For those of us doing the Sugar Free Challenge this week, we can feel like we are giving up a big part of our diets. It limits us. But we need to understand that white sugar is a new phenomenon. Leaving out white sugar and white flour is hardly extraordinary. Then again, it may be extraordinary in our culture considering that most of the food in the store contains it. But in light of history, we are simply going back to how people used to eat.
According to my dear friend, Wikipedia.
“During the eighteenth century, sugar became enormously popular. Britain, for example, consumed five times as much sugar in 1770 as in 1710.About 1750 sugar surpassed grain as “the most valuable commodity in European trade — it made up a fifth of all European imports and in the last decades of the century four-fifths of the sugar came from the British and French colonies in the West Indies.” The sugar market went through a series of booms. The heightened demand and production of sugar came about to a large extent due to a great change in the eating habits of many Europeans. For example, they began consuming jams, candy, tea, coffee, cocoa, processed foods, and other sweet victuals in much greater numbers.”
In the eighteenth century we saw the beginning of our current typical American diet. When you think of the length of history, we really haven’t had sugar that long. Before that point, sugar cane was used in India, but it took a long time to figure out how to refine it. Refined sugar is the new boy on the block, and it hasn’t had a good reputation ever since it came into the picture!
So, how did people used to eat? I thought the following quote from my husband’s book, 1066: The Year of the Conquest, by David Howarth very enlightening. It speaks of what people had around that time period (1066 A.D.).
” Nor were there many luxuries money could buy. The rich had more food, more drink, and more elegant clothes, but not much more variety. They depended like everyone else on the native products of England – bread, meat, butter and eggs, dried fish in Lent and on Fridays, nothing sweet except honey and the local fruit when it was ripe. Once in a while, perhaps, they acquired a bale of silk or some spices, cloves or pepper, brought at enormous cost along the ancient roads of Asia and through the length of Europe.
Honey and fruit in season. That was about it. They did have sweet food for their sweet tooth, but it wasn’t in so much excess like it is today. It simply wasn’t available.
Now, if you look at any packaged food, it’s very hard to find anything that does not have sugar, corn syrup, or white flour. When we try to cut these things out of our diet, we can be viewed as extreme because in our culture, we are extremely overloaded with these foods. “You can’t eat anything!” ” It doesn’t matter that much.” “You shouldn’t be too extreme”. These are some of the comments one should expect when trying to avoid “normal” American food.
That’s when it’s important to remember, that history is on our side. Avoiding the pitfalls of sugar is not an extreme step, it’s simply turning the clocks back to a more simple, and more nourishing lifestyle.
So, for the many people doing the Sugar Free Challenge this week. Be encouraged that you are not doing a bizarre, extreme action by taking out sugar. Instead, enjoy the food that has been relished for thousands of years while being naturally sugar free.
Questions for Discussion:
1-Do we tend to think of sugar as a “right”- Do we feel deprived when we don’t have it?
2-Do we feel “extreme” when we take out refined foods? How does this effect us socially?
3-How is everyone on the challenge doing so far?
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Symphony
The challenge is going great for me so far, I’m on begginer level, this morining I had eggs and fresh strawberries and for lunch I’m making a lentil salad that I learned from this website, so thnx.
p.s
thnx for aswering my question, if agave syrup is considered a natural sugar, but is honey more natural than agave?
KimiHarris
Symphony,
Agave syrup is not a traditional sweetener, and is generally highly processed, like corn syrup. I don’t use it. But honey is a very traditional sweetener that has been used for a very long time. I love it! Though it still needs to be used in moderation, I think that using small amounts of raw honey is fine in a healthy diet. 🙂
Coco Palm Sugar
It’s is not “more natural”. You can’t qualify natural with “more or less”. In my book, there’s only ONE NATURAL sweetener for me: 100% Pure Honey.
After that, the only option for me would be unrefined, unprocessed sweeteners (like coco palm sugar or maple sugar) where evaporation removes the water content until only the sugar solids remain. No other bleaching or refining process involved.
Agave syrup is highly processed from the sap Agave cactii.
Same goes for Stevia in powder or liquid form unless you use fresh (or dried) Stevia leaves (whole, cut or ground).
re “traditional sweeteners”.
I guess those of us who live in the tropics are luckier to have more than just “fruits and honey” as sweeteners. So the concept of “traditional” sweetener is a bit alien when we can enjoy have a variety of these all this time.
Like always, I always recommend the use of *any* sweetener in moderation. I think of it as luxury for the taste buds, so I make sure I only use the best if I indulge in them.
diana
http://www.sweet-tree.biz is my favorite coconut palm sugar. I love it and my kids love it! It’s the only sweetener that i use.
Symphony
Its cool though I’ve been a vegeterian for 4 years now, and on this challenge I find myself being on a moderate level, because I”m abig no no on corn syrup, and I can give up honey for my shakes this week, fruit is the greatest sweetener.=]
good luck to everyone on the challenge.
