My life without sugar

[Johnny2X2X]

To give some background, I'm a mid 40s white male with a desk job. I didn't struggle with my weight until I was about 30 years old. I've always been muscular, especially in the lower body, but I started storing fat in my 30s. I'm 5-11 and my weight has fluctuated between 230 and 250 most of the last decade.

My weight effects my health and that's the reason for wanting to lose some. I don't believe weight is the end all be all predictor of health, you can be very healthy and have and extra 40 pounds. My best friend is of roughly the same dimensions as me and he's a triathlete.

I've tried some diets with varying degrees of success, but I am more convinced than ever that sugar is responsible for the bulk of my health issues. So several weeks ago I cut it out. Not entirely, but I am closely monitoring my intake and trying to stay within the 25 grams a day that used to be what was recommended. I treat all sugars the same because the body processes all sugars the same. Sorry fruit lovers, while there is zero doubt an apple is better for you than a brownie, for my diet I am treating them as the same amount of sugar roughly.

6 weeks in now and it's a dramatic difference. Here are some of the things I am noticing:

1. My appetite is much much less. I believe sugar tricks you into being hungry when you are not. Without a high sugar diet I am more likely to eat less or even skip a meal if I'm not hungry.

2. Weight loss. Obviously I've seen some weight come off and the fat on my belly is shrinking almost daily.

3, Energy. I'm more active in the Summer anyway, so I timed this diet with that to maximize effect, but I am getting so much done on my house right now and not feeling as sore as I anticipated feeling.

4. Sleeping better. Falling asleep more easily and not waking up as often. Feeling more rested when I wake in the morning.

5. Concentration. I feel more able to concentrate at work and stay on task longer.

So far it's been pretty amazing. I cut out sweets altogether, but I basically eat what ever I want as long as I can count the grams of sugar in it. I try to keep it under 25 grams, but don't worry if I'm closer to 30 or 35 some days. I don't think most Americans have any idea how much added sugar they consume and what that does to their bodies. The agricultural lobby is powerful and healthier eating would cut their profits so they fight people having the knowledge they need to make better choices.

We're a culture addicted to sugar and dying from it and we don't even know it. Hope I can keep it up because this seems to have the potential to be life changing for me.

[in2herbs]

1. There is a growing shift in the medical community attributing high blood pressure to

a high sugar intake, not salt, so your diet is doing more good for you than you thought.

[woodsprite]

3. Oh, hadn't heard that. I'll have to look into it.

I'm diabetic (3 yrs now) with high bp. For years, I have watched my sodium intake, so the possible sugar connection makes sense to me. I was doing really well with my carb control, but have fallen "off the wagon" -- rather far "off the wagon" -- over the past 9-10 months. Of the 40 lbs I had lost, I have still kept 33 of it off, but I need to get the scale and my glucose numbers moving in the other direction again.

I was thinking of making my own "Eat this, not that" list with low carb/low sugar alternative choices.

[Johnny2X2X]

4. Wow

It seems to me that sugar is very profitable for the food industry so they are interested in keeping people from knowing all the health consequences around it.

It is highly addictive and has far reaching health effects. Some people are more susceptible to its addictive properties and are literally helpless to stop. It's like being addicted to drugs and trying to quit only to be offered drugs dozens of times a day, be advertised drugs hundreds or thousands of times a day, and to even have those that love you encouraging you to do drugs every day. How can you kick sugar under those conditions? Especially when you might be eating something that you had no idea had sugar in it.

You look around and see so many people suffering and it's just got to be something more than poor self control. So not only do millions of people have an addiction that is killing them, but they're trained to hate themselves for it. It's sad and a tragedy. It's also another product of the greedy corporate culture in this country.

[Shanti Mama]

2. Wonderful! me, too

I've been more or less off sugar for a few years. I'm not fanatic about it and will enjoy a delicious dessert when served to me, but don't intentionally put any form of it in my diet. My decrease in appetite has been substantial, but I do need saturated fat from animals to feel satiated. I'm fine with this as my reading has led me to believe that we've all been terribly misled by the "saturated fat is bad" bandwagon.

Good luck in your continued success!

[Johnny2X2X]

6. Thank you!

I tend to agree with you on the fat part of this to an extent. I think this whole crisis started in the 80s when scientists learned too much fat can be bad for you, so then the no fat kick started. Only food tastes bad when there is no fat in it, so food producers started putting sugar in everything to make it taste better. That's when the girth of the nation started getting bigger and it's never stopped growing.

[ginnyinWI]

15. Try more fiber.

As a vegetarian, I feel full when I get plenty of fiber from beans, potatoes and vegetables. I also use olive oil.

[Shanti Mama]

19. I was a veg for more than 20 years

It took good, grass fed ruminants and appropriately raised chicken and pigs for me to regain my health. To each her own.

