All things cruising well, most of you are probably a good few days, if not a little longer, into this sugar quitting caper. I’ve loved following how you’re all going.
First up, some little house keeping:
* I have a new Facebook I Quit Sugar page: I’ll be updating it mostly daily with new helpful information and tips and offers… feel free to wade into the community and hang out there.
* If you’re on twitter, use the #IQS hashtag. See what everyone else is saying, support each other, post photos of the food you’re making. It’s a growing thang!
* And I invite you to join the IQS mailing list here. To be really honest, I haven’t thought of how I’ll be using it yet, but I PROMISE it will be only for special offers and information. NEVER spam.
So, how’ve you been going?
I think the general vibe is that most of you have skipped the easing off process and gone straight to NO SUGAR. All good.
But equally, no stress if you’re taking a slowly, slowly approach. I did and I found it was the best attack.
This week we’re introducing some more fat and still cutting back on the sugar, gearing our bodies up to the change.
Also no stress if you’ve QUIT. Then lapsed already. Seriously. No stress. This might happen from time to time.
And no stress if you’re just getting on board now.
Let me share three things:
1. We’re doing this gently. When we’re gentle, things feel good. When things feel good, we continue. Studies show we’re more likely to stick to a resolution if we’re compassionate with ourselves as we go.
So your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to back off. Be gentle.
2. Studies show it’s OK to lapse. Most “will power” research has shown it takes 21-28 days to quit a habit. Such research is based on abstaining for the whole duration. But more recent research by University College London shows it’s more like 66 days….BUT a lapse here and there is fine, so long as we return to the intent (and don’t throw in the towel because, dammit, we failed AGAIN).
3. This is NOT a diet. That is, it’s not a restrictive, mean process geared at slapping ourselves around about the way we’ve lived previously. It’s an experiment. Experiments work a lot better than draconian diets. Playing is better than being told to NOT do something.
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Another thing I’m picking up on: the eating more fat thing is SCARY. This week I really recommend upping your fat intake. I outline the right kinds of fats in the book, but post below if you need more clarification.
Two things I want to share:
1. All that scary talk about fat? A lot of it stems from some dodgy research from the 1960s by Ancel Keys. And it’s WRONG. Definitely watch the short video – to arm yourself with the facts.
2. Just try the fat thing. Then move into the no sugar thing. And stick with it a week or two and see if you lose weight. Just see. Observe your body. Report back. (And if you want to see how others found the more fat thing play out, read here.)
Try this for hunger/cravings:
I found this the other day – Kapai Puku Naked Blend muesli – nothing but raw nuts, seeds and a little rice bran. You could make up your own, but then you don’t get the nude dude on the packet. I’ve been mixing it with a tbls or two of coconut oil in a little cup, plus some raw cacao powder (about 1/2 a tsp), and putting in the freezer for a minute or two until it’s hard. An instant chocolate protein snack. Eat in the afternoon. Wait 15 minutes. Then see if you have cravings or are in the least bit hungry until dinner?? You could make up a batch and put in an icecube tray, take to work and pop out one or two each afternoon…just an idea.
Some of you have cravings at night, after dinner. I did, too. It’s my binge zone. One tip shared on this site was to clean your teeth after dinner, so you don’t eat more. I take it one step further: try this Miessence Anise toothpaste. I know this sounds dumb, but it does feel like a “treat” – the licorice flavour satiates that need for a little “something”.
Your Questions Answered:
OK, so each week I’m going to wade through your comments and answer as many as I can, with the help of some experts along the way.
Today we have:
Anthia Koullouros a naturopath, herbalist and food educator based in Woolahra, Sydney.
And
Nat Kringoudis a Chinese Medicine practitioner who is something of an obsessed expert in fertility issues, based in Melbourne.
Both will answer further questions on the blog, too.
Karina asks: I don’t need to lose weight (my BMI is already just normal borderline underweight) and I found when quitting sugar previously I’d get the shakes, feeling faint. Not sure if this is withdrawal symptoms or just as I have normal/low blood pressure anyway?
Anthia: This is withdrawal symptoms. When you are in the rhythm of using sugar or carbs as your fuel source you need to manage the highs and lows of energy, appetite, moods etc with sugar or carbs. A low is the withdrawal of sugar. Start eating more wholesome fats & proteins and this will kick start using fats as fuel which is more sustainable and balanced and you will not experience the highs or lows or withdrawals.
Lauren asks: I’m also going mainly grain free and I’m wondering about Polenta? Being corn it’s not really a grain, but I’m wondering what your take on it is? Also are lunch meats like salami and ham ok to have? Do you still eat legumes?
I’ll focus on the grain-free thing first. Lots of you have asked if you should be cutting grains at the same time. My answer: no. Do one thing at a time. Gentle! After 8 weeks, then you might find your body is curious to cut starch out. Some paleo folk will argue it’s easier to quit sugar without carbs. But they’re ignoring the psychological factor of adjusting to new eating habits.
To the other questions…polenta is a grain, salamis and hams are great, but choose good quality ones (and look for nitrate-free and pasture fed), I personally don’t eat many legumes, but this is due to AI issues.
Hayley asks: Is there any chance you can post a guide as to how much fat you needed in your diet to replace the sugar? Last time, I felt as if I was eating too much and put on weight, but when I still craved sugar and got hungry, people suggested I needed to eat more!
