Sugarless?

[AOW]

Anyone here give up sugar? I did about a week ago and the cravings are just now fading. I made some awesome (so I heard) cinnamon rolls for Easter brunch and not eating them put me in a foul mood all day :'( I hope it'll get easier soon, and that I notice some benefits to my health. I already think my overall mood is better without the ups and downs of sugar ups and downs. Anyone else?

[sweetdeems]

Anyone here give up sugar? I did about a week ago and the cravings are just now fading. I made some awesome (so I heard) cinnamon rolls for Easter brunch and not eating them put me in a foul mood all day :'( I hope it'll get easier soon, and that I notice some benefits to my health. I already think my overall mood is better without the ups and downs of sugar ups and downs. Anyone else?


I also am attempting to give up sugar... It is more difficult around the holidays when people are shoving free baskets of candy into your face. lol

I originally wanted to give it up because of the sugar ups and downs that you are talking about. It wasn't till just a few years ago that I put two and two together and realized that it was all the sugar I was eating that made me feel almost sick by the middle of the day..a combination of coffee for breakfast and honey buns for lunch... not the best eating habits.

I stopped drinking coffee on a regular basis and that did wonders for me. I don't need it in the morning and to keep myself awake. I have so much more energy.

Anyway, I used to eat lots of sweets throughout the week but, now that I have stopped, I found that I don't get that sick feeling that affected my whole body.

It's hard to eat healthy during the holidays. It couldn't hurt to indulge a little but I think that, after a while, you will notice that you don't like the feeling that the sweets give you and it will cause you to not want to eat them.

Keep it up! Your body will thank you!

[DTM]

Technically I gave up sugar (soda, candy, junk) 12 years ago
Fruit has all the sugar you could ever want, plus it's delicious.

Easy? Yeah... these days drinking a Coke or eating a cinnamon roll would probably make me sick.

[Serpo]

Why give up the sweet things in life when there is one sugar that is good for you....................



Organic Coconut Sugar

This pure and simple cane sugar alternative is naturally low on the Glycemic Index (GI), which has benefits for weight control and improving glucose and lipid levels in people with diabetes (type 1 and type 2).

Coconut Sugar is produced from the sweet juices of tropical coconut palm sugar blossoms. Traditional sugar farmers climb high into the canopy of swaying coconuts and harvest the sweet nectar by gently slicing the flower. Once collected, the nectars are kettle-boiled into a thick caramel and ground to a fine crystal.

Coconut sugar has long been a staple in south East Asian culinary heritage and herbal medicine.
Get started with a healthier sweetener today!

* Coconut Sugar is rated as a GI 35. By comparison, most commercial Honeys are GI 55 and Cane Sugars are GI 68.
* Coconut Sugar has a nutritional content far richer than all other commercially available sweeteners.
* Coconut Sugar is especially high in Potassium, Magnesium, Zinc and Iron and is a natural source of the vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6 and C.
* Coconut Sugar is a 100% Organic, unprocessed, unfiltered, and unbleached natural sweetener. And contains no preservatives.
* This coconut sugar is produced by smallholder farmers. 100% of the money from growing, harvesting and primary processing of this ingredient stays in the local community.
* Through market access and production training, smallholder sugar tappers have risen well above the poverty line and are able to earn an increase in personal income of close to 200%, while maintaining a competitive market price as a cane s ugar alternative!
* The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the World Bank has reported that palm sweeteners like this coconut sugar are the single most sustainable sweetener in the world!
* Coconut Sugars are not produced from the same palm species as is used for the production of Palm Oil.
* Coconut Palms produce an average of 50-75% more sugar per acre than Sugar Cane and use less than 1/5th the nutrients for that production.
* Tropical palms are an ecologically beneficial tree crop that grows in diverse, wild-life supportive agro-ecosystems, restore damaged soils and require very little water.
* Coconut Palms are considered the “Tree of Life” by many traditional communities throughout the world as they provide over 100 smallholder accessible products from which to make livelihoods. The production of Coconut Sugar has the single highest potential for lifting these farmers into a better life while creating a net benefit to their surrounding environment.

http://www.essentiallivingfoods.com/low-glycemic-sweeteners/organic-coconut-sugar.html

[AOW]

I'm seeing sugar as an addictive drug and I'd like to eliminate my dependence on it. I'm not sure a substitute for sugar is how I'm going to rid myself of my sweet tooth, but I really don't know. I'm quite fit now with no health issues so I'm still developing my motivation. Thanks for all the replies and ideas.

[sunshine05]

I have never heard of coconut sugar. I'm going to have to look for that. I tried stevia..it's just okay. I still use organic sugar in my tea every morning. But other than that, I try to avoid it. I only drink water throughout the day.

[Ash_Williams]

Well over a decade ago I got really really sick after eating a doughnut and drinking a can of coke. Those two things weren't the cause of my illness but somehow my brain associated them. I've had no sugar cravings since. Things are plenty sweet without sugar once you get used to not eating super sweet things all the time.

Even now if you put that same type of doughnut and a can of coke in front of me I'd probably puke right there.

So I think the best cure for your cravings would be to eat something really sweet, and then follow it up with uncooked chicken that's fallen on the floor.

[AOW]

Thanks again for all the ideas! The cravings have pretty much died except for when I actually see something I know I'd like. I just made cinnamon rolls again using the same recipe but using Stevia instead of sugar. Just not the same without all the melted sugar making them all gooey but not horrible. There is a bit of an aftertaste but not too bad.