Jen
I had my coffee with honey this morning 🙂
Bryan
Cool — good luck with your sugar-free week. My wife and I have been (mostly) sugarless on the SCD diet for my 3 year-old son (Crohn’s disease) for the last 3 months. The first week is a challenge… you find out that everything seems to have sugar added to it! After 3 months, we’ve lost our taste for sugar — a simple bar of chocolate (after our son goes to bed) tastes horribly sweet. We don’t miss sugar at all.
Now, tortilla and potato chips are a whole different matter…
KimiHarris
Bryan,
I’ve had the same experience! Sweet things taste WAAAAAY too sweet to me after going on a sugar free diet for a while. 🙂
Natalie
This morning I tried Stevia in my coffee. It ruined a perfectly good cup of coffee (I can’t stand the aftertaste on the back of my tongue after). Expensive too b/c I get locally roasted, organic/fair-trade coffee. For the next cup, I put a couple dashes of nutmeg, raw goat’s milk, stirred and was in bliss!
I’m doing the beginner level today b/c I’m hosting a book club meeting and, since it’s Fall, I wanted to serve an apple crisp dish. So, tonight, I’ll be serving apple cider (not pasteurized/nothing else in it) and apple crisp sweetened with local honey and llocal, freshly milled whole wheat flour. Cream will be sweetened with honey and nutmeg. Tomorrow, I begin the moderate-advanced challenge! I think I can do this!
KimiHarris
What brand of stevia did you use? Some taste better than others. 🙂
Your book club meeting food sounds delicious. 🙂
Regina
Natalie, you should use Stevia Plus. It has no aftertaste. I can’t use Stevia either.
Regina
Marnie
I have also found that liquid stevia tastes MUCH better than the powder, especially in drinks.
Megan
So good so far……two eggs with butter and CO for breakfast with sliced tomatoes from my garden. Yum!
Lisa Z
I’m doing okay so far. I’ve been trying honey in my tea for a few days, and I really have to say I don’t like it much. I do Eng. Breakfast tea every morning and some afternoons, with at most 1/2 teaspoon of sugar in the cup. I don’t know why I even bother, but that 1/2 t. sugar (usually organic these days) just does it for me. Honey, sucanat and rapadura add too much flavor (which is why I like black tea and not herbal teas in the first place–I don’t want “flavor”), and I too hate the chemical-y aftertaste of stevia tincture. I’m gonna keep trying, though. I may try rapadura or sucanat tomorrow, but when I have in the past I haven’t liked it much. Still, it’s worth it for a week…
I’m at Barnes and Noble today as the cafe is my homeschooling son’s and my favorite hangout on many afternoons, and I’m realizing there is not one thing to eat here, besides potato chips, that doesn’t have sugar and white flour–I bet the soups have one or the other even. I grabbed a couple of slices of roast beef on the way out the door, and I sliced up an apple to “sneak” for hunger cravings, but I can tell I’m gonna be hungry while I sit here. It’s time for a routine that doesn’t include lunch or a snack at the coffee shop each week! bah humbug…
KimiHarris
Lisa,
I can relate! Being out and about is the hardest time to avoid sugar!!!! It goes without saying that taking snacks, like you’ve done, is the way to go. But it does take some thinking ahead (which I don’t always do).
I personally find that if I add cream, or coconut milk to my tea, it makes it rich and delicious, even without sweetener. 🙂
Lisa Z
Coconut milk is a great idea because it’s naturally sweet. I’ll try it, thanks!
Melissa Wingo
We had eggs & veggies this morning with coffee & cream. I love coffee & I usually add honey. It helps me to ask myself, “Am I having coffee to taste like coffee or am I having it to taste like sugar/honey?”
Lisa Z
Oh, and I did ask on another post, what about organic malted barley? It’s in my Food For Life 7 Sprouted Grains bread, to the tune of 1g of “sugars”. Does it count as traditional/natural/okay? It’s the healthiest bread I can find that I don’t have to make myself!
KimiHarris
My understanding is that it’s a good sweetener. 🙂
lizzykristine
Though not joining in on this week’s challenge (we’re moving — not a good time to embark on anything extra!), my husband and I did something similar to the advanced version for a month this last January. Even though we are very moderate on sugar — mostly the honey I use for GF baking — a no-carb diet was very difficult because we missed fruit! Yes, fresh fruit is where we are spoiled. 🙂
Perhaps the FDA food pyramid has something to do with this — after all, a balanced diet *must* include 2-3 servings of fruit per day, right? Completely ridiculous from a seasonal and historical perspective, but I confess, we felt very deprived to go a month without fruit. Here is one case where I’m just going to enjoy living in the modern day and eat my 2-3 pieces of fruit a day. 🙂
Marie R.
So far, everything is going well! For those of you who are out and about, my sure solution is to always have something with me. I’ve done this sort of cleanse/diet several times, and here’s my best plan:
1) Always have stevia packets with me (I got over its aftertaste the first time around, but I still don’t like it in my coffee when I’m not drinking it with raw milk) Even if you can’t get anything else, you can get an unsweetened latte or cappucino–and sweeten it yourself, if you need to.
2) Always have some sort of nut with you. My choice is almost always almonds, and while I know they should be soaked and dehydrated, I can’t say I’ve actually done it before. At least it’s pretty close to it’s natural state!
