I have to cut out sugar
xxzenabxx
Posts: 935 Member
I’m going to go sugar free for a few months (for now) because it’s been negatively affecting my health. A recent trip to the dentist showed me that my enamel has weakened which explains the tooth pain that I’ve been getting. My skin is breaking out too. Plus I’m craving sugar all the time now (insulin issues plus IBS). I’m going to have to resort to dark chocolate or sugar free chocolate. Anyone else in the same boat? Any tips to curb sugar cravings?
7
Replies
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I had to cut out a lot of sugar recently, but I focused on the types of sugar that I felt I could not moderate. Those for me were candies, baked goods/pastries, and sugary things in my coffee. I also try to limit starchy carbs like breads, bagels, pastas, etc.
I mostly replaced them with strawberries and grapes along with coke zero and sparkling water. Boom chicka pop is also my only snack outside of fruit and veggies most days.
It's important to understand that sugar isn't bad, but maybe too much of it isn't working for you and your health goals. Eating less of it overall, and focusing more on natural sugars or no calorie sweeteners is what has worked for me.
I now do not have the cravings as intense as I used to except once a month. I am still not to the point where I can moderate those things, but it mostly just got easier the longer I stayed away from them. Walking seemed to be a good thing too, I take long walks at lunch and in the evening (3-5 miles).
A lot of people on here will tell you to fit things you like into your diet and that cutting whole food groups or cutting out your favorite foods entirely will lead to binges or make you miserable. I disagree with that. Everyone has different kinds of foods that they could overeat if calories didn't make you fat. I see so many people say they can't moderate alcohol, and the first suggestion on these boards is to eliminate it. Then why is the attitude for food different? I have seen success eliminating the above types of food, and I am not miserable or wanting to binge. It all comes down to your taste buds and mind set and what works for you.
It will be hard at first, but just stick to your plan, write down your goals, and know that you will feel better when you stop having such awful cravings for foods that don't help you feel like the you, you want to be!14 -
I did it. It sucked and I'm still far from perfect at it. That said, I try to stay away from anything with added sugar over 4g per serving.1
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sammidelvecchio wrote: »I had to cut out a lot of sugar recently, but I focused on the types of sugar that I felt I could not moderate. Those for me were candies, baked goods/pastries, and sugary things in my coffee. I also try to limit starchy carbs like breads, bagels, pastas, etc.
I mostly replaced them with strawberries and grapes along with coke zero and sparkling water. Boom chicka pop is also my only snack outside of fruit and veggies most days.
It's important to understand that sugar isn't bad, but maybe too much of it isn't working for you and your health goals. Eating less of it overall, and focusing more on natural sugars or no calorie sweeteners is what has worked for me.
I now do not have the cravings as intense as I used to except once a month. I am still not to the point where I can moderate those things, but it mostly just got easier the longer I stayed away from them. Walking seemed to be a good thing too, I take long walks at lunch and in the evening (3-5 miles).
A lot of people on here will tell you to fit things you like into your diet and that cutting whole food groups or cutting out your favorite foods entirely will lead to binges or make you miserable. I disagree with that. Everyone has different kinds of foods that they could overeat if calories didn't make you fat. I see so many people say they can't moderate alcohol, and the first suggestion on these boards is to eliminate it. Then why is the attitude for food different? I have seen success eliminating the above types of food, and I am not miserable or wanting to binge. It all comes down to your taste buds and mind set and what works for you.
It will be hard at first, but just stick to your plan, write down your goals, and know that you will feel better when you stop having such awful cravings for foods that don't help you feel like the you, you want to be!
Thank you for your advice. It’s definitely made me feel better. I quit sugar a few years ago and felt amazing then I fell off the bandwagon and thought I could have it in moderation. Yeah strawberries and certain fruits should help. I know I just have to hang in there and the cravings will go away.3 -
Good Morning! I too have cut out sugar for 90% of the time. Sugar in most forms: bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, as well as baked goods. However, I try to live by the 90 -10 rule. 10% of the time I allow myself to indulge. I find that carby foods make me feel bad, bloat me up, and make me crave more. The one thing I haven't truly given up is chocolate. I eat that daily. I try to eat the darkest chocolate my taste buds will enjoy.
You asked for tips. The only real tip I can give you is that the more you eat it the more you want it...if you are a true addict. The one thing I know for sure is it can only help you to remove it out of your diet for awhile. Then slowly add back items that don't trigger you.
