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Quitting sugar

Posts: 7 Member
edited December 3 in Food and Nutrition
I've been advised by my kidney specialist to quit sugar. And I wad just wondering if anyone had any ideas or tips to not feel hungry. I seem to be hungry on this and not sure what I should be doing to fill myself up. Any ideas or recipes would be great. Thanks in advance

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  • Posts: 17,890 Member
    edited September 2016
    It's not possible to "quit" sugar and still have a good diet. There is sugar in fruit, vegetables and dairy, and added sugar is the same sugar as naturally occurring sugar, it's made from plants, and it's treated the same way by your body. The difference lies in that fruit, vegetables and dairy also come with additional nutrition, that sets off the impact of sugar, while fast food/junk food often just provides fat and/or sugar.

    If you need to lose weight, you need to eat less than you burn. But you shouldn't eat too little. If you are eating too little, you won't just be hungry, you will be sick and/or quit.

    If you are eating enough calories, but still hungry because you are eating "healthy", eat a more balanced diet. You need sufficient amounts of protein, fat, carbs and fiber every day. A varied diet containing foods from all food groups every day, should take care of this. Never cut out anything for other reasons than allergies or other medical issues, dislikes, inconvenience, or ethical/religious beliefs. If you can cook, do that, if not, learn how to. Cooking from scratch is an easy way to avoid lots of added sugar and salt.

    If you are "hungry" just because you aren't eating all the time, or miss your old favorites, it just takes some getting used to. Wait it out, distract yourself, exercise. And don't cut out everything or try to change everything at once. Eat food you like, but not everything at once, and not all the time.

    If you have special dietary needs because of your kidneys, get a referral to a dietician.
  • Posts: 554 Member
    edited September 2016
    cultist wrote: »
    I've been advised by my kidney specialist to quit sugar. And I wad just wondering if anyone had any ideas or tips to not feel hungry. I seem to be hungry on this and not sure what I should be doing to fill myself up. Any ideas or recipes would be great. Thanks in advance

    You should talk to your kidney specialist for more information. I'm guessing they mean food with a lot of processed sugar (candy, donuts, ice cream, sugary yogurt, etc.) and possibly to eat less fruit and more vegetables instead. Fruit has a lot of sugar compared to most vegetables.

    My doctor told me to lower my blood sugar, so I am in the same boat. If you eat a lot of sugar-added foods and stop eating them, you will crave them at first but it goes away. Are you actually hungry or having cravings?

    I suggest eating more vegetables -- salads (with sugar free salad dressing or salt and pepper), steamed greens like kale and collard, a sweet potato, oatmeal, a cup of oat Cheerios or low-sugar cereal with a cup of cashew milk (I think it has only 1 G of sugar). I also chew a lot of sugarless gum, which helps.

  • Posts: 17,890 Member
    I meant "offset", not "set off", lol. But I think you figured that out.
  • Posts: 30,886 Member
    You mean added sugar? There's no trick to that, just don't eat it (read labels if you aren't sure what it's in, and find out how strict the health requirement is -- none at all? if so, and if you aren't already in the habit, getting in the habit of cooking from whole foods will be important). As for hunger, it's not satiating to most, so hunger should not be an issue.

    If you mean ALL sugar (like that in vegetables and fruit, among many other whole foods), I really think you need a referral to a dietitian to discuss how to construct a healthful diet given your restrictions.
  • Posts: 9,149 Member
    nvmomketo wrote: »
    When people drop some carbs (sugars) they often replace it with fats or proteins. Those are often more fulling foods. You might do well to focus on adding in fat and protein to keep you full longer, as well as veggies which can add some bulk to your meals.

    I mostly gave up sugar and grains (since grains readily convert to glucose). A diet based on meats, seafood, full fat dairy, nuts and veggies is a healthy diet for most.

    I disagree with the bolded - your opinion stated as a fact. Sugar is not needed for a healthy diet and can be minimized to nothing, or almost nothing, quite healthfully.

