweets. He told me a sweet here & there is fine, but my dad didnt realize how often "Here & there" was for him

I thought diabetics werent supposed to have sugar at all. My dad made it seem that because he was taking his medicine & testing his blood a slice of cake was fine.

 

[lyra]

Date: 11/16/2007 3:22:30 PM
Author: VegasAngel

Date: 11/16/2007 3:07:22 PM
Author: icekid

Date: 11/16/2007 2:09:57 PM
Author: lyra

Sorry, just clearing up a myth. Diabetics can have real sugar. I definitely prefer it in baking and cooking. We have tried all the alternatives but find just cutting down on some of the sugar in any given recipe (not by a lot) gives much better results. There are no natural sweeteners that lower blood sugar levels. Only medicine can do that in a direct way.

Diabetics CAN have sugar, but should they? No. Sorry, but I don't encourage my type II diabetics to consume sugar. It's not exactly the road to good control, not to mention the fact that it's not exactly good for weight management either.

I cannot find anyone that said there were any natural sweeters that lower blood sugar. However, there are things that lower blood sugar besides medications. Exercise!! and cutting down on white garbage food are good examples.

I would always yell at my dad when he would eat sweets. He told me a sweet here & there is fine, but my dad didnt realize how often 'Here & there' was for him

I thought diabetics werent supposed to have sugar at all. My dad made it seem that because he was taking his medicine & testing his blood a slice of cake was fine.

In the simplest sense, your Dad was right. If his blood sugar levels were under control (meaning he was managing them with his meds, diet and exercise), then absolutely YES, a slice of cake is just fine. It's something though, that has to be planned for, and not as you say, something done often and to excess.

Icekid: I never said that blood sugar couldn't be helped with diet and exercise. I said medication was the only thing that had a direct impact on lowering blood glucose levels. I meant in direct correlation to when it is ingested, and when the effect takes place. Certainly diet and exercise are also part of a good management plan, but each individual has a different metabolism. However, as we know, there are skinny type 2 diabetics who were skinny when they were diagnosed. Not type 1's who have trouble maintaining weight before diagnosis and insulin, but type 2's who have always been thin. My grandfather and uncle were like this. So it bothers me too when people insinuate that simply losing weight and exercising cures diabetes. There is no cure. PS: November is diabetes month.

 

[eks6426]

Cutting out sugar entirely is hard. It really forces you to change the way you cook and think. I did the Atkins diet for awhile which is the mega-antisugar diet. It drove me crazy. I had the headaches and felt weak and flakey for weeks. I didn''t last very long.

Mind you, I grew up eating a lot of the whole grain, lower glycemic foods so I was not a major sugar eater to begin with.

I have found the South Beach diet to be reasonably decent for lower sugar diet. It pushes whole grains and lean proteins. I like many find that I am thinner if I eat more protein and fewer carbs. All the stuff I crave are high carbs..I don''t crave sugary desserts or candy but I do crave things like breadsticks, mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese. I try to only buy whole grain, low carb bread and whole grain pastas. I eat a lot of veggies...but not a lot of fruit. I rarely have desserts or if I do it is usually low-sugar icecream served in very tiny bowls.

I find that if I eat a really high carb meal, I feel bloated and poochy in the stomach area. If I keep eating the high carb meals I put on weight really fast.

I think moderation in reducing sugar is key. If you try to go too cold turkey, it''ll be hard to stick to. Getting some good cookbooks to help you change the way you cook is key. I got a couple of great low-carb cookbooks that really helped.