Anybody who has gone off sugar completely ???

sapphireswi
sapphireswi Posts: 583 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
A few days ago I read some stuff about how honey helps to burn off the stubborn fats and also helps ur metabolism.
Since then I am using honey instead of sugar just as an experiment.
When I add in honey it doesn't immediately feel as sweet as sugar but it has a nice mellow sweetness.
I would love to wean myself off of sweet stuff . . . cos I eat a lot of them . .and I always have sweet cravings after a meal:sad:

I am noticing tiny differences . . Like I dont spike up and down like before.
Also my cravings have gone down . . . and I'm getting used to my tea being not super sweet.

So have any of you also replaced sugar with some other alternatives . . .and have you noticed any difference??
And is anybody completely off sugar . . I'd like to know!!

Thanks in advance
:flowerforyou:
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Replies

  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,428 MFP Moderator
    I would doubt there is any credible studies that would back honey burning more fat or increasing metabolic functions (just like lypozeme or raspberry ketones, etc..) Also, sugar is a carb, so if your carbs are moderate, and you are in a calorie deficit, then you will lose weight. If you want to maintain muscle (which maintains your metabolism) then you want to concentrate more on protein and resistance training.

    But if it helps you reduce eating bad or unhealthy foods, then it's good for you. BTW, I love honey on granny smith apples, soo good!
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
    Honey is basically sugar, though...
  • sapphireswi
    sapphireswi Posts: 583 Member
    Here's the stuff I got over the internet . .seems very interesting . .what do u guys think??

    http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/honey-lowers-cholesterol.html "

    Honey is an excellent natural home remedy for obesity and lowering of cholesterol levels. It mobilizes the extra deposited fat in the body allowing it to be utilized as energy for normal functions and purifying the blood as a result. Honey is known to be a cholesterol fighter - honey lowers cholesterol in our blood. The antioxidants in honey prevent cholesterol from being moved out of the blood and into the lining of the blood vessels. Daily consumption of this natural sweetener could raise blood levels of protective antioxidant compounds in the body.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_effects_of_honey

    Scientists have revealed that honey has powerful anti-bacterial properties on at least sixty species of bacteria, and unlike antibiotics, which are often useless against certain types of bacteria, honey is non-toxic and has strong effects.It is also stated to cure some allergies, particularly localized honey to an area could help minimize seasonal allergies as bees feed on pollen from local plants which eventually finds its way to form honey.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,428 MFP Moderator
    Here's the stuff I got over the internet . .seems very interesting . .what do u guys think??

    http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/honey-lowers-cholesterol.html "

    Honey is an excellent natural home remedy for obesity and lowering of cholesterol levels. It mobilizes the extra deposited fat in the body allowing it to be utilized as energy for normal functions and purifying the blood as a result. Honey is known to be a cholesterol fighter - honey lowers cholesterol in our blood. The antioxidants in honey prevent cholesterol from being moved out of the blood and into the lining of the blood vessels. Daily consumption of this natural sweetener could raise blood levels of protective antioxidant compounds in the body.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_effects_of_honey

    Scientists have revealed that honey has powerful anti-bacterial properties on at least sixty species of bacteria, and unlike antibiotics, which are often useless against certain types of bacteria, honey is non-toxic and has strong effects.It is also stated to cure some allergies, particularly localized honey to an area could help minimize seasonal allergies as bees feed on pollen from local plants which eventually finds its way to form honey.

    It may help reduce cholesterol, but not weight. Unfortunately, there are no links to the scientific evidence so I would have a hard time believing it. In reality, losing weight alone will reduce cholesterol. Now if they did a study where people ate at TDEE and substituted honey for sugar and it reduced cholesterol, then I would buy it.
  • peuglow
    peuglow Posts: 684 Member
    Your primary souce is a honey website .... and cites no credible sources.
  • sapphireswi
    sapphireswi Posts: 583 Member
    Your primary souce is a honey website ....

    :)) yess I thought someone wud point that out . . but if you type honey+weight loss into google there are tons of sites going all gaga over it.
    It does seem quite tempting to switch honey with sugar:embarassed:
  • zebisis
    zebisis Posts: 157
    Honey/sugar- it is really the same when it comes to weight loss IMHO.
    If you were at your goal weight, and decided to switch white sugar for honey, I could understand that. But it is all unnecessary carbs.
    I am eating essentially sugar free- under 20 net carbs a day. I use liquid sucralose in my hot drinks.
    I feel better now (with no sugars to dope my brain) than I have in ages. :)
  • sapphireswi
    sapphireswi Posts: 583 Member
    Check this out!!

