Abstaining from sugar

I abstained from eating sugary foods for the past six months. For Christmas I decided to buy some treats. I bought a pavalova stack and a bottle of freeway cola from Lidl. The pavalova stack was nice but the freeway cola was like drinking chemicals. I was surprised that I didn't feel like reaching for more after it was finished which was normally the case in the past. I can confidently say that now I have broken my sugar addiction and don't miss it at all.

Has anyone given up sugar before?

o1s1n

Buying a pavlova stack and a bottle of freeway cola is the sugar equivalent of shooting up with a bag of heroin after going cold turkey for six months. Why would you even do that?

Moderation is key.

sniperman

ps.it was hard to give up the salt,but not so much the sugar

The Continental Op

I was once a four heaped tea spoons of sugar in tea type of guy. Decided not to have sugar in drinks and have been drinking tea and coffee without sugar for years now. Occasionally cups will get mixed up and I'll get my sons tea with 3 spoons of tea in it and I can smell the sugar even without tasting it. Taste wise tea with sugar is now totally foul as far as I'm concerned.

ax530

To give up sugar ... How detailed do you need to be checking ingredients or is it mostly chocolate, cake, fizzy drinks? Alcohol?

Might give it a go

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120035270#Comment_120035270

I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing out on anything. I didn't finish the freeway cola. I only drank a quater of a bottle.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120035299#Comment_120035299

Pretty much anything with obvious signs of sugar - cereal, chocolate, biscuits, cake etc. There are sugar free alternatives but they aren't the same.

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058277034/abstaining-from-sugar

Saw this video ages ago about the effect of giving up refined sugar and switching to fruit sugars

Basically your sense of taste adapts to stop craving refined sugar. Apparently after about a month food and drink with a lot of refined sugar stops tasting good and starts to have a bitter taste

I've no idea how much truth there is to it and frankly it sounds like pseudo science. Human perception is a tricky thing, all yours senses are jumbled up together and if you're not interested in a particular food then it'll probably be unappetising

From your experience it sounds like you're experiencing at least some of it. You're probably experiencing the "true" taste of the cola because your body isn't noticing the sugar as much or something

the_amazing_raisin

Out of curiosity, did you notice any benefits (or drawbacks) from avoiding sugar?

One would assume you'd be less pushed towards junk food and this would have a positive effect on your health

The Continental Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120035604#Comment_120035604

Just don't eat cereals, chocolate, biscuits, cake etc or the sugar free alternatives. Its not difficult.

I just wish it was as easy to ween myself of salt.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120035664#Comment_120035664

Yes. I noticed that sugar is pretty much laced in everything. When you give it up you eat healthier. Sugar is only put in food so it will sell. I tried eating sugar free breakfast cereal and it tastes like cardboard and milk so I figured why eat cereal at all then? I find you sleep better and urinate less often.

Duvet Day

I might try giving it up for a few weeks, what's a typical daily sugar free diet and is it sustainable realistically?

The Continental Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120038976#Comment_120038976

Why go all out in one go? Why not cut out obvious things with sugar and sweetener first. If that works for you then you can start tracking down all more hidden sources of sugar.

Addmagnet

I try to eat as little processed food as possible and I've been trying to lose weight, so I've also been trying to avoid homemade high sugar or fat foods (like cakes, biscuits, pastries, etc).

I've found I taste the natural sugars in foods more, so for e.g. I have porridge with sultanas for breakfast and it's plenty sweet enough.

Personally, I think I'd be setting myself up for failure if I tried to convince myself I was going to cut out something like sugar completely - the aforementioned sultanas have plenty sugar in them and I use ingredients like honey, maple syrup, malt extract in my cooking, so I know I'm still using 'sugar'. There's a world of difference though between making your own honey mustard glaze for your ham and scarfing down a whole sleeve of Oreos!

As I've got older I've noticed that the times I've been at my healthiest weight was when I was poorest. I've rarely had to go without, but when money was short my meals were very simple. The food shopping was done to an exact plan, no extras, and if there were leftovers they were always used up. I'm doing just about ok financially at the moment, but I'm trying to recapture that shopping and eating like a pauper to drop my current excess baggage!

The food industry spends a lot of effort and money in trying to convince us all to pay more for our food. They push the idea of convenience in many ways, not just whole ready meals, but also prepared meat and veg. Why charge 50c a kilo for spuds when you can wash them and charge €1 a kilo? Or even, peel them as well, and charge €4 a kilo! Tesco Oyster Chicken Thighs are €3.32/kg, they put a bit of sage and onion stuffing in them and the price goes up to €9.26/kg. This is the 'Value Added' principle. That by simply doing something, anything, they can charge more for it and persuade you that you're worth it because you have far better things to do than slave away in the kitchen peeling spuds. But this is perhaps a discussion for a different thread.

Back to sugar - it comes in many forms (fructose, glucose, lactose, maltose etc) and is a natural component of many foods - be not afraid! Added sugar is the thing to try to avoid.