I’ve always done no sugar/no wheat cleanses alone–this is fun to go at it as a group! 😀
KimiHarris
Great advice! I find nuts extremely helpful too. 🙂 I’ve also brought along liquid stevia and made my own “lemonade” out of lemon water when out.
Kelly
I have a question – and I know I should be avoiding processed foods, but I gotta start somewhere and since I had no left over meals today for lunch, I grabbed an Amy’s Organic Spinach and Feta Pocket Sandwich. It is made with whole wheat flour, etc. Sugar or anything I can identify as sugar (I can actually identify all the ingredients) is not listed on the ingredients list, however the nutrition label says it contains 4 g of sugar. So would that maybe be lactose from the cheese? And then I guess my further question is are dairy products okay? I haven’t found a source of raw milk, so my dairy is just organic.
My day started pretty well since I kicked Splenda to the curb a while back. I know enjoy my coffee with just some half and half and it is so much better now!
Kelly
KimiHarris
Kelly,
I am sure that the sugar grams was just from the normal ingredients, not extra sugar. 🙂 A lot of people who have big yeast issues find un-cultured dairy unhelpful for them, but if you are just trying to reduce sugar consumption and aren’t sensitive to dairy, I think it would be okay. 🙂
Kelly
Thanks! My real challenge will be Wednesday when I meet some girlfriends for coffee at a local Starbucks. I will sadly miss my Pumpkin Spice Latte! However, I am committed to this challenge so I guess I will probably opt for a decaf with cream or maybe just an herbal tea. Luckily I prefer my tea plain!
Tacia
Kelly, I hope the best for you at Starbucks. I’ve recently switched to use of stevia (I get mine from Trader Joe’s ) and have never had an aftertaste, I need very little of it. Try adding cinnamon, it adds nice flavor.
Tacia
Lisa Z
Kelly, I bet if you give up those lattes for plain tea or coffee, the flavored ones will eventually be way too sweet for you. I’m still something of a sugar-aholic, but I can’t handle the loads of sweet and flavor in those coffee drinks anymore. Good luck at Starbucks! I can sympathize there…
Jessie
I am feeling really good – I cut way back on sweeteners last week since I knew I wouldn’t get them this week.
I made a recipe today where I substituted no-sugar-added applesauce for the sweetner & then reduced the liquid a bit & it came out great.
I find that I often want to eat because I’m bored or stressed. This is a good week to find something else to do in that situation!
KimiHarris
So true! When I get tired, I also tend to start snacking on sweet things.
Motherhen68
I had a “moment” just a while ago while picking up lunch for dh’s office. They ordered sandwiches and dh asked if I wanted anything. I shrugged and he ordered a shrimp po-boy for us to split. We’re talking a 6″ sandwich w/about 4 fried shrimp, some lettuce, and mayo on french bread.
Then I remembered the challenge! The sandwich wasn’t any good anyway, so no problems there. It is difficult when trying to pick up something quick for lunch. I try to plan ahead and bring nuts with me in the car and a bottle of water.
Coffee w/heavy cream & coconut oil is the best way to kick the sugar/splenda habit. That’s what I had for breakfast.
KimiHarris
It’s easy to forget, isn’t it! LOL
Rayelle
Going great here! I had soaked oatmeal with chia and raisins and butter and 1/2 tsp Rapadura for breakfast, along with an egg and a small piece of sausage. Snack was some leftover banana bread from the other day (a great recipe with ww pastry flour and honey) and strawberries. Lunch-just turkey and cheddar on whole grain bread with mustard and homemade mayo. Now I’m enjoying a cup of coffee with a little milk while my toddler naps.
This is actually quite normal for me. Most of my meals are sugar free and often white flour free as well. The real challenge is going to come later, when I want to bake something sweet or I go hunting for snacks before bed-I often wind up with some Back to Nature chocolate sandwich cookies or something. I’ve purposely made sure those sorts of snacks are gone for this week. Aso, my husband gets all four wisdom teeth out in the morning, and I’m unsure what sorts of ‘softer’ foods he’s going to want to eat. I certainly hope he doesn’t ask for ice cream.
The new issue of Bon Appetit (do buy it if you see it!) has a great article on making a huge pot of beans, and four recipes that can be made with from that. Cannelini beans with garlic and sage-we’ll have the beans tonight with Italians sausages and tomatoes, and then tomorrow a bean salad with tuna and red onion. I usually make some fresh artisan bread to go with our suppers but I’ll just have to figure out something else.
Caroline
when I got my wisdom teeth out, pretty much all I ate for 3-4 days was broth I had made in advance, puree butternut squash soup I made in advance, and then a little later on (and after the numbness wore off, during which it was humiliating to eat because I didn’t have control of my mouth muscles), egg drop soup in said broth.
Regina
So far, today has been good for me. I had yogurt and strawberries for breakfast then a salad with lettuce, carrots, avocado, cucumbers and chicken for lunch. I tried Kimi’s sald dressing and really enjoyed it although I didn’t need much. I am so ready to get back off sugar. Thanks for the challenge.
