what do you do to lower your sugar intake?

Christine_72 wrote: »

kshama2001 wrote: »

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.

@Mapalicious is probably referring to Behavioral addiction. Think gambling, shopping, sex, etc.

Yes , I think Behavioral addiction is a much better way to describe it.
For example I have been having dessert after dinner for years, I now just automatically want something sweet straight after dinner. It's not that I'm addicted to sugar or even craving it, it's just what I've conditioned my brain to expect maybe..

kshama2001 wrote: »

Carlos_421 wrote: »

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.

On their own without so much as a support group?
If so, your friend is one in a million.

On his own with no traditional addiction support group. He did, however, start practicing yoga.

He's not one in a million. Addicts who recover spontaneously tend to not show up in statistics because by the very nature of spontaneous recovery, they didn't seek treatment.