Sugar Replacement

blacy1551

Hello,
Please bear with my long rant/question.
I'm well aware of how bad sugar is for you and I've been planning on dropping it. The main issue I have is finding something to eat that replaces it (I'm counting carbs as sugar in this case).

I'm probably the most picky eater on this planet.
I don't like things I should like such as:

• Ice cream
• Whipped cream
• Candy (I hate candy)
• Cake
• Most foods

Don't even get me started on vegetables (I can't recall a time I've eaten a vegetable willingly). Part of this is the fact I've been blessed with a great metabolism, I can eat out everyday and still not gain any weight, however, I know it's not healthy and it hurts my overall concentration and mood.

My diet pretty much consists of a latte every morning from scooters and ChickFila every lunch (I take medication(Tropimate) that has a side effect of appetite suppression so I don't eat breakfast or dinner). Whenever I feel like getting something else (or at least a different drink other than soda) I always struggle to come up with it. Lemonade has just as much or more sugar than soda. Smoothies/Green tea aren't always good for you either and is expensive. Even other fast food doesn't sound good to me. I always settle for sushi or chickfila. If I do cook at home it's not any more healthy and ends up being cereal, mac and cheese, or bacon.

Please don't say stuff like "just eat vegetables" or "you just have to force through it" because, in my opinion, the key to a successful diet is it has to work for you or you will drop it. I've looked into certain diets such as keto and I know it's possible to become healthy without vegetables.

I'm not looking to drop sugar entirely as now a days everything has sugar in it (even foods that shouldn't like french fries) just enough to make a difference.

Any help would be appreciated as this quarantine is a great time to create new habits.

janejellyroll

I drink mostly water, but if you like green tea, why not drink that? It's just tea, it's not bad for you.

If you want to eat better, have you considered tracking what you do eat for a few weeks to see where your biggest nutrient gaps are and then focusing on those? For example, you may track and see that you're not getting enough fiber. You can then begin experimenting with different higher-fiber foods to see which ones you like best and can imagine eating more frequently. What would be a handful of changes that you could begin experimenting with that wouldn't feel like that much of a big deal?

There are some people who disagree, but I think fruits and/or vegetables, at least in some quantity, are important for a healthy diet. Even keto dieters often include lower carbohydrate vegetables in their diet.

blacy1551

I agree. I love fruits (bananas specifically), however, I heard that fructose isn't much better than glucose (correct me if I'm wrong). I can't drink green tea unsweetened and I think that's part of the problem. My taste buds are so accustomed to sugar.

I have done some baby-steps.

• Changed chickfila breaded sandwich to grilled sandwich
• Large coke to a medium coke

I also read the post on here "Low cal Fast food" and some one recommended a salad from chickFila. I've still try it even though I can't promise I'll like it

Other than that I can start tracking my foods like you said.
Quick question, this seems to be debated a lot.

What is more important in being healthy (not losing weight)
Calories
or
Macros (carbs, vitamins, etc)

janejellyroll

blacy1551 wrote: »

I agree. I love fruits (bananas specifically), however, I heard that fructose isn't much better than glucose (correct me if I'm wrong). I can't drink green tea unsweetened and I think that's part of the problem. My taste buds are so accustomed to sugar.

I have done some baby-steps.

• Changed chickfila breaded sandwich to grilled sandwich
• Large coke to a medium coke

I also read the post on here "Low cal Fast food" and some one recommended a salad from chickFila. I've still try it even though I can't promise I'll like it

Other than that I can start tracking my foods like you said.
Quick question, this seems to be debated a lot.

What is more important in being healthy (not losing weight)
Calories
or
Macros (carbs, vitamins, etc)

The problem is that you're thinking of these foods in a kind of reductionist way. Yes, bananas have fructose. But they've also got vitamins and fiber. Instead of focusing on what you want to avoid, it may be worthwhile to think about how positive things individual foods are bringing to the table. You don't need to have a goal of eliminating sugar. If you're focusing on meeting your nutritional needs overall, that will tend to naturally balance the amount of sugar in your diet. There's no real issue with having some sugar in your diet in the context of having a healthy weight and getting the macro and micronutrients you need.

If you don't like green tea unsweetened, you can drop in a packet of Equal or stevia or whatever kind of zero calorie sweetener you like. If you don't like any of those, water may be a good drink.

