what do you do to lower your sugar intake?

longlostsea wrote: »

rabbitjb wrote: »

So this thread has been going for 5 days now

I've got to ask, how's your sugar consumption?

Haha I think a little better? Not perfect. I've lowered to a tsp of sugar in my coffee with unsweetened almond milk, I put lime and cilantro and avocado for a dressing instead of balsamic or something. I bought more veggies and prepped some last night to eat instead of eating so many bananas or granola junk bars and I snacked on nuts like someone suggested. I actually felt like I was eating MORE today than I usually do for the calories I am consuming.

stevencloser wrote: »

Carlos_421 wrote: »

Mapalicious wrote: »

Carlos_421 wrote: »

sheridanlugo wrote: »

I actually just kicked my sugar habit, gradually, not all at once. What helped me stop eating sugar was actually doing research on what excess sugar does to the body and how it's as addictive as cocaine. Once I knew more about sugar, it was easier to say no to it. I started by cutting out all non-water beverages except for the occasional unsweetened tea. Then I swapped dessert for fruit. What helped whenever I was craving sugar was making banana ice cream. All it is is frozen bananas blended in a food processor with a splash of almond milk (or milk of choice), along with any flavoring you prefer. I personally like adding a bit of peanut butter, it's delicious! After cutting out desserts I then cut out all the "hidden" sugars of my diet, which includes things like a seemingly healthy can of marinara sauce that actually has 24g of sugar. Lastly, I ate more veggies and less fruit to get rid of even more fruit in my diet.

Good luck, hope this helped!

The idea that sugar is as addictive as cocaine and the fact that you were able to quit without medical intervention or even some sort of support group are diametrically opposed to one another.

I've dealt with addicts. The claim that sugar is just as addictive as cocaine makes me angry.
I've never seen anyone desperate enough for a sugar fix that they were willing to sell their body to strangers, steal or abandon their children for a hit.

I think this is a case in which people entirely mis-interpret scientific findings. 1) It has been shown that sugar lights up the dopamine receptors, like in drug abuse (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16460879). 2)It has been shown to cause dependency (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2235907/). 3)Sugar has also been shown to becoming a behavior motivator (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12488799) - leading people to eat more sugar.

This article abstract about the sugar/drug analogy I find particularly interesting: http://journals.lww.com/co-clinicalnutrition/Abstract/2013/07000/Sugar_addiction___pushing_the_drug_sugar_analogy.11.aspx


I agree - the analogy may seem to denigrate or belittle the incredible work that people who quit hard drugs do. So perhaps it is a question of degree (not kind) and accessibility, and ease of initiating addiction. Sure, withdrawal may not be as bad with sugar, but the neural pathways are the same. The problem is, sugar isn't nearly as regulated/expensive/hard-to-get/frowned-upon as hard drugs. We feed it to our children in their bottles (apple juice, etc), and start their days off with it (most childrens' cereals). People can barely drink water, tea, coffee, or any drink without wanting it to taste 'sweet!' I'd say, it's an issue to be aware of.

1) so does everything from kissing to music to running. Release of dopamine is not an indicator of addictive capability.
2) a study where rats are given sugar water in excessive amounts while fasted and then the rats binge on the sugar water hardly demonstrates that sugar causes dependency even in rats, let alone humans.
3) a study that demonstrates that rats prefer sucrose with their food does not indicate that sugar can alter behavior in humans or lead humans to eat more sugar.

Consider this: people eat sugar because it tastes good which makes them happy. They find foods with added sugar more appealing, thus it is added frequently by manufacturers, because that's what their palates are acclimated too.
It has nothing to do with addiction or dependency or no one would be able to just quit without withdrawals or assistance.

All of that. I'm not aware of any study done in humans that showed any dependency issues.

Rats, while very intelligent compared to their size, are after all still mostly directed by instinct. I'd hope we are not, and instead able to make decisions despite our inner lazy butt telling us to shove more food into us because it's so delicious.
And the one link even said the rats who were binging on sugar water reduced total calorie intake from the other source to not get fat. They were just eating what tasted better. Sugar water vs. probably some brown pellets.

longlostsea wrote: »

Mapalicious wrote: »

OMG i'm such a sugar-holic. But I've lost 125 lbs and kept it off (mostly w/in 20 lb range) for 8 years.

First of all, there are many things I had to learn that have more sugar than you'd imagine:

• Yogurt that isn't plain
• Ketchup
• Salad dressings (sometimes...especially the 'fat free' ones - make your own)
• Wine & beer
• Almost ANYTHING "lowfat" or "nonfat" (then conversely, many "sugar free" things are packed with carbs)
• Some brands of peanut butter (go all-natural!)
• BBQ sauce
• Protein bars
• Most non-dairy milk
• Chinese food (most)
• Dried cranberries (really any dried fruit, but dried cranberries have a CRAP ton)
• Energy drinks (and soda, of course)
• Pasta sauce (sad but mostly true)
• Granola (HOLY COW, SO MUCH SUGAR!)
• Store-bought cole slaw
• FRUIT JUICE - this stuff is often just as bad as soda and we give it to our kids & it rots their teeth.

Second, you can get nutrients from things other than fruit. Go, veggies!

