What is the best way to cut out sugar?

blue25

I would argue that sugar is actually poisonous to the body, especially in excess. It caused me huge problems with inflammation and cutting it out has made a life changing difference to my health.

Read “Pure, White & Deadly” by John Rudkin. It’s fascinating

How is it poisonous ie toxic?

People have been eating sugar in plant foods since farming first started.

There is some good advice on here although some is conflicting.

The one thing I would say is to avoid anything containing aspartame because many consider this to be far worse for you than a small amount of sugar.

Generally speaking, I would say avoid processed foods, foods labelled as low sugar as they may contain aspartame and cook from scratch.

It is better to retrain your taste buds than to change to artificial sweeteners.

I would argue that sugar is actually poisonous to the body, especially in excess. It caused me huge problems with inflammation and cutting it out has made a life changing difference to my health.

Read “Pure, White & Deadly” by John Rudkin. It’s fascinating

Good post Rabbit

Madgran77

Erythritol - buy it health shop. Natural product from plants and very sweet so need very little to sweeten. 0 calories!

I don't sweeten anything anyway.

biba70

janeainsworth

most sugar does in people's diet/s does NOT come from sweet things
I’m not exactly sure what this sentence means, but where does it come from then Biba? Surely it depends on the person’s diet.
A single muffin can contain more then the daily recommended allowance of sugar.

of course it depends on what people eat. But the comment was something like 'cut out sweet things'. Someone can have a low 'apparent' sugar diet, no sugar in tea or coffee, no sweet drinks or cakes, etc - and still have a massive 'hidden' sugar intake hidden mainly in carbs- hence the need to understand how carbs turn to sugar, and about glycemic index and starches, etc. So eat new potatoes rather than starchy jackets, basmati rice rather than sticky, wash cooked pasta and re-heat (to wash off starch), etc.

When people eat a food containing carbohydrates, the digestive system breaks down the digestible ones into sugar, which enters the blood very quickly.

Which is why I cut down carbs (not just sugar) to a minimum.

Erythritol - buy it health shop. Natural product from plants and very sweet so need very little to sweeten. 0 calories!

janeainsworth

^most sugar does in people's diet/s does NOT come from sweet things^
I’m not exactly sure what this sentence means, but where does it come from then Biba? Surely it depends on the person’s diet.
A single muffin can contain more then the daily recommended allowance of sugar.

of course it depends on what people eat. But the comment was something like 'cut out sweet things'. Someone can have a low 'apparent' sugar diet, no sugar in tea or coffee, no sweet drinks or cakes, etc - and still have a massive 'hidden' sugar intake hidden mainly in carbs- hence the need to understand how carbs turn to sugar, and about glycemic index and starches, etc. So eat new potatoes rather than starchy jackets, basmati rice rather than sticky, wash cooked pasta and re-heat (to wash off starch), etc.

When people eat a food containing carbohydrates, the digestive system breaks down the digestible ones into sugar, which enters the blood very quickly.

janeainsworth

Maizie I would count a muffin as savoury, but I'm thinking of the bread type muffin, not what we used to call 'buns'. What were you thinking of?

Not the savoury kind but the sweet kind like chocolate or blueberry muffins, which as you say we used to call buns.

Growstuff the sugar in whole fruit isn’t as harmful as added sugar or sugar in fruit juice or smoothies, because it’s contained within the cells of the fruit and is slowly absorbed from the intestine rather than being rapidly absorbed from the stomach & creating a blood sugar spike.

Well, I think it is as harmful - it's the same stuff - but fruit and veg contain good stuff too and it's impossible to eat one without the other.

For diabetics, it doesn't really matter how long the sugar takes to be absorbed. It's absorbed in the end anyway. The advantage from eating wholefoods is that people feel fuller for longer, so don't eat as much.

The point I'm really making is that it's impossible to have a healthy, balanced diet without eating sugar.

PS. The sugar in my diet doesn't come from sweet stuff because I don't eat it. I don't eat bread, pasta, rice, pastry, biscuits, cake, sweets, chocolate or have sweet drinks. My sugar comes from vegetables, fruit and milk products.

Maizie I would count a muffin as savoury, but I'm thinking of the bread type muffin, not what we used to call 'buns'. What were you thinking of?

Not the savoury kind but the sweet kind like chocolate or blueberry muffins, which as you say we used to call buns.

Growstuff the sugar in whole fruit isn’t as harmful as added sugar or sugar in fruit juice or smoothies, because it’s contained within the cells of the fruit and is slowly absorbed from the intestine rather than being rapidly absorbed from the stomach & creating a blood sugar spike.

Maizie It does. Fat has 9 calories per gram. Carbs and protein have 4. However, fat (especially "good" fat) is useful for stabilising glucose levels and tends to leave a person feeling fuller for longer.

