Tuesday Eats: the problem with breakfast
I’ve been sugar-free for 16 days now. With a minuscule exception.** Huge. I’ve employed a range of tricks for quitting.
What’s been trickiest? Chocolate? Dessert? Nope. Breakfast.
Breakfast is dripping in sugar. Cereal, muesli, muffins, banana bread, fruit salad, yoghurt, jam, peanut butter. Even Promite!!! If you eat out or on the run, it’s worse. Try ordering even a porridge (in summer)… you have to specify no honey, no compote. And then it’ll come out drenched in low-fat yoghurt, which is brimful of sugar.
A tub of low-fat yoghurt (200ml) contains about 6-8 teaspoons of sugar. That stuff they serve at cafes? Even more…
Me, I’ve been mostly eating:
* poached eggs on toast, sometimes with bacon
* millet toast spread with cashew and turmeric spread from Suveran.
* avocado and vegemite on toast (gluten free)
* porridge “sweetened” with a little coconut milk and cinnamon, with yoghurt and nuts
* haloumi cheese grilled with sardines and olives
* smoothies made with a handful of frozen berries or a frozen banana…WHAT?! **Yes, bananas are full of sugar (berries are OK). But here’s the thing. My principles take over. I had 5 bananas in my freezer and given the shortage and given I don’t waste food ever (not even the stalks on spinach. Or sweet potato peel), I’ve been eating half at a time. My little bourgeouis experiment is not that important!
I’ve also been on the look-out for fruit and sugar-free muesli. I’ve posted a few below.
Other things to look out for:
* Chai tea – they often put honey or palm sugar in the mix
* drink full-fat milk with your coffee…the fat helps with sugar-cravings
* don’t drink juice. Veggie juice is ok, so long as it’s got no fruit juice in it (carrot and beetroot also contain a lot of sugar…be careful). A good substitute is coconut water.
* nuts are good! I eat a few after breakfast to curb the sugar grasp
But first.
I got David Gillespie, author of Sweet Poison, to share his thoughts:
Sugar avoidance can eliminate whole food groups, not just chocolate and ice-cream. Take a walk down the breakfast cereal aisle and you will be struggling to find a single product that doesn’t have significant amounts of sugar.
Breakfast can be an enormous source of sugar in a ‘healthy’ diet.
Eating a heart foundation approved cereal (like Kellogg’s Just Right) and a glass of apple juice for breakfast will add up to almost half a kilo of sugar by the end of the week.
That’s half a kilo of sugar in your diet before you even push back from the breakfast bowl, before you crack open a chocolate wrapper and before you tuck into an energy drink at morning tea time.
So what does the recovering sugarholic eat to start the day? Easy, we eat exactly what out grandparents ate for breakfast. Most sugary breakfast cereals didn’t exist before the second world war. Then people ate toast, porridge and cooked breakfasts.
Our grandparents had no trouble tucking into a big ol’ fryup of sausages, bacon (all bacon fat intact please) and eggs (and maybe a tomato for vegetable content). Or they whipped up a bit of bread and dripping (cooled, left-over animal fat) or maybe even a steaming hot bowl of porridge on cold winter mornings.
If you’re fresh out of dripping, then there’s nothing wrong with vegemite or even peanut butter on toast. Just check it is Vegemite and not the (much more sugary) competitors, Marmite or Promite (18 per cent sugar) and…
Make sure its a full fat peanut butter because the low-fat ones often have added sugar. Also, low-salt versions are better – more salt = more sugar.
Or you could go for one of my favourites, the Bacon and Egg sarny (as Jamie Oliver would say) on the way to the train.
Just make sure you don’t ruin smear it with BBQ sauce – it’s 55% sugar.
Don’t worry overly about the sugar content of the bread. Most breads (except raisin toast) have very little (if any) added sugar, but if you’re concerned, go for sourdough or rye. If you’re really feeling flush you can always go a bit Mediterranean and have a bit of crusty bread smeared with olive, garlic and tomatoes, with maybe a little cheese and prosciutto on top.
Her’s a bit of a cheat sheet …
|
Good |
Bad |
| Unflavoured Oats or Sugar (and fruit) free muesli’s | Most Breakfast Cereals |
| Unsweetened yoghurt with fresh berries (rather than fruit) | Sweetened Yoghurt (any yoghurt that tastes sweet) |
| Milk (preferably full fat), tea, coffee or water | Fruit salad, fruit juice or dried fruits |
| Toast with butter, vegemite, peanut butter, cheese, tomatoes or meat | Fruit toast and any sweet spread (like jams or honey) |
| Cooked breaky (just hold the sauce) |
And, finally, some muesli options:
1. David recommends Carmen’s Original fruit-free. He also rates Weet-Bix and Vita Brits (they’re very low in sugar). UPDATE: I’ve just noticed that Carmen’s is actually 8% sugar. A reader – Kate – also noticed the same. David has responded: “at the time the book went to press, that Muesli had 6.6% sugar and I said it was borderline unacceptable because of the honey. If its now higher (I know they have reformulated their fruit free bar to increase the sugar content, so maybe they have done the cereal as well) then its definitely a no go.
2. He also pointed this one out to me: The Muesli has created a delicious sugar free muesli, Fit for Breakfast.
3. And from Metabolic Food, a Superstart breakfast blend
Hope this helps! If you’ve recently quit…how are you getting around the breakfast problem?
What about VitaBrits and OatBrits? While not completely sugar free they are pretty low in sugar and filling.