Good Luck!! I wish you the best.6 -
I’m going to go sugar free for a few months (for now) because it’s been negatively affecting my health. A recent trip to the dentist showed me that my enamel has weakened which explains the tooth pain that I’ve been getting. My skin is breaking out too. Plus I’m craving sugar all the time now (insulin issues plus IBS). I’m going to have to resort to dark chocolate or sugar free chocolate. Anyone else in the same boat? Any tips to curb sugar cravings?
I'm going to assume you are referring to added sugar, like what is in non-diet soda and ice cream, rather than intrinsic sugar, that comes in fruit, vegetables, and dairy.
What exactly did your DDS say about your enamel? Did they specifically mention sugar? Or soda? Did they talk about ways to mitigate damage? Making sure you brush after meals, etc?
I find that when I have good sleep, plenty of protein, regular exercise, and lots of fruit, I am less interested in foods with added sugar like ice cream and baked good.
If I eat 35 - 70 calories of high quality dark chocolate very very slowly (letting is dissolve rather than chewing) I find this scratches the chocolate itch. I like semi sweet to 60% chocolate chips and Ghirardelli dark chocolate squares for this.7 -
I AIN'T GIVEN UP MY FRUIT!!!!!5
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If ur talking about added sugars like those on sweets u should cut it, they r the sweet enemies cuz they cause diabetes, dental caries and weight gain
On the other hand sugars in fruits aint that bad
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Keep in mind other foods besides sugar that can weaken enamel and promote cavities: citrus and acidic foods (oranges, lemons, wine, vinegar), anything sticky (dried fruit), starchy foods (crackers, chips, breads), pop, foods that aggravate acid reflux - pretty much anything that causes an acidic environment.. water rinse, using straws, eating non-acidic foods with meals like cheese can help. Also be sure not to brush immediately after eating which can weaken enamel.8
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I’m going to go sugar free for a few months (for now) because it’s been negatively affecting my health. A recent trip to the dentist showed me that my enamel has weakened which explains the tooth pain that I’ve been getting. My skin is breaking out too. Plus I’m craving sugar all the time now (insulin issues plus IBS). I’m going to have to resort to dark chocolate or sugar free chocolate. Anyone else in the same boat? Any tips to curb sugar cravings?
@xxzenabxx I did it back in Oct 2014 successfully. In my case I was hoping for pain management and almost 5 years later it is still working like a charm.
It was not doable in my case by tapering off so in desperation after months of failing at tapering off I left all types of added sweeteners and any form of any grain cold turkey. I do eat a lot of chocolate bars now. My pain started started to drop like a rock in just a few weeks. At 6 months my 40 years of IBS just went away and still is gone.
In my case I found my carb cravings were my failure to lose weight and keep if off for the prior 40 years. I have been down 50 pounds for 4 years now with no regain. I trend in a 10 pound range with summers being my period of lowest weight.
This is just what turned my life around at the age of 63 and now at 68 I have better health and health markers than at 38. Will this work for others? I have no way of knowing. It is working to give me back my health as a senior is all that I know. My dental started improving in the first six months and I have not had any new cavities. I lost on tooth about 10-12 years ago but the rest are fine today. Several were loose and bleeding when I would floss but that all resolved within the first year of Low Carb High Fat Way of Eating.
Best of success in finding your own solution since we are all different one way or another.13 -
I eliminated any kind of processed sugar, i.e. candy, from my diet when I started here. Within two weeks, my cravings had disappeared naturally.
I hope you have the same result. ☺4 -
MohsenSALAH wrote: »If ur talking about added sugars like those on sweets u should cut it, they r the sweet enemies cuz they cause diabetes, dental caries and weight gain
On the other hand sugars in fruits aint that bad
Sugar does not cause diabetes.
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MohsenSALAH wrote: »If ur talking about added sugars like those on sweets u should cut it, they r the sweet enemies cuz they cause diabetes, dental caries and weight gain
No - sugar does not cause diabetes
Yes - excess sugar without proper dental care can cause dental caries
No - sugar only causes weight gain if the sugar causes you to eat too many calories14 -
Keep in mind other foods besides sugar that can weaken enamel and promote cavities: citrus and acidic foods (oranges, lemons, wine, vinegar), anything sticky (dried fruit), starchy foods (crackers, chips, breads), pop, foods that aggravate acid reflux - pretty much anything that causes an acidic environment.. water rinse, using straws, eating non-acidic foods with meals like cheese can help. Also be sure not to brush immediately after eating which can weaken enamel.
