Has anyone given up refined sugar???

2

Replies

  • el223028
    el223028 Posts: 6 Member
    I too am an "all or nothing girl" in the way that if I have any I begin to crave it and then I end up wanting it every single day. For me, I had to go cold turkey and after about three days I had just as much joy from eating sweeter fruits like bananas and pineapple as I did a cookie. I LOVE sweet things, have a horrible sweet tooth, always have. So I found making recipes like banana oat cookies (just mashed bananas, oats and cinnamon etc) was a good enough treat for me. I have been doing this for quite some time and have had major success with it. My reason for dropping it isn't because I necessarily want to lose weight, but I have a condition that puts me at risk for diabetes and my body does not metabolize carbs the same as others so I have to be extra cautious with it.
  • lucys1225
    lucys1225 Posts: 597 Member
    edited October 2015
    lucys1225 wrote: »
    Yes, I gave it up years ago. For me, the difficult part was getting through the first two weeks. Since you're giving up refined sugar, you can substitute fruit or dried fruit. If you find yourself struggling, these cookies are delicious and so easy to make. I obviously make them without the chocolate chips.

    http://detoxinista.com/2014/07/the-healthiest-cookies-ever-paleo-vegan/

    Good luck!

    Dried fruits are probably the food with the most concentrated amounts of sugar short of eating it straight by the teaspoon full.

    (not that I'm objecting to that, but seems counter to this poster's claim that she's given up sugar).

    I believe she said refined sugar.
  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
    edited October 2015
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    curves2j wrote: »
    try doing paleo. it cuts out refined sugars but in moderation you can still eat other natural sugars/sweeteners.

    so you are replacing sugar with sugar?

    All sugars are not created equal. Sugars like honey, maple syrup, fruit and so on come with the added bonus of minerals, victims and have lower calories than refined sugar.

    ???? Source ???

    Honey and maple syrup specifically are pretty much pure sugar mixed with varying amounts of water.

    Calories? Pure sugar has about 48 calories per tablespoon; honey about 64 and pure maple syrup about 52

    Fruit, of course, does contain fiber and some important micronutrients - but the sugar it contains is inherently the same as other sugar.
  • gypsyrose85
    gypsyrose85 Posts: 206 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    curves2j wrote: »
    try doing paleo. it cuts out refined sugars but in moderation you can still eat other natural sugars/sweeteners.

    so you are replacing sugar with sugar?

    All sugars are not created equal. Sugars like honey, maple syrup, fruit and so on come with the added bonus of minerals, victims and have lower calories than refined sugar.

    ???? Source ???

    Honey and maple syrup specifically are pretty much pure sugar mixed with varying amounts of water.

    Calories? Pure sugar has about 48 calories per tablespoon; honey about 64 and pure maple syrup about 52

    Fruit, of course, does contain fiber and some important micronutrients - but the sugar it contains is inherently the same as other sugar.

    8dq4ebsaizbh.png
  • gypsyrose85
    gypsyrose85 Posts: 206 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    curves2j wrote: »
    try doing paleo. it cuts out refined sugars but in moderation you can still eat other natural sugars/sweeteners.

    so you are replacing sugar with sugar?

    All sugars are not created equal. Sugars like honey, maple syrup, fruit and so on come with the added bonus of minerals, victims and have lower calories than refined sugar.

    ???? Source ???

    Honey and maple syrup specifically are pretty much pure sugar mixed with varying amounts of water.

    Calories? Pure sugar has about 48 calories per tablespoon; honey about 64 and pure maple syrup about 52

    Fruit, of course, does contain fiber and some important micronutrients - but the sugar it contains is inherently the same as other sugar.
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    curves2j wrote: »
    try doing paleo. it cuts out refined sugars but in moderation you can still eat other natural sugars/sweeteners.

    so you are replacing sugar with sugar?

    All sugars are not created equal. Sugars like honey, maple syrup, fruit and so on come with the added bonus of minerals, victims and have lower calories than refined sugar.

    ???? Source ???

    Honey and maple syrup specifically are pretty much pure sugar mixed with varying amounts of water.