In being healthy, it requires both. You need to consume the right number of calories to maintain a healthy body weight. You also need to make sure you're getting enough protein and fat, as well as vitamins. So you can't focus on one to the total exclusion of the other.

wilson10102018

Sugar. Its the best replacement for itself. Count the calories (sugar does not have all that many) and log it all. Sugar has been on the table for centuries without anything other than claims of obesity to make it "bad." And, we know you can get just as fat from beans and rice as sugar.

So enjoy and stop trying to micro manage the ingredients.

Unicorn_Bacon

I think you're confusing consuming carbs/sugar with consuming too much of them.

There is nothing wrong with eating a banana, the body is designed to create it's own insulin and stable blood sugars. If blood sugars are good then it doesnt thicken the blood and cause damage to the body like diabetics are at risk to develope.

Also, if you're consuming these foods within your bodies appropriate amount of calories that you're not gaining weight, then you remove a lot of the potential of health complications from obesity coupled with over consumption.

You're also eating foods that offer your body the other vitamins and minerals we need.

Carbs are important as a macro. Some people choose to eat less of them for various health reasons and that's perfectly fine, but honestly.. have your banana. Lol

lemurcat2

janejellyroll gave some great advice.

I'll note that fruit has both glucose and fructose (as well as sucrose, which is a combination of both), and table sugar is sucrose (glucose+fructose), so there's not really any difference in the sugar itself, but that's not important if you understand why it's good advice to limit (not exclude entirely unless you want to) added sugar. The explanation by the WHO and other credible sources that recommend that is that TOO MUCH added sugar in a diet often comes along with lots of cals (many from added fat) and thus either leads to an excess of calories or pushes out important nutrients.

Looking at how you've described your current diet, I would NOT say the main issue is excess sugar, but a lack of micronutrients and likely protein and a lack of healthy fats (but from the sushi if you are getting salmon or avocado as part of that).

If you like fruit, I would absolute add fruit, as it has micros (I also would recommend learning to like veg, but I know you say you aren't going to do that).

The latte may have some sugar, if you want to cut back, maybe reduce the sugar. It's easy to make the latte at home too. Given your overall diet, the milk is likely a good thing to consume (it has some sugar but again the issue is EXCESSIVE ADDED sugar, not merely sugar intrinsic in foods).

Given how few cals you seem to eat in actual food (I've never been to ChickFila, but hard to imagine how one meal there would be sufficient cals for the day, and certainly not one meal of sushi and a latte), perhaps you are getting lots of cals from soda. To reduce that sugar (which I think seems sensible, as it comes along with no nutrients), I'd recommend homemade ice tea (you don't have to add sugar, pick a tea you like, chill it, drink it, and in any case you can control the amount of sugar added). Or try diet soda. Or if you aren't going to replace the beverage cals with actual nutritious food cals, maybe switch to juice which at least has some micros.

If your grilled chicken sandwich has fewer cals than the fried, have you thought about what you might enjoy eatig to replace those cals?

You can make very healthy smoothies if that idea appeals, including vegetables (or if that idea seems upsetting maybe try adding spinach, as many of us find you can't really taste it with the fruit), a protein powder that seems tasty (or simply greek yogurt), and whatever fruit you like, plus a source of healthy fats (like nuts or seeds or peanut butter or avocado).

I'm not sure what would be wrong with green tea. I don't like it, but my main beverages are water, coffee, and herbal tea. I don't add sugar as I don't care for coffee or tea sweetened, but again you can control how much you add.

If you like cereal, maybe try some oats with berries and nuts or seeds -- or add berries to the cereal and get a cereal with some fiber and vitamin supplements.

If you like mac and cheese, maybe explore other pasta options (you might find you like some of them).

I'm actually surprised it possible to go out for both breakfast and lunch these days -- drive-ins?

Anyway, with the foods you have identified alone it's hard to do more -- I guess one question is whether there are other foods you like, even if you don't tend to eat them when home? This might be a good opportunity to expand your cooking ability if the limit on what you make is more what feels comfortable to prepare. If you like fries, maybe roast a potato chopped into pieces, or make a baked potato. If you like chicken, maybe try getting a bone-in, skin on chicken breast and roasting that or making a pasta with some cooked boneless chicken thighs along with some cheese (I would want more ingredients than that, but am trying to stick with those you have identified so far).

blacy1551

Thank you everyone.
I appreciate your help.