[Merlot]

35. Not being a meat eater, I get the bulk of my fats from avocados.

I avoid added (hidden) sugar by not eating processed foods.

BTW, tortillia chips, which I love, have added sugar. I tried the organic brands and they also have added sugar. Hard to find a good chip without sugar added.

One of the things I've noticed is when I eat to much sugar my joints bother me. I'd notice it in my fingers and hands. For years my hands were always stiff. Now, without the sugar that has gone away.

[Ohiogal]

47. Makes sense since I read that sugar acts as an inflammatory

And inflammatory foods are bad for arthritis and cancer cells feed on sugar, too.

[CousinIT]

5. Big Ag want everyone addicted to sugar and salt

That's why they dump so much of the crap in literally everything.

It's nerdy but better for you to be an avid label reader.

I cut out refined sugar years ago and sodium to 1500 mg/ day (about half the RDA - which by the way is the RDA if you're over 50 or 55. Over that age, you need to half your sodium - nobody ever tells you that except maybe your doctor if they're worth anything).

I love fruit (blueberries, strawberries, bananas, melons in Summer) but probably don't eat more than 2-4 servings/day (may still be too much!).

I cut out sweets (cake, cookies, candy, ice cream, pie) eons ago. Never touch the stuff, or fried foods. And I'm vegan.

People say "whatever do you eat!?"

Trust me there's plenty to eat without junk food, sweets, meat or animal products or fried foods.

Big Ag LOVES for American consumers to be ADDICTED to all that crap. Keep THEM in business AND keeps the health insurance industry humming, collecting $$$ for diabetes, high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, obesity, and cancer.

Humans think they need all that crap. They don't. They're just addicted to it. And, it's killing them and in the case of animal products, it's killing the planet too, so there's that.

[Johnny2X2X]

7. Good for you!

For me, I wasn't diabetic, but I would find myself feeling low blood sugar and queasy if I missed a meal, it's like I had to eat to keep from feeling bad. That was gone within the first few weeks. I believe that was definitely part of the addiction and part of what sugar does to your liver.

Sugar is a horrible addiction IMO. Health professionals need to start seeing it as such.

Exercise is dependent on getting sugar addiction under control too. When you're in this addiction you feel ill when you don't eat, you feel low energy when you do eat, and you pack on pounds. All of this makes exercising more and more difficult. It begins with diet IMO.

[hlthe2b]

74. That is a very good point re: too much sugar which results in poorly controlled blood sugar/insulin

resistance and difficulty in exercising. Not to mention the added inflammatory insults to joints and muscles.

Too many refined carbs/sugar do make you "lazy" and the addiction becomes a vicious cycle.

[rurallib]

8. Curious - do you ever use artificial sweeteners or drink diet sodas?

[Johnny2X2X]

10. I have 1 16 oz diet coke at lunch 5 days a week

I realize artificial sweeteners can mimic the negative effects of sugar on my body. 5 fountain drink diet cokes a week is what I limit myself to. I'd probably be better off with zero.

Low sugar (no artificial sweetener) in my coffee creamer.

[Towlie]

27. I use lots of artifical sweetener, mostly sucralose (Splenda). It has no harmful effect whatsoever.

Artificial sweeteners don't "mimic" anything negative, and there's no credible scientific evidence that there's anything bad about them. Don't listen to the myths spread by the sugar industry.

[empedocles]

9. My sinuses tell me to reduce sugar

[Johnny2X2X]

11. How so?

It's allergy season coming up here in MI, I'm wondering if my new diet might help that too.

[empedocles]

12. Breathe better

[Ohiogal]

13. Your post is very encouraging to me!

About two months ago, I decided to eat a low carb diet, after talking with a friend who did the same and has had some really beneficial health results. Sugar is a carb, so the low carb-low sugar thing go hand in hand.

It's not been easy, because I love sweets and have always had a sweet tooth.

Like you, I monitor how many grams I take in per day, but don't get too fanatical about it. I can pretty much ditch the carbs like bread, pasta, cereal, potatoes, and rice without much trouble, but it's the sweets that are the hardest for me.

I've lost only 6 lbs. but that's better than nothing. My digestion has improved so far. I take a low dose med for high blood pressure and that is remaining at a good number.

Everyone here is so right that there's sugar in virtually everything we eat. It's actually hard to get away from it. No wonder obesity and diabetes are so prevalent in our society. My mom had adult onset diabetes and she had several major health issues that came from it, although she refused to watch her diet.

One thing I notice is that many people drink a lot of soda pop and that's one of the worst things. My son who works in a grocery store said he sees many people with carts loaded up with soda pop and nothing else all the time.

OK I don't mean to be the food police, here. Everybody is welcome to do what they want .... but I wanted to say thank you for posting and I hope we both can keep it up!

