Weaning off of sugar?

Jennifit

Cathlete
OK,

I need help from all of you!! I finally decided that I want to give up sugar. I am definitely an addict, if I do not have it every 6 hours, I get headaches and very grouchy (putting it nicely)

Has anyone gone off the white stuff successfully? Do I go cold turkey or slowly wean?? What do I replace my addiction with? Help me!!

jen
 
I gave up (mostly) refined white sugar. I eat candy, baked goods, and stuff like that only very occasionally. When I bake stuff, I use palm or date sugar, agave nectar, brown rice syrup and maple syrup as much as possible instead of granulated cane sugar, but I doubt it matters much to my body - sugar is sugar, and it is all SO DELICIOUS.

When I first decided to stop using it, I replaced it with Splenda, but I think that was a bad idea. Now I'm giving up artificial sweeteners, too, and it can be difficult. I'm finally used to the way coffee and tea taste with no sweeteners, but the hardest part is saying "no" to diet sodas.

Sweet fancy Moses, do I love Diet Sunkist.

I just allow myself to eat freely of things that are naturally sweet (fruit, mostly). When I find myself craving sweets (for me, it's at night, right after dinner), I enjoy a piece of ginger candy (I like Ginger People's Peanut-Ginger chews) or have a small handful of dried fruit and nuts. That usually does the trick.

If I find myself obsessing over something (I have a problem with cake. I really, really love cake, and I seriously think that part of my brain is somehow dedicated to thinking about cake 24/7), I just have some. Sometimes I try going for a short walk first, which often kills the craving. Other times...I take a short walk directly to a piece of cake.

AND. Since my local Natural Market started selling locally-made, single-serving pieces of vegan cake, I no longer have an excuse to make a whole cake when the cravings go crazy.

Sorry to ramble on. To recap: Good idea! But don't worry too much about replacements. Eat natural sweets and allow a cheat dessert once in a while to maintain sanity.
 
I did the weaning. I tried to go cold turkey, it didn't workout. Switch to better choices for your sugar sources (like from white bread to whole wheat, white rice to brown rice.) If you want candy try to go for less of the candy and more fruit. Its not without sweetness but its got less hydrogenated oils (which induce insulin resistance and make you fat.) You will get used to having less over time. I replace it with herbal tea and cucumber slices. I still have some but now I try to savor it rather than just blast through it. I hope that helps.
 
I've gone off sugar both ways - cold turkey, and gradually, and gradually is SO much better. When I went cold turkey, it was actually physically painful, and I was in the worst mood you can possibly imagine. I just recently went off sugar, and this time I did it gradually, and it was so much easier on my body. Now I don't crave it at all, and what I've used as a replacement is Stevia. But even that I use very sparingly. For myself, I don't even go with the less refined sugars, because I've read that sugar is sugar, and for me, if I have any kind of sugar, I know it will start the cycle all over again. Stevia is perfect for me, and I find I can replace it in all my recipes where it calls for a little sugar (with a little experimentation). I can't believe how much better I feel now, and how much energy I have.

I would say, definitely start in the obvious areas - like No candy whatsoever, and then move on to no desserts. Then maybe cut it out of each meal - starting with breakfast, no sugar in your coffee and no cereal with sugar. Then move on to lunch, and then to dinner. It may take some time to get there, but at least you'll be making LASTING changes, and not an impulsive cold turkey ban. Try not to be perfectionistic about it, and focus on the things that you can have, and not on what you have to give up. Hope this helps.:)

Dani
 
You guys are soooooo helpful!!!!! THANK YOU!! :) I am nervous. I have heard wonderful things about Stevia, so I will some. And, I didn't know that hydrogenated oils raise your insulin levels even more - very interesting.

OK, I am going to try this...right now, I am craving some sugar, so I will go have some strawberries!!!

thanks!
 
I've gone off sugar both ways - cold turkey, and gradually, and gradually is SO much better. When I went cold turkey, it was actually physically painful, and I was in the worst mood you can possibly imagine. I just recently went off sugar, and this time I did it gradually, and it was so much easier on my body. Now I don't crave it at all, and what I've used as a replacement is Stevia. But even that I use very sparingly. For myself, I don't even go with the less refined sugars, because I've read that sugar is sugar, and for me, if I have any kind of sugar, I know it will start the cycle all over again. Stevia is perfect for me, and I find I can replace it in all my recipes where it calls for a little sugar (with a little experimentation). I can't believe how much better I feel now, and how much energy I have.

I would say, definitely start in the obvious areas - like No candy whatsoever, and then move on to no desserts. Then maybe cut it out of each meal - starting with breakfast, no sugar in your coffee and no cereal with sugar. Then move on to lunch, and then to dinner. It may take some time to get there, but at least you'll be making LASTING changes, and not an impulsive cold turkey ban. Try not to be perfectionistic about it, and focus on the things that you can have, and not on what you have to give up. Hope this helps.:)

Dani

Dani I have to say I think you give really great advice!! This is how I've weaned off those not so clean eating foods and it really works.
 
This is what has worked for me -

when I crave sugar I eat almonds, if I indulge in sugary things, including fruit, I eat almonds. The protein/carb/fat ratio seems to be just perfect to keep the sugar addiction in check and balance out the insulin spike.

When I weaned off of sugar instead of turning to healthier sweet alternatives, I turned to protein. This worked much better for me, the more carbohydrates I eat, including the simple carbs in fruit, the MORE I crave sweets.