[Twisted Titan]

Raw Honey is delicious and also good for you.


I will investigate on the Coconut sugar.


T

[Hatha Sunahara]

Sugar's attractiveness is its sweetness. But it is not a good food because it lacks the ability to satisfy hunger. It gives you no signal to stop eating. So, with a little clever advertising, people can be persuaded to consume huge quantities of it. And they have, and that is why America has so many obese people. And diabetics. Sugar is addicitve.

I gave up sugar a long time ago. The calories I don't consume from sugar, I now consume in sugar's place smaller quantities of protein and fat, which satisfy my hunger, so overall I eat less food. If I want something sweet, I eat fruit. I use stevia to sweeten drinks. And I read all labels on processed food I buy. Did you know that fruit flavored yogurt has huge amounts of sugar in it? If something says it's fat-free, I look at how much sugar it has.

If you give your body an 'insulin break' every so often, you will age slower. My hat is off to anyone who resists the temptation of sugar.

Hatha

[Occamsrazor]

God made 2 candies for you, figs and dates. I eat them every day. Also, mango is a divine fruit.

[K_Flynn]

Giving up sugar is a great way to be healthier. Don't forget to eliminate HFCS, breads, pasta, etc. Basically any non-green vegetable is to be avoided if possible.

[MNeagle]

"Non-green vegetable"??? You're kidding right??? No carrots, squash, tomatoes, potatoes, onions.... I could go on.

[K_Flynn]

"Non-green vegetable"??? You're kidding right??? No carrots, squash, tomatoes, potatoes, onions.... I could go on.


Nope, not kidding.

Carbs are to be avoided as much as possible, and green vegetables generally have the least carbs and the most nutrition as far as vegetables go. Of course in limited amounts those other veggies are fine.

[Serpo]

i love coconut sugar and its very good for you due too its high level of nutrients,mmmmm.Includes brain ...glutamic acid and also good for prostate gland for another reason.
Because of low GI diabetics apparently can consume it.
Made a steam pudding the other night ,replaced the sugar with coconut sugar and it tasted very nice.

[Shoden]

I haven't given up sugar completely, but I have cut back around 90% from my previous intake levels. Starting back in January, I cut out artificial sweeteners, HFCS, carbonated beverages, and most refined sugar and wheat products. I'm basically doing a slightly modified version of the Warrior Diet, which I first read about last year on GIM, and in the 5 months I've been doing it, I've felt a lot better, had more energy, and dropped over 25lbs. And that's just with the change in my diet, not any significant exercising, although I do intend to start trail running, hiking, and regular exercise to tone up and slim down a bit more.

For sweeteners, I've been using stevia and raw honey, and I'll look into the coconut sugar, since I've already been using a fair amount of coconut oil, flour, and water. I like coconut :)

[AOW]

We made these and I really liked them! We made them without the lucuma powder and they were plenty sweet.

http://mothering.com/recipes/pecan-spice-delight-cookies-raw-vegan


Pecan Spice Delight Cookies (Raw & Vegan)


http://mothering.com/sites/default/files/images/recipes/medium_pecan_spice.jpg


A yummy vegan cookie your family will ask for again and again.

1 1/2 cups pecans

1/2 cup unsweetened, shredded dried coconut

1 tablespoon lucuma powder*(optional)

Pinch Himalayan crystal salt

1/2 teaspoon ginger powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup raisins

10 dates, pitted


Process all of the ingredients, except for the raisins and dates, in a food processor fitted with the S-blade, until coarsely ground. Add the raisins and dates and continue processing until the mixture begins to stick together when pressed between your fingers. Roll and form into desired shapes and sizes.

*Lucuma powder is available through Navitas Naturals and in some Whole Foods Markets. The sweet flavor is popular in Europe. It can be used in cookies, smoothies, puddings, ice creams, and other recipes. If you don't have lucuma powder, that's OK—the cookies will still be delicious without it.

[AOW]

Another we gobbled up. This one has honey and yes, an avacado.

1 avacado
1/2 ripe banana
1/4 cup coco powder
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbs coconut oil

Blend all in a food processor until smooth. Add water as necessary. Enjoy!


Edit - this is chocolate pudding!

[Occamsrazor]

I use grey Celtic salt. I bought pink Himalayan crystal salt once and it is full of small stones and sand. try to dissolve a teaspoon and see how much nasty sediment it has, you can break your teeth if you are not careful.
Plus it is full of fluorides. It looks pretty but French Celtic grey salt is much better and cheaper.

[beeks]

Use honey instead of sugar whenever possible.

[Shoden]

I made these last night and again tonight....... They are yummy!

Coconut Muffins


Thanks, those look really good. I've been wanting to use my coconut flour in some real recipes instead of just adding a spoonful to my smoothies.

[zap]

I have given up sugar/honey as of Sunday no artificial sweeteners either, sticking to a diet of lean meat and veggies, eggs of course. Let's see how it goes.

[AOW]

Gotta update this and reveal that I've recently given up on giving up sugar. I made it over 2 months but I didn't have family support and way too much time was spent on finding ways to substitute for sugar. Never really got over the desire for sugar so I'd grab fruit or raisins but just grabbing something else to satisfy the cravings didn't get me over the cravings and I wasn't seeing any changes in my health so I decided to cave in. I use organic sugar mostly but I'm done depriving myself for now.