Regina
Henriette
Well day 1 is almost over her in Denmark and so far so good.
I have been grainfree as well 😀
I did hit a low when I went shopping late afternoon/ early evening
Felt proud that I got some raw almonds instead of all the goodies lying around me.
Tried a nice herbal tea that contains licorise root = makes it a bit sweet- very nice.
tarena
Doing good over here!
I’m not sure how good we will be able to do as I am just getting off bedrest and enjoying the blessings of meals from others and just being grateful for all of it and trying to finish off leftovers that the Lord has provided. I did just get an order into Azure Standard, so that should help! =)
I did let the kiddos have a cookie that someone brought for us, but that was just to make sure that I didn’t eat them! =)
It is amazing though, I haven’t gotten sick hardly at all this past year as we have changed our diet, but I got a cold on Sunday…could it be from eating whatever others brought and not having my daily vitamins and cod liver oil??? I can’t help but wonder!
So eager to get back to the foods that make me feel good and healthy! (Even my hubby has noticed the difference when we don’t eat as healthy!)
Praise the Lord for being able to shop online while laying down at home!! Amen!
tarena
ps…sometimes I do still feel like I’m being deprived when I don’t get the “foods I want” to eat instead of the foods I should be eating…it’s like it has been programed in my mind for so long that I forget what a BLESSING it is to feed my family the healthiest foods and bring abundant life! Only when I change my thoughts and realize this, do I feel blessed beyond belief and that the other stuff only brings death and pain.
Amazing what perspective does!
tarena
ps…sometimes I do still feel like I’m being deprived when I don’t get the “foods I want” to eat instead of the foods I should be eating…it’s like it has been programed in my mind for so long that I forget what a BLESSING it is to feed my family the healthiest foods and bring abundant life! Only when I change my thoughts and realize this, do I feel blessed beyond belief and that the other stuff only brings death and pain.
Amazing what perspective does!
P.S. – Sorry, forgot to tell you great post!
Stephanie @ One Big Adventure
Been yummy here so far. We also started cutting back on sugar last week. Our menu plan has become MUCH more important than normal this week. :*). For breakfast this morning we had homemade italian sausage crumbled into a bunch of sauteed onions and garden green beans and oatmeal pancakes with homemade applesauce. It was wonderful and felt so good! We’re all looking forward to soup for breakfast some mornings.
Our biggest bummer is that our hens have really cut back on egg-laying recently. But we can still eat well and stay sugar-free! It’s nice to see what others are doing! Go TEAM :*)…
KimiHarris
Stephanie,
Your breakfast sounds wonderful!
Our hens have stopped laying as much too. 🙁
Lauren
Going great so far. I’m so glad that I wrote about this on my blog, and told my husband about it for accountability. But it actually feels more freeing telling myself that sugar just isn’t an option, as opposed to just “trying” to avoid it. I had my oat bran with chia seeds, natural peanut butter, cinnamon, and half a banana. For lunch it was veggie stir fry, some cheese, and apple with cinnamon. Thanks for hosting this challenge, Kimi!
KimiHarris
Accountability definitely can make a difference!
Kylie
I’m really enjoying the challenge so far (I’m doing the advanced level as I already eat a white sugar/flour free diet) I love this challenge because I’ve had to think outside my usual meal repoirtore to come up with appropriate meal ideas, particularly breakfast. I have found myself in the same rut of breakfast foods for the past year, pretty much alternating between cooked breakfast, soaked oatmeal, soaked pancakes… and back around again. Having to eliminate starchy grains, and natural sweetners, I’ve had to come up with new breakfast ideas which I’m really enjoying! (Your breakfast idea list has been really helpful Kimi) Things like instead of my usual banana smoothie, I’m going to be doing green smoothies (something I’ve never tried before) or instead of my usual plain scrambled eggs, I’ll be making baked eggs, or spiced eggs! Maybe with some lightly steamed veggies to accompany, or some soup! I’m sure after this challenge is finished, I’ll have a new perspective of what breakfast foods can be, and have a bit more variety in my diet!
Another thing which I’m predicting will happen with this challenge, is it will give me a new appreciation for naturally sweet foods, such as fresh fruit. Before this challenge, I didn’t consider fruit as an indulgence, didn’t consider it as a way of satisfying my sweet tooth, didn’t appreciate it. I wanted more sweetness, my weak spot being cravings for either a hot cocoa, or dark chocolate (or both!) My feeling so far is I’m now viewing fruit and that little teaspoon of raw honey on my porridge as something really special! Maybe that will be enough to satisfy my sweet tooth now 🙂
I’m also having to cook with grains that I don’t really use much, such as quinoa, millet, buckwheat. I have them in my cupboard, but it’s the oats and the brown rice that I pull out the most. After this challenge I’m sure I’ll be more adventurous in including these other grains in my diet!
Thanks for this challenge Kimi! Even for those of us who already exclude white flour and sugar from out diets,we are bound to all have an area that could be improved, none of us are perfect, and I for one am really getting something out of this challenge.