    What would be a healthy diet (as in non-nutrient deficient) that has no sugar?
  • Posts: 8,423 Member
    Are you using the food diary to track your food? If you make your diary public people could give more specific advice on changes you could make.
    I find that if I am hitting my calorie goal and protein goal my sugar intake is naturally lower.
    Eat more protein foods, fats, fiber to feel more satisfied.
    Eat more non-starchy vegetables. http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/fruits-vegtables-good-low-sugar-intake-2148.html
    https://www.verywell.com/low-carb-vegetables-list-2242530
    You might want to look at low carb recipes. http://www.kalynskitchen.com
  • Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited September 2016
    zyxst wrote: »

    What would be a healthy diet (as in non-nutrient deficient) that has no sugar?

    There is a group of posters hereabouts who are on about "carnivore" diets and how healthy they are.
  • Posts: 360 Member
    edited September 2016
    I have been trying to reduce my sugar intake, being a sweets-aholic. I'm not sure what the OP's doctor meant, but I am going to assume he/she meant added sugars. I don't mind consuming sugars that occur in grains and veggies and fruits, even baked goods, as long as they are balanced with protein, fats, fiber, and micronutrients, and they are in suitable portion sizes.

    I've found that staying full longer is directly dependent on hitting my protein goal for the day. Chicken, quinoa, yogurt, fish, eggs, mushrooms, etc. are my staple protein-rich foods. However, you need to experiment (perhaps in concert with your doctor) with foods to see which fill you up and make you feel right after you eat them. Staying balanced is key. Also, making sure to stay hydrated, as it is easy to mistake thirst for hunger. At least, that is my pedestrian advice.

    As far as reducing cravings, what helped me a lot was remembering how I felt 15 - 20 minutes after consuming sugary foods - bloated and tired for two or three hours - and deciding it really wasn't worth the anticipatory "high" while I was actually eating the treat. And strange as it may seem, exercising also reduced cravings for sugary food for me. There is at least one study to support this.

    Before MFP diet changes, I would consume on average 85+ grams of sugar daily. I have averaged 50 grams a day for over a week (where the majority of sugar is from dairy, fruits, whole grains and veggies). After cutting out sweets for even a week, I no longer have cravings. In two days after stopping the sweets I lost 5 lbs of water weight. I turned down donuts, a snickers bar, and a thai ice tea which were all offered to me in one day (trust me, it's a miracle). It can be done!
  • Posts: 8,159 Member
    PennWalker wrote: »

    You should talk to your kidney specialist for more information. I'm guessing they mean food with a lot of processed sugar (candy, donuts, ice cream, sugary yogurt, etc.) and possibly to eat less fruit and more vegetables instead. Fruit has a lot of sugar compared to most vegetables.

    My doctor told me to lower my blood sugar, so I am in the same boat. If you eat a lot of sugar-added foods and stop eating them, you will crave them at first but it goes away. Are you actually hungry or having cravings?

    I suggest eating more vegetables -- salads (with sugar free salad dressing or salt and pepper), steamed greens like kale and collard, a sweet potato, oatmeal, a cup of oat Cheerios or low-sugar cereal with a cup of cashew milk (I think it has only 1 G of sugar). I also chew a lot of sugarless gum, which helps.

    I had the same loss of cravings for sweets after being off sugar and grains from a few weeks. Two years later the cravings are still gone unless I eat a sugar load. :(
  • Posts: 6 Member
    edited September 2016
    It is true. This too shall pass. Sugar acts in your body like a drug and you will go through a true withdrawal complete with feelings of anxiety, physical weakness and cravings for the very drug that you're withdrawing from. Try to think about this as the urge to take that "drug" hits you. I find it helps to personify the villain and just talk to it. lol Think of sugar as your local drug dealer that you've just fired. You'll have to shoo him away a few times before he gets the message.

    No. lol I am not, nor have I ever been a drug user (or dealer), but the analogy is so very true. If you give in, the problem just continues.

    As far as feeling hungry? That is a natural part of changing your diet. Let's face it you're probably eating a lot less than your used to and your tummy needs time to adjust. It helps to talk yourself into just getting comfortable with being hungry. That's why I like this program. It's not really a diet, it just helps me know when I've had enough. Then, when I get the "hungrys" I can look at my diary and see that I am right where I should be. Fix yourself a nice cuppa tea and get lost in a book. There's a lot to be said for the way the English turn to a cuppa tea at the drop of a hat. Keeps your hands full, you mouth busy and your tummy warm and satisfied.
  • Posts: 12,019 Member
    zyxst wrote: »

    What would be a healthy diet (as in non-nutrient deficient) that has no sugar?

