Sugar

AJF230

So, maybe a year ago I got exposed to a lot of information about how the amount of added-sugar Americans eat in their diet is essentially toxic. And I mean, long-term, not as in "you'll die next week horribly from it" type. How the amounts being eaten are behind the chronic diseases we face, even if its not specifically contributing to weight gain in any given individual. I'm not saying this is gospel, just that I made some changes based on research I read.

I watch my added-sugar intake like a hawk now. It wasn't a huge shift for me, but I have a family history of Type 2 diabetes and have no interest in wearing out the ol' pancreas. My fasting glucose level went from 96 (pre-pre-diabetic) to 89. Also my cholesterol dropped, from a low number to an even better one.
The thing now is, I don't "crave" sweets. Back-in-the-day I would think nothing of sitting down eating 3 donuts. Multiple pieces of pie at Thanksgiving. Now when its dessert time, I'm happy to take a taste but its a take-it-or-leave-it thing. Some things are so sweet they're cloying and don't even like them now.
Has anyone else experienced this? After dialing down the added sugar for long enough, you've kind of lost your taste for it? It seems like a positive feedback loop.

kommodevaran

I haven't lost taste nor cravings for sweets, but the cravings have gone from unbearable to manageable, I don't obsess over sweets anymore, don't really care about them, actually, not enough to bother buying any, at least not for daily use - there are so many other foods that are more exciting and tasty and really satisfy me and make me feel good. I haven't actually, consciously, stopped eating them, they have just stopped being the center of my universe.

I'm not sure I buy the idea that it is the amount of added sugar that is the problem, but rather too many calories and too little nutrition. Added sugar is part of this, but not the whole picture.

lemurcat12

I was never really into sweet things. I mean, I like a piece of pie or some ice cream, but even as a child I'd turn down desserts that seemed too sweet, and I've definitely found lots of desserts too cloying to finish (lots of donuts in this category and plenty of cake) or too rich and in need of a cup of coffee to balance, as an adult. Always hated savory things that were too sweet (sugar in peanut butter, sweet salad dressings, I find sweetened coffee actively disgusting), and -- more to the point -- have always craved salty and spicy much more than sweet.

That said, I do find that how much I eat something, including sweets, affects my taste for it. When I'm eating more sweets I am likely to want more. When fewer, I'm likely to want them much more rarely (although I still enjoy the ones I like and wouldn't like to lose my taste for them).

I agree with kommodevaran that it's probably not added sugar, but total calories, but that one of the major sources for excessive calories in the US diet are foods with added sugar (and besides soda, which is a high source for a minority of the population, most things with added sugar get about half their calories from fat). My personal theory is it's just that people snack a lot now (it's commonplace and easy) which adds calories without people really feeling full so they eat regular meals on top of that. Some focus on sugary things, some on savory/salty, some on a variety.

Alluminati

I haven't lost my taste for sweets, I just eat less of them if I'm trying to achieve a deficit. I control what I eat and don't need to convince myself that I'm addicted to sugar or sugar is toxic. Doing research and realizing sugar itself is not my enemy made me realize this. Sugar, to me, is just another macro that I can dial up or down depending on my goals. If I end up eating less of it it's because I'm prioritizing other things for satiety reasons since I have only so many calories to work with.

cee134

I've been reading about the same thing. I am at risk of Type 2 Diabetes too. I fit all 5 makers for Metabolic Syndrome which can lead to diabetes. Here are some of the things I found. (I wouldn't focus on sugar as much as focus on healthy eating. Eat mostly vegetables, fruits, whole grain, limited amount of low fat meat, limited amount of low fat dairy, and you will feel great, lose weight, and greatly reduce the chances of Type 2 Diabetes)

Yes added refined sugars are bad for you. Yes, after eating very healthy for over a month I don't crave sweets like I did. But having done this before, I know the cravings could come back. One thing I'm doing differently is eating fruit instead of dessert. It seems to be key for me, so far.

This site gave me some useful tips on how sugar hurts the body and how to eat healthier.
Can You Reverse Diabetes with Diet?

Another good reason to eat healthier, or vastly reduce added refined sugars and flours:

I agree with this statement:

What are the biggest culprits of chronic inflammation? Quite simply, they are the overload of simple, highly processed carbohydrates (sugar, flour and all the products made from them) and the excess consumption of omega-6 vegetable oils like soybean, corn and sunflower that are found in many processed foods.

Why is chronic inflammation bad? (This is still being studied, but now talked about as a possibility)

The discovery a few years ago that inflammation in the artery wall is the real cause of heart disease is slowly leading to a paradigm shift in how heart disease and other chronic ailments will be treated.

https://www.sott.net/article/242516-Heart-surgeon-speaks-out-on-what-really-causes-heart-disease

Inflammation and Heart Disease from American Heart Association: http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Inflammation-and-Heart-Disease_UCM_432150_Article.jsp

avadahm

I've lost my taste for it. For all sweeteners, actually (I don't do artificial anything if I can help it). I went from 2T sugar in my tea to enjoying plain tea just fine and being able to actually taste it. Same with coffee and creamer (although I do love the texture of cream).

It's been a few years since I started cutting back on sweets and sugars and yes, I've noticed a difference. I used to always eat chocolates and gob stoppers. Now, I don't even want a sweet more than a couple of times a year.