I've did some research into the science of macros and food and it makes more sense now.

I've also changed my meal to something more healthy.

Old Meal (Pretty unhealthy)

• Chickfila sandwich breaded
• scooters blended white mocha in morning
• Large fries
• Large coke
• 4 Sauces

Macros

• Calories: ~2,000
• Carbs: ~240g (Sugars: ~130g)
• Protein: ~40g
• Fat: ~110g

I've got it down to this (I just tested it and it fills me up. Plus the meal tastes good)

• Chickfila grilled 8ct chicken nuggets
• scooters blended white mocha in morning (I still plan on changing this)
• Fruit cup (apples, blueberries, oranges, pineapple, and strawberries [I don't eat the strawberries though])
• Small coke (Same calories and carbs as a medium orange juice and sweetened iced tea so I'll start here and work my way down)
• 1 Sauce

Macros

• Calories: ~800
• Carbs: ~84g (Sugars: ~69g)
• Protein: ~28g
• Fat: ~29g

I could eat two of the second meal in the amount of the first one

Am I on the right track?

lemurcat2

If you've been maintaining on 2000, 800 is way too low (is your goal weight loss or just being healthier?).

janejellyroll

I think you're on the right track in the sense that you're making small changes that feel sustainable. What is concerning is the overall number of calories you're eating. 800 calories isn't enough for anyone. If eating two of the meal is realistic for you, that would be better for you than just eating 800 calories (but I'd still encourage you to you think about ways you can continue to add variety to your diet).

If I'm reading correctly, it sounds like the issue is a combination of some strong food preferences (and maybe some strong aversions to other foods) as well as your prescription medication impacting your appetite. Is your doctor aware that the medicine is making it difficult for you to eat more than once a day and how that is impacting the overall balance of your diet?

AnnPT77

blacy1551 wrote: »

Thank you everyone.
I appreciate your help.

I've did some research into the science of macros and food and it makes more sense now.

I've also changed my meal to something more healthy.

Old Meal (Pretty unhealthy)

• Chickfila sandwich breaded
• scooters blended white mocha in morning
• Large fries
• Large coke
• 4 Sauces

Macros

• Calories: ~2,000
• Carbs: ~240g (Sugars: ~130g)
• Protein: ~40g
• Fat: ~110g

I've got it down to this (I just tested it and it fills me up. Plus the meal tastes good)

• Chickfila grilled 8ct chicken nuggets
• scooters blended white mocha in morning (I still plan on changing this)
• Fruit cup (apples, blueberries, oranges, pineapple, and strawberries [I don't eat the strawberries though])
• Small coke (Same calories and carbs as a medium orange juice and sweetened iced tea so I'll start here and work my way down)
• 1 Sauce

Macros

• Calories: ~800
• Carbs: ~84g (Sugars: ~69g)
• Protein: ~28g
• Fat: ~29g

I could eat two of the second meal in the amount of the first one

Am I on the right track?

Yes, on the right track, if you eat two of that (or equivalent), since you need more calories if you've maintained a healthy weight on the 2000. (And even if you want to lose, but have maintained on 2000, something like 1500-1750 would be a better plan, closer to the higher number if less than 20 pounds or so to lose.)

So, you're on the track, but there's still room to chip away at gradually getting more protein, more micronutrients (ideally from fruits, veggies you can tolerate, whole grains). Sounds like you're planning to do that, so good!

Since you like mac & cheese, one thing you could consider is blending up (pureeing) some veggies that will hide in there, and see if you like it. For example, white beans (like cannelini, white kidney, navy or great northern beans, which you can get in cans) are neutral-tasting, and can be mashed or blended & mixed into mac'n'cheese. Another option is winter squash, which you can get frozen. It's cheese-colored, and has a sweet-ish taste that mixes nicely with mac'n'cheese.

There are a bunch of recipes or just ideas for making veggies more appealing to children who "don't like veggies", and those ideas can be great for adults who also don't much enjoy them, but want to eat more for nutritional reasons.

Also, I'd note that some people who don't like veggies find that they enjoy some of them roasted, which is super easy, and gives them a richer flavor.

Good start, keep remodeling your eating, and you'll be able to reach really good nutrition!