Kylie in New Zealand
KimiHarris
Great! I am so glad that you are enjoying the challenge! Sometimes we do need a bit of a push to think of new ways of making breakfast.
Robin
I do feel deprived. It does feel extreme.
but… I’m sticking with it. It’s probably just the withdrawl speaking.
I had stewed prunes in my oatmeal for some sweetness (I usually throw in a good spoonful of brown sugar). It didn’t work. I have more of the same oatmeal for tomorrow morning. I’ll have to try something else.
KimiHarris
Robin,
Stick in there! You can do it! I love apples sauteed in butter or coconut oil over oatmeal (or just eaten by themselves). SOOO good.
Pauline
I usually have my porridge with LOTS of brown sugar- I love it like that… but I want to stick to this challenge too so I had it with maple syrup and it was edible… not as nice to someone who LOVES sweet… but nice. I think I could get used to it- knowing it is much better for me and won’t trigger cravings for more sugary stuff.
I have also been drinking my tea with honey and I think that it is awful. I would rather not drink it at all. But as I cure my body of its sugar need I might just be able to drink it with no sweetener???
Lisa Z
I don’t like honey in my black tea either. But, last night I put an entire teaspoon of honey into a cup of Yogi-brand Tahitian Vanilla Hazelnut tea, along with some whole milk, and it was like heaven! Like a homemade Chai Latte…Long steeping (10 min.) of the tea and more honey than I’d usually add made the difference. I’m going to start trying Stevia in my black tea, and then maybe no sweetener like you’re trying for.
I do love just maple syrup to sweeten my oatmeal, but I put a good Tablespoon in, along with plain yogurt or cream.
aurelia
Sugar-free is easy around here.
Coffee with whole cream, we don’t sweeten that anyway.
Breakfast is the only time we usually have fruit. About half a cup. With eggs and bacon or coconut pancakes with bacon. Then I use frozen berries, mashed and heated.
Supper is roast beast and lots of non-starchy veggies. Usually meat and three.
Snacks are generally almonds and cheese. Or tuna or egg salad with olives.
If we have company in the evening I tend to serve fruit with whipped cream. I usually sweeten the cream with zylitol or stevia. Or fruit and a nice fatty, soft cheese.
So, most sugar comes from pretty limited amounts of fruit. I’ve never liked honey, but I grew up with sorghum as a sweetener for my oatmeal, not sugar or honey. After starting low-carb living we find most sweetened things far too sweet.
KimiHarris
So, I need to give account for our first day too.
Elena woke up with a cold this morning, poor thing, so she’s not feeling too well. 🙁 It’s the perfect time to not have too many sweet things though!
This morning we had oatmeal with plenty of chia seeds in it (soaked overnight). Elena and I ate it with ghee and coconut milk (the coconut milk makes it very rich and sweet too). Joel added a bit of coconut sugar to his.
Soup for lunch (Elena had scrambled eggs and sauerkraut). I just had a snack of blue corn chips (not exactly unstarchy, but blue corn is supposed to be better than yellow and it’s allowed on the Body Ecology Diet).
Dinner will be roasted chicken and rich gravy, soaked brown rice, veggies and salad.
Not going hungry so far!
And now it’s time for a cup of tea!
Michelle
Kimmi,
I have a random question for you, but it’s related to sugar. I believe I have Candida and am looking for a good Candida type diet to go on. I’ve just started trying to implement some of the Nourishing ideas in our menus but now I’m trying to decide how I need to change my diet once again. Are you at all familiar with treating Candida, as far as food goes? From what I’ve researched I’m supposed to cut out all sugar, high carb veggies, beans, grains, etc… I’m wondering if there is a way I can do this and still incorporate the Nourishing ideas.
Thanks for your help!
Michelle
I actually just read your initial blog post about starting this sugar fast. You mention there about removing sugar and yeast from the diet. I guess that answers my question! ha! Sorry, I’m a little behind in reading posts. 🙂
Jennifer Sikora
I have had a pretty rough day today. Sugar is a major part of my diet and I have had a very rough struggle every hour. I am even going to drink green tea in the morning with honey instead of coffee just because I have to have something with caffeine and sweetness to it.
Hoping tomorrow is better.
KimiHarris
Jennifer,
So sorry to hear you had such a rough time of it. 🙁 Keep focused on the end result though! Being free from an addiction to sugar. You really will feel better. 🙂
Don’t be discouraged if it takes longer than one day for your cravings to subside. It can take one to two weeks. Do you have fermented foods to eat? They will help with the cravings. 🙂
Kaye
Hi ~ Love your website, read every post! Although I am not doing the challenge, I mainly eat a high- raw whole foods diet, so I don’t use sugar and rarely use white flour either. I thought I might have a bit of advice for sweetening things naturally.. my favorite things to sweeten dishes are pureed dates and pureed sweet grapes. The pureed grapes are supersweet just like sugar so a few go a long way. Also a nice little treat is cutting up a nice plump date (like the ones you find at Central Market or even Costco) in about 6 small pieces and than top each piece with a small dallop of raw pure crunchy nut butter ~~melts in your mouth and very satisfying. As for the Stevia, I agree with the the aforementioned, different brands have different tastes. I found a brand called Stevita which I love in my tea and organic decaf coffee. I use the liquid or the crystals. Good luck in your journey to Great Health.
