3.07.23 Why I vetoed sugar (mostly) out of my food choices this year
In December, my husband and I attended a talk about sugar and learned that so-called sugar substitutes can be even more potent than sugar itself. (We also learned the great phrase “sour defeats sweet,” which finally gave me a reason to start drinking lemon water here and there — a little sour or bitter taste will kill a sweet craving.)
Starting in January, we decided to cut processed sugars (and “naturally added” ones) from my food choices. I’m lucky, because I haven’t had serious cravings; it’s more like I miss certain foods rather than dream about them. My husband does eat some 92% chocolate here and there — he always loved dark chocolate but now even 72% tastes too sweet for him, so he’s sticking with the hard core stuff. I know this is not an easy choice, and I don’t expect it to last forever — but I do expect that once I do decide to have something sugary again, I’ll do it once in a rare while and not, say, every day. Sugar is a drug, and we should think about it that way — even if the food industry doesn’t label it as such.
How are things going? I have lost weight, I do sleep better (but I always slept pretty well) and feel more energetic (and I do work out), all the things people who’ve done this before me have said they felt as well. It wasn’t instantaneous, and of course we’re only two full months into the new year, but I am encouraged to keep this going as long as possible. (I am also eating plenty of fruit, so it’s not like I have nothing sweet in my life — just avoiding processed sweets, primarily.)
Anyway, this article showed up from the Washington Post today, and I found it useful for those who might be wondering about sugar, and how it’s hidden in so many things, and how you can at least start to cut it from what you’re eating — if you choose to. It took me a lot of years to get to where I could just say “I’m going to leave sugar out for a while” and feel comfortable with my choices, so I know this isn’t likely to change hearts and minds (and guts) right away. So just consider my anecdote and this article pieces of a puzzle you might one day decide to complete for yourself…
xo,
R
I cut out sugar for six years once. It was easier to do than I expected, but it did require some re-thinking of menu items, especially when eating out. Congratulations to you for making this a priority.
Thanks! It is a little challenging here and there, but the promise of: Eat fruit! is surprisingly encouraging. Congrats to YOU for making it work, too!
Well done! It isn’t an easy thing, but the rewards in how you feel (and in my case, averting Type 2 diabetes) are more than worth it. 🙂
Thanks! Mercifully I was never in danger of that particular affliction, but it felt like something I should do anyway. I was seriously hungry ALL. THE. TIME — and that’s what I was setting out to defeat. So far, pretty good.