[Johnny2X2X]

14. I did Atkins years ago

It was not maintainable for me. I lost a ton of weight, but gained it all back and then some. And I agree now, a lot of the benefits I got from Atkins were just due to cutting sugar out.

I do not like sugared sodas, so that makes it easier for me I guess. And there are 3 times the daily recommended amount of sugar in just 1 20 oz bottle of some sodas. So it's an insane amount of sugar.

And the real crime is that this is barely talked about and the food industry lobbies successfully to keep this information from us. 1 soda a day is too many to be healthy for most (not all) people, period.

Edit: Also, digestion is also a lot better for me. Much healthier in that regards.

[Ohiogal]

17. When I was a teenager

I loved Coke. I drank a Coke every day when I got home from school. Now, Coke doesn't taste good to me any more. Probably because they sweeten it with high fructose corn syrup instead of real sugar. Since the Coke manufacturers have done that, I drank a lot less soda pop, and for the last couple years, drank zero soda pop. I still like a fizzy drink, though, so now I drink zero calorie zero sweetened flavored seltzer water.

I almost flipped when I saw how much sugar is in one 20 oz. bottle of Coke now. You are right, it's insane!

[rwsanders]

84. And I think few people realize a gram is about a teaspoon. And no sane person would sit and eat 32

teaspoons of sugar, but think nothing of downing a few cokes.

[samplegirl]

92. We cut out all sugary drinks

years ago. Working on whole food more plant based diet.

[jmbar2]

21. Your post is extremely helpful.

I'm on the merry-go-round, knowing that I need more exercise, but never finding the right window of time when I'm not either having just eaten, or in a sugar low.

Could you share a typical day's menu with us? Also, do you drink milk? That's my weakness.

[Johnny2X2X]

29. Yesterday

Yesterday, I had a thermos of coffee with low sugar creamer, about 3 grams. Junkless breakfast bar for breakfast, 6 grams of sugar. Lunch was a big salad from my work's salad bar, lots of greens, vegetables, some protein and cheese. 2 packets of raspberry vinegarette dressing at 3 grams of sugar each. I skipped dinner yesterday, had some chips that contained a couple grams of sugar and had a few beers after working on my yard. Probably between 20 and 25 grams of sugar for the day.

Today is the end of my week and I'll probably cheat a little today and go out for Thai. No idea the grams of sugar on the peanut sauce that comes on my noodles, but it's probably close to my daily limit.

Tomorrow I'll eat a big steak with almost no steak sauce. Some potatoes, and I might eat a half ear of corn on the cob which will be most of my sugar intake.

[jmbar2]

55. Thanks for the good ideas !

[LiberalLovinLug]

88. I always thought taxing soda pop was a good idea

Even just a couple of pennies added onto a sugar drink can be put towards health costs incurred. I think Chicago tried to do this and failed. And New York I believe was set to implement size restrictions on take out cups size, no more of those gallon size pops.

But I was shocked that so many Democrats were against it! Very shocked to watch a Daily Show episode with Jon Stewart mocking this New York proposition. I guess all Americans share this drawing the line at freedom of choice....for how much junk food and sugar we absorb. It just seems to be more of a health/safety issue than a harmless choice. Like seat belt laws overroad peoples freedom of choice....because in the end it saves lives and money. I don't get Democrats or liberals not seeing how sugar is a poison, and is killing us. Like nicotine products, it should be taxed more. Then you'd see people cut down voluntarily.

[ginnyinWI]

16. All successful diets limit sugar.

From low carb to Mediterranean. Paleo to Whole Foods Plant-Based. That should tell us something.

[Johnny2X2X]

22. And yet it's barely talked about

Even Michelle Obama, when she first got to the White House, was stopped from talking about diet and sugar primarily as part of her health campaign. Her campaign started out about eating better and limiting sugar, but quite obviously to me the Sugar (Agro) Lobby put a stop to it and it turned into a "Get moving" campaign.

Sugar's harmful health effects and addictive nature should be talked about every night on the news. There should be zero Americans who don't know exactly what sugar does to their body if we wanted to tackle our obesity health crisis. We have a long way to go to get to that.

[Ohiogal]

48. That was such a travesty

how Michelle Obama was ridiculed solely for wanting our kids to eat better in school!

My kids would tell me what the school cafeteria served them back then and it was awful, nothing but starch, sugar, and salt.

[Johnny2X2X]

60. The fact sugar is allowed in schools at all is criminal

For us to deal with our american health crisis, sugar needs to be started being treated like a drug. We're forcing an addictive and deadly drug on our children in schools. Children are addicted and cannot stop and it's killing them and making their lives so hard.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

18. The trick sugar plays is it contains empty calories. Body craves nutrition so it craves food. . . nt

[Johnny2X2X]

23. I agree

Also, sugar tricks the liver into signaling the body to store fat and take in more calories.