    A diet based in meats, seafood, high fat nuts or seeds, and high fibre, non starchy vegetables has almost no sugar. As I said, minimized to nothing or almost nothing. And if one eats as a carnivore, that is sugar free and perfectly healthy.
  • Posts: 13,454 Member
    nvmomketo wrote: »

    A diet based in meats, seafood, high fat nuts or seeds, and high fibre, non starchy vegetables has almost no sugar. As I said, minimized to nothing or almost nothing. And if one eats as a carnivore, that is sugar free and perfectly healthy.

    No fruits, no vegetables, perfectly healthy?
  • Posts: 12,019 Member
    edited September 2016


    OP was advised to "quit" sugar. Quit does not mean reduce. You don't say you quit smoking when you cut you two-pack-a-day habit to two or three cigarettes a day.

    No sugar means no full fat dairy, no nuts, no veggies. It's somewhere between very difficult and impossible to get all the nutrients you require without sugar, because plant-based foods and dairy naturally come with sugar.

    OP needs to get clarification from the medical professional who said to quit sugar as to what was actually meant.

    I eat this diet and my sugars are always under 5g per day. Sometimes they are zero. Most cheese has no carbs. Butter? Zero. Meats virtually carb free (if cooked). Does spinach have sugar? Celery? If so, and you really think the doctor literally meant zero sugar, then skip the vegetables.

    I think sugars are a bit different than smoking. Or consider trace carbs to be similar to second hand smoke if you wish. If sugars are 1% of your caloric intake, I doubt they will be a problem.
  • Posts: 84 Member
    hi, you should read Dave Asprey's Bulletproof Diet (or read his blogs). basically what he proposes is a ketogenic diet, but the book goes on to 'biohack' your own body so that you don't get any craving for crap food, which includes sugar. hungry feeling is induced by hormones so you just have to know how to deal with it. my husband lost 10kg in a year without starving himself. he doesn't follow it 100% either, but instead of sugar, he takes zero calorie alcohol sugar (erythritol), have a intermittent fasting (supported by taking a bulletproof coffee in the morning - it is basically coffee with butter and MCT oil, which does not break the fast but makes you super full until lunch), eat starchy food in the evening mainly, and eat fruits with little fructose like berries. he looks amazing, full of energy, much improved sleep quality AND he is never sick anymore. I've just started with his diet, following it a bit more strictly, and my god I feel full all the time! I have zero craving for sugar and I feel great. however, if you want fat to be the source of energy, then you have to make sure that you also consume good fat. for example, we only eat ghee made from milk of grass-fed cows, organic olive oils and so on. organic nuts also. anyways, just wanted to share :)
  • Posts: 1,785 Member
    Apparently sugar (fructose especially) is suspected to be a factor in kidney stones and kidney disease:

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23439375

    If it were me, I'd talk to your specialist as others have suggested and ask him/her to suggest how many grams of sugar should be your max input per day, and which sugars to avoid (ask about things like the sugars in milk). Or your specialist may work with a nutritionist who can advise you. I'd do that before relying on the advice of people in an internet forum like this one who don't know the particulars of your medical situation and aren't qualified to give you medical advice.
  • Posts: 13,454 Member
    hi, you should read Dave Asprey's Bulletproof Diet (or read his blogs). basically what he proposes is a ketogenic diet, but the book goes on to 'biohack' your own body so that you don't get any craving for crap food, which includes sugar. hungry feeling is induced by hormones so you just have to know how to deal with it. my husband lost 10kg in a year without starving himself. he doesn't follow it 100% either, but instead of sugar, he takes zero calorie alcohol sugar (erythritol), have a intermittent fasting (supported by taking a bulletproof coffee in the morning - it is basically coffee with butter and MCT oil, which does not break the fast but makes you super full until lunch), eat starchy food in the evening mainly, and eat fruits with little fructose like berries. he looks amazing, full of energy, much improved sleep quality AND he is never sick anymore. I've just started with his diet, following it a bit more strictly, and my god I feel full all the time! I have zero craving for sugar and I feel great. however, if you want fat to be the source of energy, then you have to make sure that you also consume good fat. for example, we only eat ghee made from milk of grass-fed cows, organic olive oils and so on. organic nuts also. anyways, just wanted to share :)

    I lost about the same amount of weight in the same time period. Didn't cut sugar or anything else besides excess calories. Never felt like I was starving...
  • Posts: 360 Member
    vingogly wrote: »
    If it were me, I'd talk to your specialist as others have suggested and ask him/her to suggest how many grams of sugar should be your max input per day, and which sugars to avoid (ask about things like the sugars in milk). Or your specialist may work with a nutritionist who can advise you. I'd do that before relying on the advice of people in an internet forum like this one who don't know the particulars of your medical situation and aren't qualified to give you medical advice.

