Eliminating SUGAR
Replies
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RelCanonical wrote: »RelCanonical wrote: »RelCanonical wrote: »I won't say I've eliminated sugar. For all practical purposes I have in fact done just that but I won't say it because of the irrational replies it invokes from people who act offended by the possibility.
For me, it came about gradually by phasing out categories of "foods" one at a time. Didn't switch to sweeteners. Just got used to, and eventually came to prefer foods unsweetened. I never swore an oath of sugar abstinence though. Last year I might have made a cup of hot cocoa three or four times. I might have three or four next year too. If pressed I could come up with more examples of very occasional use.
One of the last regular uses was adding brown sugar to the morning porridge but I weaned myself off that and now it's fine either naturally sweetened with fruit or savory. I've lost over 60 pounds so far and have another 40 or so to go to get to normal or healthy weight. When I get there, maybe I'll consider having an occasional dessert. But until then it's easier to skip them altogether than struggle with moderation. If moderating food came easy I wouldn't have become obese in the first place. To all the people who will have the irresistible compulsion to click disagree, I remind you, I'm not taking a position one way or the other on what you should do. And maybe I'll add that if the original poster decides to eliminate added sugars, that won't affect you either.
So you don't eat any fruits? Where do you get some of the key vitamins and minerals from then?
I just saw in another post that he had beets in his diary. Where do people think refined sugar generally comes from? Cane and...beets.
FTR, sugar beets are a different cultivar from regular vegetable beets. Very different. Look more like a fat, stubby parsnip.
Both got that delicious sugar.
Sure. Lots in the one case (sugar beets), not much in the other (regular red beets).
Dog cookies and Pepperidge Farm Sausalito Milk Chocolate Macadamia Cookies are both "cookies", too, but I'd only eat the latter. Just not the same, not close.
Sure, it's the debate section, but the beet thing . . . ?
My point was that he says he has eliminated sugar entirely, but he has not because he eats beets...which have sugar.
He also said he eats fruit and drinks cocoa.3 -
RelCanonical wrote: »I won't say I've eliminated sugar. For all practical purposes I have in fact done just that but I won't say it because of the irrational replies it invokes from people who act offended by the possibility.
For me, it came about gradually by phasing out categories of "foods" one at a time. Didn't switch to sweeteners. Just got used to, and eventually came to prefer foods unsweetened. I never swore an oath of sugar abstinence though. Last year I might have made a cup of hot cocoa three or four times. I might have three or four next year too. If pressed I could come up with more examples of very occasional use.
One of the last regular uses was adding brown sugar to the morning porridge but I weaned myself off that and now it's fine either naturally sweetened with fruit or savory. I've lost over 60 pounds so far and have another 40 or so to go to get to normal or healthy weight. When I get there, maybe I'll consider having an occasional dessert. But until then it's easier to skip them altogether than struggle with moderation. If moderating food came easy I wouldn't have become obese in the first place. To all the people who will have the irresistible compulsion to click disagree, I remind you, I'm not taking a position one way or the other on what you should do. And maybe I'll add that if the original poster decides to eliminate added sugars, that won't affect you either.
So you don't eat any fruits? Where do you get some of the key vitamins and minerals from then?
I just saw in another post that he had beets in his diary. Where do people think refined sugar generally comes from? Cane and...beets.
Sugar beets are in the same family as the vegetable beets we eat, but people don’t generally eat them. They do use the pulp of sugar beets for animal feed. He most likely wasn’t eating sugar beets.1 -
missysippy930 wrote: »RelCanonical wrote: »I won't say I've eliminated sugar. For all practical purposes I have in fact done just that but I won't say it because of the irrational replies it invokes from people who act offended by the possibility.
For me, it came about gradually by phasing out categories of "foods" one at a time. Didn't switch to sweeteners. Just got used to, and eventually came to prefer foods unsweetened. I never swore an oath of sugar abstinence though. Last year I might have made a cup of hot cocoa three or four times. I might have three or four next year too. If pressed I could come up with more examples of very occasional use.
One of the last regular uses was adding brown sugar to the morning porridge but I weaned myself off that and now it's fine either naturally sweetened with fruit or savory. I've lost over 60 pounds so far and have another 40 or so to go to get to normal or healthy weight. When I get there, maybe I'll consider having an occasional dessert. But until then it's easier to skip them altogether than struggle with moderation. If moderating food came easy I wouldn't have become obese in the first place. To all the people who will have the irresistible compulsion to click disagree, I remind you, I'm not taking a position one way or the other on what you should do. And maybe I'll add that if the original poster decides to eliminate added sugars, that won't affect you either.
So you don't eat any fruits? Where do you get some of the key vitamins and minerals from then?
I just saw in another post that he had beets in his diary. Where do people think refined sugar generally comes from? Cane and...beets.
Sugar beets are in the same family as the vegetable beets we eat, but people don’t generally eat them. They do use the pulp of sugar beets for animal feed. He most likely wasn’t eating sugar beets.
Edible beets have sugar.
