I'm trying to stay away from refined sugars

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Replies

  • JaneSnowe
    JaneSnowe Posts: 1,283 Member
    Kudos to you for wanting to improve your food choices!

    Since you asked for ideas, mine would be to focus on reducing added sugar, not simply refined sugar. It wouldn't make much sense to replace white sugar with panela which is less refined and sometimes touted as "better". It's still sugar.

    Years ago, I thought using honey was a big improvement over table sugar. But it's still a form of sugar.

    Read labels, find a sugar substitute that you like (my favorite is stevia), don't worry about sugar in fruit, and don't feel guilty for having a treat once in a while! :)

    PS: Here's a link about honey vs high fructose corn syrup, in case you have concerns about it.

    http://www.thekitchn.com/honey-no-healthier-than-corn-syrup-says-honey-funded-study-223752
  • extra_medium
    extra_medium Posts: 1,525 Member
    elphie754 wrote: »
    Any specific reason?

    Refined sugar isn't particularly good for you...

    I'm all for moderation, but I don't understand why people make a big deal of people wanting to eat more whole foods. It's as if you're a righteous moron if you don't fit oreos and ice cream into your diet every day.

    Is anyone criticizing her for wanting to eat more whole foods?

    It's just a lot more beneficial for the vast majority of people to learn how to handle oreos or ice cream as part of an overall diet than to demonize a food substance for no reason. Especially when most suggestions are still just sugar anyways.
  • astrampe
    astrampe Posts: 2,169 Member
    edited July 2016
    Why are there always people hijacking a thread with their "superior" knowledge, instead of answering the OP's question.....
    OP, cheese, boiled egg, a few almonds, fruit cups in water instead of in syrup, a square of dark chocolate instead of a milk chocolate bar, and so on.....
  • rileyes
    rileyes Posts: 1,406 Member
    Sweets may not be as tasty after a couple of sugarless weeks. It may be a good way to moderation.
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,213 Member
    rileyes wrote: »
    Sweets may not be as tasty after a couple of sugarless weeks. It may be a good way to moderation.

    I agree. My palette changes when I reduce my sugar as much as possible. Helps you break old habits too. And when hormones (stress or estrogen) have me craving sugary treats, I try having a little and then eating something high in protein right after, even if I'm out of calories.

  • jahillegas_51
    jahillegas_51 Posts: 143 Member
    I highly suggest that you look into moderation. In my personal experience the habits of restricting what you eat or what you allow yourself to eat for what ever reason you validate in your head often leads to unhealthy eating habits and the high potential to develop an eating disorder her. Some anecdotal evidence is that the more we restrict and blame it there is an increased correlation in the chances that you will binge on those foods at some point down the road. This mentality usually stems from the idea that there are good and bad foods.

    there is no such thing as good food, bad food. Placing labels on food, leads us to ban them from our intake. We say, “No, No, No, No, No…” We push for the perfect diet, once we eat this food that does not fall into this neat diet box; we throw our hands up, saying we failed so now is the time to eat everything we can. This leads to punishment. Which leads to more restrictions. This is the vicious cycle we as binge eaters face. I used to believe it myself, that there was clean food and bad food. It simply is this manifested idea. If you ask a vegan, he/she will say animal based foods are not clean. Someone who is a vegetarian will disagree, and say it is just animal products that are not clean. Then a paleo guy runs in screaming about how meat is clean, but grains aren’t. So someone has to be right? They are all wrong. Instead, adopt my grandmother’s wise old adage of “everything in moderation.” AKA IIFYM

    Hope this helps:))
  • stevencloser
    stevencloser Posts: 8,911 Member
    Snacks without refined sugar?

    hummus and veggies
    natural peanut butter and veggies
    jerky
    string cheese
    fruit
    nuts
    sunflower seeds
    popcorn
    tortilla chips and salsa, bean dip or guacamole
    boiled or deviled eggs

    Of course, half of those are at least as high if not higher in calories than anything sugary, making the only sensible non-medical reason to try and cut sugar out of your diet moot.
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,213 Member
    Snacks without refined sugar?

    hummus and veggies
    natural peanut butter and veggies
    jerky
    string cheese
    fruit
    nuts
    sunflower seeds
    popcorn
    tortilla chips and salsa, bean dip or guacamole
    boiled or deviled eggs

    Of course, half of those are at least as high if not higher in calories than anything sugary, making the only sensible non-medical reason to try and cut sugar out of your diet moot.

    But they have lasting satiety vs a sugary treat equivalent in calories.

  • PaulaWallaDingDong
    PaulaWallaDingDong Posts: 4,641 Member
    Snacks without refined sugar?

    hummus and veggies
    natural peanut butter and veggies
    jerky
    string cheese
    fruit
    nuts
    sunflower seeds
    popcorn
    tortilla chips and salsa, bean dip or guacamole
    boiled or deviled eggs

    Of course, half of those are at least as high if not higher in calories than anything sugary, making the only sensible non-medical reason to try and cut sugar out of your diet moot.

    But they have lasting satiety vs a sugary treat equivalent in calories.

    But if it's not what you really want, where's the satisfaction? Hunger and a hankering for a donut aren't the same thing, so why would you treat them the same way if you don't have to?
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,213 Member
    Snacks without refined sugar?

    hummus and veggies
    natural peanut butter and veggies
    jerky
    string cheese
    fruit
    nuts
    sunflower seeds
    popcorn
    tortilla chips and salsa, bean dip or guacamole
    boiled or deviled eggs

    Of course, half of those are at least as high if not higher in calories than anything sugary, making the only sensible non-medical reason to try and cut sugar out of your diet moot.

    But they have lasting satiety vs a sugary treat equivalent in calories.

    But if it's not what you really want, where's the satisfaction? Hunger and a hankering for a donut aren't the same thing, so why would you treat them the same way if you don't have to?

    I agree that there are times when satisfaction matters more than satiety, but for me at least, when I'm trying to maintain a calorie deficit, feeling full is my first priority.

  • markrgeary1
    markrgeary1 Posts: 853 Member
    We started eating more fruit. Looking at food labels was quite eye opening. There's a lot of sugar that's added to foods that surprised me. Ketchup, salad dressings, peanut butters........

    Post weight loss I'm not as concerned but I quit eating many foods like ketchup and salad dressing. The natural sugars in vegetables and fruits are more than enough sweetness for me.
  • stevencloser
    stevencloser Posts: 8,911 Member
    Snacks without refined sugar?

    hummus and veggies
    natural peanut butter and veggies
    jerky
    string cheese
    fruit
    nuts
    sunflower seeds
    popcorn
    tortilla chips and salsa, bean dip or guacamole
    boiled or deviled eggs

    Of course, half of those are at least as high if not higher in calories than anything sugary, making the only sensible non-medical reason to try and cut sugar out of your diet moot.

    But they have lasting satiety vs a sugary treat equivalent in calories.

    You eat meals to be sated, not a snack.