I'd add that frequent or continuous drinking of acidic beverages may be especially challenging to tooth enamel. There's a tendency to see it as healthy to sip on water with lemon or lime slices all day long, but that's maintaining a (slightly) higher level of acidity for your teeth over a very long time period.
Many beverages are acidic, including zero-calorie no-sugar ones. This is likely to be a more significant factor in overall weakened tooth enamal than simply consumption of sugar. From the American Dental Association:Dental erosion is the chemical dissolution
of tooth structure in the absence of bacteria when the
environment is acidic (pH < 4.0). Research indicates that
low pH is the primary determinant of a beverage’s erosive
potential.
. . .
The authors purchased 379 beverages from
stores in Birmingham, Alabama, and categorized them (for
example, juices, sodas, flavored waters, teas, and energy
drinks) and assessed their pH.
. . .
Most (93%, 354 of 379) beverages had a pH of
less than 4.0, and 7% (25 of 379) had a pH of 4.0 or more.
Relative beverage erosivity zones based on studies of apatite
solubility in acid indicated that 39% (149 of 379) of the
beverages tested in this study were considered extremely
erosive (pH < 3.0), 54% (205 of 379) were considered
erosive (pH 3.0 to 3.99), and 7% (25 of 379) were considered minimally erosive (pH $ 4.0).
Full article at https://www.ada.org/en/~/media/ADA/Public Programs/Files/JADA_The pH of beverages in the United States
Article includes specifics about acidity level of many popular beverages.11 -
I’m going to go sugar free for a few months (for now) because it’s been negatively affecting my health. A recent trip to the dentist showed me that my enamel has weakened which explains the tooth pain that I’ve been getting. My skin is breaking out too. Plus I’m craving sugar all the time now (insulin issues plus IBS). I’m going to have to resort to dark chocolate or sugar free chocolate. Anyone else in the same boat? Any tips to curb sugar cravings?
0 -
I had issues with my teeth and did the same thing. Within a couple months the pain went away and my dentist said my teeth and gums looked much healthier. I perk was that I also lost a little weight as well. It's not easy but pain was a good motivator for me. Wish you the best of luck with it.
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I was also advised to be sugar free, in the first instance to avoid foods which had a relationship with yeasts, that included fruits like grapes. Along with one or two other things, avoiding casein and identified intolerances, it worked wonders generally.2
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try addin xylitol to drinks, its repair tooths a little. They use it in some gums. Its not cheapest though. About 8-10$ per kg. I use it to sweet my beverages.2
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Thanks everyone! Keep the tips + stories coming...they’ve definitely inspired me.2
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psychod787 wrote: »I AIN'T GIVEN UP MY FRUIT!!!!!
Well I’m not giving up fruit. Just cutting down on it.2 -
Keep in mind other foods besides sugar that can weaken enamel and promote cavities: citrus and acidic foods (oranges, lemons, wine, vinegar), anything sticky (dried fruit), starchy foods (crackers, chips, breads), pop, foods that aggravate acid reflux - pretty much anything that causes an acidic environment.. water rinse, using straws, eating non-acidic foods with meals like cheese can help. Also be sure not to brush immediately after eating which can weaken enamel.
I'd add that frequent or continuous drinking of acidic beverages may be especially challenging to tooth enamel. There's a tendency to see it as healthy to sip on water with lemon or lime slices all day long, but that's maintaining a (slightly) higher level of acidity for your teeth over a very long time period.
Many beverages are acidic, including zero-calorie no-sugar ones. This is likely to be a more significant factor in overall weakened tooth enamal than simply consumption of sugar. From the American Dental Association:Dental erosion is the chemical dissolution
of tooth structure in the absence of bacteria when the
environment is acidic (pH < 4.0). Research indicates that
low pH is the primary determinant of a beverage’s erosive
potential.
. . .
The authors purchased 379 beverages from
stores in Birmingham, Alabama, and categorized them (for
example, juices, sodas, flavored waters, teas, and energy
drinks) and assessed their pH.
. . .
Most (93%, 354 of 379) beverages had a pH of
less than 4.0, and 7% (25 of 379) had a pH of 4.0 or more.
Relative beverage erosivity zones based on studies of apatite
solubility in acid indicated that 39% (149 of 379) of the
beverages tested in this study were considered extremely
erosive (pH < 3.0), 54% (205 of 379) were considered
erosive (pH 3.0 to 3.99), and 7% (25 of 379) were considered minimally erosive (pH $ 4.0).