[Cousin Dupree]

20. Thank you for your encouraging post. I've been doing low carb for 2 weeks.

[Johnny2X2X]

24. You're welcome

Low carbs can make a big difference and get you started towards your goals.

[karin_sj]

25. Thanks for sharing your experience

I’ve been hooked on sugar for a long, long time & you’ve inspired me to try again to cut down on it. I want those health & energy benefits too!

[bearfan454]

26. Around 20 years ago I lost 80 lbs in a year and a half

It was totally from eliminating ALL sugar. Mrs bearfan said it was my OCD being applied to sugar but I didn't care. I read every label on everything I thought about eating. The listed ingredients are deceiving. Anything white is a starch and turns to sugar in your bloodstream. Fructose, dextrose, maltose, and many other things are not required to be listed as sugar on the ingredients list. Read the ingredients listed below to see what kind of sugars it has. Five years ago I decided to get a little healthier so I brought some cantaloupe for break at work every morning. I did it for about 4 or 5 months and when I went to the VA for blood work I was at diabetic level. I thought it was processed sugar only but it isn't. Any type of sugar or labeling disguised sugar is bad.

[Johnny2X2X]

31. Wow

I know it won't be a popular opinion here, but as far as I have studied, your body treats sugars the same. An apple will be treated by the liver the same way as a cookie sugar wise. An apple is healthier because of the fiber and vitamins, but as far as sugar goes it's going to contribute to sugar addiction and the results of that addiction the same.

Your experience with cantaloupe isn't surprising at all to me.

Again, you're better off getting sugars from fruits than sodas for instance, but the added sugar can still lead to problems.

[DarleenMB]

61. Sorry but that is not at all correct

I used to say the same, but fructose (and high fructose corn syrup) are handled way differently than ordinary table sugar. I recommend 3 books in a post further down. Plenty of information about sugar and it's effects can be found there. And sugar is not addictive the way wheat is. They are both BAD NEWS and are the main contributors to what we think of as the diseases of aging. I'm permanently off both.

[ginnyinWI]

68. cantaloupe is high on the glycemic index scale.

Rule of thumb is that most if not all of the tropical grown fruits are: bananas are another one. The ones grown in the temperate zones like apples, pears, berries are not as high. I guess it's that the hotter the weather, the higher the sugar content.

[Pepsidog]

28. Great post. Sugar is indeed addicting and reducing sugar intake has many benefits to your health.

[Rollo]

30. Try limiting all carbs...

Simple starches such as in bread, rice, potatoes are rapidly broken down to sugar in the gut (the process starts in the mouth!). Limiting sugar is fine, but unless you also limit carbs you're still getting plenty.

I know, carbs are cheap, and because they can absorb so many flavors are usually delicious. But the human body can function just fine with a low carb diet. Your liver will turn fat - from shrinking fat tissues - into glucose as needed. Called gluconeogenesis.

And, fruit in moderation, is not the enemy. It contains fiber, vitamins, and minerals. A piece of fruit every day won't break the carb bank (but avoid high carb fruits like bananas).

[Johnny2X2X]

32. Good advice

Thanks. I'm going with sugar reduction right now, but acknowledge that my body is changing carbs into sugar too.

[Ms. Toad]

53. That's the same advice I was about to give -

You said your body treats all sugar the same - you are correct, but it is more accurate to say that your body treats all carbs the same (which inlcudes sugar).

The only real difference is that your body can't access the sugar in fiber, so most people find that treating all carbs the same (after deducting the fiber) is a better way to reduce the impact of "sugar" in your system.

[True Dough]

33. Oh man, sugar is my VICE!!

Has been all my life. I've not had any serious side effects from it, at least that I can tell. But now that I'm in my mid-40s, I've noticed that the weight gain is creeping up. I've put on about 12-15 pounds over the past couple of years so I have to be careful.

I introduced stevia several months ago as a period substitute to cut back on calories. I've always exercised too but it's partly a matter of not working out as vigorously as I did when I was in my 20s and 30s and my metabolism is likely slowing but my food consumption hasn't been adjusted accordingly.

I don't know if I could completely eliminate sugar from my life. My wife feels the same way so we often have rich snacks around the house.

Do you honestly still get the same enjoyment from eating that you used to? I mean, maybe eating isn't really supposed to amount to an orgasmic experience, perhaps that's part of the problem. But ditching the brownies and chocolates and cinnamon rolls entirely? Ugh! It would be such a loss! I love indulging in those things occasionally.

Anyway, I do think about the issue every now and again. Good post. Glad you got some discussion going and that you're happier with your life overall.