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quiksylver296 wrote: »missysippy930 wrote: »RelCanonical wrote: »I won't say I've eliminated sugar. For all practical purposes I have in fact done just that but I won't say it because of the irrational replies it invokes from people who act offended by the possibility.
For me, it came about gradually by phasing out categories of "foods" one at a time. Didn't switch to sweeteners. Just got used to, and eventually came to prefer foods unsweetened. I never swore an oath of sugar abstinence though. Last year I might have made a cup of hot cocoa three or four times. I might have three or four next year too. If pressed I could come up with more examples of very occasional use.
One of the last regular uses was adding brown sugar to the morning porridge but I weaned myself off that and now it's fine either naturally sweetened with fruit or savory. I've lost over 60 pounds so far and have another 40 or so to go to get to normal or healthy weight. When I get there, maybe I'll consider having an occasional dessert. But until then it's easier to skip them altogether than struggle with moderation. If moderating food came easy I wouldn't have become obese in the first place. To all the people who will have the irresistible compulsion to click disagree, I remind you, I'm not taking a position one way or the other on what you should do. And maybe I'll add that if the original poster decides to eliminate added sugars, that won't affect you either.
So you don't eat any fruits? Where do you get some of the key vitamins and minerals from then?
I just saw in another post that he had beets in his diary. Where do people think refined sugar generally comes from? Cane and...beets.
Sugar beets are in the same family as the vegetable beets we eat, but people don’t generally eat them. They do use the pulp of sugar beets for animal feed. He most likely wasn’t eating sugar beets.
Edible beets have sugar.
Regular beets have sugar. Sugar beets are typically around 20% sugar by weight. Not even close.2 -
I don't believe in demonizing sugar. I think sugar, including added sugar, is fine, in a reasonable context.
In what way is the current line of discussion encouraging people to think about sugar in a sensible way?
Or, if that's not the point, what is the point?8 -
I don't believe in demonizing sugar. I think sugar, including added sugar, is fine, in a reasonable context.
In what way is the current line of discussion encouraging people to think about sugar in a sensible way?
Or, if that's not the point, what is the point?
Agreed. I’m not seeing the point of these discussions other than “some with health conditions” should not have it. Even that is untrue.
Even as a full on diabetic who needs to limit my amount of sugar intake (because I can eat a whole cake, of course), it wouldn’t be wise of me to fully eliminate it. I have non-diabetic a1C values these days, meaning my sugar is under full control with sensible diet and regular exercise. That said, I can and do get low blood sugars from time to time and most diabetics will tell you, a simple sugar doesn’t cut it when your BG is hitting the 50’s-40’s. You need that timeless evil, fast acting, high fructose corn syrup type of sugar, be it came from beets or cane field, to blunt a drop that fast and that low. So even in special circumstances, sugar is a medical go-to whereas protein or fat are USELESS. They stay in the kitchen.
Now that my A1C is within normal, non-diabetic values, again, without sugar of any kind, my blood sugar will still drop, so an afternoon cookie and milk snack to carb up before gym time is always in order without the guilt.
I have moderate kidney damage these days, will be seeing a kidney specialist at the end of the year. To live, my energy needs to come from somewhere and the last thing I need is a protein- heavy or fat dominant diet to simply avoid sugar out of personal preference. The only personal preference I have is to lead a balanced life, with a balanced diet, and some sugar
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quiksylver296 wrote: »missysippy930 wrote: »RelCanonical wrote: »I won't say I've eliminated sugar. For all practical purposes I have in fact done just that but I won't say it because of the irrational replies it invokes from people who act offended by the possibility.
For me, it came about gradually by phasing out categories of "foods" one at a time. Didn't switch to sweeteners. Just got used to, and eventually came to prefer foods unsweetened. I never swore an oath of sugar abstinence though. Last year I might have made a cup of hot cocoa three or four times. I might have three or four next year too. If pressed I could come up with more examples of very occasional use.
One of the last regular uses was adding brown sugar to the morning porridge but I weaned myself off that and now it's fine either naturally sweetened with fruit or savory. I've lost over 60 pounds so far and have another 40 or so to go to get to normal or healthy weight. When I get there, maybe I'll consider having an occasional dessert. But until then it's easier to skip them altogether than struggle with moderation. If moderating food came easy I wouldn't have become obese in the first place. To all the people who will have the irresistible compulsion to click disagree, I remind you, I'm not taking a position one way or the other on what you should do. And maybe I'll add that if the original poster decides to eliminate added sugars, that won't affect you either.
So you don't eat any fruits? Where do you get some of the key vitamins and minerals from then?
I just saw in another post that he had beets in his diary. Where do people think refined sugar generally comes from? Cane and...beets.
Sugar beets are in the same family as the vegetable beets we eat, but people don’t generally eat them. They do use the pulp of sugar beets for animal feed. He most likely wasn’t eating sugar beets.
Edible beets have sugar.
