alternatives to additive sugar

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cjazz72
cjazz72 Posts: 80 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey everyone

Ok so I been noticing that I consume a lot of sugar in my diet. Mostly from my fruit veggie juices i make in the morning but the rest is additive sugars. I am wanting to cut back on my sugar to at least 100 grams a day and ultimately down to just 50 grams a day. I am curious to know if there are alternatives to sugar that I can add to like tea coffee or other things? Not artifical sweeteners (hate the taste) like natural spices like honey or cinnamon. I want to train my taste buds to enjoy other flavors other than sugar. If anyone has any alternatives to additive sugars I would like to know.
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Replies

  • Glens_Life
    Glens_Life Posts: 32 Member
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    I will take a banana and blend it up with some plain Greek yogurt and peanut butter with ice. Other than that I don't know what you mean. But a banana will sweeten up a lot of things
  • cjazz72
    cjazz72 Posts: 80 Member
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    other than refined sugar what could I use instead to sweeten foods.
  • Supertact
    Supertact Posts: 466 Member
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    Splenda, stevia, no sugar jello. There's lots just google it.
  • RllyGudTweetr
    RllyGudTweetr Posts: 2,019 Member
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    Hey everyone

    Ok so I been noticing that I consume a lot of sugar in my diet. Mostly from my fruit veggie juices i make in the morning but the rest is additive sugars. I am wanting to cut back on my sugar to at least 100 grams a day and ultimately down to just 50 grams a day. I am curious to know if there are alternatives to sugar that I can add to like tea coffee or other things? Not artifical sweeteners (hate the taste) like natural spices like honey or cinnamon. I want to train my taste buds to enjoy other flavors other than sugar. If anyone has any alternatives to additive sugars I would like to know.
    Someone will ask; it may as well be me. Is there a specific medical reason you're tracking sugar separately from other carbohydrates? I know MFP does so by default, but you're able to change that default.
  • sullus
    sullus Posts: 2,839 Member
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    Hey everyone

    Ok so I been noticing that I consume a lot of sugar in my diet. Mostly from my fruit veggie juices i make in the morning but the rest is additive sugars. I am wanting to cut back on my sugar to at least 100 grams a day and ultimately down to just 50 grams a day. I am curious to know if there are alternatives to sugar that I can add to like tea coffee or other things? Not artifical sweeteners (hate the taste) like natural spices like honey or cinnamon. I want to train my taste buds to enjoy other flavors other than sugar. If anyone has any alternatives to additive sugars I would like to know.

    Honey is sugar, not a spice. In fact it has roughly the same composition as High Fructose Corn Syrup (20% Water, 40% Fructose, 40% Glucose/Other sugars)
  • cjazz72
    cjazz72 Posts: 80 Member
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    [/quote]
    Honey is sugar, not a spice. In fact it has roughly the same composition as High Fructose Corn Syrup (20% Water, 40% Fructose, 40% Glucose/Other sugars)
    [/quote]

    oh I am aware its not a spice just was putting it in the general additives to put in food. Only reason I like honey is that its a natural sugar made by bees. Plus other benefits compare to HFCS.
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
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    other than refined sugar what could I use instead to sweeten foods.

    Honey is excellent., and it's about as natural and unrefined as you can get.
  • cjazz72
    cjazz72 Posts: 80 Member
    Options
    Hey everyone

    Ok so I been noticing that I consume a lot of sugar in my diet. Mostly from my fruit veggie juices i make in the morning but the rest is additive sugars. I am wanting to cut back on my sugar to at least 100 grams a day and ultimately down to just 50 grams a day. I am curious to know if there are alternatives to sugar that I can add to like tea coffee or other things? Not artifical sweeteners (hate the taste) like natural spices like honey or cinnamon. I want to train my taste buds to enjoy other flavors other than sugar. If anyone has any alternatives to additive sugars I would like to know.
    Someone will ask; it may as well be me. Is there a specific medical reason you're tracking sugar separately from other carbohydrates? I know MFP does so by default, but you're able to change that default.

    Reason I am checking my sugars is because I have a non diabetic form of hypogylcemia (basically low blood sugar). So if my sugar spikes then it will drop significantly. Hence why I am following my sugars. Also cause I don't want to develop diabetes since my family has a history of diabetics.
  • lizpitts
    lizpitts Posts: 67 Member
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    I use stevia for sweetening beverages. It's from the stevia plant and NOT an artificial sweetner. I also use Xylitol for baking.
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
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    Hey everyone

    Ok so I been noticing that I consume a lot of sugar in my diet. Mostly from my fruit veggie juices i make in the morning but the rest is additive sugars. I am wanting to cut back on my sugar to at least 100 grams a day and ultimately down to just 50 grams a day. I am curious to know if there are alternatives to sugar that I can add to like tea coffee or other things? Not artifical sweeteners (hate the taste) like natural spices like honey or cinnamon. I want to train my taste buds to enjoy other flavors other than sugar. If anyone has any alternatives to additive sugars I would like to know.
    Someone will ask; it may as well be me. Is there a specific medical reason you're tracking sugar separately from other carbohydrates? I know MFP does so by default, but you're able to change that default.