[Johnny2X2X]

36. More enjoyment really

Everyone's bodies are different, but for me, sweets lead to feeling bad and lead to a cycle of over eating and then not having energy.

I've always been a big grilled meats fan, so the most satisfying meal for me is a rib eye on the grill, some potatoes, and a salad. I can still enjoy this.

But here's the biggest thing. I think with so much less sugar, I feel satisfied after eating more easily. So it's really pretty transforming so far. I feel satisfied without over eating.

[Ohiogal]

43. No one enjoys sweets like me

A gooey brownie or thick frosted cinnamon roll ....

I think that after you’re off sugar for a while, that stuff still looks tantalizing, but after you eat it, you feel gross, and wish you hadn’t eaten it. Like you swallowed a bowling ball. Pretty soon, you just don’t want it any more.

[Johnny2X2X]

44. Yes!

I'm already there.

[Lulu KC]

51. In my world, there's no such thing as A gooey brownie

I eat one, I want to keep going. All day. It is the portal to danger.

[Cousin Dupree]

56. Nor is there such a thing as A piece of candy. I'll eat the whole bag. Portal to danger for sure!

[leftieNanner]

46. I have a terrible sugar addiction too

I used to have a candy dish in the living room. Chocolate caramels were a favorite. I have replaced them with sugar free peppermints and they seem to satisfy me. I also cut carbs out of my diet a week ago which has reduced the cravings. Lost 7 lbs! I think sugar is a huge health problem that Big Ag doesn't want us to know about.

[Skittles]

69. same here

I eat a lot of sugar, and I have never had a problem with my weight - maybe because I move - a LOT - I average 18000 steps a day and that is not counting exercise

I have never eliminated anything from my diet, and I weight the same as I did when I was a teenager.

[True Dough]

70. And the most amazing thing about that is

16,000 of those 18,000 steps are you kicking someone in the ass!

[Skittles]

71. I get around :)

what kills me is, I have more energy than a lot of people half my age.....it gets tiresome watching people struggle with diet after diet, always watching what they eat, and then they're just constantly just SITTING THERE.....*GET UP ALREADY.....MOVE!!!*

[True Dough]

72. How old are you?

Are your folks/siblings generally slim?

[Nay]

94. That's right! Skittles is often called upon to kick somebody's ass, and she always

takes the job on!!

[FM123]

34. Great post! Very informative.

[lark]

37. Do you eat bread, pasta?

I've read where that reacts with your body like it was sugar, even whole wheat.

[Johnny2X2X]

39. Yes

I do eat bread and pasta and realize that my body turns them into sugars. I'm not counting those yet though, just in the actual refined sugars I take in and so far have seen the good effects above.

[lark]

64. Thanks!

Getting rid of almost all sugars would be tough for us, but if we can still eat bread and paste, could be doable!

[FM123]

38. I just thought of a question- can you drink wine with dinner?

[Johnny2X2X]

40. Not a wine drinker

But wine is pretty low in sugar so I could have a glass of wine.

[Chakaconcarne]

41. Sugary Foods will end up tasting gross and you will not feel good....

Once you reduce your intake to very little consumed in a day..

Been my experience anyway....

[MadDAsHell]

42. You mentioned you're a "white" male. Are you saying race plays into the health outcome too?

[Johnny2X2X]

45. No idea

Just describing myself. Not an expert.

[leftieNanner]

49. I cut carbs out almost 100 percent

A week ago. No bread, rice, pasta, or sweets. Lost 7 pounds so far. Zero cravings! Only eating veggies, some fruit, and protein. It's weird how good I feel.

But I'm a salad-a-holic, so that makes it easier. A favorite breakfast (hubby likes it too):

Bed of arugula, sliced tomatoes, slice of provolone cheese, with a poached or fried egg on top.

Try it. It's a delicious combination!

I do have sugar free candies in the house, but haven't had a huge need for them.

Thanks for this post. It encourages me to continue on my road to getting healthier!

[fierywoman]

62. I discovered I actually prefer a hamburger on a bed of lettuce rather

than any bun. And read the label on canned broth: there's sugar in there!

[Locrian]

50. there's a really entertainint book....

called "Natural Born Heroes" that fits right in with what you're seeing.

Review here
https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/natural-born-heroes-by-chrisopher-mcdougall-book-review-the-search-for-the-hero-inside-10164869.html

Cut out those grains, all that pasta and anything remotely sugary, and get some flesh inside you, he recommends. Do that while preventing your heart rate exceeding a certain mark (for which there's a simple formula) and soon you'll be lean, lithe and fighting fit. The guru of carbo-loading for distance runners, Dr Tim Noakes, he reminds us, eventually recanted – and, McDougall notes, the SOE boys and their local comrades could cross the mountains on little more than a few nuts and a drop of wine.