A lot of vegetables have sugar. I wasn’t implying that edible beets don’t have sugar. They refine sugar out of sugar beets, not the beets we normally eat. Many foods have naturally occurring sugar. I really don’t understand why some people are trying so hard to demonize sugar.2 -
AngelZealot wrote: »I am no stranger to tracking and diets. I've only been sucessful at losing weight a few times in my life, and they were all while tracking either calories, or points in weight watchers. What I am inquiring about is the topic of sugar. I am reading a book about why to eliminate it entirely. I'm hoping to hear sucess stories of people who have eliminated it, what the benefits are, etc. Tips and suggestions are much encouraged!
If you want to get rid of added or all sugar because you think it will benefit your weight loss journey, there is no reason not to. You have to find what is beneficial to you.
I don't really eat added sugars and my natural sugars are pretty low. I do eat some leafy greens, veggies, berries, and full fat dairy.
Did i have success with a high sugar diet? Yes. I lost 50 lbs. Am i having success from a Keto diet? Yes. I am 5 lbs lower than i even got with my other diet strategies and at a lower than i wad in high school. But this is my success and by no means will it guarantee anyone elses to have the same success.
ETA: from a nutritional standpoint l, there is no benefit from added sugar. But you can get personal enjoyment.4 -
Has anyone actually eliminated added sugar? I did for 12 months. Doing so as one aspect of improving my digestive permiability assisted me in getting my autoimmune numbers undercontrol, it also aided weight loss and before you ask my calories were used far more efficiently to improve my health and I actually needed more food to function properly.
Many women are susceptible to candida, eliminating sugar which is the primary food for the least helpful yeasts can improve health generally. I know most western medics do not see candida as a "real" issue and dole out antibiotics to clear it. Like the chickenpox virus these yeasts hide within the body and waite for the grams of sugar to pass one's lips to come out again, of corse, chicken pox comes out when a body is under stress. Antibiotics are indiscriminate in general and as a by process elimenate more of the most helpful microbes which are in our internal/external organ the digestive tract defined by a special skin, which should be inhabited by helpful digestive microbes which along with digestive and bile acids ensure, in the healthy body, nothing larger than a sugar molecule enters our internal body leeding to molicule mimicry leeding to autoimmune disorders which are increasing in number and distribution exponentially in the western world. Digestive microbes the beneficial ones are there to enable all facilitate our extracting as much nutrition from our foods as we can.
Here in the UK we have been hearing of the Christmas Drinking Chocolate beverages available on the highstreet some of these particularly one containg fudge flavour contain 17 or was it 19 teaspoonsful of sugar in a single portion! Somewhere in the regeon of 700 calories, I would ask anyone to say a product like this would aid anyone's nutritional needs. Normal chocolate beverages are bad enough with 3 and from experience i know there are many who add even more. I strongly suggest 700 calories could be put to much better use than swaping one'self in dilute sugar.
As for all fruits and veg containg some degree of sugar this is true the benefits of having any fruit or veg as "intended" with pulp/natural fibres and all means the sugars are released and absorpbed more equally along with vital vitamins and minerals rather than draining one's insulin supplies which can drain other glands and organs as the body tried to balance the aftereffects effects. Naturally the soluable and insoluable fibres aid the digestive transit which is between once to three times a day reducing constipation, less frequently than everyday can start one on the way down the slipery slope to ill health. I know this statement will be inflamitory to so many of you, giggle.
This information if you would care to look can be found in the writings of on line integrated physicians who want to help us help ourselves to a better quality of life. I know it is going against the grain to advocate sugar avoidance in this day and age but the health costs are greater than our societies can afford.2 -
Fat loss = CI<CO, that's it. Pick a way of eating that gets you there with the least amount of suffering...10
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Sugar is not the devil. Neither is fat. As most of the posters here are "vets" and will know about this, but I would advise OP to research the "Australian Paradox". Sugar consumption was down, but obesity continued to rise? Just correlation? Maybe, but what has increased was added fats. Though high fat low carbs diets can be very effective for weight loss. So, is fat the devil? My thoughts are that if the majority of your sugars and fats are coming from less refined whole foods, sugar means nothing.5
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Fat loss = CI<CO, that's it. Pick a way of eating that gets you there with the least amount of suffering...
This is such a great point!
And, for me all foods in moderation and paying attention to portion size, will hopefully, make for a permanent way of eating for maintaintaining a healthy weight for life.
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Has anyone actually eliminated added sugar? I did for 12 months. Doing so as one aspect of improving my digestive permiability assisted me in getting my autoimmune numbers undercontrol, it also aided weight loss and before you ask my calories were used far more efficiently to improve my health and I actually needed more food to function properly.
Many women are susceptible to candida, eliminating sugar which is the primary food for the least helpful yeasts can improve health generally. I know most western medics do not see candida as a "real" issue and dole out antibiotics to clear it. Like the chickenpox virus these yeasts hide within the body and waite for the grams of sugar to pass one's lips to come out again, of corse, chicken pox comes out when a body is under stress. Antibiotics are indiscriminate in general and as a by process elimenate more of the most helpful microbes which are in our internal/external organ the digestive tract defined by a special skin, which should be inhabited by helpful digestive microbes which along with digestive and bile acids ensure, in the healthy body, nothing larger than a sugar molecule enters our internal body leeding to molicule mimicry leeding to autoimmune disorders which are increasing in number and distribution exponentially in the western world. Digestive microbes the beneficial ones are there to enable all facilitate our extracting as much nutrition from our foods as we can.