    Reason I am checking my sugars is because I have a non diabetic form of hypogylcemia (basically low blood sugar). So if my sugar spikes then it will drop significantly. Hence why I am following my sugars. Also cause I don't want to develop diabetes since my family has a history of diabetics.

    I'm hypoglycemic too, but I don't limit refined sugars. You will find out that certain foods will give you different reactions. I avoid cake frosting and regular sodas because the large amount of sugar in a short amount of time gives me headaches. But I can eat ice cream, cake, and and plenty of other things just fine.
  • cjazz72
    cjazz72 Posts: 80 Member
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    [/quote]
    "I'm hypoglycemic too, but I don't limit refined sugars. You will find out that certain foods will give you different reactions. I avoid cake frosting and regular sodas because the large amount of sugar in a short amount of time gives me headaches. But I can eat ice cream, cake, and and plenty of other things just fine."
    [/quote]

    Well I am not eliminating all refine sugar I just want to drop my sugar intake. Like for the pass 20 days my sugar intake was between 150-200 grams a sugar a day. I want to get it down to 50g-100g. Glad I added you cause you certainly understand that feeling when you have too much sugar. I eliminated most of the soda out of my life, just want to reduce my refine sugar to just a tablespoon in a cup of tea to nothing added except milk.
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
    Options
    Hey everyone

    Ok so I been noticing that I consume a lot of sugar in my diet. Mostly from my fruit veggie juices i make in the morning but the rest is additive sugars. I am wanting to cut back on my sugar to at least 100 grams a day and ultimately down to just 50 grams a day. I am curious to know if there are alternatives to sugar that I can add to like tea coffee or other things? Not artifical sweeteners (hate the taste) like natural spices like honey or cinnamon. I want to train my taste buds to enjoy other flavors other than sugar. If anyone has any alternatives to additive sugars I would like to know.
    Someone will ask; it may as well be me. Is there a specific medical reason you're tracking sugar separately from other carbohydrates? I know MFP does so by default, but you're able to change that default.

    Reason I am checking my sugars is because I have a non diabetic form of hypogylcemia (basically low blood sugar). So if my sugar spikes then it will drop significantly. Hence why I am following my sugars. Also cause I don't want to develop diabetes since my family has a history of diabetics.

    I'm hypoglycemic too, but I don't limit refined sugars. You will find out that certain foods will give you different reactions. I avoid cake frosting and regular sodas because the large amount of sugar in a short amount of time gives me headaches. But I can eat ice cream, cake, and and plenty of other things just fine.

    There is no such thing as hypoglycemia is someone not taking medication. The body doesn't work that way. Someone's glucose can be 40 and it is still in the low-normal range.

    But don't take my word for it.

    Download the free medical textbook Guyton and Hall.

    This s the gold standard for physiology for how the body works, processes food, metabolics, nutrition, exercise, and EVERYTHING.

    Very readable.

    There is no excuse NOT to have this book if you are serious about fitness or weight loss.

    http://ebookmed.blogspot.com/2013/02/guytons-physiology-e-book-free-download.html#.Uv4X1oWa8TQ

    My mom is diabetic, but she doesn't take medication for it. Is that fake too? :huh:

    I was tested for it (took the nasty drink every hour for 3 hours, etc.), and was diagnosed by a doctor. So...

    Nice book plug, but I seem to be doing just fine on my own, thanks.
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
    Options
    Hey everyone

    Ok so I been noticing that I consume a lot of sugar in my diet. Mostly from my fruit veggie juices i make in the morning but the rest is additive sugars. I am wanting to cut back on my sugar to at least 100 grams a day and ultimately down to just 50 grams a day. I am curious to know if there are alternatives to sugar that I can add to like tea coffee or other things? Not artifical sweeteners (hate the taste) like natural spices like honey or cinnamon. I want to train my taste buds to enjoy other flavors other than sugar. If anyone has any alternatives to additive sugars I would like to know.
    Someone will ask; it may as well be me. Is there a specific medical reason you're tracking sugar separately from other carbohydrates? I know MFP does so by default, but you're able to change that default.