[Perseus]

52. Sugar is not good, mostly processed. Something else most people have not caught up with...Soy

A lot of products today have some sort of Soy component, and from what I have read, Soy is not good for you. One of the biggest problems is that Soy in the USA is about 98% GMO.

You can read about it here:

https://www.cornucopia.org/2009/05/soy-report-and-scorecard/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw753rBRCVARIsANe3o47f06W0lhYZin98RqqYitJQulY3L-8-kSPNu-7Up_DELKkV7t2sq0saAiytEALw_wcB

And here:

Soy Alert!
https://www.westonaprice.org/soy-alert/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw753rBRCVARIsANe3o47c6CzPnZx41_WNiiGVgSvFfXjCCKdRhDuxEcPzbFMGN_jM6Y2WzcAaAkl2EALw_wcB

[Catherine Vincent]

54. Thanks for sharing

I need to get smart and do the same and cut the sugar.

[Satch59]

57. Thanks for the great thread...

Nice to take a break from Trump fatigue and talk about health. I was recently found to be Pre diabetic: very low end but enough to take some action. I’m a vegetarian and also celiac so figured cutting back on sugar and watching glycemic levels was just another restriction. I think all the GF stuff I was eating was loaded with more sugar to make it taste good so that was a big culprit. So read labels and cut out the high sugar products, switched to stevia for coffee sweetener and switched to snacking on veggies/hummus, fruit and make sure any dinners with potatoes/rice have enough other veggies so it helps convert the sugars at a slower level.

Have lost about 7lbs in 2months (did not really need to lose weight but it just happened) and I’m active anyway (tennis/hiking/horse riding) but certainly feel more energetic and my cravings for sweets has greatly diminished. Good luck to everyone here working on a healthier lifestyle!

[DarleenMB]

58. On the right track

However, the worst offender is WHEAT. Wheat will spike your blood glucose higher and faster than table sugar. And that goes for both "regular" and "whole" wheat. I highly recommend "Wheat Belly" and "Undoctored" by Wm. Davis, M.D. (he's a cardiologist) and "Grain Brain" by David Perlmutter, M.D. (neurologist) for more information.

Biggest takeaway for me was that modern day wheat gliadin (one of the proteins in wheat) crosses the blood/brain barrier (a HUGE no-no) and attaches at opiate receptor sites. Yes, it is addictive and makes you hungry all the time. People who consume wheat will, on average, consume about 400 calories a day MORE than those who don't.

And for the record, cutting down on sugar or wheat won't cut it. It needs to be totally eliminated from the diet. Read those books and find out why. If it doesn't scare the socks off you I'd be very surprised.

[CountAllVotes]

59. There is a book out there

It is called "Sugar Blues" by William Dufty.

You might want to check-it out or perhaps you already know about it.

Quite the eye-opener!

[WinstonSmith4740]

89. Read that back in the 70's

And highly recommend it to anyone looking to reduce or eliminate as much refined sugar as possible. When I gave it to my husband to read, he immediately stopped drinking soft drinks (he was good for a six pack of Pepsi a day), and dropped 10 pounds in a couple of weeks. Like you said, a real eye opener.

[CountAllVotes]

91. I did it too

Along with the macrobiotic diet.

that was rough!

Lasted about 18 mos. on it and yep, eye opener!

[elocs]

63. As a poor person who relies on going to food pantries to get enough to eat. let me chime in.

If there is one type of item that is always readily available at food pantries, it's anything with sugar--junk food, sugary cereals, even candy bars along with foods that are simple carbs. Sure, you can get produce but the reason they have it is because it was donated due to it's being close or even past its expiration date. So you're good for a few days.
You can go to the food pantry once a month when they are open and then one Saturday a month there is a food fair where everybody gets into a long line, maybe more than a hundred people, to get whatever they have to give out. Again, usually lots of junk. The irony is that when you look at the people in line most of them don't appear to be suffering from missing meals. Lots of very overweight people because they eat what they can get to eat.
Sometimes people don't have viable choices and there is a point to sugar addiction, a legal, cheap, and readily available substance.

[Johnny2X2X]

65. It is more difficult if you're poor

I've been there. When you have a few dollars to buy food for the week a loaf of bread ([packed with added sugar) bologna, and miracle whip might be all you can manage.

There are ways to eat healthy on a low budget, but it's not easy.

[yellowdogintexas]

79. Since losing 65 pounds (with Weight Watchers)

it has become obvious to me that maintaining a healthy eating plan
1. is far too expensive
2. takes a lot of time to plan
3. takes a lot of effort to prepare
4. requires convenient availability of fresh produce and meat

Most people don't have enough money time or energy

I only managed it because WW gave me the structure I needed and it was easy to work with; also at the time I was only cooking for myself and could monitor myself. I also had more disposable income at that time, so I was not stuck in a food desert.