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February 15th, 2011 at 9:41 am
Ah yes. David recommends Vita Brits. I’ve updated! thx x
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This post couldn’t have come at a more perfect time. I am on a gluten free diet which is tricky enough but I have been trying to cut out all sugar too. Breakfast seems to be the only thing letting me down. Its my favourite meal of the day too (which im starting to wonder if the sugar had something to do with that…) and everything seems to be packed with sugar. Im starting to get a bit tired of eggs, so im sticking to a protein smoothie with rice milk, natural/whole yoghurt, protein powder (pea protein is best) and my only vice…a few berries. Struggling! So thank you Sarah for the muesli options..im just hoping they are gluten free too!
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February 15th, 2011 at 9:56 pm
Hi Karina,
I’m the creator of – the muesli – 97% Sugar Free, 100% Fit for Breakfast! We’ve literally just launched and currently have just the one product but – the muesli gluten free – is in production now and we should have it available very soon!
When I recently spent the weekend with a friend who’s gluten free, I took a pack of – the muesli – as a gift, not realising! She loved the trial mix that I sent up the following week, especially after I’d separated her gluten free cereal into three piles and told her that one of them was straight sugar! It’s no wonder she couldn’t lose the weight! Good luck and keep an eye on the muesli website for the launch of gluten free, I’ll look forward to getting it to you!
Emma
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February 15th, 2011 at 10:40 pm
Thank you so much Emma. I have just been on the website to have a look and The Muesli looks great. Im considering giving it a go as some oats seem to be ok with me…I don’t think I can resist! Might have a hunt around at the cafes in Melbourne where you stock it for a taste. I will be counting down for the gluten free option though. Its scary to find out how much sugar is hidden in our food, even when we think we are being good. Its a relief to find a real, nutritious product like yours. Thanks again!
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June 8th, 2011 at 2:11 pm
Well it’s finally here – the muesli gluten free – available now on the website http://www.themuesli.com.au and at most stockists. It’s really delicious – the same mix of 5 Nuts & 4 Seeds, (50% of the mix) the coconut chips and now gluten free with puffed Australian amaranth and puffed rice. Hope you like it. Enjoy!
Emma
February 16th, 2011 at 10:58 pm
Emma, i just read thru the post, depondently realising that it would be so hard to find any of the recommended items GF. it’s hard enough as it is to find GF, low sugar cereal. So so glad to read your post about the 97% sugar free museli!
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February 17th, 2011 at 10:56 am
Hi Star – we’re working to get ‘the muesli gluten free’ out there as quickly as we can. I want it to be as delicious as the original blend – and have been working with puffed rice & amaranth but I’ve just discovered a product that would be the ultimate for me.
“Uncontaminated Oats” – http://www.wheatfree.com.au/site/1446344/page/1128635
Australian Testing Results, 2010 – show that their is no Gluten found from Wheat, Rye or Barley in this product.
Oats do contain a natural forming gluten called Avenin,
however it is undetectable by any gluten free test in the world.
Avenin may, in some individuals, cause a similar reaction that is experienced when eating the gluten found in wheat, rye and barley.
Oats in Australia are unable to be labeled Gluten Free under the Australian & NZ Food Labeling Requirements .
I will be making an initial blend as soon as I can get hold of these oats and sending it out to Coeliac friends/contacts to trial.
Some notes from the website:
The question of whether patients with Coeliac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis can safely eat oats has been debated for decades. Oat proteins are not the same as those in wheat, barley and rye. Even so, oats were believed to have toxic effects in people with autoimmune responses to those grains, and most physicians advised their patients to avoid them.
Cross-contamination is a major reason why oats were considered unsafe in the past. Oats, wheat and barley are usually grown next to each other in the fields, processed in the same grain elevators, milled with the same equipment, and transported using the same containers. Inevitably, the grains co-mingle and the oats become contaminated with gluten.
The Facts about these unique Oats sourced from USA
* Growers of this product have been formally diagnosed with an allergy to the protein found in wheat, rye and barley.
* These Oats are processed and packed in a totally Uncontaminated Facility from wheat, rye and barley.
* At least 10 inspections between planting and harvest
* Registered Non GMO, Kosher, GF in US,Canada,UK & the growers are working towards organic certification
* Creamy, Milky, Smooth.
We’re on it!!
Emma
February 18th, 2011 at 9:52 am
Oops – it looks like the Coeliac Society wont recognise these ‘uncontaminated’ oats as there is that tiny amount of gluten (Avenin) that a ‘minority of people with coeliac disease’ will react to. Bummer, it looks like I’m back to the drawing board for ‘the muesli gluten free’ http://www.themuesli.com.au
Emma
February 18th, 2011 at 9:58 am
Oh so disappointing! The uncontaminated oats have such a minute trace of gluten that it is very rare for any reaction for celiacs… Hopefully you will be able to come up with something equally as delicious and nutritious!
Sarah – super post for those of us who love sugary breakfasts…thank you! Back to vegemite on toast for me!
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[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by David Gillespie and sarah wilson, ziggiau. ziggiau said: RT @_sarahwilson_: Tuesday Eats: the problem with breakfast http://bit.ly/g9fKEj [...]
I quit sugar about 3 weeks ago and the benefits have been astounding: weight loss, clear eyes & skin, less pain, more energy, easier..ahem..stool, clearer thinking. But that was only after the withdrawal week when I felt crap. I am definitely at a loss when it comes to breakfast. Used to love Weet-bix for brekky & even that had sugar! A friend recently recommended smoothies as an option for brekky, which I’ve been on for about a week and so far so good. I include banana, berries, chia, walnuts & water or ice, and it is delicious!