Good question. And the answer is: you need to listen to your own body on this (which YES is hard when it’s confused by too much dieting and toxins etc). Eat fat and a little protein with every meal – especially with veggies (the minerals, which will help make you feel satiated are ONLY absorbable with fat). So. A tbls of butter or oil on veggies. And a piece of meat the size of your palm, or a thick slice of cheese, or two eggs or…. With snacks, it’s easy to go overboard and want to eat in the kind of bulk you used to eat carb-y snacks. No. We’re talking a tbls of coconut oil. A few slices of chicken etc.
And this is the trick to adjusting: eat a small amount of indulge-y, good fat or protein. And then wait 15-20 minutes.
Go for a walk. Hang the washing out. Make a call, so that you don’t go back for more. I bet you will find that’s all you need.
Mia Bluegirl asks: Any suggestions on how to appease the PMS monster without chocolate? I reckon I could literally eat a whole cake right now.
Nat: Vitamin B immediately balances oestrogen and boosts the feel good chemicals dopamine and serotonin. Foods high in vitamin B include several seafood varieties, eggs and cheese. One teaspoon of vegemite packs a good punch of Vitmain B along with some other useful vitamins. Of course, you can also supplement with a quality product to knock PMS on the head.
Shell asks: I’m on day 3 and my skin is breaking out and I am having headaches!
Nat: Perfectly normal as your body adjusts to the new way of eating. As your body withdraws and rids of toxic matter, it needs extra special care – make sure water intake in this phase is high and constant throughout the whole day (minimum 2 L) to help flush out the stored toxins. Ensure there is adequate rest to speed up the healing of the body and keep exercise at a lower intensity to allow your body to fully do it’s cleaning job properly.
Lauren O asks: is Berocca okay?
It doesn’t contain fructose. But it does contain aspartame and acesulfame K. I’m not a fan of most fake sugars, although these two are in fact digested by the body.
My take: avoid eating stuff that has ingredients you don’t understand.
But then also: if you love Berocca, it’s such a small amount of fake sugar, give yourself a break and enjoy it.
NikkiC says: I’m training for my first marathon this year…. and am interested in hearing if anyone has any sugar-free substitutes for energy gels, to use on long runs??
Look for glucose as the sugar. Glucose is what you need, not the fructose, anyway. I noted some running sites have discussions about this. That said, as a runner, you’d be in a position to be able to cope with fructose, while running. So I personally wouldn’t stress too much if you down a goob.
more questions:
These are a few I get asked a lot…
Can quitting sugar prevent AI diseases down the track?
Simple answer is yes. Sugar, I believe (most research points this way) causes most of the issues leading to metabolic sydnromes and AI issues. For more on this
What do I eat at parties?
White spirits and soda or wine; meats and cheeses, but avoid all sauces; nuts and chips. I really advise, if it’s a cake/biscuit-based affair, you bring your own. Check out the recipes on my site.
What about lemon in my water? Lemon’s a fruit.
Lemons contain about 1% fructose. And how much are you consuming? A squeeze? Knock yourself out!
extra reading
Each week I’ll include some extra interesting stuff to check out. Wrap your visual gear around these:
Eating sugar causes overeating. Proven.
And did you catch this on the New York Times site? Everything already out there that’s geared at making us lose weight, doesn’t work. Losing weight, via the methods pushed by the diet industry, is pretty much impossible…I postulate: perhaps it’s the low-fat, restrictive approach we’ve taken. What about full-fat/no sugar and gentle?
That’s all for this week. Give me feedback on what else you’d like to see hear. I’ll post info about the webinars shortly. And don’t forget to check out the
New FB IQS page
And subscribe to the IQS mailing list here.
I smell an App development opportunity here! Any backers?
IQS App 0.0.01
features:
List of sugars
Tracker
Recipies
ect….
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January 9th, 2012 at 12:10 pm
Thanks for the shout out!
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January 9th, 2012 at 12:20 pm
(I’m being constructive for once)
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January 10th, 2012 at 4:30 pm
excellent idea!
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January 15th, 2012 at 2:34 pm
Yep that sounds like a app! I’d definitely use
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I quite sugar a year ago. Hope it’s ok to comment here seeing as I’m not in this group. Just have to say! Please don’t be afraid of fat! I lost a few pounds after cutting the sugar and continuing on with more butter, coconut oil and bacon fat. It really can work and I’m pretty resistant to weight loss as lost even at that. Best of luck to everyone doing this:).
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I’ve been on the IQS journey for a few days now but haven’t noticed anything just yet. I was never a big sugar eater but I’ve been slowly cutting incidental sugars out. The other day at work someone had bought in a chocolate cake and usually I would have taken a slice eaten it and felt guilty afterwards, this time I just looked at it and walked away, was pretty proud of that moment!
I say I was proud because in the past for some reason I’ve been unable to say no when I’m out and offered dessert or something that I usually wouldn’t eat at home!
Anyhow just a few questions/clarifications:
I’ve noticed some people on the IQS have said that they are eating fruit in place of sugar, which is confusing to me because I thought fruits were out, except for berries?
Is vanilla powder ok to use?
When people refer to coconut milk/cream are they referring to the ones in the cans?
Is stevia the only option for a sugar substitute? I know things like agave and coconut sugar are out, but are there any other choices?
Finally – I’ve recently started eating whole-milk yogurt and it says on the packaging there is 15g of sugar per 226g serving. Is this ok?
Thanks for all the info Sarah and all the help! It’s not always easy starting a new way of eating especially when you’re the only one doing so.
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January 9th, 2012 at 1:10 pm
Hey Naz,
I’m not Sarah, but I can def answer a few:
– In Sarah’s book she talks about quitting fruit in Week 3. then gently introducing some low fructose ones after 8 weeks (e.g. berries, kiwi). So some people (myself included) are having some fruit still. That’s ok.
