# i'm gonna try to cut refined sugar from my diet..



## boomchakabowwow (Nov 14, 2013)

my entire family is diabetic. mom. grandparents.

i gotta watch it. i have a sweet tooth. big time sugar addict. i am gonna cut it out. my blood sugar is fine, but i have to admit, it did creep up.

i want to cut out "blatant refined sugar"..so no candy, pie, cakes, ice cream, etc

sugar is not avoidable..like it is in my favorite Korean BBQ. i know it is in some foods.

i dont eat alot of bread. being chinese, i do eat rice. anyone NOT eating sugar? or cutting it out? the other night, double fisted OREO cookies. haha. not good.


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## Crothcipt (Nov 14, 2013)

It's tough. Prob. one of the hardest things you can do. When the sweet tooth kicks in I grab the celery, it helps a little.


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## jimbob (Nov 14, 2013)

It is very hard! My wife is a nutritionist specializing with a particular interest in helping people with sugar. It is a drug. I've given up on total quitting, end result is better than when I started. My advice would be not getting too hooked on banishing it rather baby steps! But as I said, it is a very addictive drug that our body is hard wired to tell us more more more. Good luck!


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## DeepCSweede (Nov 14, 2013)

I have been working really hard on replacing refined sugars with other sources - mainly honey where at all possible. I do not have a big sweet tooth, but do enjoy an occasional cookie or ice cream. My dad had to completely cut out sugar as part of his cancer fighting regimen earlier this year. Some Stevia was allowed but no refined sugar.


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## jimbob (Nov 14, 2013)

Agave syrup is good replacement for cooking too.


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## boomchakabowwow (Nov 14, 2013)

damn..like a drug?

oh-o. okay, baby steps. just figured out i was lactose intolerant..so cutting out icecream turned out easy. hehe.


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## boomchakabowwow (Nov 14, 2013)

Crothcipt said:


> It's tough. Prob. one of the hardest things you can do. When the sweet tooth kicks in I grab the celery, it helps a little.



damn. celery. thanks for the tip. grim, huh?


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## tripleq (Nov 14, 2013)

The best defence against refined sugars is preparing meals from scratch using ingredients in or as close to their raw form as possible. Read labels and avoid fast food. Remember that eating anything containing HFCS is the same as eating refined sugars. Avoid substitutes like Agave mentioned above. While Agave may be lower on the glycemic index it is still a very simple carb. Agave (which is a refined sweetener) and other sugar substitutes are pushed using slick marketing to make us believe that there is some health benefit to using them vs sugar but there is no real difference. Honey, corn syrup, etc. They are all basically the same. People are often shocked to learn that Agave contains about 50% more calories than sugar.


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## quantumcloud509 (Nov 14, 2013)

I would say baby steps...its what I have been doing after trying cold turkey multiple times. Honey is awesome, and I buy regional honey everywhere I go. Its almost like wine with all of its different nuances...but I dont know how healthy it is for you really. I have diabetes on both sides of the family, and being a professional chef and rarely making time to sit down and eat a meal I run on things like cookies, cakes, bread, etc. Luckily for me havent been drinking sodas for the past 5 years or so...I mean here and there, but that was the first thing I cut. Unfortunately when I have coffee its more like sugar and coffee. Cook from scratch, dont eat canned foods, etc. Chocolate is expensive but my wife and I crave it a lot so we end up buying shiffy Hersheys chocolates and they keep me up all night and help me sharpen my knives and read KKF.  You are encouraging me to try and cut back more. Youre not alone. Good luck man.


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## boomchakabowwow (Nov 14, 2013)

yea. i cook 90% of my food from scratch. there are no canned foods in my home unless i canned them. (not counting my earthquake kit which is alot of canned stuff)

thanks for the wonderful insights..i appreciated it greatly. makes it easier that i hear i am not a mutant sugar fiend. i am not alone. 

thanks. glad i dont smoke or do smoke-less tabacco..and i dont really drink anymore. 

i think i can do this. i am gonna try to make a piece of fruit my sweet treat. gag..ha.


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## mr drinky (Nov 14, 2013)

If I ever want to cut back on sweets, I drink a glass of wine when the craving comes. It always satisfies me. When I cut back on alcohol, I usually eat more ice cream and chocolate. Just saying. A glass of red wine is good per night. Try substituting that. 

k.


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## apicius9 (Nov 14, 2013)

Definitely a good idea. Sugar has a fascinating history. I think the amount of refined sugar people ate in the 1700s was around 4 pounds per YEAR, today most Americans consume more than half a pound per DAY. A lot of that is thanks to the totally screwed up agriculture system in this country where so much subsidized corn is produced that they don't know what to do with it anymore except turn it into sugar and then force it into all kinds of foods where it has no place to be in. Those hidden and mostly totally useless sweeteners have gotten so many people used to sweetened foods, it has become a major public health problem. For me as a European, many foods here are disgustingly sweet, like most baked goods. 