I was including the odd cooked brekky of eggs (can’t stand bacon) but have just started reading The China Study by T. Colin Campbell and am really SERIOUSLY looking to cut out all animal protein. Talk about depleting your enzymes and cancer fighting power! Animal protein is literally a killer.
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February 15th, 2011 at 11:17 am
The China Study sure has a way of scaring the meat and dairy out of your fridge! I haven’t touched meat since I read it and only have minimal amounts of dairy. Scary stuff!
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February 16th, 2011 at 11:09 am
Sounds like we should not eat sugar, meat and dairy. So what’s left to eat?
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February 16th, 2011 at 12:19 pm
I eat meat and dairy. Both work well with my system. Sugar isn’t designed for ANYONE’S system.
But I get your point… if you listened to everyone around you (and not your own body), you’d be left feeling this way!
February 16th, 2011 at 2:36 pm
Take the China Study with a grain of salt – several experts have either dismissed it as rubbish or studied the raw data and come to different conclusions than Dr Campbell. To each their own, as everyone needs to make up their own mind what to believe, but there is always another side to the coin. Personally, this is my favourite, as there are a collection of articles and it critiques the results in depth:
http://rawfoodsos.com/the-china-study/
I understand about not knowing who to believe, sometimes I just want to tear my hair out as EVERYONE is promoting their own agenda and telling me that everyone else is lying to me! Sometimes it is all too much, and without a degree in nutrition or biology – how is a regular person able to wade through the masses of data? How do you know who to believe when even the experts with the degrees are full of it?
Personally, I’m sticking with my animal fats because they work for me. I guess that’s all we can do – try it and see who we want to believe, and who makes the most sense to us.
February 17th, 2011 at 3:04 pm
Agree with mia. The China Study has serious flaws.
I recommend reading Good Calories Bad Calories by Gary Taubes. Find out the truth about the science our current “official” dietary recommendations are based on. It opened my eyes.
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February 18th, 2011 at 8:10 pm
I think that in the end it all comes down to listening to your own body…and just try to get your food from farms or farmer’s markets, when you’re closer to the people that make your food…you automatically start feeling better about it and less confused…
Recently there was a great health debate on http://www.renegadehealth.com they had 7 experts that were on the vegan wagon, 7 that were pro animal and the rest was kinda in between…you can’t listen to the interviews any more, but you can still read up on the notes…
…Just eat your food in it’s purest form, if you want to eat cookies and what not, make them at home, so you know what’s in them…and keep a food journal and just record how what you’re eating makes you feel…it’s easier if you divide things up a bit and not mix it up too much when you’re trying to figure out what you respond best to…
Love, Jules
Hi Sarah…I’m not a nutritionalist by any stretch of the imagination but try and follow a balaced diet and read up on what I can. However, I would say your diet is particularly high in cholesterol ? Have you covered this is any of your other blogs which I may have missed?
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February 18th, 2011 at 8:09 am
Hi Sara, We’ve been told for so long that cholesterol is bad for you, but it really isn’t…as long you’re fats are clean, nourishing and processed in the right way you really don’t have anything to worry…I eat a lot of eggs as well, I get them from a farm and they’re very rich in beta-caroteen, super orange yokes…it’s what my body responds well to, so I just listen to…
As for my fats I use raw butter from a small farm, homemade kefir made from raw whole milk, coconut oil, olive oil and avocados…out of all the food groups fats is the one my body responds the best to, it grounds me and helps me recover from my migraines…so I don’t believe in the whole low-fat thing…because I know how well my body responds to the real thing…
Love, Jules
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I opt for eggs on toast (or just on their own), or vegemite on toast.
I used to love sauce on my eggs but I have given that the boot and now add some avocado and freshly ground pepper.
I stick to GF bread as this doesn’t bloat me.
I’m not a huge fan of bread but I try sticking to it for brekky only and then have salads for lunch and veggies and meat for dinner.
I find this is working really well for me and although I haven’t been ultra strict on myself I haven’t had any sugar cravings and I have lost a little weight too!
I would recommend David’s book to anyone that has a sweet tooth
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My fave low-carb, no sugar brekky right now is two hard-boiled eggs, mushed up a bit, with some olive oil and dukkah. Sometimes I add half an avocado. It rocks, and fills you up.
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This couldn’t have been more timely as I just registered that I was clocking insane amounts of sugar at breakfast. I love yoghurt and will stop buying fat-free instantly. Glad to hear berries are okay and think I’ll get David Gillespie’s book. Sounds like a winner.
Does anyone have a suggestion for the best/healthies yoghurt to buy in Australia?
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February 15th, 2011 at 10:01 pm
Anything that’s not flavoured or low fat is generally the best place to start! I eat full fat Jalna Greek Style Yoghurt – it’s divine.
David’s book is amazing – a must read.
I am the creator of – the muesli – mentioned in Sarah’s blog today!
Check out http://www.themuesli.com.au it’s 97% Sugar Free, really filling as it’s chockers with nuts, seeds & coconut – not just masses of oats, most importantly it’s delicious.
Cheers,
Emma
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Museli is very easy to make. I usually use oats, rye, coconut chips as a base then you can add nuts and seeds etc to taste. It is cheap to make and you know what is in it.
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Hi Sarah,
Really interesting post. I have been trying to reduce sugar myself but find the prospect of cutting out a variety of fresh fruits is counter-intuitive / goes against all previous advice i have heard.