- Not sure what vanilla powder you’d be referring to – what do the ingredients list? Although I’m confused by extract & essense too. must hunt that out in the book!
- Coconut milk & cream from the cans – yep! so cheap and awesome. I cannot for the life of me work with a real coconut. If anyone can… some tips & hints please!
- Sarah’s book lists all the other options (e.g. Glucose, dextrose) – flick to that page for sugar sub’s.
Hope that helps!
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January 9th, 2012 at 1:36 pm
Hey Dana,
Thanks for that! I’m not a big fruit eater myself I’ve always had problems when it comes to digesting fruit and often feel bloated afterwards. The only fruit I really have are bananas and that’s usually mixed up into a shake, and sometimes berries but haven’t been having any for a while now. I do have a juicy and yummy looking pomegranate in the fridge maybe I should just bite the bullet and eat it!
Ok so good thing about the coconut milk from the cans, I bought 2 cans the other day and froze one of them into ‘ice-cream’ = yum!
Well I have vanilla extract and vanilla powder at home, the vanilla extract lists ingredients as: water, organic alcohol, organic vanilla bean extract.
Vanilla powder: Maltodextrin, vanilla bean extractives.
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January 9th, 2012 at 1:38 pm
Oops that N was me Naz!
January 9th, 2012 at 1:38 pm
maltrodextrin is safe!
January 9th, 2012 at 1:23 pm
I had the same question about the milk, I was given the answer that it is the one in the can.
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January 9th, 2012 at 1:37 pm
Great thanks Sharon!
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January 9th, 2012 at 1:44 pm
Great thanks for confirming Anne-Marie!
January 9th, 2012 at 3:02 pm
In regards to the yoghurt – 15g is sounds hight, but for a 226g serving, the first 10.6g is lactose, so you’re only really having 4.4g of sugar, working out to less than 2.2g/100g, which is fine (Sarah’s ebook recommends staying under 4-6g/100g).
For general reference to anyone wondering about yoghurt, I found the Barambah Organics 97% fat free yoghurt to have the lowest sugar content (I know it is lower in fat, but oddly enough the full fat variety is sweetened). It is more expensive, but only a few dollars & I’m a student living on $20/week for food & I still choose to buy it and just eat less.
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January 9th, 2012 at 3:49 pm
Sugar Free,
I think we need a post from you on how to eat on $20/week. I think I’ve forgotten how to eat well, cheaply!
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January 9th, 2012 at 5:02 pm
All great questions, and all the answers are correct.
There are quite a few yoghurts out there with 4.6g sugar/100g (which is all lactose, no fructose). I only buy these ones…in part because of the sugar issue, but also becuase it means it’s not tampered with!
Also, choose berries over bananas in your shakes!
January 10th, 2012 at 11:05 pm
Yeah I would really love to know how to eat for $20/ week! I’m trying to save and I though $50/week was still hard!
January 11th, 2012 at 12:07 am
Unfortunately here in the US (or maybe it’s just where I live it’s hard to find yogurt that first of all hasn’t got corn syrup or something crazy in it! I buy mine from Whole Foods, which is were I do most of my food shopping (not always the cheapest!) but so far I’ve only been able to find the yogurt I mentioned above (whole milk) which costs about $3.00 but there’s another one which has 7g sugar/(think it’s 220g) which sounds great except it costs something like $7 or $8!
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January 11th, 2012 at 12:08 pm
Hi Naz
Can you get Fage, I buy it from wholefoods and it is only 8g sugar and it is 200g, it is a greek yoghurt though, not sure if you want that one. It’s also about $2.50. I can also get it at superfresh but it is the same price if not more than wholefoods actually.
January 11th, 2012 at 1:17 pm
I haven’t seen it, but maybe because I haven’t looked for it. Next time I’m there I’ll look out for it, currently I’m just having their 365 day brand whole-milk yogurt or the Nancy’s Yogurt whole milk.
January 13th, 2012 at 10:32 am
Hi Sharon,
Went to whole foods today and found the Fage yogurt. It’s kind of pricey though (as is everything there!) but once I’m done with the yogurt I have now I’ll test it out. Do you get the full fat one?
January 13th, 2012 at 12:57 pm
Hi Naz
Yes I do, I was going to get the 0% one till Nat explained why full fat was better. It was 2 for $3.00 at my wholefoods today. Not sure if they normally have the same specials. It is available at other supermarkets as well though not sure it will be any cheaper. Eating the whole 200g with chia seeds is actually really filling so I’m cutting back a little on how much I am having.
January 13th, 2012 at 2:17 pm
It was $3.99 or something at my wholefoods, the one I get is about $1.00 cheaper so I guess not much of a difference! For some reason though the full-fat fage looked a lot smaller to me than the 0% or 2%, have you noticed that? There’s another one (forget the name but will find out) it has about 6 or 7g of sugar per/200g but is around $6 – $7! so to me kinda pricey for yogurt.
I go through my yogurt pretty fast so don’t want to be spending so much all the time.
Oh and if you’re into your teas I tried a new tea from whole foods today which is AMAZING –
Tazo sweet cinnamon spice. Try it, it’s really good!