Here in the UK we have been hearing of the Christmas Drinking Chocolate beverages available on the highstreet some of these particularly one containg fudge flavour contain 17 or was it 19 teaspoonsful of sugar in a single portion! Somewhere in the regeon of 700 calories, I would ask anyone to say a product like this would aid anyone's nutritional needs. Normal chocolate beverages are bad enough with 3 and from experience i know there are many who add even more. I strongly suggest 700 calories could be put to much better use than swaping one'self in dilute sugar.
As for all fruits and veg containg some degree of sugar this is true the benefits of having any fruit or veg as "intended" with pulp/natural fibres and all means the sugars are released and absorpbed more equally along with vital vitamins and minerals rather than draining one's insulin supplies which can drain other glands and organs as the body tried to balance the aftereffects effects. Naturally the soluable and insoluable fibres aid the digestive transit which is between once to three times a day reducing constipation, less frequently than everyday can start one on the way down the slipery slope to ill health. I know this statement will be inflamitory to so many of you, giggle.
This information if you would care to look can be found in the writings of on line integrated physicians who want to help us help ourselves to a better quality of life. I know it is going against the grain to advocate sugar avoidance in this day and age but the health costs are greater than our societies can afford.
I came very close to eliminating added sugar while losing weight (I was eating a 30-calorie tablespoon daily of all-fruit spread that had concentrated fruit juice as about its 3rd ingredient down the list, and that counts as "added sugar"). I'm sure I ate the occasional small sweetened item (catsup, maybe, or a few M&Ms or whatever . . . but I'm also confident I was well below the WHO/USDA/etc. guidelines (on typical days I've spot-checked, I still am). Super sweet things, as I said in a PP, are just not my jam (heh).
I believe that if I were the typical online over-generalizer (which I'm not accusing you of, BTW), rather than (as I am) an annoyingly pedantic, meticulously over-analyzing kind of personality, I'd probably assert that I cut out all added sugar all during weight loss, and perhaps beyond.
I'm pretty healthy, actually, for a li'l ol' lady, especially so now that I'm at a healthy weight. I have none of the dire conditions listed in your email. It's unlikely that they'll come home to roost "when I'm old", because I'm already pretty old (64).
I know that you (PP) have a complex of difficult symptoms and conditions that are very arduous for you, and I'm very sorry that that's true. I understand that you've adopted dietary practices distinct from the average, and have found them beneficial. I'm glad that you've found some relief that way. Perhaps others may have a similar experience, and I wouldn't discourage someone with an extreme case from trying extreme measures (as long as they're not so extreme as to be affirmatively dangerous in themselves, of course).
However, your view of biological science is not consistent with my understanding of mainstream biological science. I draw no conclusions about where you learned those things, but the only place I've heard them personally was from a blatantly money-grubbing local chiropractor (I know, not all chiropractors, OK?) who was trying to enroll people for an expensive course of treatments (plus high-cost supplements); and from "nutritionists" who were not registered dietitians, and who lacked other plausible credentials. I know that certain fringe doctors (not all of them MDs or DOs) advocate these ideas, too, and they're usually selling something quite specific, often their secret formulas for optimum health.
I didn't click "disagree" on your post, and I support your right to pursue health in any way you choose, but I do disagree with your very non-standard view of human biology.
Edited: typos11 -
I won't say I've eliminated sugar. For all practical purposes I have in fact done just that but I won't say it because of the irrational replies it invokes from people who act offended by the possibility.
For me, it came about gradually by phasing out categories of "foods" one at a time. Didn't switch to sweeteners. Just got used to, and eventually came to prefer foods unsweetened. I never swore an oath of sugar abstinence though. Last year I might have made a cup of hot cocoa three or four times. I might have three or four next year too. If pressed I could come up with more examples of very occasional use.
One of the last regular uses was adding brown sugar to the morning porridge but I weaned myself off that and now it's fine either naturally sweetened with fruit or savory. I've lost over 60 pounds so far and have another 40 or so to go to get to normal or healthy weight. When I get there, maybe I'll consider having an occasional dessert. But until then it's easier to skip them altogether than struggle with moderation. If moderating food came easy I wouldn't have become obese in the first place. To all the people who will have the irresistible compulsion to click disagree, I remind you, I'm not taking a position one way or the other on what you should do. And maybe I'll add that if the original poster decides to eliminate added sugars, that won't affect you either.
So you don't eat any fruits? Where do you get some of the key vitamins and minerals from then?
Well only 10% of the US population gets the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables in their diet so I would assume they are getting them (or, unfortunately, more likely not getting them) from the same source as 90% of the population.
https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2017/p1116-fruit-vegetable-consumption.html3 -
Boy, lots of people in disagreement over this issue. Decreasing or eliminating added sugars and/or corn syrup....is it all just marketable hype, a way to sell books and alternative products?