    http://www.ehow.com/about_5087559_benefits-honey-weight-loss.html

    A New Zealand study compared the weights of three different groups of rats over time. One group was fed no sugar calories at all, the second group was fed a diet from which 8 percent of the total calories came from non-honey sugar sources, and the third group was fed a diet in which 10 percent of the calories came from honey. The honey-fed rats gained as much weight as the rats that were fed no sugar calories whatsoever, while the sugar-fed rats gained significantly more weight than the other two groups.
  • sapphireswi
    sapphireswi Posts: 583 Member
    Honey/sugar- it is really the same when it comes to weight loss IMHO.
    If you were at your goal weight, and decided to switch white sugar for honey, I could understand that. But it is all unnecessary carbs.
    I am eating essentially sugar free- under 20 net carbs a day. I use liquid sucralose in my hot drinks.
    I feel better now (with no sugars to dope my brain) than I have in ages. :)

    Now that is where I wud like to be . . . sugar free so that I dont have energy spikes and slumps!
  • cmcollins001
    cmcollins001 Posts: 3,472 Member
    I've read the same stuff you have, and I've also heard the benefits of honey for years and years from my uncle, who, incidentally, used to have bees and produce his own honey.

    I use honey because I like honey. I've always preferred honey in hot tea, over cheerios, in my chicken glazes...etc. I've liked it for years and it helped me get fat, now it's helping me get "skinny." Honey is just like any other food, if you eat too much of it, then it loses what ever health benefit it had.

    Honey has calories. Calories, in excess, creates fat people. Calories, in deficit, creates skinny people.

    I eat carbs, I eat protein, I eat whatever my wife puts on my plate. I also exercise, both cardio and lifting heavy. I'm losing weight, I'm feeling better and I'm looking better.
  • slkehl
    slkehl Posts: 3,801 Member
    Honey is made of fructose, glucose, sucrose and complex sugars. Table sugar is a sucrose molecule (one glucose and one fructose molecule). So honey IS sugar.
  • sapphireswi
    sapphireswi Posts: 583 Member
    :blushing:
    Yup now I know honey is a type of sugar (Carbohydrate) = calories. (duhh)
    I'm just saying it seems better than granulated sugar
    granulated sugar is a disaccharide (2molecules) so it gets broken down rapidly hence the energy spikes
    sugar is pure carbs
    but honey has minerals, vitamins and antioxidants and its made up of 4 different types of sugars
    The more complex the food we eat the longer it takes to breakdown . .the more time you feel full!
    :drinker:
  • slkehl
    slkehl Posts: 3,801 Member
    Granulated sugar is a disaccharide (sucrose), but honey contains mostly monosaccharides (fructose and glucose, the two molecules that sucrose is made of), which means your body doesn't even have to break them down before they're absorbed. So your energy is going to spike just as fast, if not even more quickly.

    It does have vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, so in that sense it is better than sugar. But the energy spikes and satiety are going to be roughly the same since it contains very few oligosaccharides.
  • sapphireswi
    sapphireswi Posts: 583 Member
    hmmmm:ohwell:
    Well I've got me a squirty bottle of honey :bigsmile:
    So I'm gonna experiment . . .
    and keep u guys posted . . .
    See right now Im on a sorta plateau so if substituting sugar with honey cud help I'm game . . .
    :drinker:
    also any tips on going sugar free
  • cmcollins001
    cmcollins001 Posts: 3,472 Member
    hmmmm:ohwell:
    Well I've got me a squirty bottle of honey :bigsmile:
    So I'm gonna experiment . . .
    and keep u guys posted . . .
    See right now Im on a sorta plateau so if substituting sugar with honey cud help I'm game . . .
    :drinker:
    also any tips on going sugar free

    Ummm....stop eating sugar?
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    hmmmm:ohwell:
    Well I've got me a squirty bottle of honey :bigsmile:
    So I'm gonna experiment . . .
    and keep u guys posted . . .
    See right now Im on a sorta plateau so if substituting sugar with honey cud help I'm game . . .
    :drinker:
    also any tips on going sugar free

    sucrose is 50/50 fructose/glucose, honey is about 49/43
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,428 MFP Moderator
    hmmmm:ohwell:
    Well I've got me a squirty bottle of honey :bigsmile:
    So I'm gonna experiment . . .
    and keep u guys posted . . .
    See right now Im on a sorta plateau so if substituting sugar with honey cud help I'm game . . .
    :drinker:
    also any tips on going sugar free

    Ummm....stop eating sugar?

    The bigger questions is why stop eating sugar? Fruits have plenty of sugar and it's good. Now if it was, any tips on how to stop eating candy or drinking soda, I can see we can help more.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    Honey is made of fructose, glucose, sucrose and complex sugars. Table sugar is a sucrose molecule (one glucose and one fructose molecule). So honey IS sugar.

    1620742673_532dd66d_mind_blown_xlarge1.jpeg
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Check this out!!

    http://www.ehow.com/about_5087559_benefits-honey-weight-loss.html

    A New Zealand study compared the weights of three different groups of rats over time. One group was fed no sugar calories at all, the second group was fed a diet from which 8 percent of the total calories came from non-honey sugar sources, and the third group was fed a diet in which 10 percent of the calories came from honey. The honey-fed rats gained as much weight as the rats that were fed no sugar calories whatsoever, while the sugar-fed rats gained significantly more weight than the other two groups.