Situpstraight2

Bluesky go onto Pinterest - masses of low carb Vegan meals on there, you don’t want or need no Carb, just low carb or Keto recipes

Be careful of American recipes.

Americans have a different way of counting sugar in food. They differentiate between added sugar and intrinsic (?) sugar, so an apple wouldn't contain any sugar. However, an average apple contains about 10 g of sugar. The maximum recommended daily intake of sugar for women is 25g. An apple, of course, contains fibre and some vitamins, which are good for you. However, eat too many of them and the sugar will soon add up. Some dieticians will even claim that the sugar in an apple is "good" sugar. It isn't. It's still sugar, but it's impossible to get enough of all the other good stuff without eating sugar.

janeainsworth

^most sugar does in people's diet/s does NOT come from sweet things^
I’m not exactly sure what this sentence means, but where does it come from then Biba? Surely it depends on the person’s diet.
A single muffin can contain more then the daily recommended allowance of sugar.

The answer is partly in the post above yours, Janeainsworth. A lot of prepared savoury foods contain more sugar than you would even imagine that they could. Indeed, some you would never have thought contained sugar at all, but they do...

I would count a muffin as savoury, but I'm thinking of the bread type muffin, not what we used to call 'buns'. What were you thinking of?

It is much better to cook from scratch because you know exactly what is going into a dish. I think it tastes better too because it doesn't have that bland processed flavour. Though I do appreciate that not everyone likes to cook from scratch, or have the time to do it.

I'd be keeping an eye out for excess fat, too, As I recall, gramme for gramme, fat has far more calories than carbs or protein.

most sugar does in people's diet/s does NOT come from sweet things
I’m not exactly sure what this sentence means, but where does it come from then Biba? Surely it depends on the person’s diet.
A single muffin can contain more then the daily recommended allowance of sugar.

I have started making my own sauces instead of jar ones as they contain a lot of sugar.
Also if I make anything from a recipe with sugar in it I half the amount I put in, and no one ever tastes the difference or complains.

Thanks Situpstraight will have a look!

grannyrebel7

Do you take sugar in your tea or coffee? If so that's a great way to start cutting it out as you'd be surprised how it all adds up. Also try organic porridge for breakfast.

I don't have sugar in tea, and have about half a spoon in coffee - I find it too bitter without it. I only have one cup a day, though, so there's not too much damage there, although I agree that I could cut it out, or cut out the coffee, which might be easier.

Baggs

At the risk of seeming glib, I suggest that a good start in trying to cut down on sugar is to stop eating sweet stuff.

Disclaimer: I haven't read the thread. I'm replying to the OP.

That's really helpful - thanks. I wouldn't have thought of that .

I didn't think I would be able to eliminate all sugars in all foods. There have been some useful tips on the thread about what to look for, so thanks to those who passed those on. Maybe I need to be more drastic, but I am working on the theory that doing something achievable is better than attempting a diet that I'll abandon on January 1st.

We'll see how it goes. I am sure to get chocolate at Christmas, so it might be a plan that is doomed from the start, but I would like to be ready for when my turn comes to get the vaccine and be able to feel comfortable in my 'going out' clothes as opposed to the 'ok for in the house' ones I've been wearing since March.

Bluesky go onto Pinterest - masses of low carb Vegan meals on there, you don’t want or need no Carb, just low carb or Keto recipes

Do you take sugar in your tea or coffee? If so that's a great way to start cutting it out as you'd be surprised how it all adds up. Also try organic porridge for breakfast.

biba70

which is exactly what people who have not got a clue, say.

Yes, cut sweet stuff- but most sugar does in people's diet/s does NOT come from sweet things. So yes, a bit glib and not particularly useful.

The issue is why people want to cut out sugar completely. It's not a poison. I agree with Baggs it's a good start and then I'd read the labels on any manufactured foods. I always read "sugars" and "carbohydrates" because I try to limit carbs in addition to sugar (but not eliminate entirely). If I wanted to lose weight, I'd be careful of calories too. The problem with cutting down on sugar is that it's very easy to replace it with fat. I do eat "value added sugar" such as fruit, but in limited quantities.

PS. One advantage of manufactured foods is that the manufacturers do the counting for you.

A good start though, biba, don't you think? Then, when you've cracked that one, you move on to other carbs perhaps.

One step at a time.

which is exactly what people who have not got a clue, say.

Yes, cut sweet stuff- but most sugar does in people's diet/s does NOT come from sweet things. So yes, a bit glib and not particularly useful.

At the risk of seeming glib, I suggest that a good start in trying to cut down on sugar is to stop eating sweet stuff.

Disclaimer: I haven't read the thread. I'm replying to the OP.

I once had a GP, who was as thin as a rake and a great meat eater. She used to call veggies "crunchy carbs".