    Calories? Pure sugar has about 48 calories per tablespoon; honey about 64 and pure maple syrup about 52

    Fruit, of course, does contain fiber and some important micronutrients - but the sugar it contains is inherently the same as other sugar.

    dvazah2vmlva.png
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    curves2j wrote: »
    try doing paleo. it cuts out refined sugars but in moderation you can still eat other natural sugars/sweeteners.

    so you are replacing sugar with sugar?

    All sugars are not created equal. Sugars like honey, maple syrup, fruit and so on come with the added bonus of minerals, vitamins and have lower calories than refined sugar.

    sorry, but it does not work that way.

    so if I get all my nutrients from another source, and eat sugar does that mean that I am no unhealthy?
  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
    lucys1225 wrote: »
    lucys1225 wrote: »
    Yes, I gave it up years ago. For me, the difficult part was getting through the first two weeks. Since you're giving up refined sugar, you can substitute fruit or dried fruit. If you find yourself struggling, these cookies are delicious and so easy to make. I obviously make them without the chocolate chips.

    http://detoxinista.com/2014/07/the-healthiest-cookies-ever-paleo-vegan/

    Good luck!

    Dried fruits are probably the food with the most concentrated amounts of sugar short of eating it straight by the teaspoon full.

    (not that I'm objecting to that, but seems counter to this poster's claim that she's given up sugar).

    I believe she said refined sugar.

    How specifically (nutritionally) is refined sugar different from naturally occurring?
  • gypsyrose85
    gypsyrose85 Posts: 206 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    curves2j wrote: »
    try doing paleo. it cuts out refined sugars but in moderation you can still eat other natural sugars/sweeteners.

    so you are replacing sugar with sugar?

    All sugars are not created equal. Sugars like honey, maple syrup, fruit and so on come with the added bonus of minerals, victims and have lower calories than refined sugar.

    ???? Source ???

    Honey and maple syrup specifically are pretty much pure sugar mixed with varying amounts of water.

    Calories? Pure sugar has about 48 calories per tablespoon; honey about 64 and pure maple syrup about 52

    Fruit, of course, does contain fiber and some important micronutrients - but the sugar it contains is inherently the same as other sugar.

    34rlu86kiiwa.png
  • gypsyrose85
    gypsyrose85 Posts: 206 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    curves2j wrote: »
    try doing paleo. it cuts out refined sugars but in moderation you can still eat other natural sugars/sweeteners.

    so you are replacing sugar with sugar?

    All sugars are not created equal. Sugars like honey, maple syrup, fruit and so on come with the added bonus of minerals, victims and have lower calories than refined sugar.

    ???? Source ???

    Honey and maple syrup specifically are pretty much pure sugar mixed with varying amounts of water.

    Calories? Pure sugar has about 48 calories per tablespoon; honey about 64 and pure maple syrup about 52

    Fruit, of course, does contain fiber and some important micronutrients - but the sugar it contains is inherently the same as other sugar.

    cuqivrkequ0f.png
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    curves2j wrote: »
    try doing paleo. it cuts out refined sugars but in moderation you can still eat other natural sugars/sweeteners.

    so you are replacing sugar with sugar?

    All sugars are not created equal. Sugars like honey, maple syrup, fruit and so on come with the added bonus of minerals, victims and have lower calories than refined sugar.

    ???? Source ???

    Honey and maple syrup specifically are pretty much pure sugar mixed with varying amounts of water.

    Calories? Pure sugar has about 48 calories per tablespoon; honey about 64 and pure maple syrup about 52

    Fruit, of course, does contain fiber and some important micronutrients - but the sugar it contains is inherently the same as other sugar.

    8dq4ebsaizbh.png

    I fail to see what this proves...
  • gypsyrose85
    gypsyrose85 Posts: 206 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    curves2j wrote: »
    try doing paleo. it cuts out refined sugars but in moderation you can still eat other natural sugars/sweeteners.

    so you are replacing sugar with sugar?

    All sugars are not created equal. Sugars like honey, maple syrup, fruit and so on come with the added bonus of minerals, victims and have lower calories than refined sugar.

    ???? Source ???

    Honey and maple syrup specifically are pretty much pure sugar mixed with varying amounts of water.

    Calories? Pure sugar has about 48 calories per tablespoon; honey about 64 and pure maple syrup about 52

    Fruit, of course, does contain fiber and some important micronutrients - but the sugar it contains is inherently the same as other sugar.

    8dq4ebsaizbh.png

    I fail to see what this proves...