Slowly but surely is certainly the key. As I enter into Wk 3, (3.1kg littler – yeah for me) it is becoming easier – I think! Still looking for some more snack ideas though.. please…
Licorce root tea – may I say is AWESOME. My lordy the smell alone in the box is enough, but the taste WOW! I will never look at a licorce all-sort again. My pantry is now a haven for tea’s – licorce, dandeloin, green, white and chai – before this all started not a tea bag in sight. So my question is regarding teas this week – when is the best time to drink a specific tea, how many per day is recommended to get the best benefits and is it OK to have a variety of different teas each day – ie I would hate for one to be cancelling out the benefit of another.
Thanks.
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January 9th, 2012 at 1:36 pm
I’ve got another tea question…
I’m a fan of the green tea plus dried fruit combos and was wondering if they’re ok?
Things like dried strawberry and pineapple take away the bitterness of green tea and make it slightly sweeter, but does that contradict the whole IQS thing?
Thanks
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January 9th, 2012 at 1:38 pm
pop a bit of ginger in there – sooo tasty (I just put a small knob the size of a fingernail)
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January 9th, 2012 at 5:05 pm
Regarding the fruit in the green tea…it’s a small amount and I say if it’s getting you to drink green tea (which is great for insulin balancing) than do it. I faced the same dilemma a while back and rationaled that the amount of pineapple being used was equivalent to about 1/10th of a serve of fruit and was spread over several cups of tea.
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January 9th, 2012 at 1:37 pm
I snack on almonds…after chewing 5 of them, I have forgotten that I was hungry.
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January 9th, 2012 at 1:58 pm
I’m totally addicted to a tsp of coconut oil in green tea! It is so sweet and lovely.
Also works in peppermint tea. YUM.
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January 9th, 2012 at 5:06 pm
NOW! I have not tried that. Lee Holmes (Supercharged Food) puts almond milk in lavender tea!
January 9th, 2012 at 7:36 pm
Miranda Kerr does rhat’n
January 18th, 2012 at 1:12 am
Is that like Tibetan butter tea??
January 9th, 2012 at 3:26 pm
Only 5, wow you are disciplined… lol…. I am being good and sticking to 10.
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January 9th, 2012 at 3:16 pm
Hi, I can only give you my opinion, and it is purely what works for me and what I feel my body wants.
But ……
I have Gun Powder green tea in the morning because I love it so much, and I find it goes down so beautifully at that time.
I have Dandelion mid morning before I have a snack.
I have licquorice in the afternoon as I love the sweetness.
I have chamomile before I go to bed.
I also have peppermint if I feel the need for some digestive help or especially around period time as I dont like the caffeine from the green tea as much around that time.
Also during peroid time I drink Raspberry leaf tea which is so soothing.
Gosh, I have so many other teas that I drink and I love them all! I dont think that you should worry about the effects cancelling each other out. If you dont drink them too close together I think you will be good.
I could not live without tea – it is the best. Have you been having some loose leaf tea or bags? If you are loving the bags you should definetely try the leaves, they will rock your world!
Anyway, I hope this helps, sorry for prattling on.
xo
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January 9th, 2012 at 3:31 pm
No please Erin, ‘prattle’ on! lol. Thanks for your comment, it has helped greatly. Since I have never been a tea drinker I am starting slow with tea bags. Next step is to invest in some good loose leaf tea from a good supplier and undertake the whole ritual thing, but for now the bags are pretty good. I should have listened to Granny all those years ago when she to “prattled” on about the benefits of T!! I am now in T heaven.
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January 9th, 2012 at 4:37 pm
I have a small full fat latte at morning tea time and fills me until lunch and If I am craving sugar after lunch I have a lady grey tea – they have 3% lemon and orange rind in the tea and I find it sweet and curbs the cravings, also I drink Jasime green tea for the hint of sweet flavour and ginger and lemon tea also…hope that helps!
January 9th, 2012 at 5:07 pm
Rebecca, the Maharishi brand has some great spiced tea bags with Maca and cacao and cinnamon in them…they taste super sweet.
January 9th, 2012 at 7:10 pm
I too love tea!
But after doing some reseach on raspberry lead tea there are lots of negative opinions. Can anyone elaborate?
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Hi Sarah (and team),
Are all veg considered ok? Or are their some that should be limited?
I noticed my pack of semi-dried tomato has 34g of sugar per 100g!
Thanks
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January 9th, 2012 at 3:20 pm
stay away from those semi dried tomatoes that is way too much sugar. most vegetables are fine… Peas, Carrot and Parsnip are the higher sugar vegetables, then come Onion, White cabbage and Tomato.. . David Gillespie’s book the Sweet Poison Quit Plan is my ‘bible’…it is a great reference book as well as being easy to read.
have fun!
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Hey guys!
I’m a little soy milk-obsessed, I tried going back to full cream milk but it makes me really bloated! I usually only drink Bonsoy, unless I’m desperate and can’t find it. Is Bonsoy okay to have whilst on the #IQS program? It says there is 2.2g of sugar per 100ml.
Thanks!
xx
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January 9th, 2012 at 7:34 pm
There is another brand, it’s purple, nature something from memory.
It is 100% sugar free. No malt etc. Just whole organic soy beans!
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January 10th, 2012 at 11:11 pm
I am soy obsessed too and only drink Bonsoy but I’m now worried about the sugar and hormones etc in soy. I’m kind of confused. I’ve just started having macchiatos insread as there is only such a small drop of milk I figure it can’t do much harm.
I’m really keen to try out the lavender tea with almond milk!
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January 13th, 2012 at 2:35 pm
Soy can be bad news for health – especially hormone balance as it contains estrogen mimicking properties which can put things way out of whack & contribute to issues including ovulation & uterine fibroids. Again, because of the processing of soy & the fact it’s made it’s way into most of our foods, we are consuming high levels without even knowing it. A small amount of bon soy is ok. Just be mindful.