    The OP wasn't asking how much sugar they should consume or which sugars they should eat. The other posters here are discussing those things amongst each other because a "no sugar" diet (assumed from the OP's declaration to quit sugar) is extremely difficult and no details were given. I'd hope no one thinks it is medical advice to cultist.

    The advice people are giving are how to combat cravings, find foods low in sugar, and manage feelings of hunger; which cultist requested, and is a topic that may be helpful for anyone reading these forums.
  • Posts: 16,049 Member
    I'm curious to know if OP's doctor meant quitting added or refined sugar??
  • Posts: 8,911 Member
    nvmomketo wrote: »

    A diet based in meats, seafood, high fat nuts or seeds, and high fibre, non starchy vegetables has almost no sugar. As I said, minimized to nothing or almost nothing. And if one eats as a carnivore, that is sugar free and perfectly healthy.

    I have seen the diaries of a few very low carb persons. They had more variety in the supplements they eat than their foods. Perfectly healthy...
  • Posts: 30,886 Member
    The idea that we need to "biohack" our own bodies to eat sensibly is inherently over-complicated and insulting.

    Asprey is a scam artist, and the bulletproof coffee thing (with special mold free coffee and a high cal, low nutrient breakfast that is supposed to be special because 500 calories or the like keep you full, wowie) is one of the many reasons why.
  • Posts: 2,018 Member
    For the most part, sugar is a "blank calorie" meaning high-sugar foods don't typically make you feel full. Focus on eating foods with high protein, which usually have lower sugar values. Dropping sugar is difficult at first, but it really is beneficial. I used to eat (mostly drink) about 120 grams of sugar per day, dropped it to 40 grams and my skin cleared up, no bloating, overall more energy - just have to get over the initial energy drop when you cut sugar.
  • Posts: 1,886 Member
    this thread is probably confusing the OP even more lol... OP call your dr and clarify the diet you should be on. they should be giving your concrete information on what to avoid. We dont know your medical history.
  • Posts: 15,357 Member
    nvmomketo wrote: »

    A diet based in meats, seafood, high fat nuts or seeds, and high fibre, non starchy vegetables has almost no sugar. As I said, minimized to nothing or almost nothing. And if one eats as a carnivore, that is sugar free and perfectly healthy.

    Wait, wait, wait. Are people actually recommending a carnivore based diet to someone diagnosed with kidney issues?!


    Really?
  • Posts: 1,886 Member
    auddii wrote: »

    Wait, wait, wait. Are people actually recommending a carnivore based diet to someone diagnosed with kidney issues?!


    Really?

    exactly my point. OP needs to speak to their dr and read nothing in this thread. Will do nothing but cause mor confusion and potential harm.
  • Posts: 30,886 Member
    fishshark wrote: »
    this thread is probably confusing the OP even more lol... OP call your dr and clarify the diet you should be on. they should be giving your concrete information on what to avoid. We dont know your medical history.

    This.
  • Posts: 1,785 Member
    Basilin wrote: »
    The OP wasn't asking how much sugar they should consume or which sugars they should eat. The other posters here are discussing those things amongst each other because a "no sugar" diet (assumed from the OP's declaration to quit sugar) is extremely difficult and no details were given. I'd hope no one thinks it is medical advice to cultist.

    The advice people are giving are how to combat cravings, find foods low in sugar, and manage feelings of hunger; which cultist requested, and is a topic that may be helpful for anyone reading these forums.

    As I said, the OP should talk to his/her doctor - not get advice here from people who may be well meaning but are just going to confuse the issue. She said she was told by her kidney specialist to "quit sugar" and I was advising she discuss the meaning of that recommendation with her specialist. I stand by what I said. Too many people on this forum seem to think they're nutritionists or medical doctors -- and they're not.

    OP: *TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR*
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