I believe it's one of those areas where 'all things in moderation' really and truly applies. A cookie now and then, isn't going to kill you. But grab a package and down 'em, then that's something else. And whether it indicates a sugar addiction, raises your levels of happy hormones, or whatever doesn't really matter now does it? To me, many(maybe most) of us have sensitivities of one kind or another, whether it's in our personality, genes, system. My body reacts to sugar in such a way that once I've started down that path I continue with a blind eye.
For these type of sensitivities all we can do is our best to avoid it.
I was addicted to alcohol where I couldn't even drive past a bar or liquor store without that deep-down urge to stop. I have controlled it for over 38 years. I have also been addicted(to me NOT a cop out)to sugar where my urge becomes so great that I physically feel that same pull in the wrong direction. I am now working on myself and my habits to control that also.
I believe addictions come in all forms, and levels.
Thankfully, I've never been addicted to drugs, gambling, cigarettes.....there are so many life changing addictions out there.
I believe that eliminating all added sugars is indeed mostly marketable hype, a way to sell books, etc. But if doing programs like "Bright Line Eating" helps people who feel out of control get control, I support them. The book is available in my library system, so I checked it out. I didn't dispute the science, but I do dispute the author's conclusions.
Back in the 90's I felt the same way you did when driving by liquor stores. A few Smart Recovery and Rational Recovery meetings really helped with that. (RR no longer has in person meetings but SR still does.)
I share your experience that those compulsive urges can feel the same with food.
Smart Recovery and Rational Recovery had tips that are cognitive behavioral therapy based, as does The Beck Diet Solution: Train Your Brain to Think Like a Thin Person
Can thinking and eating like a thin person be learned, similar to learning to drive or use a computer? Beck (Cognitive Therapy for Challenging Problems) contends so, based on decades of work with patients who have lost pounds and maintained weight through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Beck's six-week program adapts CBT, a therapeutic system developed by Beck's father, Aaron, in the 1960s, to specific challenges faced by yo-yo dieters, including negative thinking, bargaining, emotional eating, bingeing, and eating out. Beck counsels readers day-by-day, introducing new elements (creating advantage response cards, choosing a diet, enlisting a diet coach, making a weight-loss graph) progressively and offering tools to help readers stay focused (writing exercises, to-do lists, ways to counter negative thoughts). There are no eating plans, calorie counts, recipes or exercises; according to Beck, any healthy diet will work if readers learn to think differently about eating and food. Beck's book is like an extended therapy session with a diet coach. (Apr.)
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Has anyone actually eliminated added sugar? I did for 12 months. Doing so as one aspect of improving my digestive permiability assisted me in getting my autoimmune numbers undercontrol, it also aided weight loss and before you ask my calories were used far more efficiently to improve my health and I actually needed more food to function properly.
Many women are susceptible to candida, eliminating sugar which is the primary food for the least helpful yeasts can improve health generally. I know most western medics do not see candida as a "real" issue and dole out antibiotics to clear it. Like the chickenpox virus these yeasts hide within the body and waite for the grams of sugar to pass one's lips to come out again, of corse, chicken pox comes out when a body is under stress. Antibiotics are indiscriminate in general and as a by process elimenate more of the most helpful microbes which are in our internal/external organ the digestive tract defined by a special skin, which should be inhabited by helpful digestive microbes which along with digestive and bile acids ensure, in the healthy body, nothing larger than a sugar molecule enters our internal body leeding to molicule mimicry leeding to autoimmune disorders which are increasing in number and distribution exponentially in the western world. Digestive microbes the beneficial ones are there to enable all facilitate our extracting as much nutrition from our foods as we can.
Here in the UK we have been hearing of the Christmas Drinking Chocolate beverages available on the highstreet some of these particularly one containg fudge flavour contain 17 or was it 19 teaspoonsful of sugar in a single portion! Somewhere in the regeon of 700 calories, I would ask anyone to say a product like this would aid anyone's nutritional needs. Normal chocolate beverages are bad enough with 3 and from experience i know there are many who add even more. I strongly suggest 700 calories could be put to much better use than swaping one'self in dilute sugar.
As for all fruits and veg containg some degree of sugar this is true the benefits of having any fruit or veg as "intended" with pulp/natural fibres and all means the sugars are released and absorpbed more equally along with vital vitamins and minerals rather than draining one's insulin supplies which can drain other glands and organs as the body tried to balance the aftereffects effects. Naturally the soluable and insoluable fibres aid the digestive transit which is between once to three times a day reducing constipation, less frequently than everyday can start one on the way down the slipery slope to ill health. I know this statement will be inflamitory to so many of you, giggle.
This information if you would care to look can be found in the writings of on line integrated physicians who want to help us help ourselves to a better quality of life. I know it is going against the grain to advocate sugar avoidance in this day and age but the health costs are greater than our societies can afford.
I came very close to eliminating added sugar while losing weight (I was eating a 30-calorie tablespoon daily of all-fruit spread that had concentrated fruit juice as about it's 3rd ingredient down the list, and that counts as "added sugar"). I'm sure I ate the occasional small sweetened item (catsup, maybe, or a few M&Ms or whatever . . . but I'm also confident I was well below the WHO/USDA/etc. guidelines (on typical days I've spot-checked, I still am). Super sweet things, as I said in a PP, are just not my jam (heh).