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I’ve got a quick question about cocoa nibs. I was hunting in the supermarket unsuccessfully (although I’ve never found dextrose in the supermarket so maybe my hunting skills suck). A few of the yummy recipes mention cocoa nibs. Has anyone bought them from Coles or do I need to hunt out a health food shop?
Thanks all x
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January 9th, 2012 at 1:43 pm
I’m not in Australia so can’t help you there but perhaps try buying them online? I found some just recently in a store over here haven’t tried them yet!
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January 9th, 2012 at 1:47 pm
I would try a health food shop for Cocoa nibs or powder, as I saw it there on the weekend. Of course not sure where you are based but I visit Dr Earth in Newtown (KIng St) it is a huge store and has everything. I also saw Cocao powder in the small health food store in Metcentre at Wynyard in Sydney today.
re the Soy Milk – have you tried Almond Milk? The Australia’s Organic Almond Milk is available at Woolies, it is low in sugar. It is a little more expensive than soy but as I don’t have it very regularly I don’t mind. I inter-charge Almond Milk with Soy Milk due to some negative research regarding soy.
Day 2 of no sugar and going well.
Yesterday out to lunch and really wanted a frappe as it was so hot out – I got a citrus frappe which was lemon, orange and grapefruit with mint. Even though it did have fruit I thought maybe citrus is better/lower in fructose. I could of course be kidding myself there! Anyway I am not too concerned about 1 frappe that I really enjoyed and had no added sugar.
I am still allowing myself a small amount of fruit, eg a few frozen berries only in the morning. I used to eat 3-4 pieces of fruit a day plus fresh dates in addition to all the other sugar so I think this will do me for now.
good luck all
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January 9th, 2012 at 3:55 pm
Thanks! I’m in Surry Hills. Will head off to Dr Earth this weekend.
Gosh I love no sugar. I am so less hungry (or thinking about food all the time!)
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January 9th, 2012 at 3:10 pm
I have only found it in health food shops – Do you have natures works or a Vitamin Me store near where you are? I have found both powder and nibs there. If you dont have a convenient store near try ordering some online.
Hope you are well, xo
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January 11th, 2012 at 2:01 pm
I have found it in health stores (most shopping centres have these now days right?) keep hunting and I am sure you will find one. the one I found was in Melb – Northland (but i have seen them in a few places since)
might be a little late & you may have had your choc fix but the one in northland is across from the coles supermarket
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January 16th, 2012 at 9:42 pm
I think you might be looking for cacao nibs….not cocoa nibs. One letter might have been what’s stopped you finding them! Cacao is different to cocoa. Better for you.
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January 16th, 2012 at 9:43 pm
2 letters
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Hey team,
I have started back on my Triathlon training program which has me training up to twice every day. I was just wondering if anyone had any good pre and post training snacks??
Today I’m going for a handful of berries and plain yogurt with Cinnamon. I am conscious of utilising fruit because of the sugar intake
Any advice would be greatly appreciated and shared,
Tils
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January 9th, 2012 at 3:28 pm
I’m not an athlete (or even a regular exerciser!) but maybe you would need something more filling with fats & nuts or perhaps some more carbs. My favourite treats (I’m also gluten/dairy intolerant) are these…
- I throw a bit of sweet potato & regular potato into the oven, cut into chunks & sprinkled with olive oil, paprika & salt (the salt makes it cook faster).
- I put some halved cherry tomatoes with olive oil and salt in a very low oven (as low as your oven goes) for a few hours then store in a tupperware container. They are so sweet and a few with some nuts are very satisfying.
- Coles roasted almonds are dry roasted (so no trans-fats) and taste a billion times better than normal almonds. I mix them with chia seeds, coconut, pepitas, sunflower seeds, other nuts, linseeds and throw it on top of yoghurt with cinnamon & a sachet of stevia powder if I want a real sweet treat.
This is my favourite muffin recipe:
250g almond meal (or replace half with any flour you can tolerate for lighter mix)
4-12 sachets Natvia (stevia) granules (depending on your sweet tooth)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
50g shredded unsweetened coconut
250mL fresh grapefruit/orange/lemon/lime juice (just any citrus you have)*
the zest of whichever citrus(es) you used
1 egg, seperated
pinch salt
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
*if you’re still in the very strict stages of no sugar, replace with 250mL of the milk of your choice with 1-2 tsps vanilla essence, I would still add some lemon zest if you’ve got it.
1. Preheat the oven to 180 C (or 160 C fan-forced).
2. Combine almond meal, stevia powder, baking powder, baking soda and coconut in a bowl.
2. Separately mix together juice, zest, egg yolk and coconut oil (the coconut oil may solidify a little, don’t worry too much about it).
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined (better to have a few lumps than to overwork the batter – it keeps it lighter).
4. Whisk the egg white with the pinch of salt in a separate bowl (this is optional, but makes the batter lighter).
5. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter.
6. Spoon into muffin tins.
7. Bake about 30 minutes (if you make mini muffins check after 10-15), the mixture may need longer & if your oven heats unevenly, now is the time to rotate the muffin tin.
8. If you’ve been off sugar for a while, a decedant finish is to mix about 1/4 cup-ish lemon juice with a few sachets/drops of stevia and poke holes in the muffins while they are warm and drizzle the juice over the muffins – keeps everything nice and moist & tangy.
Makes 8 large muffins or lots of little ones!