[Johnny2X2X]

66. FDA vs WHO grams of sugar daily differ (50 vs 25 grams)

Laws have been passed to label foods with daily recommended allowance of sugars, but all states have not implemented it yet.

However, even if they are labeled, the agricultural lobby has successfully gotten the FDA to raise the amount of sugar they recommend a person should take in a day.

The FDA recommends adults limit their intake to 50 grams a day. The World Health Organization says 25 grams a day. Double the sugar isn't just noise or different approaches, it represents a totally different philosophy on diet.

So the sugar lobby has gotten the FDA to help them sell their products. Sickening.

I'm using the WHO's recommendation for my diet.

[Johnny2X2X]

67. High as a kite on sugar right now at work

Didn't do Thai this week as my splurge, but the cafeteria had BBQ ribs with sweet sauce. I splurged and broke my diet, probably got my full daily limit in 1 sitting just now.

And this just accentuates how powerful of a drug sugar is. I am completely high right now, light headed, unable to concentrate, and just generally feeling awful and high. I am already starting to feel tired and work will be hard the rest of the day.

This is a drug.

[WinstonSmith4740]

90. And the crash can be a bitch!!

It always follows the sugar high.

[hlthe2b]

73. I'm curious. Are you counting lactose from dairy products?

Last edited Fri Aug 30, 2019, 09:24 AM - Edit history (1)

I don't eat processed foods, so I don't get much sugar from anything other than the berries I eat and a serving or two is reasonable--sugar wise. Dairy lactose, though from even PLAIN yogurt really adds up if I count it. I ask because I've lost a lot of weight in the past only counting net carbs and keeping them well under 70 grams ( Lately, though it has gotten harder) and cultured yogurt is generally considered to have a bit fewer carbs than the official totals because the bacteria continue to convert it. Not so true for other dairy products, including milk.

If you are focusing only on added sugar, rather than naturally occurring sugars in all foods (as most health experts now recommend and the WHO recommended 25 grams daily sugars relates to ADDED sugar only) I'd guess the answer is not important, but...

Just curious...

[True Dough]

75. Yeah, after some more thought

I'm just going to continue enjoying sugar...


https://www.democraticunderground.com/1016238371

[Kali]

76. Instead of prohibiting "bad" foods, focus on getting enough nutritous, healthy foods

and the rest kind of falls into place. 5 or 6 servings per day of colorful vegs/fruits, protein with every meal. A serving of healthy, slow digesting carbs as well. Eat slow, chew thoroughly - take at least 20 minutes per meal, By the time you eat all that, there isn't much time or room for crap.

Get a little exercise for strength and health. Extreme behaviors, whether eating, working out, religion, shopping, drinking or whatever are never sustainable. Small changes converted to habits that are automatic work better and don't rely on highly unreliable willpower.

[yellowdogintexas]

80. I haven't cut all sugar but I have very little and feel so much better for it!!!

My eating plan is based on 13 years of following Weight Watchers (lost 65 pounds; I am 5'4" and now weigh around 135 at age 71):
Lean meat esp chicken breast
all types of veg but few potatoes
all types of fruit unlimited - I would never have succeeded with the weight loss without apples, peaches, berries of all kinds etc.
small portions of rice or pasta

I even pop my corn the old fashioned way using a silicone popper in my microwave and normal real popcorn. (not that I eat popcorn that often) Everybody needs one of these popcorn poppers $12 via Amazon.

Yes I have bender days mostly due to where I happen to be eating at the time and I will over indulge on pizza, a burger and fries or really good Italian food.

We don't keep cake etc around the house. I may have it if out with friends and we often have a dessert with 5 spoons.

This is ironic since my superpower is my ability to bake really good cake, and baking is one of my favorite things to do. I do a lot of baking for other people outside our home, which means it leaves my house intact. Baking is therapy for me - so it helps me in several ways to prepare a wonderful dessert and hand it over to someone else.

[mac2766]

77. Low Carb Diet - 1 year in.

I started a low carb diet in August 2018. I was on the diet until June of this year. I lost 65 lbs in all. I'm maintaining my weight. At some point I'm going to get back in gear and lose another 20. I haven't been below 200 pounds since 1998.

[whathehell]

78. Just came off a 12 hour No Sugar diet followed by a12 hour fast

for a medical test I had to take and I'm noticing similar effects -- My
appetite is less, I have few to NO "cravings", and I feel calmer.
I'm going to try and stick with it.

[Johnny2X2X]

82. Good for you

The no cravings is really noticeable. I’m just not all that hungry.

And yesterday I starting doing some work in the yard and got on a roll, normally I would have absolutely had to stop for lunch just to have enough energy and to avoid feeling low blood sugar. I had a breakfast bar at 9 am and worked all day until 5 with no food and felt fine.