I believe that if I were the typical online over-generalizer (which I'm not accusing you of, BTW), rather than (as I am) an annoyingly pedantic, meticulously over-analyzing kind of personality, I'd probably assert that I cut out all added sugar all during weight loss, and perhaps beyond.
I'm pretty healthy, actually, for a li'l ol' lady, especially so now that I'm at a healthy weight. I have none of the dire conditions listed in your email. It's unlikely that they'll come home to roost "when I'm old", because I'm already pretty old (64).
I know that you (PP) have a complex of difficult symptoms and conditions that are very arduous for you you, and I'm very sorry that that's true. I understand that you've adopted dietary practices distinct from the average, and have found them beneficial. I'm glad that you've found some relief that way. Perhaps others may have a similar experience, and I wouldn't discourage someone with an extreme case from trying extreme measures (as long as they're not so extreme as to be affirmatively dangerous in themselves, of course).
However, your view of biological science is not consistent with my understanding of mainstream biological science, I draw no conclusions about where you learned those things, but the only place I've heard them personally was from a blatantly money-grubbing local chiropractor (I know, not all chiropractors, OK?) who was trying to enroll people for an expensive course of treatments (plus high-cost supplements); and from "nutritionists" who were not registered dietitians, and who lacked other plausible credentials. I know that certain fringe doctors (not all of them MDs or DOs) advocate these ideas, too, and they're usually selling something quite specific, often their secret formulas for optimum health.
I didn't click "disagree" on your post, and I support your right to pursue health in any way you choose, but I do disagree with your very non-standard view of human biology.
No ma'am, your a jacked granny.Theoldguy1 wrote: »I won't say I've eliminated sugar. For all practical purposes I have in fact done just that but I won't say it because of the irrational replies it invokes from people who act offended by the possibility.
For me, it came about gradually by phasing out categories of "foods" one at a time. Didn't switch to sweeteners. Just got used to, and eventually came to prefer foods unsweetened. I never swore an oath of sugar abstinence though. Last year I might have made a cup of hot cocoa three or four times. I might have three or four next year too. If pressed I could come up with more examples of very occasional use.
One of the last regular uses was adding brown sugar to the morning porridge but I weaned myself off that and now it's fine either naturally sweetened with fruit or savory. I've lost over 60 pounds so far and have another 40 or so to go to get to normal or healthy weight. When I get there, maybe I'll consider having an occasional dessert. But until then it's easier to skip them altogether than struggle with moderation. If moderating food came easy I wouldn't have become obese in the first place. To all the people who will have the irresistible compulsion to click disagree, I remind you, I'm not taking a position one way or the other on what you should do. And maybe I'll add that if the original poster decides to eliminate added sugars, that won't affect you either.
So you don't eat any fruits? Where do you get some of the key vitamins and minerals from then?
Well only 10% of the US population gets the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables in their diet so I would assume they are getting them (or, unfortunately, more likely not getting them) from the same source as 90% of the population.
https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2017/p1116-fruit-vegetable-consumption.html
Sad but true bubba....5 -
AnnPT77, I value all the posts of yours I have come across. I think we can only speak from our experiences.
I was speaking as someone who has damaged systems, anyone who is not so damaged can eat all the sugar they wish and for the time being, I would hope for life, not experienceing any issues.
I was talking in vague terms with my Chineese doctor yesterday. It seems, on her list there has been someone who had joint replacements at 34, continued their "normal" eating plan packed with least advised foods by her and the western medical professional and wonders why at 40 they were wracked with referred pain from poor posture and more.
I happen to know if I have too much sugar "for me" my arthritic knee start to hurt. Its self preservation to keep sugar of all kinds low. I also know, if I have higher dietary salicylate, (the method most plants use to protect themselves from moulds and mildews and stuff), I get specific joint pain. Salicylate is related to aspirin, I discovered this link, as I have said many times before; being human i would forget to take pain relief before my workout, then had no pain. On the occasions I did use pain relief I was in absolute agony. I report this to my NHS doctors as relivant, to have this "personal fact" dismissed. I did talk freely of it with a Professor in Immunology and he fully understood and wanted to work with me but the local practice said NO. Needless to say, as well as taking capsules to aid salicylate digestion I choose my "poison" carefully. Small oranges are a step too far for me, where as the fresh ginger tea seeems to get past my defiences because it has other beneficial elements, for me.
All anyone can do is what is right for them. My greatest achievement in the last 20 years is to have discovered what ails me and how to improve things, at a time when it seems it is generally considdered I should curl up and simply give up. In my view Life has always been too short to do other than work to achive "one's best quality of life" and now I'm way more active than I was from my 30's to 50's by identifying my systematic disfunctions and finding a way past the blockages. My wish is that no one has to endure the disabilities I did and will encourage anyone to read, learn and discover "what is apropriate to them".