KimiHarris
Kaye,
I love your idea with the dates. Yummy.
micki
Hi, how are you all? I have been sugar and all flour free for a while now, and I don’t miss it so I am on the advanced, but is honey off the OK list? I had soaked oat meal and oat bran with one tablespoon of applecider vinegar. Then cooked it for five minutes and added some honey and it was so delicious. I love it with lemon or vinegar and honey. Then I had Ali’s healing quinoa and cabbage soup for lunch. That is so wonderful, you just have to make it. I cheated though and added a tiny bit of chicken so it probably isn’t as healing as it could be. I love this challenge and reading what everyone eats, it’s so neat.
SCB
Hi everyone – wow, habits are tough to break! For breakfast I had plain yogurt with some chopped apples, raisins, slivered almonds plus coffee with homemade almond milk and a dark chocolate powder (it has organic raw cane sugar, not sure if this is allowed?). Lunch was a salad and lentil soup. Dinner – confession time – chinese vegetable dumplings which I pretended are not made with white flour and more salad. Dessert will be fresh fruit and herbal tea. Ahhh…tomorrow is another day. 🙂
KimiHarris
That’s a great start. 🙂 And yes, for us all, tomorrow is a fresh start!
Caroline
I’m doing great on the sugar count so far, on the white flour count…. abysmal. so far 1 out of two meals, plus my snack, have included white flour (both part white part whole wheat flour bread with good fat).
For breakfast, I have part wheat part white flour bakers yeast fry breads with butter and peanut butter.
For tea, I had part white part wheat sourdough bread, butter, a little raw cream, kombucha, celery, peanut butter, raisins, and applesauce (which I know had no refined sugar, don’t know if it had natural or not).
For lunch, kombucha again, salad, and meat patties with gravy (no flour!! I used arrowroot for the first time and it was easy!!!! yay). scrumptious and healthy and refined sugar and flour free.
Raw milk as a snack.
Dinner is going to be chicken soup. were going to put in barley but it didn’t get soaked in time, so it will be potatoes instead. almost certainly will eat it with the heel of a part wheat part white flour loaf (hey, I can’t afford to not use it up.)
Cream for dessert (maybe with fruit, maybe by itself)
Not sure about the upcoming days, but I’m worried about the refined flour. I don’t know any local bakeries that have 100% whole wheat sourdough thats good (most are part ww part white) and soy free (food for life had soy last I checked. plus its kinda gross). DP may be able to make me some 100% ww sourdough sandwhich bread, but I’d love a good rustic bread too, and not sure where to find it.
This challenge is coming at the perfect time, since I am doing crazy hours training for my new job this week, and need all the nutrition I can get.
Jessie
Trader Joes has sprouted breads without any white flour – if you have any of those stores nearby. You might find other sprouted breads that could help you out. I think your attitude is great – you are doing crazy hours & are embracing the challenge because you know you need nutrition. I think I’d be likely to cave if it was a crazy-busy week. Best wishes!
Melissa Wingo
Until this evening, I was flying through with no problems. Now it is the dreaded after dinner until bed time… I’m going to have a cup of tea, which will be nice & an apple. Maybe I will saute it in butter like you suggested, that sounded good & might get me through. Ugh being addicted is not fun
KimiHarris
Remember the end goal! Try the sauteed apple, it’s really nice. 🙂
Bruce
So, a couple of observations
1) Sugar and white flour seem to have an addictive quality, and since it’s in almost everything, makes it all the more difficult to moderate/quit. I was eating out tonight when the waitress set 2 fluffly, white, soft rolls in front of me. The were calling my name (!), even though I’m trying to stay very carb conscious. Who thought one could have a real internal battle over a roll!
2) I highly enjoy NOW brand stevia extract. No aftertaste for me.
3) In my experience, the longer you are off sugar, and once I’m over the hump of the call of sugar, the more refined my taste buds will be and the less I will “need” it. Additionally, I begin to pick up sweet notes in things like cinnamon. It’s wonderful. When I do crave a sweet, I find that something like an apple will be surprisingly sweet and satisfying.
4) Even though agave is processed, the benefit is in the low glycemic index. Slow absorption into the bloodstream, less insulin spike.
KimiHarris
I like the NOW stevia too. I’ve used the whole leaf extract. Very nice.
Bruce
(Also, watch your powdered stevia…some of them actually contain maltodextrin!)
Lisa Z
Thanks. I just realized the sample packet of NuStevia I picked up at the co-op yesterday has maltodextrin! Since I used just a pinch of it in my tea this morning, I don’t feel too bad. But I’ll go buy the NOW product instead!
Karen
Well, I admit that I fell a bit off the bandwagon. It’s a long story but I had to purchase some chewable Vit C this morning to pump into my children. Due to lack of funds I had to get the kind with a bit more sugar and also use it for myself. So other than having a few of those to get extra Vit C I did alright today.