Dial Hard

These threads always make me wonder just how much sugar people are eating that they feel the need to give it up for health reasons. Like, are people actually eating an entire sleeve of Oreo cookies in one go? I wouldn't eat a packet of biscuits over the course of an entire year. And it's not because I'm a particular Holy Joe, I just don't see the appeal. Likewise the "bag of jellies in one sitting" brigade. I actually don't know anyone who does that. I don't think I'm *that* much of an outlier but maybe I'm just oblivious/naive.

The Continental Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120039500#Comment_120039500

Some people just don't have a clue and are shocked when its spelled out to them. I have a true story about a checkout operator who when she picked up a kilo tub of muesli I was buying said its nice. In the ensuing conversation it transpired that she had eaten a whole 1kg tub of it the night before while watching tele. She was shocked when I checked the label and explained she had eaten around 4000kCal as a snack. Her comment was I thought it was supposed to be good for you :-0

Xander10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058277034/abstaining-from-sugar

Did it have any impact on your weight?

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120039500#Comment_120039500

Personally I find the snacks are the killer. It's relatively easy to make healthy meals but then going down for a cup of tea it's easy enough to dip into the cupboard for a snack or two

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120039430#Comment_120039430

I agree with the fruit sugars, I find porridge with a banana and a bit of honey tastes much better than a spoonful or two of sugar. Not as sweet but just a nicer taste

I'm not sure switching from refined sugars to fruit sugars is healthier by itself, but I think if you can get into the habit of having a piece of fruit for a snack instead of a few biscuits then that's likely a healthier outcome

The food industry has definitely spent years perfecting the art of upselling food. M&S are the best (worst) for this, their entire business model is around selling big ready meals at a premium price which often don't taste any better than a homemade meal

I agree trying to prepare a meal from base ingredients is the healthiest approach, and as you say often the cheapest. It depends on your circumstances somewhat. If you've a family and everyone eats the same thing then batch cooking is great. It's a bit more annoying when you're own and you end up with 2 weeks worth of stew

I think it's also worth managing your expectations slightly, there's some days when I just want something quick and easy or I want to treat myself, or I just don't have the time or energy to cook something

To me it's more about the overall picture, if you managed 5 or 6 days of the week eating decent food then you don't need to beat yourself up over the couple of days you indulged yourself

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120040051#Comment_120040051

Ah to be fair with that amount of fibre intake she probably only absorbed 5% of the calories before the rest was... expelled

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120038976#Comment_120038976

I start my day with a fruit smoothie - blended citrus fruits, skimmed milk and protein powder. This is followed by bacon, eggs and toast. Dinner normally consists of rice/potatoes and some meat. Then I might have a toastie in the evening. That's it.

Prior to this I was eating anywhere between 500 - 1000 kcalories of some sugary junk food a day. I still haven't given pringles up yet? I eat them quite regularly. They also have sugar

positron

My experience is that once you give up sugar, your senses adapt and you will really start tasting what's naturally sweet.

I didn't know regular milk is sweet until I gave up sugar. Even rice has a sweetness to it.

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120045126#Comment_120045126

Why Pringles of all things? If I was to pick a snack I'd go with popcorn or something

The Continental Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120047418#Comment_120047418

Everyone has their dietary kryptonite, mine is just opening the packet, no point putting it back in the cupboard, might as well eat it all.

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120047578#Comment_120047578

Haha, fair enough, my weak spot is donuts. I lose all forms of self control around them

I could quite happily get through a pack of SuperValu jam donuts in half a day, and feel like crap for the next two days 😭

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120047418#Comment_120047418

I ask myself the same question. Ithink it's because they have sugar in them too.

babyducklings1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120035287#Comment_120035287

Same here, and occasionally people sugar my tea or coffee by mistake and I can’t stand it, too sweet. It’s just a question of adapting. Don’t even like desserts anymore. The only time I like sugary things is when I’m sick. I still eat fruit but not too much as only like some.

MayoSalmon

Are you just talking about added sugar here?

Your body NEEDS sugar to survive and your body will make it no matter what abstaining efforts your at.

neris

Your body doesn't need sugar to survive that's pure bull.

the_amazing_raisin

Your body is ultimately fueled by sugar, the process of digestion breaks down proteins and carbohydrates in sugars as well as other nutrients for your body to function

The problem with eating foods with added sugar is that it's effectively free energy for your body, so any additional fuel will be stored for later as fat

Refined sugar also doesn't help you feel full, despite giving you a reward sensation for eating something you enjoy. That's how you can eat 4000 calories worth of chocolates and still feel hungry a short while later.

Meanwhile your body is going mental from all the free energy it just got, has nothing to do with the excess so it's just floating around your system and has gotten barely any nutrition, so your overall health will be getting worse

Gusser09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120035604#Comment_120035604

Fruit? Plenty of sugar in that.

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120062049#Comment_120062049

Different types of sugar, and in different concentrations

MayoSalmon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120060343#Comment_120060343

Every cell needs Oxygen and Glucose aka Sugar to operate...all 30 trillion of them.

Biology 101.