I'm one very comfortable great grandmother, great in disignation not of personally inflated opinion. As long as all goes well there will be 5 of these little people by the summer for me to be activly involved with, I want to achieve special smiles with all of them, because they will all be incredibly special people. (for those who can't do maths I'm 70. Sorry I am very British we don't do math, there is more than one fascet to maths)
Edit: the link offered by psychod 787 is now "historic" therefore not updated or otherwise supported.2 -
Sugar is addictive.
Source?
Since your body, sooner or later, converts all food to sugar (since this is the only form in which your cells can extract the energy from what you eat) you can only get "addicted" to sugar in the same way that you are addicted to water: You die if you don't get enough and an "overdose" will kill you too (in case of water this process is called "drowning").
Is it probably as, with most of what we eat, that the dosis defines what's poisonous?4 -
Watch the documentary "Sugar Coated". It's very interesting and helped motivate me to as best I can only have fruit and limited honey in my everyday food plan. As much as possible I stay away from all added sugar except for family celebrations or special events. Eating anything with added sugar makes me crave more. What book are you reading?2
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Thank you for sharing that documentary, will definitely be checking into it today. My personal experience has been that sugar creates a huge brain fog for me and increases inflammation. Inflammation causes all sorts of bad stuff in our bodies. Is it just sugar? Maybe, maybe not. Because all the sugar I used to eat usually came with the added fat of processed foods so I cannot say for sure.
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Thanks for recommendation...
There are some in the challenge who are doing 0 added sugar: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10769530/30-day-logging-limiting-added-sugar-challenge/p1
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Watch the documentary "Sugar Coated". It's very interesting and helped motivate me to as best I can only have fruit and limited honey in my everyday food plan. As much as possible I stay away from all added sugar except for family celebrations or special events. Eating anything with added sugar makes me crave more. What book are you reading?
I just listened to the "Sugar Coated" documentary. IMHO, just another Lustig/Taubes propaganda doc. What surprised me was they had Dr. Freedoff, i think that's how you spell it, on the Doc. I actually respect him as an obesity researcher in general. I do wonder how much editing went into his parts. He is not anti sugar so much as an anti BS dietary style.
*edit* now while I think the message spread by Taubes and Lustig that sugar is the sole cause of obesity is not only wrong but irresponsible, I don't disagree that the amount of added sugar in the affluent diet is highly excessive and has contributed to our obesity epidemic. Though, to make it out as the "dragon" that needs to be slain is not right. I think obesity is more like a 7 headed hydra. High amounts of added sugars just being one of them. We have to address the other 6 heads if we want to survive. We as humans like black and white reasoning. This is "bad" is easy for us to understand. Rant over.13 -
Watch the documentary "Sugar Coated". It's very interesting and helped motivate me to as best I can only have fruit and limited honey in my everyday food plan. As much as possible I stay away from all added sugar except for family celebrations or special events. Eating anything with added sugar makes me crave more. What book are you reading?
As much as possible I stay away from documentaries...11 -
I was diagnosed with Type II diabetes in February, and one of the lifestyle changes I made was to completely eliminate processed sugar. I eat a lot of fruit and veg, so I get quite a lot of unprocessed sugar in my diet.
Since then, I've lost over 40 pounds and reversed the diabetes. It's likely that I could re-introduce sugar without adverse impact - my understanding is that the reversal is largely down to weight loss rather than dietary micro-nutrients.
However, I lack self control and have a sweet tooth. I find abstinence is a lot easier to implement than moderation. So I am likely to continue with the abstinence.
As others have said, without medical reason there is limited benefit to cutting out sugar, so I'm not recommending my approach to anyone else.16 -
I was diagnosed with Type II diabetes in February, and one of the lifestyle changes I made was to completely eliminate processed sugar. I eat a lot of fruit and veg, so I get quite a lot of unprocessed sugar in my diet.
Since then, I've lost over 40 pounds and reversed the diabetes. It's likely that I could re-introduce sugar without adverse impact - my understanding is that the reversal is largely down to weight loss rather than dietary micro-nutrients.
However, I lack self control and have a sweet tooth. I find abstinence is a lot easier to implement than moderation. So I am likely to continue with the abstinence.
As others have said, without medical reason there is limited benefit to cutting out sugar, so I'm not recommending my approach to anyone else.
This is a solid post. You clearly know there is nothing inherently wrong with sugar and at the same time are self aware enough to know what the best course of action is for you. Bravo!12 -
I came very close to eliminating added sugar while losing weight (I was eating a 30-calorie tablespoon daily of all-fruit spread that had concentrated fruit juice as about its 3rd ingredient down the list, and that counts as "added sugar"). I'm sure I ate the occasional small sweetened item (catsup, maybe, or a few M&Ms or whatever . . . but I'm also confident I was well below the WHO/USDA/etc. guidelines (on typical days I've spot-checked, I still am). Super sweet things, as I said in a PP, are just not my jam (heh).
I believe that if I were the typical online over-generalizer (which I'm not accusing you of, BTW), rather than (as I am) an annoyingly pedantic, meticulously over-analyzing kind of personality, I'd probably assert that I cut out all added sugar all during weight loss, and perhaps beyond.