    That there are nutrients and lower calories in honey and maple syrup than there are in just plain refined sugar. Go to the store and read the nutrition labels.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    I fail to see what this proves...

    seems to prove that a syrup (ie a solution) has less sugar than dry sugar because it has water in it.
  • gypsyrose85
    gypsyrose85 Posts: 206 Member
    lucys1225 wrote: »
    lucys1225 wrote: »
    Yes, I gave it up years ago. For me, the difficult part was getting through the first two weeks. Since you're giving up refined sugar, you can substitute fruit or dried fruit. If you find yourself struggling, these cookies are delicious and so easy to make. I obviously make them without the chocolate chips.

    http://detoxinista.com/2014/07/the-healthiest-cookies-ever-paleo-vegan/

    Good luck!

    Dried fruits are probably the food with the most concentrated amounts of sugar short of eating it straight by the teaspoon full.

    (not that I'm objecting to that, but seems counter to this poster's claim that she's given up sugar).

    I believe she said refined sugar.

    How specifically (nutritionally) is refined sugar different from naturally occurring?

    I just posted the nutrition facts.
  • gypsyrose85
    gypsyrose85 Posts: 206 Member
    Sugar is not evil or anything I just want to cut out stuff without nutritional benefits.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    All sugars are not created equal. Sugars like honey, maple syrup, fruit and so on come with the added bonus of minerals, vitamins and have lower calories than refined sugar.

    You only get lower calories if you're talking about different amounts of sugar.

    A snickers bar and breakfast cereals have added bonuses too - nobody eats granulated sugar with a spoon do they ?
  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
    Fair enough, I will concede that perhaps by weight sugar contains more calories than syrup or honey (I looked it up by volume. By volume sugar is actually less caloric than syrup or honey).

    But you're still basically ingesting straight sugar water with either.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    curves2j wrote: »
    try doing paleo. it cuts out refined sugars but in moderation you can still eat other natural sugars/sweeteners.

    so you are replacing sugar with sugar?

    All sugars are not created equal. Sugars like honey, maple syrup, fruit and so on come with the added bonus of minerals, victims and have lower calories than refined sugar.

    ???? Source ???

    Honey and maple syrup specifically are pretty much pure sugar mixed with varying amounts of water.

    Calories? Pure sugar has about 48 calories per tablespoon; honey about 64 and pure maple syrup about 52

    Fruit, of course, does contain fiber and some important micronutrients - but the sugar it contains is inherently the same as other sugar.

    8dq4ebsaizbh.png

    I fail to see what this proves...

    That there are nutrients and lower calories in honey and maple syrup than there are in just plain refined sugar. Go to the store and read the nutrition labels.

    so what? I don't view sugar as a source of nutrition, and you should not either.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    curves2j wrote: »
    try doing paleo. it cuts out refined sugars but in moderation you can still eat other natural sugars/sweeteners.

    so you are replacing sugar with sugar?

    All sugars are not created equal. Sugars like honey, maple syrup, fruit and so on come with the added bonus of minerals, victims and have lower calories than refined sugar.

    ???? Source ???

    Honey and maple syrup specifically are pretty much pure sugar mixed with varying amounts of water.

    Calories? Pure sugar has about 48 calories per tablespoon; honey about 64 and pure maple syrup about 52

    Fruit, of course, does contain fiber and some important micronutrients - but the sugar it contains is inherently the same as other sugar.

    cuqivrkequ0f.png

    all this shows is various concentrations of sugar and other micro-nutrients which yes...there are other micronutrients in things like fruit, honey, etc...but your body doesn't treat the actual sugar any differently...it's just that you're getting more overall nutrients with other sources, but you're still getting sugar and your body is going to treat sugar like sugar...because it's sugar.
  • sparky00721
    sparky00721 Posts: 113 Member
    I know it's hard to avoid, the way I did it was examine everything that we eat. Ketchup was the thing that surprised me the most, almost 25% sugar.

    I am not a sugar-phobe (yet), but committing to eliminate all added sugar for 30 days just to see what difference it might make has opened my eyes to just how pervasive added sugar is in pretty much most prepared food.

