Sugar withdrawal

I believe it is an individual thing. lucky you if your body make up and neurochemistry can handle sugar. Mine cannot. Moderation doesn't happen in my case and eating sugar (as in table sugar, maple syrup, honey, etc) really does a number on me.

I do feel better without it. It's interesting how we all react differently to the same product and how moderation is just not possible in some cases.

There are enough scientific research on addictive properties of added sugars that impact some people. There is also no research to prove the necessity of added sugars to healthy diet.

There really ISN'T any actual research showing any addictive properties of sugar. There's research that's been bastardized by the anti-sugar crowd to claim that sugar is addictive, but the actual research debunks that "theory."

Oh, woe is me! I'm afraid of sugar, so I'll kill my liver instead.

That's some serious hyperbole you got going there.:happy:

Seconded.

No intention to cut natural sugar or carbs at all! Only the added stuff as HFCS, sugar, aspartame, dextrose, maltose and other added stuff I don't know the meaning of.

Your headaches sound like withdrawal symptoms. A few years ago I gave up Aspartame and the withdrawal symptoms lasted a couple of weeks. I turned to regular soda and recently I was able to break that addiction. The headaches for the regular soda only lasted a couple of days, caffeine played a role as well. I found that a cup of black tea with half a stick of cinnamon in it and a teaspoon of honey stopped my sugar cravings. I also gave up HCFCs at the same time. Within a week the physical cravings had gone and I was left with the psychological ones.

6 weeks on and I feel pretty good. Life without Aspartame, sugars and HCFCs is much better than with them. This is what works for me, if you are happy believing that Aspartame is safe, as are HCFCs as is processed sugar as long as you take them in moderation, then great for you.

I am not quite sure what you want to be honest. You started this topic even though you already knew that you want to go cold turkey. Like.. you don't want any advice or another way to cut it out so please explain to me why you started this topic.

HappyGrape,
I took a class here at my job, and they told us to drink H2 Orange all day long as much as you want and it will level out your blood sugar and keep you energized.

Mix 4 oz non concentrated orange juice (like Tropicana) to 32 oz water. You can mix a little crystal light drink mix to it to give it some taste. It really works. This was given to us by our instructor who is a Nurse Practioner.

HFCS, quite honestly, is just glucose and fructose blended together in a specific ratio. Aspartame isn't even sugar, it's protein, and you can get both ingredients that make it up in most fruits, vegetables, and all meats.

Yes...HFCS are "just" glucose and fructose blended together in a "specific" ratio. Couple of questions for you then. How are glucose and fructose metabolized in the body? How much fructose can your body metabolize in a day? What happens to all the extra fructose it can not metabolize? Where does it go to? How much fructose do you get from a can of soda? How does that amount of fructose compare to the amount of fructose your body can absorb?

Fruit provides you with the fibre to get rid of the extra fructose. When you get the individual ingredient you are discarding all the fibre.

Back to American Gladiators now...

The fiber is irrelevant. Fiber slows down the digestion, it doesn't "get rid of" extra anything. As for your questions, the body can actually digest quite a bit of fructose. Fructose hitches a ride with glucose when the GLUT5 transport system gets saturated. How much fructose you can absorb and utilize at one time depends on how much fructose you eat. The more you eat, the more you can utilize, there's no set amount. And how much fructose do you get from a can of soda? About 12 grams. Not sure the relevance, much less than an apple, if you want to compare. As for "extra fructose it can't metabolize?" If you're in a calorie deficit, there is no extra fructose, it all gets utilized. And if you're in a calorie surplus, well, again, it's not the fructose that's the problem.

I believe it is an individual thing. lucky you if your body make up and neurochemistry can handle sugar. Mine cannot. Moderation doesn't happen in my case and eating sugar (as in table sugar, maple syrup, honey, etc) really does a number on me.

I do feel better without it. It's interesting how we all react differently to the same product and how moderation is just not possible in some cases.

There are enough scientific research on addictive properties of added sugars that impact some people. There is also no research to prove the necessity of added sugars to healthy diet.

There really ISN'T any actual research showing any addictive properties of sugar. There's research that's been bastardized by the anti-sugar crowd to claim that sugar is addictive, but the actual research debunks that "theory."

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacobsullum/2013/10/16/research-shows-cocaine-and-heroin-are-less-addictive-than-oreos/

Have you read the study? Because it doesn't actually say that at all, like I said, research that has been bastardized by the anti-sugar crowd to scare people by saying something that it doesn't actually say.

It showed that RATS (not even humans) prefer cocaine, morphine, and Oreos, roughly equally. All 3 affect dopamine and seratonin production and release. The truth? Anything that's seen as a positive action that prolongs your survival causes a release of dopamine. It's how your brain conditions you to do things that keep you alive. Sugar causes a release of dopamine because it provides energy for your body and brain to continue functioning, which is a good thing. Cocaine and morphine, on the other hand, co-opt these pathways. It's not that Oreos are having the same reaction in the brain that drugs have, it's that drugs are having the same reaction in the brain that food has. Again, there's no credible research showing that sugar is addicting.

I am getting myself off added sugars, day 2 and I feel so low. I have been eating poorly for awhile, and badly need to get back on feeling good & eating better.

My head is so sore, I have no energy for anything today! Tell me it's going to get better!

I am tempted to get a painkiller

OP I identify with everything you say. The big problem with sugar is that it affects different people differently. Its difficult (or perhaps impossible) for people who are not sugar sensitive to understand it. Behavior that works for them does not work for those who are sensitive. I think it is great people try and help but for this particular topic I honestly believe, though no fault of their own, their advice will not help and can be damaging. It is great you have been looking at research. There is a solid base of evidence that shows that the phenomena is real and the solution is abstinence :-) Glad you are feeling better and good luck in the future.

PS have you looked at radiant recovery (Website). It is commercial and they will try and sell you stuff but there is a lot of free information as well as on line support groups for people like us.

All the best :-)

I am getting myself off added sugars, day 2 and I feel so low. I have been eating poorly for awhile, and badly need to get back on feeling good & eating better.

My head is so sore, I have no energy for anything today! Tell me it's going to get better!

I am tempted to get a painkiller

Your body is going through withdrawal. Don't cut out sugar all at once and decrease it slowly till you adjust.

Otherwise, you would just have to suck it up.

Also, you can try eating fruit. The sugar in fruits may control your sugar cravings.