Still unsure on where to draw the line.
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February 18th, 2011 at 9:49 am
I think the best rule to remember with fruits is to eat them as the whole fruit – the minute you extract the sugar, sorry I mean juice, and leave all the good stuff – the fibre – aside, is the minute you’re in most trouble with fruit! Oh and don’t eat too much, but that’s the same for everything!
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My faourite yoghurt is jalna bio dynamic full fat – it has the dark green lid. You have to search for it in between all the low fat options but it has the lowest sugar and least ingredients and creamiest taste in my opinion. I actually think breakfast is easy – you can add spinach and tomato and nitrate free bacon to eggs as well as beans (if you are gluten free like me and don’t want to eat cardboard toast) but be careful of baked beans which are loaded with hfcs. You can add a plain tomato passata to plain beans with a bit of salt and pepper – yum. For smoothies a but of almond milk is also good. I also make pancakes using almond milk, vanilla essence, Cinnamon, a good (little processed and free of additives and sweeteners) protein powder, dash of gluten free baking powder. Try adding cottage cheese (I use creamed and full fat) for a fluffier version. For a topping I like a few frozen berries boiled up with water which creates a syrupy topping or a teaspoon of unsweetened apple sauce but if you are avoiding fruit altogether, it may be a bit dry.
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February 15th, 2011 at 12:32 pm
Thanks Shana, will give the Jalna a go.
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February 15th, 2011 at 12:45 pm
great hope you love it
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Breakfast has always been a problem for me, because my CFS causes me to sleep in, so I’m always running late. I never skip breakfast, so I need something that I can eat/drink on the way out the door. My solution thus far is to throw a handful of berries (frozen or fresh), 1 x bottle of Nudie coconut water, handful of seeds (pumkin, sunflower etc), 1 tbsp of flaxeed oil, handful of spinach (or other leafy greens) and all of my powdered supplements into the blender when I first wake up. Once I’m ready for work, I switch the blender on and in less than a minute I have a healthy/yummy smoothie to drink on the go. I also keep a bag of raw cashew in my desk for a mid-morning snack if required.
I love oats, but I always though they had gluten? Have I missed something there?
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February 15th, 2011 at 11:42 am
http://WWW.WHEATFREE.COM.AU sells uncontaminated gluten free oats
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February 15th, 2011 at 12:39 pm
Thanks Shana. I never knew you could have gluten free oats. That will mean more variety for breakfast in winter now.
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February 15th, 2011 at 12:41 pm
my pleasure
February 17th, 2011 at 1:54 pm
also, you can get rice flakes, which are similar to oats, for winter breakfast
Sadly, not yet sugar free – too many celebratory cakes lately(bugger!), but this morning’s breakfast – smoked salmon and cottage cheese on gluten free toast – yum! Other breaky choices – bacon,mushrooms and spinach with gluten free toast. Beautiful quinoa porridge with homemade greek yoghurt, pistachios,sunflower seeds and cinnamon.I also eat Carman’s gluten free muesli, but I know it isn’t sugar free – it tastes way too sweet!
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Another fews options:
instead of cereal or museli try porridge with either quinoa, barley or any other ancient grain, kamut is delish is you can find it. Cooking the grain the night before saves time, then pop a bit into a saucpan with prefered milk, an optional dash of coconut milk for fat, protein and sweetness, top with nuts, seeds and cinnamon and/or shredded coconut, Yum!
And for a healthy fry up, chunky mushrooms slices in a bit of soy sauce, garlic and chilli flakes or whatever seasoning.
Scramlbed tofu is yum too, mash it with fork first then add to pan and cook ala eggs.
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I’m loving the recent diet information explosion that is turning the food pyramid on its head!
To be brutally honest, it will be a cold day in hell before anyone can pry my breakfast banana out of my hands. And even then it will be my cold, dead hands. I usually stick to about 2 pieces of fruit for the day though, which is my justification, and no other sugar whatsoever!
I try to make my food from absolute scratch to avoid the sugar issue. Sprouted grain breads are good for those who eat it, otherwise I tend to go a smoothie (with natural, full-fat yoghurt and coconut milk) or some eggs, bacon, avocado and tomato. If I am going out for breakfast I tend to have eggs and bacon with mushrooms or veggies on the side, and cream in my decaf long black/ cup of tea. Yum!!
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February 15th, 2011 at 3:43 pm
what sort of coconut milk do you use in your smoothies and where do you buy it?
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February 16th, 2011 at 2:20 pm
Woops! I meant coconut water. I know people use coconut milk (you can buy the coconut itself or get the milk from Asian grocers) but if I am to use natural yoghurt, I prefer the water so it isn’t too thick. I find coconut milk a little greasey, you know?
I have found some IGAs and Woolworths in more upper-class areas have coconut water. Generally in places which aren’t Perth though it is easier to find in most grocery stores.
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February 21st, 2011 at 7:21 pm
Mia, which suburbs in Perth are you finding coconut water is sold? I live close to the city but only ever see it sold in restaurants or by that astronomically overpriced Nudie company. : /
June 8th, 2011 at 2:02 pm
Sorry for the delay in reply, I didnt see this question!! But Karrinyup and Subiaco seem to keep their supermarkets well stocked with coconut water, and recently south of the river I have seen it in Myaree. Hope that helps. xx
June 8th, 2011 at 2:33 pm
Thank you! I’m glad I also now have an excuse to go to Subi!
Thanks Mia.