  • gypsyrose85
    gypsyrose85 Posts: 206 Member
    http://www.webmd.com/heart/metabolic-syndrome/news/20090421/fresh-take-on-fructose-vs-glucose also different sugars break down differently. One with more glucose than fructose will give you energy and is healthier than one higher in fructose. (Yes they all have fructose and glucose but some have more than another)
  • lucys1225
    lucys1225 Posts: 597 Member
    Why does it matter to anyone why she has chosen to give it up? She never asked for peoples opinions on her decision, just asked for some helpful hints on ways to do so!
  • gypsyrose85
    gypsyrose85 Posts: 206 Member
    I know it's hard to avoid, the way I did it was examine everything that we eat. Ketchup was the thing that surprised me the most, almost 25% sugar.

    I am not a sugar-phobe (yet), but committing to eliminate all added sugar for 30 days just to see what difference it might make has opened my eyes to just how pervasive added sugar is in pretty much most prepared food.

    I am not a sugar phone but I want see how I feel. I have talked to a few people who said they feel amazing after removing refined sugar.
  • megginanderson
    megginanderson Posts: 276 Member
    If so do you have any advice on how to make the transition so you don't relapse??

    using things to replace that are all natural.
    I did a whole30 last year and that was how I did it.
    Best thing I could have ever done.
  • gypsyrose85
    gypsyrose85 Posts: 206 Member
    edited October 2015
    Why does it matter to anyone why she has chosen to give it up? She never asked for peoples opinions on her decision, just asked for some helpful hints on ways to do so! [/quote]

    Thank you.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    lucys1225 wrote: »
    Why does it matter to anyone why she has chosen to give it up? She never asked for peoples opinions on her decision, just asked for some helpful hints on ways to do so!

    the title of the thread is "has anyone given up refined sugar" so it would seem that yes and no answers are appropriate.

    Also, these threads always develop into sugar fear mongering, and some of us want to try to correct the record for lurkers, and or newbies that may believe some of the inaccurate information about sugar that is being spouted in this thread.
  • lyndefisher
    lyndefisher Posts: 54 Member
    I basically gave up refined sugars (not concerned about sugars in fruit and such) but gave up soda, any type of sweets. I will, however, allow for a treat but only on special occasions and very limited. In the last five months, I have only had 1 piece (basically 1/16th) of a gluten free brownie for our son's birthday. Other than that, no candies, no baked goods, no soda, gave up white bread and white pasta. I actually feel terrific for it!! After the initial 'craving period', I don't miss it at all. I would now much rather have a bowl of fruit as opposed to a baked sweet treat or candy!
  • gypsyrose85
    gypsyrose85 Posts: 206 Member
    If so do you have any advice on how to make the transition so you don't relapse??

    using things to replace that are all natural.
    I did a whole30 last year and that was how I did it.
    Best thing I could have ever done.

    How do you feel in compared when you ate refined sugar??
  • gypsyrose85
    gypsyrose85 Posts: 206 Member
    I basically gave up refined sugars (not concerned about sugars in fruit and such) but gave up soda, any type of sweets. I will, however, allow for a treat but only on special occasions and very limited. In the last five months, I have only had 1 piece (basically 1/16th) of a gluten free brownie for our son's birthday. Other than that, no candies, no baked goods, no soda, gave up white bread and white pasta. I actually feel terrific for it!! After the initial 'craving period', I don't miss it at all. I would now much rather have a bowl of fruit as opposed to a baked sweet treat or candy!

    That's awesome! Did you lose any weight by removing it? Did moods improve? Energy level change?
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    http://www.webmd.com/heart/metabolic-syndrome/news/20090421/fresh-take-on-fructose-vs-glucose also different sugars break down differently. One with more glucose than fructose will give you energy and is healthier than one higher in fructose. (Yes they all have fructose and glucose but some have more than another)

    that is a three year old study of overweight individuals, so I am not sure how you then extrapolate that to the whole public. It also states that the real world implications of the study are not understood, or cannot be applied...

  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
    lucys1225 wrote: »
    Why does it matter to anyone why she has chosen to give it up? She never asked for peoples opinions on her decision, just asked for some helpful hints on ways to do so!

    Fair enough...like my first post said, I focused on controlling portion sizes and caloric amounts of all foods I ate. As an indirect result, I'm sure I managed to decrease my sugar intake accordingly.

    Assuming the OP's goal is weight loss, that is the primary thing she should be focusing on, not nitpicking one ingredient.
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