The Continental Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120067919#Comment_120067919

The human body can survive without eating any sugar.

https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/types-carbohydrates-turn-sugar-3322.html

When you eat starchy foods, the starches are broken down into sugars, including glucose, maltotriose and maltose, by an enzyme called amylase found in your saliva and small intestine. These compound sugars are further broken down into simple sugars by other enzymes, including maltase, lactase, sucrase and isomaltase.

https://www.theborneopost.com/2010/01/10/human-body-can-survive-without-sugar-intake/

“The body has its own system to produce sugar after these carbohydrates are broken down,” said Dr Wong of Normah Medical Specialist Centre, adding that a person need not take excess glucose from refined sugar.

“We don’t need any sugar intake for our body,” he reiterated.

deirdremf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120060222#Comment_120060222

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120062024#Comment_120062024

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120062049#Comment_120062049

When people say "sugar" they generally mean refined sugar - sucrose. There are lots of other "sugars" around, but sucrose seems to be the worst of them. Or at leastthe worst of the commonly available ones!

markmoto

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120067919#Comment_120067919

Cells can use either glucose or fat. The difference fat burns clean and glucose, producing waste that human body has to deal with. Build up of waste over the years is one case of cancer. Some cells actually need a very little glucose, which human body can produce enough, hence carbohydrates are non essential food source. Burning fat as energy increases the number of mitochondria, which increases the potential energy-output of your cells.

More oxygen available to the cells while on the ketogenic diet as well.

markmoto

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058277034/abstaining-from-sugar

I did for 6 months. Best time if my life. Sharp thinking, memory 100 %, weight back to normal.

Zak Flaps

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120072147#Comment_120072147

Don't you mean "of" and sharp "thinking", my sharp friend?

markmoto

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120072163#Comment_120072163

Spot on. Looking for proofreading job? : )

MayoSalmon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120072143#Comment_120072143

A high fat, low carbohydrate diet is not natural to humans, and long-term or permanent ketosis is not a natural state for the body.

The body while in a Ketogenic state is sick and deprived of nutrients. The body is being starved of sugar and is using its last mechanism for survival by producing ketones.

No population in thousands of years of human history has ever lived in a permanent state of ketosis but here we are today thinking 1. that is even possible and 2. that it is in any way beneficial for us. Hilarious

MayoSalmon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120068137#Comment_120068137

Carbohydrates are sugar, and sugars are carbohydrates.

The Continental Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120074074#Comment_120074074

You obviously enjoy a spoonful or two of rice or perhaps pearl barley in your tea?

Fugded

I drastically reduced my sugar 2 years ago. I still have the odd treat when it suits but I used to be an addict. And what people are saying on here is right. All carbohydrates have sugar. It's in everything, not just sweets

Cill94

Avoiding sugar/carbohydrates in the form of fruit, vegetables, rice, pasta, etc is a bad idea. These foods provide important nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

Limiting your intake of highly refined carbohydrates is a good idea. These are foods that are usually packed with added sugar, lots of cals, and very little nutrients i.e sweets, sugary drinks, etc.

You do not however have to eliminate the latter entirely for good health. Just moderate it to the odd treat.

marilynrr

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120074020#Comment_120074020

You can be fat adapted without being in ketosis

the_amazing_raisin

So I'm curious what people do when avoiding sugar and eating out? Do you avoid the dessert menu and opt for a coffee instead, or go for it since you're indulging yourself anyway?

Since the new year I've been cutting down on the chocolate and sweets, eating fruit salads in the evening

In general I'm doing fine, although I'll have the odd small chocolate bar once every day or two. Not really missing anything, although I still like a bit of sweetness on my porridge so I'm putting a spoonful of honey or maple syrup on it, along with some fruit. I figure since it's natural rather than refined sugar, and sweeter per calorie, I can have a small amount and it should be fine

I do like to have a nice dessert the odd time. I wonder do they lose their appeal when cutting out the sugar, if your sense of taste adapts to different things?

MayoSalmon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120109446#Comment_120109446

Well you would need to be because ketosis is sustainable nevermind adding aerobic exercise into the equation. The best marathoners in the world are eating 90% vegan diets not the other way round for obvious reasons.

Kurooi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120074020#Comment_120074020

Have to call BS on the "not normal to humans" - what is "normal"? we're an adaptive species we eat what is available. We created our own food stuffs from animals we raise to crops we engineered.

And today we're nearly all living on processed food supermarket garbage. There is nothing natural about our diet. There is a significant overlap between keto and paleo diets though, so if someone is going keto and pushes more meat, nuts, vegetable into their diet they're eating more natural than the rest of us.

markmoto

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120113284#Comment_120113284

Deep sea divers and mountain climbers prefer to use ketones as prime fuel for obvious reasons as well : )

MayoSalmon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120113352#Comment_120113352

This is how conceited human beings are now that we try to do the complete opposite of what our metabolic systems have been built to do over thousands of years. Reminds me of the wokies you feed their cats and dogs vegan diets.

Kurooi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120113399#Comment_120113399

Okay go on, what is that natural diet? What exact food items are we built to eat name a few.