    Again - no cited sources and the study was done on rats, not humans.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    hmmmm:ohwell:
    Well I've got me a squirty bottle of honey :bigsmile:
    So I'm gonna experiment . . .
    and keep u guys posted . . .
    See right now Im on a sorta plateau so if substituting sugar with honey cud help I'm game . . .
    :drinker:
    also any tips on going sugar free

    If you are at a plateau - why not look at how many calories in total you are consuming and not try to pin it on one specific food?
  • punkybrewster88
    punkybrewster88 Posts: 11 Member
    Found this whole thread interesting which sent me searching for info on honey vs sugar (from sugar cane/beets). Came across this article from University of Arizona about digestion of honey and sugar. Honey has enzymes that aid in its digestion in the stomach, breaking down into fructose and glucose. Table sugar, sucrose, contains no enzymes so it can't be broken down until it reaches the liver. Just info I thought I would pass on to whomever is interested.

    http://cals.arizona.edu/pubs/health/az1577.pdf
  • saraphim41
    saraphim41 Posts: 205 Member
    A calorie is a calorie is a calorie. And honey IS a sugar. That said, honey also has vitamins, etc., that processed sugar or "high fructose corn syrup" doesn't have. So if you like it, use it for the added nutrients, but keep on counting the calories. :flowerforyou:
  • sapphireswi
    sapphireswi Posts: 583 Member
    hmmmm:ohwell:
    Well I've got me a squirty bottle of honey :bigsmile:
    So I'm gonna experiment . . .
    and keep u guys posted . . .
    See right now Im on a sorta plateau so if substituting sugar with honey cud help I'm game . . .
    :drinker:
    also any tips on going sugar free

    If you are at a plateau - why not look at how many calories in total you are consuming and not try to pin it on one specific food?


    bcos im doin about 1000 cals/day so i cant go lower than that> The idea is to improve the quality of the calories I take in
    so substituting empty calories with more wholesome ones (something like that)
    :bigsmile:
  • sapphireswi
    sapphireswi Posts: 583 Member
    hmmmm:ohwell:
    Well I've got me a squirty bottle of honey :bigsmile:
    So I'm gonna experiment . . .
    and keep u guys posted . . .
    See right now Im on a sorta plateau so if substituting sugar with honey cud help I'm game . . .
    :drinker:
    also any tips on going sugar free

    Ummm....stop eating sugar?

    well its just an idea. . .
    A lot of individuals who have ADD are advised to limit or stop sugar (as in granulated sugar) intake.
    And they seem to improve and are able to concentrate better.
    Basically I'm looking for all sorts of alternatives

    FunFact: In some countries they sweeten their tea with dates/dried cherries

    So instead of just adding in granulated sugar to everything, we can explore other options :flowerforyou:
  • zaph0d
    zaph0d Posts: 1,172 Member
    Aw sugar. Don't ya know? Honey IS sugar, honey.
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    Scientists have revealed that honey has powerful anti-bacterial properties on at least sixty species of bacteria, and unlike antibiotics, which are often useless against certain types of bacteria, honey is non-toxic and has strong effects.It is also stated to cure some allergies, particularly localized honey to an area could help minimize seasonal allergies as bees feed on pollen from local plants which eventually finds its way to form honey.

    Um, lots of incorrect info there.
    The principal component that has anti-bacterial properties in honey is called Defensin 1. However, it has also been implicated in cystic fibrosis.
    I'm not saying at all that honey will give you CF, but every effective molecule that has pharmacological properties - every single one - if it is not snake oil, will have secondary effects or toxic effects.
  • jesse1379
    jesse1379 Posts: 239 Member
    One word...TRUVIA! This stuff is amazing..it even has the crunchy texture of sugar. I literally consume zero added sugar now. Add it to my oatmeal, coffee, Greek yogurt, etc.
  • joshpass
    joshpass Posts: 82 Member
    use legit stevia (there is a lot of crap stevia out there). it's zero calorie and several times sweeter than sugar. It doesn't have the same effect as any other sweetener out there. It's from a plant.

    I stay away from actual sugar unless it's fruit and even then, I only have fruit immediately after a workout and with a protein source so i don't get sugar spikes.
  • lynheff
    lynheff Posts: 393 Member
    Honey, corn syrup, table sugar--its all metabolized into glucose in the blood stream. Honey is interesting in that it keeps indefinitely and it does add shelf life to food cooked with it. Other than that--use it if you enjoy it but don't expect it to do more than sweeten your food.
  • JessRosko
    JessRosko Posts: 6 Member
    I have almost completely cut out sugar, my only weakness is fruit greek yogurt. Other than that my sugar comes from vegetables - so tomatoes/spaghetti squash/lettuce.

    It was hard, but so worth it. When I have something on my 'free' day, it usually isn't sugar based. I will crave pizza. This coming from a girl who could sit and eat a bag of jelly beans in one blink.

    When I do have something sweet, I skyrocket/crash so severely that I don't enjoy it. I've been eating this way since July 1st and do not want to go back.

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