I had to go sugar free after a very serious outbreak of Candida after my almost 7 yod was born. It took me over 2 years to finally get relief from it all (relief from all the anaphylaxic reactions I was having to food I had eaten for years. . .all healthy food like flax seeds, etc.) Although I had taken soft drinks out of my diet there were other “things” that had to come out. Socially, I felt like such on outcast. I truly couldn’t eat anything when we were out. Some of that was fear of allergic reaction some of it was fear of feeding the yeast. I had to take all my own food. The worst was not being able to eat sugar. And I do think looking back that I considered it a “right.” I just couldn’t eat anything “normal” and I was quite offended and hurt by it all.
I no longer feel like this all the time. But I am still getting used to it. I allowed some sugar back into my diet and I am now dealing with a bit of an overgrowth. When I was pregnant with my last baby, I had to be put on bedrest and was essentially put on the GAPS diet, although I didn’t know it at the time. I am researching that diet as much as I can without the book (no money) and am praying for the ability to implement it again with my whole family.
Thank you for the challenge this week. This coupled with the sickness we’re fighting here at home has caused me to finally wake up out of my complacency and get back in step with keeping my family truly fit and health.
KimiHarris
I’ve “been there” with having to be on special diets, so I know how it feels! (Come to think of it, I am on one now too!) But it sounds like you are doing a good job of doing your best for your family. Keep it up. 🙂 I know it’s tiring sometimes and it hard to fit in on a limited budget. But you go girl!
Stephanie Larsen
I’m joining in a bit late, but better late than not. We’ve been gluten free for a while and we already use coconut sugar, raw agave, or raw honey and whole grains, so I guess we’d be moderate to advanced. However, having just had a baby and being very sleep deprived I’m craving sweets and carbs like crazy. My goal is to cut out all baked goods and add in more lacto-fermented foods for the next week. So far we’ve added in fermented ketchup and sauerkraut with our meals. Tomorrow’s breakfast is crockpot millet with coconut milk and cinnamon and almonds. I’ve done the candida cleanse many times, my two favorite sweet craving fixes are sauted onions in coconut oil or roasted winter squash with butter and sea salt, YUM!
Tacia
I did well. I’ve switched my coffee over to Tecchino which is tasty with just some soy milk. I found at Trader Joe’s a fruit juice sweetened organic fruit preserve to put on my coconut pancakes. Mmmmm….I even tried a new oatmeal recipe that added peanut butter and dates, sounds strange but was delish…even my husband liked it.
I’m searching for a bread/muffin recipe that uses fruit juice concentrate. Anyone have suggestions?
Jeanmarie
I went to the drugstore for something today and unaccountably was (briefly) lured by the Hagen Dazs display near the cash registers. I thought of the sugar challenge and walked on by… whew! Made it through the day sugar free. Had mango at breakfast, high-protein (Barilla) pasta with fish and broccoli and salad at dinner, no sugar, yay!
I hope the part kicks in about losing my taste for sweets. I shared 2 cookies yesterday with my boyfriend to celebrate something (I didn’t have the heart to deny him, it was a significant event), the first time in a month or so, and I found I still hadn’t lost my taste for sweets, darn!
Kathy Shaner
I’m remembering a time a few years ago when I was very serious about living sugar- and white flour-free. I felt really good and lost quite a few pounds, and I found that over time the cravings really did subside. I was single at the time, though, and now that I have a husband who’s also part of any changes I make to the eating plan– I find it a little trickier. Thankfully he’s willing to eat anything I serve, but not-so-thankfully, he loves sweets. He has no weight problem or other eating concerns, so it’s no big deal for him to have baked goods or sweets on a regular basis. (Except for the underlying reasons that we all have for avoiding those things) SO– he’s willing to cut back on sugar and has never missed white flour, but he forgets. Which makes my biggest challenge the REMEMBERING and staying aware throughout the day, so I don’t inadvertently grab the wrong kind of snack. We’ve just harvested a tree full of peaches, so there hasn’t been a shortage of sweet stuff around here. When that’s all done, I’m looking forward to adjusting our habits to a more sugar-less diet. I’m not sure we’ll go as extremely sugar-free as I did before, but I’m grateful for the absence of white sugar and the availability of more natural, healthy options.
Thanks for this challenge and the encouragement everybody is offering!
Hänni
Here’s a tip that I think is particularly useful for “sweetening” winter fruits (since we are going into that season). Sprinkle cinnamon on top of your pears, bananas, and apples. Bananas and cinnamon is my favorite, simple dessert.
Melodie
Today is my second day and the cravings are just starting. I packed away all the sugar in the house but found a piece of ice cream cake in the freezer I forgot about and now it is calling my name. I am concerned if I open it to toss it out I will eat it instead so I am trying to ignore it. But so far so good. When I want sugar I eat protein. Works well.
yoda
I’ve heard from someone else about how protein can help curb cravings. Stevia can help reduce your cravings. I’ve noticed that for me. Actually, that is documented. Remember not all stevia tastes the same. If the stevia you try has a chemically aftertaste, it is because it is of inferior quality. Most stevia brands extract it from the leaf using chemicals and alcohols, which is why you get that weird aftertaste. Today, some are trying to mask the taste by something else. I use SweetLeaf Sweetener (stevia). It is the only brand that uses only purified water during extraction, keeping the naturally sweet taste of the leaf. Their stevia also has 0 calories, 0 carbs, and a 0 glycemic index, making it the only stevia brand or sweetener on the market with all three of these properties!