    Reason I am checking my sugars is because I have a non diabetic form of hypogylcemia (basically low blood sugar). So if my sugar spikes then it will drop significantly. Hence why I am following my sugars. Also cause I don't want to develop diabetes since my family has a history of diabetics.

    I'm hypoglycemic too, but I don't limit refined sugars. You will find out that certain foods will give you different reactions. I avoid cake frosting and regular sodas because the large amount of sugar in a short amount of time gives me headaches. But I can eat ice cream, cake, and and plenty of other things just fine.

    There is no such thing as hypoglycemia is someone not taking medication. The body doesn't work that way. Someone's glucose can be 40 and it is still in the low-normal range.

    But don't take my word for it.

    Download the free medical textbook Guyton and Hall.

    This s the gold standard for physiology for how the body works, processes food, metabolics, nutrition, exercise, and EVERYTHING.

    Very readable.

    There is no excuse NOT to have this book if you are serious about fitness or weight loss.

    http://ebookmed.blogspot.com/2013/02/guytons-physiology-e-book-free-download.html#.Uv4X1oWa8TQ

    My mom is diabetic, but she doesn't take medication for it. Is that fake too? :huh:

    I was tested for it (took the nasty drink every hour for 3 hours, etc.), and was diagnosed by a doctor. So...

    Nice book plug, but I seem to be doing just fine on my own, thanks.

    Book plug?

    LOL.

    Like I get a royalty on Guyton and Hall.

    Diabetics get hyperglycemia, not hypoglycemia.

    But if they are on medicines to lower their serum glucose, then hypoglycemia can be a problem.

    Diabetics on no medicine do NOT get hypoglycemia, and, of course, no normal person does.

    Download the book and do some reading. Don't let Dr. Oz control your life.

    My point was that not everyone with a condition has to take medicine for it. I'll trust a doctor diagnosis before anything I hear from an anonymous talker on a forum. Just because you say I don't have it doesn't make it so. Are you a doctor that tested me and diagnosed me? I think not.
  • TAsunder
    TAsunder Posts: 423 Member
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    I am not sure what you are seeking. Things like honey, agave, maple syrup all have a fair amount of sugar and aren't going to solve your problem if you are trying to reduce the sugar stat. Are you looking for things with a lower glycemic index so that you don't have an insulin spike or something?
  • cjazz72
    cjazz72 Posts: 80 Member
    Options
    Hey everyone

    Ok so I been noticing that I consume a lot of sugar in my diet. Mostly from my fruit veggie juices i make in the morning but the rest is additive sugars. I am wanting to cut back on my sugar to at least 100 grams a day and ultimately down to just 50 grams a day. I am curious to know if there are alternatives to sugar that I can add to like tea coffee or other things? Not artifical sweeteners (hate the taste) like natural spices like honey or cinnamon. I want to train my taste buds to enjoy other flavors other than sugar. If anyone has any alternatives to additive sugars I would like to know.
    Someone will ask; it may as well be me. Is there a specific medical reason you're tracking sugar separately from other carbohydrates? I know MFP does so by default, but you're able to change that default.

    Reason I am checking my sugars is because I have a non diabetic form of hypogylcemia (basically low blood sugar). So if my sugar spikes then it will drop significantly. Hence why I am following my sugars. Also cause I don't want to develop diabetes since my family has a history of diabetics.

    I'm hypoglycemic too, but I don't limit refined sugars. You will find out that certain foods will give you different reactions. I avoid cake frosting and regular sodas because the large amount of sugar in a short amount of time gives me headaches. But I can eat ice cream, cake, and and plenty of other things just fine.

    There is no such thing as hypoglycemia is someone not taking medication. The body doesn't work that way. Someone's glucose can be 40 and it is still in the low-normal range.

    But don't take my word for it.

    Download the free medical textbook Guyton and Hall.

    This s the gold standard for physiology for how the body works, processes food, metabolics, nutrition, exercise, and EVERYTHING.

    Very readable.

    There is no excuse NOT to have this book if you are serious about fitness or weight loss.

    http://ebookmed.blogspot.com/2013/02/guytons-physiology-e-book-free-download.html#.Uv4X1oWa8TQ

    My mom is diabetic, but she doesn't take medication for it. Is that fake too? :huh:

    I was tested for it (took the nasty drink every hour for 3 hours, etc.), and was diagnosed by a doctor. So...

    Nice book plug, but I seem to be doing just fine on my own, thanks.

    Book plug?

    LOL.

    Like I get a royalty on Guyton and Hall.

    Diabetics get hyperglycemia, not hypoglycemia.