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January 9th, 2012 at 5:10 pm
Nice one Sugar Free !
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January 9th, 2012 at 7:09 pm
I was under the impression that roasted almonds aren’t ‘good’ (loosely) because the oil in almonds once roasted take a different form?
January 16th, 2012 at 1:52 pm
Thank you thank you for this! The biggest thing is ensuring I have food on hand straight after my morning and evening sessions. Preparation and practice prevents piss pore performance – and sugar gives me piss poor performance!
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Hi guys.
I quit sugar a while back – thanks Sarah. I failed my first attempt and I think it was because I didn’t alter the rest of my diet. I was successful on my second attempt – Yay! And haven’t looked back. I even ate some chocolate (lots actually) at Christmas but just stopped again the next day without any problems.
What helped me quit?
Not having AL, I found whole grains satiated me and evened out my blood sugar levels. I stopped eating any processed food at the same time and only ate wholemeal bread and baked with wholewheat or other whole grain flours. And I was full (something
I rarely experienced previously) and I stopped craving sweet food. I’m not a big fan of meat (but try to eat it once or twice a week) so I also ate lots of legumes which also did the trick. (I’ve lost 5 kg in 2 months).
I ate full fat but not extra fat like Sarah.
My other life saver was rice malt syrup which is made by “culturing rice with enzymes to breakdown the starches and then cooked to become a syrup” (from side of jar). This syrup has the consistency of runny honey but isn’t as sweet. I contains soluble complex carbohydrates, maltose and a small amount of glucose. It satisfies any cravings I have. I cook with it and use it as icing on my sugar free snacks. It doesn’t cause sugar highs so you don’t feel like you cant stop eating it. I have some muffin recipes I developed if anyone is interested.
Also I still eat fruit as I don’t find it causes any problems for me and I believe it is good for you. The fibre decreases the problems associated with fructose.
Hope this helps. Good luck!
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January 9th, 2012 at 2:28 pm
Hi Lou thanks for that input and yes please to the recipes!
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January 9th, 2012 at 3:56 pm
yes! recipes! i love other peoples recipes
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Thanks for doing this Sarah, I seem to be doing OK so far …
Even made some sugar-free ice-cream! Major achievement for culinarily challenged individual.
(Thank god for xylitol.)
M
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Hi Sarah,
I have downloaded your book (which I love) and I got really interested in no sugar/high fat diet. I have cut out sugar since November and doing high fat/no carb diet from Dec and my body is very grateful for it.
However, I am bit confused with some of vegetable options out here. I am basically trying to cut down as much sugar as possible even they are from fruits and veggies. For example, I love tomatoes but they have 3g of sugar/per100g and I eat about 3-4 a day. Is that too much sugar? Are they fructose? What about carrots? They are 20% carb veggies.. is this now allowed?
Also what do you think of sucralose? I am taking Xtend when I am training and it has sucralose on it. According to Gary Tabues (the author of good calories and bad calories), he doesn’t differentiate sugar VS sucralose – they are all sugar after all.
Thanks for your help
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January 9th, 2012 at 6:57 pm
Joonie, if you are having doubts if tomatoes and carrots are good for you, it’s a sign that you are taking things too far. I hope this whole quit sugar thingy doesn’t get too ridiculous. Sometimes if you THINK that something is bad for you, it actually can be. Just enjoy your veggies. It’s just energy after all.
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January 10th, 2012 at 6:56 pm
Joonie, this is a terrific tool that allows you to search for the nutritional stats on all sorts of food, including fruit & veg. It even shows different stats depending on how the food is prepared. http://nutritiondata.self.com/foods-0.html
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Im on week two and so far doing well! I used to eat a lot of fruit, and have struggled to find portable healthy snacks to replace it with (I am out and about a lot during the day). As a reuslt, I seem to be eating a lot of bread, crackers, cheese, protein. Funnily enough it’s not fruit I crave, it’s veges! It’s easier to prep veges if I am at home – does anyone have some ideas for vege snacks on the go?
Also, home-made sushi rice uses a powder that seems to be high in sugar – but once it’s in the rice, it’s less than 4%. So is it ok?
Thanks for all the tips!
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Hi Sarah,
What would you suggest if you don’t like coconut oil and water.
I am having trouble enjoying it- I like them in a smoothie but wont be having those as of next week…
I also really don’t like the flavour of cooking with the coconut oil.
Perhaps I’ll enjoy it more after the sugar is gone?
Thanks,
Erin
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January 9th, 2012 at 8:59 pm
Hi Erin,
Some brands of coconut oil don’t smell or taste like coconut. Personally, I use ‘Spiral extra virgin coconut oil’ which doesn’t have a coconut flavour and so is perfect will sweet or savoury recipes.
Hope this helps
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January 10th, 2012 at 9:12 am
Thank you!!
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Sarah, how do you feel about coconut milk yoghurts such as COYO? Good? Bad? ok? x
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January 10th, 2012 at 8:42 am
KiKi look at the side of the container…how much sugar does it say? I think it is over ’2′ per 100 that is considered too much at the start of this regime.
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January 10th, 2012 at 1:39 pm
Hi, page 15 of the ebook says “eat products with less than 3-6g of sugar per 100g or 100mls, for dairy stay under 8g of sugar per 100g or 100ml. I had a similar question last week.
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January 10th, 2012 at 5:05 pm
Yeah, i know she said that but It says 0g! I just can’t quite believe it because it tastes amazing but isn’t really talked about…that’s why i’m a bit confused..