I love Their Stevia Plus (with added fiber) in smoothies, and it’s yummy on bland cereal with cinnamon. I also recommend their flavored liquid stevia (orange valencia, vanilla creme, lemon drop, and English toffee) mixed in plain yogurt! I’m looking forward to using them in baking, as well. I have many yummy looking recipes!!!
Jeanmarie
L-glutamine powder taken under the tongue helps to reduce sugar cravings. I learned this from Julia Ross (The Diet Cure, The Mood Cure). It tastes terrible to me but it helps.
Jeanmarie
Bruce
Hadn’t heard that before about the L-Glutamine. I wonder if the same applies for glutamine peptides? Also, source naturals glutamine seemed to not really have a flavor at all, so it was a good choice for taking straight.
diana
Coconut Palm Nectar is my favorite. I’m a beekeeper and i LOVE honey… love it, love it, love it! Yet, with what the honey bees are going through right now (who knows what it is), I’m leaving all the honey in the frames for them to enjoy themselves. They work hard to collect the pollen, so I’m letting them savor the nectar of their labor.
I can’t stand the taste of stevia… something about the ting on the tongue that makes my head shake.
So, I’ve switched to Coconut Palm Nectar (palm sugar) as it’s Low Glycemic (GI-35, which is lower than honey and agave) and it actually contains more nutrients than honey or maple syrup. I’ve been buying a brand by the name of Sweet Tree Palm Sugar… my local co-op carries it. It’s less expensive than maple syrup and agave. PLUS, it tastes great! I use it in my coffee, tea, baking, soups, popcorn … everywhere! The company’s website has a lot of information on it that I found pretty fascinating. http://www.sweet-tree.biz The FAO calls it “the most sustainable sweetener in the world”. It’s low GI, affordable, tastes good, sustainable, small company…. i’m sold!
Erika
Hi All,
One of my questions for the sugar free community is: Do some people need more sweetener for something to “taste” sweet to them? Or are humans taste thresholds generally very similar? One of my children seems to need her food quite sweet in order for it to taste sweet to her. Any knowledge about this? I am tired of being the grinch about the honey jar, but it does seem to me she oversweetens for my palate. And I don’t think she’s playing me.
Loree
I’m on holiday in the States and – wow – I forgot how much there really is sugar everywhere, even in the “Health Food” stores. Those bookstore cafes do serve terrible tea and cheap treats. I never remember noticing that before. Better to just stay home.
I think before we try cutting back on fruit and sweeteners, we need to ask ourselves: Why do we have this urge to always feel the need to “treat” ourselves?
I’ve noticed with myself after my baby was born two years ago this became more of a habit of thinking that I never really remember having before — that I deserved this piece of chocolate every day at nap time, etc. But soon this evolved from: “I deserve a little chocolate today – to: I deserve this cappuccino or hot cocoa with whipped cream — to: I deserve this new cute scarf – and then to: I deserve these nice expensive boots etc, etc….”
Caffeine increases my sugar craving, so I’ve learned to eliminate coffee and strong tea in favor of kombucha or miso soup or barley tea or lots of mineral water. I’ve discovered that a bottle of San Pellegrino works great in curbing those powerful PMS chocolate cravings.
Cultured veggies help curb sugar cravings as well. So does having a lot of good fats like coconut oil and butter and cheese and raw milk.
Green Granny Smith apples are low GI fruits and these help curb sugar cravings too.
It does often feel extreame when socializing with others and I still have not found a good way to deal with it and usually just wimp out for fear of offending and aleinating others. I have not yet found a good way to manange this. My WAPF chapter leader from Germany said she usually tells people she is allergic to sugar.
For playgroups, etc I have started making sugar free treats to bring and share such as quiche (a lot of work though) instead of the usually cakes, etc. Most people seem to appreciate this alternative since everyone seems to welcome a nourishing change.
On the personal level however I am trying to address this increasing need to feel like I deserve a daily treat — to serve my family without feeling like I need to reward myself, no matter how little it may seem. Quite a modern phenomenon, I’m sure.
Sile
I’m far too late for the challenge, but we started cutting out processed foods this month (October), in favor of a more “traditional” diet.
A lot of what I hear from my husband is “I can’t eat anything!” I feel like I’m having to do more exhaustive research on things that he CAN eat. Thankfully, the store at which we do most of our shopping has ingredient lists for every product they sell (along with the prices), which makes it easier for me to show him what he can choose from.
He doesn’t really complain unless we’re out shopping and is bombarded with all that is now verboten in our house. If I could go shopping without him, I would. But we’re also a one-car household.
Thankfully, he enjoys my cooking and doesn’t complain about it. I guess that I’m glad I can follow a recipe and that there are tasty recipes that can be made with real food!
Thanks for sharing so much with us!