Good luck.
Strawberries are yummy and very low on the glycemic index, so it is a good choice, but eat 5 or 6 almonds too.
HTH:)
 
I dropped white sugar and now I only use Sugar in the Raw for my coffee, and I went to half what I normally put in my coffee.
All the fake stuff has aspertame, which is really bad for you.
Can you use sugar in the raw?
 
I always go cold turkey when I go off sugar or simple carbs. I just did this 2 weeks ago. Here is what helped me this time around: go to a health food store and buy cinnamon bark supplements. It comes in tablet form and is basically 100% cinnamon bark extract. This helps with regulating your blood glucose levels. Especially helpful when you're body is detoxing off the sugars...

I ended up spending the first 2 days doing a fruit protein smoothie fast. This for some reason really helped as the sweet in the fruit helped offset some of the cravings and headaches that usually result in detoxing off of sugar. The smoothie consists of unsweetened cranberry juice, low GI fruits (think of berries, apples, pears), a serving of vanilla protein powder (I use Jay Robb's as it's sweetened with Stevia), a bit of flaxseed oil, and some water. Tastes absolutely delicious! If it's too bitter, just add a packet of stevia to it. Yummy!

For dinner, I had veggies, a sweet potato sprinkled with cinnamon, and 4 oz of lean protein.

Hope this helps...
Lorrayne
 
I always go cold turkey when I go off sugar or simple carbs. I just did this 2 weeks ago. Here is what helped me this time around: go to a health food store and buy cinnamon bark supplements. It comes in tablet form and is basically 100% cinnamon bark extract. This helps with regulating your blood glucose levels. Especially helpful when you're body is detoxing off the sugars...

I ended up spending the first 2 days doing a fruit protein smoothie fast. This for some reason really helped as the sweet in the fruit helped offset some of the cravings and headaches that usually result in detoxing off of sugar. The smoothie consists of unsweetened cranberry juice, low GI fruits (think of berries, apples, pears), a serving of vanilla protein powder (I use Jay Robb's as it's sweetened with Stevia), a bit of flaxseed oil, and some water. Tastes absolutely delicious! If it's too bitter, just add a packet of stevia to it. Yummy!

For dinner, I had veggies, a sweet potato sprinkled with cinnamon, and 4 oz of lean protein.

Hope this helps...
Lorrayne

Wow! That sounds REALLY good! I can cleanse while I am weening! I am glad to hear about cinnamon cutting cravings. I use it because it is an anti-inflammatory! Good to know it is has other effects.

One other question...Can I eat peanut butter (think Jiff) or do I need to eat natural PB? (I think I know your answers LOL!)
 
Jiffy peanut butter is evil, it has high fructose corn syrup. But natural peanut butter. Usually the store brand is cheaper.

Also, add cinammon supplements. I found a bottle at Dollar General.
 
Peanut butter should have the following ingedients: peanuts If it has anything else, run away! Seriously, look at lables. It's really scary what things they add to your food...

For cinnamon bark, I use Gaia Herbs brand. It says on the lable "supports healthy blood sugar metabolism."
 
i try to stay off sugar.today work gave me a gift which is a planting pot filled with chocolate.would it be rude to say no to that? occasionally we have cookouts at work which include hamburgers,hotdogs,chips,dip,and dessert. i love making dessert. work is always asking me to make pecan supremes or polka-dot brownies-hard to resist.

laura
 
I didn't think anyone would read the Jiff question!!?! Ha ha I KNOW it is bad...It is gone! I promise, my anti-sugar gurus!!! LOL

I am going to get the cinnamon bark today! Do you think they sell it at Whole Foods?
 
Choosy mothers SHOULD NOT pick Jiffy Peanut butter. LOL I didn't realize Jiffy had hfcs until I read the label. It has: roasted peanuts and sugar, contains 2% or less of: molasses, fully hydrogenated vegetable oils (rapseed and soybean), mono- and digycerides, salt.

The J.M. Smucker Company ought to be ashamed of themselves. Do they think all women are stuuuupid.
 
Yes, they sell cinnamon bark supplements at Whole Foods. This is where I picked up my first bottle after talking to the folks in the supplements department. They are the ones that educated me regarding the use of cinnamon bark to help reduce sugar cravings. The nice thing is that it tastes yummy when you put the capsule in your mouth. The key is to drink 8 oz of water else the cinnamon may repeat itself for a while... ;-)
 
Choosy mothers SHOULD NOT pick Jiffy Peanut butter. LOL I didn't realize Jiffy had hfcs until I read the label. It has: roasted peanuts and sugar, contains 2% or less of: molasses, fully hydrogenated vegetable oils (rapseed and soybean), mono- and digycerides, salt.

The J.M. Smucker Company ought to be ashamed of themselves. Do they think all women are stuuuupid.

I just read my label. But, I must be stupid because usually I read all of labels, but I would have never guessed it with PB!!! So, their ad campaign works!! LOL
 
Yes, they sell cinnamon bark supplements at Whole Foods. This is where I picked up my first bottle after talking to the folks in the supplements department. They are the ones that educated me regarding the use of cinnamon bark to help reduce sugar cravings. The nice thing is that it tastes yummy when you put the capsule in your mouth. The key is to drink 8 oz of water else the cinnamon may repeat itself for a while... ;-)

THANK YOU!!!! I cannot wait to try it!
 
The J.M. Smucker Company ought to be ashamed of themselves. Do they think all women are stuuuupid.

I think food manufacturers rely on customers being ill-informed or semi-informed.

How else would Jiffy (I think?) pass off a PB with sugar and palm oil added as "natural." I'll bet most people just look at the front label and buy it because it says it's natural.
 

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