Third, if my sweet tooth gets out of hand, I do a 5-10 day no-added-sugar extravaganza.
Basically, I "re-set" my tastebuds & body (totally scientific term here, guys) so that I don't crave sugar anymore. It's amazing how well it works. My general rules are NO artificial sweetener, NO sweetener in tea or coffee, NO juice, soda, wine, beer, LOW or NONE of most of the items listed above. I might have a couple raisins every other evening so I get a bit of sweetness. I highly recommend it It certainly won't hurt - and at the very least you'll see how much your habits are based around high-sugar things, if you have to think twice about it!

As I have been recently paying more attention to my sugar I noticed... like you with the cranberries,
what the heck is the point of adding sugar to dried fruit?! Why do they do that to us.
I might try your sugar reset. Someone else suggested a 30 day similar plan.

janejellyroll wrote: »

Mapalicious wrote: »

stevencloser wrote: »

Mapalicious wrote: »

Carlos_421 wrote: »

sheridanlugo wrote: »

I actually just kicked my sugar habit, gradually, not all at once. What helped me stop eating sugar was actually doing research on what excess sugar does to the body and how it's as addictive as cocaine. Once I knew more about sugar, it was easier to say no to it. I started by cutting out all non-water beverages except for the occasional unsweetened tea. Then I swapped dessert for fruit. What helped whenever I was craving sugar was making banana ice cream. All it is is frozen bananas blended in a food processor with a splash of almond milk (or milk of choice), along with any flavoring you prefer. I personally like adding a bit of peanut butter, it's delicious! After cutting out desserts I then cut out all the "hidden" sugars of my diet, which includes things like a seemingly healthy can of marinara sauce that actually has 24g of sugar. Lastly, I ate more veggies and less fruit to get rid of even more fruit in my diet.

Good luck, hope this helped!

The idea that sugar is as addictive as cocaine and the fact that you were able to quit without medical intervention or even some sort of support group are diametrically opposed to one another.

I've dealt with addicts. The claim that sugar is just as addictive as cocaine makes me angry.
I've never seen anyone desperate enough for a sugar fix that they were willing to sell their body to strangers, steal or abandon their children for a hit.

I think this is a case in which people entirely mis-interpret scientific findings. It has been shown that sugar lights up the dopamine receptors, like in every single thing that people find enjoyable, also in rats only (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16460879). It has been shown to cause dependency in rats placed in a cycle of getting nothing at all or nothing but sugarwater with their food on a daily basis(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2235907/). Sugar has also been shown to becoming a behavior motivator (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12488799) - leading rats to eat more sugar.

This article abstract about the sugar/drug analogy I find particularly interesting: http://journals.lww.com/co-clinicalnutrition/Abstract/2013/07000/Sugar_addiction___pushing_the_drug_sugar_analogy.11.aspx


I agree - the analogy may seem to denigrate or belittle the incredible work that people who quit hard drugs do. So perhaps it is a question of degree (not kind) and accessibility, and ease of initiating addiction. Sure, withdrawal may not be as bad with sugar, but the neural pathways are the same. The problem is, sugar isn't nearly as regulated/expensive/hard-to-get/frowned-upon as hard drugs. We feed it to our children in their bottles (apple juice, etc), and start their days off with it (most childrens' cereals). People can barely drink water, tea, coffee, or any drink without wanting it to taste 'sweet!' I'd say, it's an issue to be aware of.

Fixed that.
And sugar is not an addictive substance. There is no withdrawal symptoms from it because your body does not become physically dependent on it which is the requirement of getting physical withdrawal symptoms.

Yes, you become mentally addicted not physically addicted. Exactly as stated. It's different...but there are withdrawals of a different sort. I think you have an ax to grind, though, so imma let you do your thing. I think it's more complicated, and I partially agree with your point.

Can you elaborate? Addiction, as I understand it, *is* a physical process. You seem to be using the word in another way.

kshama2001 wrote: »

Carlos_421 wrote: »

sheridanlugo wrote: »

I actually just kicked my sugar habit, gradually, not all at once. What helped me stop eating sugar was actually doing research on what excess sugar does to the body and how it's as addictive as cocaine. Once I knew more about sugar, it was easier to say no to it. I started by cutting out all non-water beverages except for the occasional unsweetened tea. Then I swapped dessert for fruit. What helped whenever I was craving sugar was making banana ice cream. All it is is frozen bananas blended in a food processor with a splash of almond milk (or milk of choice), along with any flavoring you prefer. I personally like adding a bit of peanut butter, it's delicious! After cutting out desserts I then cut out all the "hidden" sugars of my diet, which includes things like a seemingly healthy can of marinara sauce that actually has 24g of sugar. Lastly, I ate more veggies and less fruit to get rid of even more fruit in my diet.

Good luck, hope this helped!

The idea that sugar is as addictive as cocaine and the fact that you were able to quit without medical intervention or even some sort of support group are diametrically opposed to one another.

I've dealt with addicts. The claim that sugar is just as addictive as cocaine makes me angry.
I've never seen anyone desperate enough for a sugar fix that they were willing to sell their body to strangers, steal or abandon their children for a hit.

Lots of people addicted to alcohol, nicotine, and heroin quit without medical intervention. I have a friend who was a heroin addict for 28 years who is one of them.