    But if they are on medicines to lower their serum glucose, then hypoglycemia can be a problem.

    Diabetics on no medicine do NOT get hypoglycemia, and, of course, no normal person does.

    Download the book and do some reading. Don't let Dr. Oz control your life.


    Apparently the book doesn't explains blood sugars well does it? Both my folks who are both director of Pharmacists explained to me that whenever we eat foods the paceras produces insulin to help the blood bring the glucose into most of the body's cells for energy. Overtime the energy is use and your blood sugar drops. If your eating healthy food that have protein and complex carbs then your blood sugar levels will steadly drop but its sustainable until you eat next. However, if you eat a simple carb like refined sugar then your blood sugar will spike and then drop rapidly. Thats why you will feel sluggish after eating a pop tart. Now people can experience hypoglycemia if they haven't eaten anything for a good while, ate something that spiked their blood sugar even if they aren't diabetic. Ever get crabby when you don't eat. Thats your body telling you that your blood sugar is low and you need to eat. People with hypoclycemia can have reactive hypoglycemia where certain foods can cause blood sugars to drop. This isn't doctor OZ talking this is the medicial field with years of study when it comes to diabetes, and hypoglycemia.
  • cjazz72
    cjazz72 Posts: 80 Member
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    I am not sure what you are seeking. Things like honey, agave, maple syrup all have a fair amount of sugar and aren't going to solve your problem if you are trying to reduce the sugar stat. Are you looking for things with a lower glycemic index so that you don't have an insulin spike or something?

    Yeah basically. Something that isn't refined sugar. Like here is an example. I like drinking tea however I have to add a ton of sugar and milk to make it good for me to drink (can't drink it black nor just cream). So rather than putting refine sugar in I want to put an alternative in my tea. Honey is working well but again its still a sugar. This is my problem: I have a sweet tooth. So i want to reduce my sweet toothness so that I can have a thing of tea without it being, as my mom would say, "hummingbird nectar"
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    Honey is sugar, not a spice. In fact it has roughly the same composition as High Fructose Corn Syrup (20% Water, 40% Fructose, 40% Glucose/Other sugars)

    oh I am aware its not a spice just was putting it in the general additives to put in food. Only reason I like honey is that its a natural sugar made by bees. Plus other benefits compare to HFCS.

    What is table sugar made from?
  • TAsunder
    TAsunder Posts: 423 Member
    Options
    I am not sure what you are seeking. Things like honey, agave, maple syrup all have a fair amount of sugar and aren't going to solve your problem if you are trying to reduce the sugar stat. Are you looking for things with a lower glycemic index so that you don't have an insulin spike or something?

    Yeah basically. Something that isn't refined sugar. Like here is an example. I like drinking tea however I have to add a ton of sugar and milk to make it good for me to drink (can't drink it black nor just cream). So rather than putting refine sugar in I want to put an alternative in my tea. Honey is working well but again its still a sugar. This is my problem: I have a sweet tooth. So i want to reduce my sweet toothness so that I can have a thing of tea without it being, as my mom would say, "hummingbird nectar"

    Specifically for tea, you could try tea varieties that are naturally sweeter, such as jasmine varieties. Jasmine pearl greens are among my favorites. Or jasmine oolong.

    Otherwise, if you are looking for low glycemic stuff, stevia, honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar all worth considering, in my opinion.
  • Cakewalk25
    Cakewalk25 Posts: 71 Member
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    My dietician said to use Stevia not the artificial sweeteners as apparently they're bad for your body and make you crave sugar more. I also use True Lemon or True Lime (made up for lemon/lime crystals) in my water instead of drinking juice which has tons of sugar.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Options
    I am not sure what you are seeking. Things like honey, agave, maple syrup all have a fair amount of sugar and aren't going to solve your problem if you are trying to reduce the sugar stat. Are you looking for things with a lower glycemic index so that you don't have an insulin spike or something?

    Yeah basically. Something that isn't refined sugar. Like here is an example. I like drinking tea however I have to add a ton of sugar and milk to make it good for me to drink (can't drink it black nor just cream). So rather than putting refine sugar in I want to put an alternative in my tea. Honey is working well but again its still a sugar. This is my problem: I have a sweet tooth. So i want to reduce my sweet toothness so that I can have a thing of tea without it being, as my mom would say, "hummingbird nectar"

    All sugars - whether refined or not (and they are all refined) - are still sugar. If you want to reduce the amount of sugar you use in your tea/coffee, I would try gradually cutting down the amount you use or use an artificial sweetener. I used to have sugar in my coffee years ago. I just gradually reduced it until I started drinking it without - that was years ago and I prefer my coffee without sugar now.

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