It’s obvious sugar was tricking my body into eating more than I needed to. I’m sure it’s different for everyone, but I’d be surprised if most people who cut out sugar wouldn’t notice a big change in appetite and energy.

[whathehell]

86. Thanks!

although the 'detox' was a happy, but unintended result of the 'prep' for a stomach test.
You're certainly right about the cravings! I don't think I ever understood or maybe believed, sugar to be a real addiction, but what I'm going through now tells me otherwise..The only other addiction I'd ever experienced (or maybe recognized) was cigarettes, and while this isn't quite THAT strong, I'd say it's not too much less!...I was irritable and uncomfortable during the pre-test no- sugar, no carb diet, and then after I felt this "calm" and, for me, a surprising decline of interest in food and especially sweets.

Update:. I'm feeling some "return" of the Cravings again but I'm fighting it.. .Has this happened to you?..If so, how did you deal with it?

[kstewart33]

81. Bravo.

What you're doing is extremely difficult to do. It's good to know the effects that you're provided.
Wishing you the best as you proceed with this project.

[rwsanders]

83. Anyone know if there is a cancer connection?

First, from my own experience, the hunger thing is valid. I finished a meal, everyone else in the family had some ice cream for dessert, so I had a little myself. Suddenly I was very hungry again and I realized it had to be because of the sugar. Interesting quick and easy experiment for anyone to try.

Secondly, I'm wondering if anyone has information on a sugar/cancer connection. It has been shown that the biggest risk factor for all cancers is obesity. Biggest cause of obesity is sugar. Since cancers are fast-growing undifferentiated cells, my hypothesis is that they would not develop complex metabolic pathways and would therefore prefer the simplest of sugars (i.e. glucose). Therefore high sugar diet would fuel cancer. Anyone know of any data to support this??

I'm asking because my wife has been diagnosed with breast cancer and I'm in a bit of a panic. She's too young, and we haven't had enough time together. She had been undergoing chemo therapy and will have surgery soon. We're trying to develop our strategy post-surgery. I already told her we'd move anywhere in the world where she would heal best (i.e. lowest stress).

[MartyTheGreek]

85. Cancer loves Sugar and Carbs!

Look up the work of Dr. Valter Longo. He invented a fasting mimicking diet 500-700 low calories per day maintaining healing ketosis in the body. Dr. Longo is using this as an adjunct to chemo. It makes the cancer cells more sensitive to chemo! A five day fasting meal kit called Prolon sp? is available for $300 or so. Longo does three five day fasts for three months straight. Dr. Darren Sshmidt sp? saw a slide that showed one avocado and one green drink AM and one PM is also a fasting mimicking diet. I tried the avocado and green dring for five days. It's hard. In fact, it's easier to do a water fast with electrolytes.

Dr. Longos work on Cancer and fasting. it was too hard to get cancer patients to water fast so they invented the fasting mimicking diet.

Check out Dr. Thomas Seyfried: Cancer: A Metabolic Disease With Metabolic Solutions:

Also, Check out Fasting Clinic in CA called True North. This movie on Amazon: Fasting (official trailer) - more powerful than any drug on earth...

I'm not a cancer survivor but I have seen life changing things happen since I've been fasting 16-8. (8 hrs eating window) and several 5 day water only fasts. My sugar cravings are about 80% gone. Each fast, renews my taste buds, have new set weights, dropped several meds, lost 50 lbs, stopped taking anti depressants, SNRI, etc. This is life changing! BUT! If it was easy, EVERYBODY would be doing it!

[FrankTC]

87. A Few Good Resources

Anything by Gary Taubes: Good Calories, Bad Calories; The Case Against Sugar; Why We Get Fat. Jason Fung: The Obesity Code. Nina Teicholz: The Big Fat Surprise. Johnny Bowden: Living Low Carb. Robert Lustig: Sugar, The Bitter Truth (You Tube video of lecture at UC San Francisco — famous).

[Johnny2X2X]

93. Still going strong

Feel great, it's been 9 weeks or so now. Still keeping my total sugar intake around 25 grams a day. The scale battery is dead, so I haven't been weighing myself at all, but that's OK, I didn't want pounds to really be a measure for me, I was more looking at how I feel, and I feel a lot better. And my appetite remains totally different, I just am not that hungry anymore and smaller meals satisfy me and give me energy instead of make me sluggish.

I've added not drinking to my new diet. Gave up beer for a while.

Here's the biggest draw back. I think I need a new wardrobe. My belts are all on their last holes now and starting to sag still. My pants and shirts are hanging off me. Not a bad problem to have.

A week or two ago we went out for Italian and I splurged on a dessert, Creme Brule, it was always my favorite and was delicious. But boy did it mess me up for a couple days. My digestion was off, my energy was different, and I felt light headed after.