Heh, nice to meet another annoyingly pedantic, meticulously over-analyzing type. ;-)
My mind just works in such a way that I could never say I cut out something unless I was really 100% doing so. (This is also why I do understand those who point out that lots of nutrient dense foods contain sugar and that there's no difference between the sugars at issue, the difference is that some foods offer more nutritional benefits and some -- for me, only those also containing fat -- might be easy to overindulge in.)
I did in fact try cutting out added sugar 100% when I first started losing, in part because of all the hype, and in part as an experiment since there were so many claims about how hard it is and how you will be shocked to see that added sugar is in everything. I found it pretty easy -- like you, my weakness isn't really sugary foods, although I enjoy some of them, and I already generally ate mostly whole foods and cooked a lot from scratch. My main source of added sugar before I did the experiment was snacky stuff that would be at my office which I would eat basically because it was there, and--more rarely--treats I would intentionally make or purchase. I cut out that stuff just in connection with cutting cals (it was one of the easier ways for me to do so, and not really a sacrifice). When I was obsessively reading labels and avoiding added sugar, I didn't find a lot of surprises. I did avoid some condiments (sriracha, for example), that I otherwise would have consumed, but I mostly eat whole foods anyway, and the ones that had sugar still weren't contributing much sugar (or cals) to my diet, although because I am committed to experiments when I do them, I cut them out anyway.
I never added sugar to oatmeal or coffee, consumed sugary beverages or cereal, or flavored yogurt, or added sugar to recipes (other than very rarely), don't eat jam or jelly, make dressings from scratch (and I dislike sweetness in dressings), etc.
In any event, I found cutting out sugar neither difficult nor left-changing, and when I continued on I readded sugar, both the small incidental amounts in some condiments, occasional recipes that called for honey, and also occasionally about 200 cal of ice cream for dessert or something similar. Having incidental sugar and even occasional dessert didn't make it harder for me -- I saw the dessert as basically replacing some other higher cal food that I had less of, and never ate it if I didn't have the calories. I really don't understand the drama about sugar or demonization of it -- I don't see eating a dessert food as much different than, say, eating the same cals from cheese or choosing higher fat content for a burger (or adding a bun) or having some pulled pork vs. a leaner cut of meat. Obviously if particular foods are harder to control, one should figure out the best way to handle this, but I agree with those who have pointed out that it's rarely just sugar -- not if one can moderate fruit and tends to overindulge on specific treat items. (Personally, I have more trouble with other types of foods than sweet ones.)
I have found on occasion that getting back into the habit of NOT mindless snacking can, for me, be aided by strictly cutting out sweets too, so the second Jan I was dieting I again cut out most added sugar (technically, dessert type foods) to get back into it after I'd slipped into some bad habits again over the holidays. This time I didn't bother with condiments and so on.
For whatever reason, over the last year I've basically lost my interest in desserts, so although I have not been intentionally avoiding added sugar (as people usually mean it), I effectively was. We'll see if this changes with Christmas.8 -
If tracking calories is what has worked for you in the past, why start worrying about sugar now?
Sugar doesn't cause weight gain. Excess calories do.13 -
RelCanonical wrote: »RelCanonical wrote: »I won't say I've eliminated sugar. For all practical purposes I have in fact done just that but I won't say it because of the irrational replies it invokes from people who act offended by the possibility.
For me, it came about gradually by phasing out categories of "foods" one at a time. Didn't switch to sweeteners. Just got used to, and eventually came to prefer foods unsweetened. I never swore an oath of sugar abstinence though. Last year I might have made a cup of hot cocoa three or four times. I might have three or four next year too. If pressed I could come up with more examples of very occasional use.
One of the last regular uses was adding brown sugar to the morning porridge but I weaned myself off that and now it's fine either naturally sweetened with fruit or savory. I've lost over 60 pounds so far and have another 40 or so to go to get to normal or healthy weight. When I get there, maybe I'll consider having an occasional dessert. But until then it's easier to skip them altogether than struggle with moderation. If moderating food came easy I wouldn't have become obese in the first place. To all the people who will have the irresistible compulsion to click disagree, I remind you, I'm not taking a position one way or the other on what you should do. And maybe I'll add that if the original poster decides to eliminate added sugars, that won't affect you either.
So you don't eat any fruits? Where do you get some of the key vitamins and minerals from then?
I just saw in another post that he had beets in his diary. Where do people think refined sugar generally comes from? Cane and...beets.
FTR, sugar beets are a different cultivar from regular vegetable beets. Very different. Look more like a fat, stubby parsnip.
Both got that delicious sugar.
Sure. Lots in the one case (sugar beets), not much in the other (regular red beets).
Dog cookies and Pepperidge Farm Sausalito Milk Chocolate Macadamia Cookies are both "cookies", too, but I'd only eat the latter. Just not the same, not close.
Even if in the debate section, the beet thing . . . ?
According to https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169145/nutrients , about three-quarters of the calories in regular beets are from sugar. I wouldn't call that "not so much, even if it's less than in the beets grown for sugar.2 -
Persons who thrive in restriction, and self imposed restraint do well with eliminating the added sugar (usually up to the fifth ingredient) because such will encompass a lot of calorie dense foods and snacks.2
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