January 10th, 2012 at 10:48 pm
I would be confused as well, the coconut ones I checked out in the US had something like 12g, it was more than the Greek, I assumed it had too much sugar. Sorry I can’t help you there!
Any advice or do you have a general rule when –>
* someone makes you something full of sugar as a gift – birthday cake , muffins etc…and wants to share with you. I am not tempted by sugar but I hate to hurt people’s feelings and reject ! …..
Would love advice about this predicament!!!!
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January 9th, 2012 at 9:11 pm
Prevention? Talk up your new goal. I wonder if that would work, or would people forget/ go the easy sweet option.
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Hi guys… I have a question about milk. What can I have? I’m doing IQS, and don’t eat bread, pasta or rice. I have tried both almond and rice milks and like both. In yyour book Sarah you don’t say to cut it out, but do refer to the sugar in skim milk. I may have missed it but am a little confused???
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January 11th, 2012 at 8:33 pm
Yes you can have it, it’s mainly lactose 8.6g of sugar per 100g is fine.
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Hi Sarah – I am so grateful that a public figure like yourself is getting the word out that fat does not make you fat and that grains, dairy and sugar are evil! For anyone wanting a sweet craving, try coconut butter cream. Its made from pure coconut and is oh so good. You should be able to find it at any organic shop – just watch as some as the chocolate or vanilla ones have argave syrup in it. It is also a good source of fat! I also love coconut milk in my coffee. Since I don’t eat any sugar, its nice and sweet!
Thank you Sarah for
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January 10th, 2012 at 5:59 am
I’m pretty sure Sarah is a dairy fan given her love of halloumi, natural yoghurt, and organic butter
And I don’t think her message includes much about cutting out grains either. But I could be wrong.
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January 15th, 2012 at 5:08 pm
I was wondering the same thing about grains! I don’t want to cut grains particularly bread, rice and pasta at the same time as IQS (or maybe not ever!) but don’t want to be undoing all the good work. I thought I read in Sarah’s ebook that sourdough and brown rice are good choices? What about pasta – wholemeal?
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Hi Sarah and everyone!
I have been doing the slowly method and am up to week two – so far so good!
I love your post and all the comments so far, it has really been a mind over matter thing. There still a voice in my head that says “eat it” whenever I am around something sugary! One great thing I have noticed is that my skin is looking great right now! Has anyone else seen any positive results?
I am glad there has been some discussion around portions, veggies and fruit. I am going to amp up exercise this week so the tips are a great help!
But I do have a question: what about alcohol? I saw spirits are OK, but what about wine?
Thanks for all the info and insights!
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January 10th, 2012 at 8:46 am
my skin has improved so much and I feel so happy … no moods at all…and have lost 4 1/2 kgs. I wasn’t hugely overweight; that is after 4 months. I don’t drink spirits…that is a personal choice for me. at this stage I am having a little wine…1/2 glass some nights..but love cold mineral water as a substitute…
hope this helps
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January 10th, 2012 at 3:52 pm
Margot – well done!
A small amount of wine is also ok – best not had on an empty stomach though.
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January 11th, 2012 at 9:59 am
Thanks Anne-Marie and Nat!
I think I will try and cut out wine and beer for a few week, just because that can also be an unhealthy habit! But it is good to know either way!
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Hi guys
I adapted this recipe. Original recipe: sweet potato spelt muffins (Maria, Scandi Foodie’s http://scandifoodie.blogspot.com/2011/10/sweet-potato-spelt-muffins.html) which are also really good served with rice malt syrup.
Banana muffins
2 large ripe bananas (approx 1 cup mashed)
2 large eggs (organic, free-range)
2 tablespoons brown rice syrup
125ml milk
50g butter/coconut oil or 60ml olive oil
150g whole-grain flour (I often use 100g spelt and 50g teff)
30g nut meal (almond, hazelnut, walnut, etc)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of sea salt
Optional: I vary this basic recipe all the time by adding chia seeds, nuts, cacao powder or nibs – don’t go overboard though adding all at once it’s a great result. Also I have used apple instead of banana.
Preheat oven to 170-180C. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan or line with cases.
Mix mashed banana with the butter/coconut oil/olive oil, eggs, milk and brown rice syrup.
Mix dry ingredients together then fold in wet ingredients.
Scoop the mixture into the prepared muffin pan. Bake for 20mins (all ovens will be different, – i.e. when skewer comes out clean).
Serve with a tablespoon of malt rice syrup. They are lovely warm so the syrup soaks into the muffin.
Even my 3 year old gobbles these up!
PS I don’t limit my fruit intake. I think fruit is healthy and that we should eat two pieces a day. The fibre in the fruit helps with the digestion of the fructose.
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Great video to watch: Sugar the bitter truth.
Scroll down blog – halfway down page: http://spoonfulofsugarfree.com/2011/04/01/just-a-spoonful-of-sugar-or-20/
Its basically fructose (when not combined with fibre) that you want to avoid. By cutting out sugar and fructose containing sweeteners, any processed foods containing sugar (soft drinks, juices, chocolate, biscuits, lollies, sauces, etc) you will achieve your goal naturally. I believe you should eat lots of vegetables, as much as you desire, as well as two to three pieces of fruit (in its whole form – not juiced) each day. To eat otherwise, I feel, would harm your health. Fructose when with fibre is not a problem.
Milk in all its forms (as long as not sweetened), is fine too. As is cheese etc.