Making your own food from scratch is certainly the best way to go if you want to have control over it. 

Stefan


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## mr drinky (Nov 14, 2013)

apicius9 said:


> ...For me as a European, many foods here are disgustingly sweet



Amen. I left the US for 10 years and when I came back I was shocked at how sweet things had become. Ketchup had changed, yogurts were horrible, bread was closer to sweet bread. 

Another thing is: never drink diet sodas or any foods containing that splenda sh!t, sucralose etc. You probably aren't', but studies are pretty overwhelming now that drinking these types of drinks lead to more sweat intake and weight gain. 

k.


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## tripleq (Nov 14, 2013)

mr drinky said:


> Amen. I left the US for 10 years and when I came back I was shocked at how sweet things had become. Ketchup had changed, yogurts were horrible, bread was closer to sweet bread.
> 
> Another thing is: never drink diet sodas or any foods containing that splenda sh!t, sucralose etc. You probably aren't', but studies are pretty overwhelming now that drinking these types of drinks lead to more sweat intake and weight gain.
> 
> k.



Not only that but diet sodas are as bad for your teeth as the regular stuff. They raise the ph level in your mouth enough to eat away at your enamel. No sugar required!


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## mr drinky (Nov 14, 2013)

mr drinky said:


> Amen. I left the US for 10 years and when I came back I was shocked at how sweet things had become. Ketchup had changed, yogurts were horrible, bread was closer to sweet bread.
> 
> Another thing is: never drink diet sodas or any foods containing that splenda sh!t, sucralose etc. You probably aren't', but studies are pretty overwhelming now that drinking these types of drinks lead to more sweat intake and weight gain.
> 
> k.



The wino fingers were typing. I hope everyone realizes I wasn't talking about about 'sweat' and really talking about sweets. 

k.


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## Eric (Nov 14, 2013)

Sorry but your body is very effective at digesting all carbs into glucose. So it's not just refined sugar- sucrose, but most carbs that are the culprit. Agave syrup, honey, bread, potatoes, rice, wheat- your digestive system reduces them all to glucose- sugar. So if you want/ need to lower your intake of " sugar" you should think about reducing all carbs, not just " refined" sugar.


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## panda (Nov 15, 2013)

use truvia, stuff tastes awesome


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## Erilyn75 (Nov 15, 2013)

boomchakabowwow said:


> my entire family is diabetic. mom. grandparents.
> 
> i gotta watch it. i have a sweet tooth. big time sugar addict. i am gonna cut it out. my blood sugar is fine, but i have to admit, it did creep up.
> 
> ...



It's easier than you may think given all the products available these days. I'm diabetic so I have to watch what I eat all the time. Not saying I don't splurge once in awhile because I have the best cupcake shop in the country in my area so its really hard to resist lol. It's just about moderation and coming up with lower carb versions of your favorite foods and snacks. Also, since you don't have it yet, do yourself a favor and go for 30 min walks at least 3x a week. That helps burn off extra glucose and lowers blood sugar along with cutting back on the carbs and sugar.

Believe me, there's nothing worse than not being able to enjoy yourself while at a restaurant or party because you have to watch your carb and sugar intake. 

Oh, I do believe there is a sugar free version of Oreos somewhere


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## erikz (Nov 15, 2013)

I try to evade eating sugar. I do eat lots of fruit, and about 1-2 cookies _a week_. I'm not a sweet tooth whatsoever. Best trick to avoid sugar is to cook everything from fresh produce. There are great cooky recipes that don't need (alot) of sugar. Do not eat products with sweetener in them, that's chemical crap if you ask me.


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## boomchakabowwow (Nov 15, 2013)

Eric said:


> Sorry but your body is very effective at digesting all carbs into glucose. So it's not just refined sugar- sucrose, but most carbs that are the culprit. Agave syrup, honey, bread, potatoes, rice, wheat- your digestive system reduces them all to glucose- sugar. So if you want/ need to lower your intake of " sugar" you should think about reducing all carbs, not just " refined" sugar.



yea,. learned this in fourth or fifth grade when a teacher made us slowly chew a piece of bread and the flavor started to turn sweet in our mouths. 

i'm not worried about dropping ALL sugar from my diet. nobody get between me and a plate of glazed BBQ ribs!! 

i just want to drop it from my diet where it is obvious. blatant sugar items. 

like cupcakes. damn, i love cupcakes. who mentioned them? haha. we have a few awesome cupcake companies near me as well.


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## boomchakabowwow (Nov 19, 2013)

so far so good.

but thanksgiving is coming. and those damn pies! i think i am gonna make it. i have an OCD personality. just gotta focus.


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