Sarah,
I have largely eliminated sugar from my diet but I am reluctant to reintroduce bread due to its high carb content. How are you getting around this? Doesnt any excess carbohydrates turn to sugar then fatty acids which contribute to bloating.
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Hi
I’ve just finished reading Sweet Poison and am trying to cut sugar out but the withdrawals have been terrible — enough to make me relaspe. I’ve had terrible headaches and cravings. I am an addict!
Would love to know how other people are getting over the pain hurdle of withdrawing from sugar?
Great blog Sarah — I check it everyday!
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February 15th, 2011 at 2:01 pm
Hi Clare,
I allowed my self 2-3 serves of fruit per day in the beginning, and saved them for when the cravings were really bad. I ate heaps more healthy fats whenever I had a sugar craving (cashews, vegetables roasted in olive oil or coconut oil, omlette with tuna etc), I drank alot more water and I also tried to keep myself busy. I’m one of those people who will eat out of boredom if I sit still too long, so I took my dog for a few extra long walks in the first week.
I also had to keep telling myself about what sugar is doing to my body and my health. I kept telling myself that it is a poison which makes me feel awful, gain weight, age quickly etc.
I hope you do try again, it is definitely worth it in the long run. Good luck!
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February 16th, 2011 at 1:38 pm
Have a cup of tea with full cream milk, no sugar, it has been curbing my sugar cravings since i started.
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thanks sarah,
vegemite on toast with avocado. you have given me great inspiration for my lunch today.
i’m off to check out The Muesli…
jen
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Hi Sarah,
I just thought I’d share the info I’ve heard about bananas. I’m hoping it’s all true! The greener the banana, the higher the fructose content. And therefore the riper they are the lower the fructose. I was told that as they ripen, the sugars turn to pure glucose. So a rather ripe banana will obviously have some fructose, but not too much.
I am hoping that is all true as bananas are on my “good” list of fruits (no more than two serves of fruit per day for me) and I’ve created myself a very simple summer treat. (I was finding the one thing I was really missing was something REALLY cold on a very hot day!
I mash up a few ripe bananas with a little bit of cream mixed in, then freeze them like paddlepops. And voila – delicious icy treat for hot days with no sugar. Except for the bananas…
Works for me!
My favourite sugar-free breakfast is two poached eggs on turkish bread with some aioli. But now I have to gluten-free … That’s a whole other story!
Good luck!
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Hi Sarah,
Thanks for changing the way I eat.
Please keep these food posts coming – they are really offering me inspiration to curb my sugar addiction.
Coconut water has been my saviour through this trying time! As has avocado!
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One additional thought – this last month I have limited my chocolate eating to just a little one day a week, as my only sugar consumption apart from 2 pieces of fruit per day. Sort of a cheat meal. 6 months ago I could eat a whole family-sized block of Cadburys, then do the same the next night – so imagine my surprise when after just a few squares on Sunday I felt ill! I couldnt even eat Subway cookies, my former favourite sweet treat. I was starving before I started, but a few bites made me feel sick and lethargic. They didnt even taste that great, like overly-sweet chemicals, and the consistency seemed wrong.
My verdict? Bugger me, but does this sugar-free stuff ever work on your tastebuds. If it can do that for me it can work for anyone.
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i find breakfast the most difficult meal of the day. thanks for this post.
question – is jalna yoghurt (or any pot set yoghurt) ok???
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February 15th, 2011 at 5:17 pm
Check the ingredients list. It really does depend on the variety!
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April 11th, 2011 at 12:44 pm
I make my own yoghurt using easy-yo! I just use the plain natural yoghurt which is about 5% sugars…but I think this is okay because its the lactose? There is no added sugar in this particular yoghurt sachet so I just use that and it tastes delicious! And I’m finding it much cheaper to make my own yoghurt this way, ends upo being about $3 per litre.
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You’re so right about breakfast foods being loaded with sugar. I’ve noticed this myself, because as someone with a significant sweet tooth, sweet foods are really unappetizing to me in the morning.
So I figure: Why eat breakfast foods for breakfast? Why not leftovers from dinner?
If I don’t have any leftovers, I have toast with a nut butter or hummus.
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Oats. Soaked in milk (now full-fat, organic, unhomogenised milk), macadamia nuts, fruit (mostly berries or 1/2 banana) jalna biodynamic full fat yoghurt. I have this every day and have for ages. Just now without the honey or rapadura sugar. A bit of rice bran syrup isn’t a bad substitute!
I am following a Michelle Bridges plan at the moment, & this week I am eating Special K. Holy processed grains and added sugar !!!
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February 16th, 2011 at 10:09 am
Ugh. The Michelle Bridges 12WBT is so unnutrionally sound. Full of sugary crap – works well when you’re a fat person with a stack to lose, but funny how no one questions why they need to do sooo much exercise to get the weight off.
Not a fan.
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June 8th, 2011 at 2:42 pm
It’s unbelievable isn’t it?! Amazing what people will believe. Also amazing how many are still so stuck on the ‘fat free’ bandwagon – it’s the whole reason the obesity crisis is so out of control! Fat Free = Sugar Filled!
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April 1st, 2012 at 10:43 pm
I’ve been following the 12wbt this year and haven’t found it sugary at all. Generally nice balanced meals and not a serve of Special K to be seen! I only manage to exercise 3 – 4 times a week (rather than the recommended 6) but still have steadily lost around 1 kg per week.