Full article at https://www.ada.org/en/~/media/ADA/Public Programs/Files/JADA_The pH of beverages in the United States
Article includes specifics about acidity level of many popular beverages.
I used to drink lemon water a lot but I’ve cut it down to a morning glass of warm water. What do I do? It helps my digestive system so much. What a dilemma.1 -
Keep in mind other foods besides sugar that can weaken enamel and promote cavities: citrus and acidic foods (oranges, lemons, wine, vinegar), anything sticky (dried fruit), starchy foods (crackers, chips, breads), pop, foods that aggravate acid reflux - pretty much anything that causes an acidic environment.. water rinse, using straws, eating non-acidic foods with meals like cheese can help. Also be sure not to brush immediately after eating which can weaken enamel.
I'd add that frequent or continuous drinking of acidic beverages may be especially challenging to tooth enamel. There's a tendency to see it as healthy to sip on water with lemon or lime slices all day long, but that's maintaining a (slightly) higher level of acidity for your teeth over a very long time period.
Many beverages are acidic, including zero-calorie no-sugar ones. This is likely to be a more significant factor in overall weakened tooth enamal than simply consumption of sugar. From the American Dental Association:Dental erosion is the chemical dissolution
of tooth structure in the absence of bacteria when the
environment is acidic (pH < 4.0). Research indicates that
low pH is the primary determinant of a beverage’s erosive
potential.
. . .
The authors purchased 379 beverages from
stores in Birmingham, Alabama, and categorized them (for
example, juices, sodas, flavored waters, teas, and energy
drinks) and assessed their pH.
. . .
Most (93%, 354 of 379) beverages had a pH of
less than 4.0, and 7% (25 of 379) had a pH of 4.0 or more.
Relative beverage erosivity zones based on studies of apatite
solubility in acid indicated that 39% (149 of 379) of the
beverages tested in this study were considered extremely
erosive (pH < 3.0), 54% (205 of 379) were considered
erosive (pH 3.0 to 3.99), and 7% (25 of 379) were considered minimally erosive (pH $ 4.0).
Full article at https://www.ada.org/en/~/media/ADA/Public Programs/Files/JADA_The pH of beverages in the United States
Article includes specifics about acidity level of many popular beverages.
I used to drink lemon water a lot but I’ve cut it down to a morning glass of warm water. What do I do? It helps my digestive system so much. What a dilemma.
One glass in the morning, potentially followed by toothbrushing or at least a good mouth-rinse, is different from steady most-of-the-day drinking of various acidic beverages.1 -
I cut out added sugar as a while as an experiment. I didn't find it very difficult, but I did find moderating it easier when I added it back in (I'd also stopped snacking during the day, although when I added it back in I allowed an after dinner dessert if I had the cals). I never eat added sugar in any significant amounts as part of a meal, and never have, so snacking was the only place I got it.
I currently have been eating more fruit than usual for an extended period of time (in the past I ate clementines or occasional pears in the winter and early spring but often didn't eat fruit for several days in a row, although I've always eaten lots of local in-season fruit in the summer and early fall). What I've found -- and I don't know if it's the fruit -- is that I've totally lost my sweet tooth. The only sweet thing I've craved at all for months is these all fruit popsicles and that only on totally hot days because they are cold and juicy. Otherwise I might crave fruit and usually its more about juiciness (although I eat whole fruit) vs. sweetness.
My old attraction to dessert was more creaminess than sweet (I dislike overly sweet desserts and often like not particularly sweet ones), so I was very surprised that this seems to be associated with more fruit.
Anyway, re teeth, I've personally found that coffee is more of an issue than sugar (although as noted I'm not a huge sugar person).0 -
What worked for me when I was diagnosed with diabetes was going cold turkey on quick digesting carbs such as added sugars, rice, and white breads. It took about two weeks for the cravings to subside. Fruit helped, particularly low sugar fruit such as berries, and so did 85% dark chocolate. I also like foamed milk in my coffee with cinnamon, which makes it seem sweeter.
Lately I’ve been putting cacao powder in everything - Greek yogurt, oatmeal, almond butter, etc. Cacao powder plus vanilla makes a very satisfying dessert out of almost anything with a minimum of added sweetener needed. Tiny bit of maple syrup or berries if more sweetness is needed.
You mentioned skin - I can absolutely see a difference in my skin day to day based on the sugar in my diet.3
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