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April 2nd, 2012 at 11:26 am
@Maddy, must be nice sitting up so high looking down on the rest of us! For the record, I think you calling people fat with stacks to lose is incredibly rude! While the 12wbt diet does contain some refined food and sugar with a moderate amount of exercise it is not out of control and is a decent way for some people to take stock of their food intake and get it on track. While I use the 12wbt program and modify the food menu to better suit my dietary needs I think that to speak negatively about a program that has helped people lose weight, get moving and question their food is detrimental to us all. We all have to start somewhere!
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My PT change my whole diet around 12 months ago and I’ve been loving it ever since.
Breakfast consists of:
- 3 scrambled eggs (organic),
- steamed basmatic rice (150g) = high GI rice first thing means it provides energy slower so lasts longer (and hence low/ GI at night – salads only!)
- 1-2 sliced tomatoes
Just love it and takes less than 10mins to make!
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Spelt toast with gluten free Vege Spread (like vegemite but better and hardly any sugar) and natural peanut butter is my current breakfast, but I must confess to looking longingly at the rice syrup and the jam EVERY morning. But I feel soooo much better for the lack of sugar. I am a believer. It’s worth the sacrifice. Definitely. lso, thanks Sarah for the haloumi tip. It is delicious grilled in the sandwich press. That’s if there is any left after my kids have been at it!
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Breaky has been my bug bear too… Trying to give up norganics corn flakes…thinking I’ll make a frittata and freeze it for a quick breakfast…don’t have time for a cook up every morning
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I LOVE breakfasts too… especially anything with oats! I think I’ve tried the bircher/natural muesli and porridge at every cafe within a 3km radius of my house and then some!
Having been sugar free for two weeks now, I wanted an alternative to the sugar packed offerings cafes serve, so I made a delicious bircher on Sunday….
I soaked plain oats in coconut water (Nudie is my favourite brand), instead of the usual apple juice. Then I stirred through some full fat Greek yoghurt, chopped almonds, pecans and hazelnuts, toasted coconut flakes, half a grated green apple and sprinkled a few blueberries and raspberries on top. HEAVENLY!
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This morning I was running late for work and didn’t have time to make my usual oat pancakes, so I had berries in an organic rye wrap with organic natural youghurt and some chopped almonds. It was surprisingly delicious – think I might even have it tomorrow and perhaps the day after….Another alternative I’m going to try that I’ve heard is a wrap with banana, avocado and nut butter.
Other than wraps, I have been soaking oats in milk…non-homogenised full fat or almond milk etc…overnight, then add an egg, sometimes a banana or baking powder the next morning and frying them into mini pancakes. I love drizzling organic maple syrup and nuts, however as we are all talking about decreasing sugar, fresh berries and yoghurt or nut butters are a real winner!!! On weekends I have been doing pancakes with almond and or quinoa flour and adding some organic 70% choccie and raspberries, which is just out of this world!!! – don’t know if your sugar free choc would work, but might be worth a try…this may then be okay with everyone’s new sugar free fix!!! May try and join you soon…..is it best to do this cold turkey or reduce gradually do you think??? ( when answering this, please know that you are speaking to a real sweet tooth here!!)
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Sarah, Id like to know how the no sugar diet has been affecting you, weight loss, energy, headaches.
Thank you so much for these breakfast ideas! I usually have a hemp smoothie or honey on toast for brekkie!
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Hi,
I thought that Vegemite was definetely not GF!
I have not tried the GF vege spread, but when I looked at the list of ingredients it looked like it was rather processed and choc full of some weird things.
Does anyone have other thoughts on this please?
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Hi Sarah,
I have been doing the anticandida diet for over 6 months. I strongly suggest the use of Stevia as a sweetener as it does not impact upon your sugar levels.
For breakfast I have natural yogurt with stevia, a handful of berries and some nuts and seeds. Delish!
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February 16th, 2011 at 1:09 pm
Yes, I agree with Sugar-Hater. Stevia is excellent. I have it in my chai tea. It’s very intense, so caution is advised with serving size. It’s on the alkaline side of the ph scale which is a bonus!
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Such a great and practical article! I often eat leftover dinner for breakfast; yesterday I had a piece of steak and some broccoli. I know it sounds weird but I’ve really found that my energy is best – and I stay in shape WAY easier – when I eat this way. Eating protein and fat first thing is a real key to staying off sugar. Another fave combo of mine is some leftover meat or some eggs, and a teaspoon of nut butter. Super energy!
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Just wondering if anyone has any idea what are the healthiest oats…. Unstabalized, wholegrain, rolled….?
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steel-cut
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February 17th, 2011 at 8:36 am
Thanks
Any idea where I can find these in Melbourne or online? I’ve got a pretty masssive health food store near me – but no luck there, nor at my local Thomas Dux.
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February 17th, 2011 at 11:27 am
I live in Collingwood, and I know that Organic Wholefoods on Smith St stocks steel-cut oats. Hope that helps.
And Kat, why are steel cut oats the best? If you don’t mind me asking.
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Oh, so I’ve actually been quite healthy by skipping breakfast all this time….:P Kidding, (About the healthy bit, not about the skipping b’fast bit).
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Hi Joni, it’s because they are whole oats cut into small pieces rather than rolled or powdered … this means they take longer to cook but that the blood sugar reaction to the oats is lowest compared to other forms of oats, so therefore they provide longer lasting satiety and are less likely to lead to cravings and also fat gain!
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February 18th, 2011 at 8:57 am
Thanks heaps, Kat and Jodi.
Hmm… I think it’s Experimental Friday… I’ll see what happens when I soak them overnight.
Bought some yesterday – the oats look completely different to rolled oats – more like very finely chopped nuts. They take a good half hour to cook (if making porridge), and the resulting porridge is chewier with a more intense flavour.
You can’t really eat these straight with cold milk as the uncooked oats are too crunchy – a bit like uncooked rice.
Not sure if they are bircherable
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I won’t lie and say I have completely quit sugar because dark chocolate does feature in my life! However most days I’m sugar free – breakfast which doesn’t require time in the morning is stewed apples with grapefruit and berries, activated nuts and a spoonful of yoghurt or cream…it tastes like a treat but those three fruits are all low in sugar and you get your dose of healthy fats!
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[...] by my last post and one of Sarah Wilson’s posts this week, I decided to give you some ideas for what to have for breakfast…sugar-free and [...]
I began going sugar free in August and yes, breakfast is the hardest. Because I’m also hypothyroid and have osteoporosis my research soon led me to NO grains, NO sugar. I’ve adopted the paleo diet and usually eat leftovers from dinner which means steak, meat loaf, salmon fillet, or whatever protein I had last night. I also eat many home-grown eggs. I belong to a weekly pot luck group and the other four people have gone along with this new way of eating and are learning to look at sugar grams and cook without grains–they volunteered. I won’t know until August if grain-free is helping build bone but my blood sugar meter is telling me that I am no longer pre-diabetic and it also tells me a lot about which foods affect me negatively. Ten minutes of mild exercise before a meal has a huge positive influence I’ve noticed.
I’ve enjoyed your blogs about hypothyroidism and it was your comment about removing glutein helping with Hashimoto’s (yes, I have that too) that started my grain research.
Actually, I enjoy all your blogs and look forward to Friday morning when I get a week’s worth.
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Hi Sarah,
I’ve been sugar-free and gluten-free on and off for years now. I’m currently blogging about a 12-week weightloss mission before I get married in Fiji this May. My focus is on doing it the right way: slowly, healthily and with lots of superfoods and balanced meals.
My sugar-free breaksfasts are usually egg-based with loads of veggies for fibre and vitamins: Smoked Salmon French Scramble, Mushroom and Spinach Frittata, or Grass-Fed Organic Burgers wrapped in Lettuce and smeared with Olive Tapenade. Delicious!
One of my favourite quick and easy breakfasts is 3/4 cup low fat whipped cottage cheese with a gorgrously-arranged platter of low-sugar fruit: apple, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries and fresh mint. I often mix cinnamon and ground ginger into my cottage cheese, or even chia seeds or psyllium husks for extra fibre and goodness, then I sprinkle the dish with chopped raw pecans. Breakfast heaven!
Penny
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February 19th, 2011 at 3:03 pm
I love the sound of those burgers! Am going to have to add that to my list. Do you make the tapenade?
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February 20th, 2011 at 6:32 am
I don’t make my own, but I make sure to chose a tapenade made with minimal natural ingredients.
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Macro (available at Woollies) Untoasted Muesli has no added fruit or sugar and tastes great.
Also, Vegemite is sooooo high in salt and processed chemicals you may as well be eating gummy bears or stock powder….if anyone needs vitamin b group vitamis, take a supplement.
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I think cutting out sugar is great & can be wonderful for your mind and body, but it really bothers me when people also try to cut out fruit & fruit juices along with it.
Yes, fruit has sugar – much more than meat or vegetables – but it also provides you with fiber (if you eat the actual fruit, not the juice), essential nutrients, and a sweetness that is completely natural. Basically, it’s a bunch of awesome stuff in a delicious package.
Instead of making fruit one of the bad guys, we should really acknowledge it as a healthy and enjoyable part of our diets that should be limited. If you need something sweet for a dessert or a snack, having a piece of fruit is substantially better than chowing down a candy bar or energy drink to get your fix. Also, I really think that deprivation when it comes to a diet change ultimately leads to failure, so it’s important to still treat yourself every once in a while.
I eat extremely healthily otherwise & it’s totally worth it to me to be able to eat bananas, kiwis, strawberries, oranges, apples, blueberries, and all the cranberry juice I want every once in a while.
Besides that – thank you for all the tips on how to eliminate even more sugar from our diets! It’s insane how much sugar is added to every day things.
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February 20th, 2011 at 6:34 am
I totally agree. No diet that cuts out vitamin and mineral-packed fruit is sustainable forever.
When you give up sugar, your tastebuds become super-sensitive to the sweetness. Fruit tastes like a dessert and can be eaten in moderation just as rarely as you would normally have eaten other desserts.
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I’ve been *completely* sugar free for months and mostly sugar free for years (have been eating unprocessed or ‘whole’ food for 20 years). I just wanted to say that milk contains the sugar lactose, so it won’t really help with the cravings. An avocado, on the other hand, will (obviously not on cereal!).
my breakfasts
- an omelette (no milk)
- a handful of pecans and almonds (when on the run)
- smoked salmon and eggs
- eggs florentine
- tofu & salad (I can eat this any time of day)
keep up the good work!
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I’m intrigued as to how you guys find the time and the money to fit this into your lives??! Making oat pancakes or quinoa porridge before you go to work, buying muesli at $25/kilo? I do my best to eat well but being on a budget, I think I’ll be making my own version of ‘the muesli’.
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Hi Sarah, here’s a nutrition watchout! for you…don’t be misled by what’s shouted on the front of the pack or highlighted on the nutritional panel, especially with cereals.
It’s usually because the other nutritional facts are lacking.
For example, if a food product is low in fat, there’s a good chance it’s high in sugar.
Given sugar’s role in weight gain it defeats the purpose.
The entire nutritional panel, including ingredients, is the place to get the facts about what you’re eating.
Cheers
Justin (from SuperStart…and, more famously, Billy’s dad)
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Just wondering if the raw chocolate from loving earth Sarah mentioned in another post is ok in the sugar department it’s sweetened with agave.
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Healing Naturally by Bee has some good recipes. I have an egg drink and sip it while I cook beans with veggies. http://www.healingnaturallybybee.com/recipes/recipe167.php
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[...] her journey to quit sugar and the ways in which she’s made the transition. One post about the difficulty of finding sugar-free breakfast alternatives mentioned The Muesli. Engaging the audience That’s a great endorsement as it is, but Emma saw [...]
Sarah, quick question. Where can you get millet toast? I’d love to get my hands on some. Any idea of brands in the states?
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March 6th, 2011 at 8:19 am
Hmmm, I but it at a place called Suveran in Bondi…they make a sprouted one. I know there are a lot of millet breads out there… but not sure about the US!?
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How long does it take to notice the positive effects once quitting sugar? I’m worried about how long the crazy mood swings will last. However, I’m really excited to give it a go regardless.
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I am following most of the discussion but I’m wondering …. why is dried fruit bad? Too much fructose? I go for raw muesli which has dried fruit in it (a mix from Alfafa House Food Coop in Enmore) so it has no added sugar as such.
BTW I worked in the dairy industry/speciality cheeses for 12 years, and full fat dairy is the way to go – less processing the better. Cheese & yoghurt are all ABOUT flavour, and that’s what the fat gives you. Go for UNHOMOGENISED milk where you can find it (so the fat is intact).
And having lived in Italy, I got into the habit of drizzling oil on my meat/fish/vegetables – tastes great and never affected my weight.
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There’s a sugar free meusli which is made in Perth, Gaby’s meusli. Some fruit shops around Sydney stock it, including my local, Patricks in Bellevue Hill.
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I’m a gluten freebie who’s now a sugar freebie. For three weeks I ate a derivation of the Dukan Galette; 2 organic eggs whisked with 2 heaped teaspoons of rice bran powder and cooked like an omlette. It cooks quite firm, and has a nice nutty taste. Then I got a touch worried about eating 14 eggs a week (!) even though they really stop the hunger and sugar cravings.
Now I’ve swapped back to my usual delicious natural yoghurt with gluten free seed sprinkle: Put half a cup each of sunflower seeds, pepitas, rice bran, almonds, sesame seeds, ground flaxseeds into a food processor and blend. Use 2 – 3 tablespoons stirred into yoghurt. Sometimes I also add Chia. This recipe was given to me by my naturopath and it is fabulous. Sugar free and yum!
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Sarah thanks for this article, it’s fabulous.
I make my own breakfast from puffed amaranth (lot of nutritional and not really a grain), puffed millet (good cos it’s alkalising), freshly ground flaxseed (1 tablespoon), some pepitas and sunflower seeds (try to get organic), some chia seeds (soaked) and served with chilled dairy-free milk (not soy, usually sugar-free rice milk that has natural calcium from seaweed). I love it!!
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Great conversion topic this is. Having done alot of research and experimentation on myself over the last 10years I know that fruit itself isnt the problem with sugars and the weight epidemic. Yes I also have sweet poision at home and have read it. As it stated with fibre it changes the way fructose reacts if it were just pure fructose (ie a 52g energy drink 500ml can would have approx 5tsp fructose in it yikes!). Now fibre slows the fructose release and provides many nutrients and vitamins the natural way not a multi V some shope wil ltry and sell you. My research has lead to Red Papaya as an incredible allround fruit that can be eaten liberally bu diabetics and general population. It has a natural lower sugar count than many fruits and is excellent for mens health, your skin and a host of other things. Also Quinoa is an excellent seed to cook up to replace rice and is a complete protein (like whole eggs) with all 9 essential amino acids. The incan warriors were fed quinoa to improve stamina in battle unless they were in war and were punished by death if caught growing it! Im personally a vegetarian but like anything it basically all works if yo uhave a plan and stick to it. Knowing the energy in your food means its then a no brainer. I know people who blame going vegetarian for their weight gain, when it was the fact they were a lazy vegetarian and prob ate 3500cals and were eating 2500cals (hence the weight gain). Its all a matter of balance eating inredibly low sugar but not exercising means to me your no healthier then someone who eats a bit more sugar but circulates their body and cardiovascular system with 35mins of jogging 3 times a week minimum. Exercise needs to play a bigger role in determining sugar content in the diet and one who exercises intensly every day needs to worry far less about sugar and just provide extra good food and fruit to power their day and not get sick
… Cheers,
ZAC
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I am getting so confused with what to eat…what no to eat…
I used to be very overweight and have lost 40 kilos but have a final 10 that won’t move. I exercise 6 x times a week (3 x strength, 3 x cardio) and I work hard at it…and I’m reading and trying everything I can to lose this last 10…I’m eating more towards a Paleo diet and removed sugar (most of it) a long time ago…yet no matter how hard I try…I can’t get the weight to budge.
You’re saying it’s ok to eat bread and weet bix etc…but other research says to steer clear of ‘Wheat’ and that ‘Gluten’ is very bad for you…
I don’t know what to believe anymore…
Can you do an article clarifying this about wheat and gluten and what it does to insulin & hormones? or if you have done one already, point me in the direction where I can read more?
Thanks
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