I also wanted to say:
★ I believe in Michael Pollens philosophy – eat food. (Meaning in its natural state. You can cook it but not over process it). Not too much. Mostly plants. And that although I hugely admire David Gillespie’s (author of sweet poison), I don’t recommend rushing out to buy the low sugar processed foods he recommends (i.e. shapes biscuits, potato chips) – they are still not good for us.
★ Wholegrain foods can help even out your blood sugar levels and stop the cravings. As can some fat.
★ Lastly your weight is going to also be determined by your calorie intake. Fat is high in calories so don’t go overboard.
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Okay, fat related question first, if we’re saying that saturated fats aren’t as bad as we’ve been led to believe, are there ANY ‘bad’ fats we should be avoiding?
Also, how many people are having trouble finding bread products that have less added sugar? I ask this because I get my sandwiches and bagels from cafes and I wonder how likely it is that there is much added sugar in them.
And one more, for Sarah in particular, I know you recommend cutting out fruit for the 8 week period and then add it back in, but did you cut out the high fructose veges like carrot for that period too?
Thanks as always!
Quick note on progress, no major cravings but some headaches and moodiness (could be that I’m just a cranky bitch all the time though). I am eating A LOT of potato chips in place of my sweet treats. This cannot be good!
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January 10th, 2012 at 8:52 am
Hi Kimbo,
I buy sourdough bread from a sourdough bakery..it has NO sugar. if you haven’t got a bakery close by…find one buy a few loaves of bread and freeze it. White bagels, plain focaccia, wholemeal, and burgen rye are also low in sugar (David Gillespie’s book)
hope this helps.
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January 13th, 2012 at 8:32 am
What about wholewheat bagels? I’m going to look it up but wondering if you know if they are alright? I might need to change my weekend breakfast with vegemite
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January 18th, 2012 at 2:51 am
For the record, I’m still eating wholewheat bagels, white bagels and white flour pasta. From my label reading the brands I usually buy don’t actually have any added sugar. One of the reasons I like IQS over Atkins etc (terrible for you in my opinion) was that it didn’t say you had to give up carbs.
January 10th, 2012 at 4:54 pm
Kimbo I’m fructose intolerant and CAN eat carrots but not onion (the worst), asparagus, artichokes, green beans. I think that’s it. I can tolerate small amounts of garlic. I wouldn’t worry at this stage about vegetables cos really who eats enough of them?! Just focus on the sugar honey! xxx
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January 11th, 2012 at 8:43 pm
Sarah lists the bad fats in the book. basically vegetable oils sunflower, safflower, canola, grapeseed, palm oil, corn oils. any oil that has been tampered with is bad for you. If it’s deep fried it’s most likely cooked in one of these oils.
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Hi all,
A couple of questions.
I am changing from muesli with dried fruit to yoghurt with chia seeds for breakfast and I am wondering why I would choose full over low fat when they both have the same amount of sugar. I bought the full but am just curious, it is greek yoghurt called Fage, available in the US.
I have lemon in warm water each morning, I use a whole lemon but I thought I read either here or on last weeks (can’t find it now) that it was too much. Just wanted to check before I change what I am doing in the morning.
Thanks
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January 10th, 2012 at 3:49 pm
Hi Sharon,
When we start mucking around, so to speak, with the natural state of a food, we loose nutritional value. Full cream milk (although pasteurised etc – that’s another story) is in it’s whole state. Low fat variations (not limited to milk) are nutritionally lacking because of the processing – and are generally higher in sugar. When we ‘take something out, ie fat, we need to make up for it, and very often this means more sugar to make a food a stable product. In the instance of milk, the variation of sugar isn’t huge (low fat somewhere about 12gm, full fat somewhere around 11gm depending) but it’s more the nutritional quality and benefit of the product that is important here. Low fat milk isn’t great news for a variety of reasons and is thought to be linked to many ailments, including fertility issues.
As for Lemon – I usually advise patients to use the juice of half a lemon.
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January 10th, 2012 at 9:04 pm
Thanks Nat, I appreciate the explanation and I’ll use less lemon as well.
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Also, forgot to mention that I tried making the power balls from Scandi Foodie tonight, they were quite nice! I didn’t have the coconut to roll them in but I didn’t really need it.
http://scandifoodie.blogspot.com/2012/01/on-conscious-mindful-eating-recipe-for.html
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Sarah, I’m so glad I found your book! It has really opened my eyes, so much that I join the IQS journey six days ago. I really appreciate your guidance and tips! It’s not easy cutting sugar out of my diet, especially having low thyroid, but i’ve already noticed some changes. It keeps me motivated to keep going, especially when the cravings hit. Thanks again!
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Hi, I had already started trying to quit sugar when Anthia suggested I get your ebook. It’s definitely helped so far! I’m on day 6 of no sugar at all, after already having a period of wind-down from certified chocoholic classification.
I find that I am getting cravings even when I’m not particularly hungry. The worst times are at the end of the work day and right after dinner. I have been trying to eat high fat foods at meals, but feel like they’re not kicking the cravings and I’m starting to put weight on! Do you have any tips? I am pretty much out of willpower reserves so that can’t be my solution.
Thanks a lot!
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January 11th, 2012 at 2:09 pm
I drink a cup of tea after every meal – I crave sweetness after meals can you tell?
also I had coconut/cacao nibs/coconut milk with a few fresh berries (only a few tablespoons in total) as a snack after dinner last night & this worked a treat!
I think the thing to watch is the amounts – only prepare the smallest amount of the treat & see if that satisfies – wait 30 min and if you still have a hankering have a tiny bit more?
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Hi Samantha
Try eating whole-grains. They stopped most of my cravings. i.e. brown rice, wholemeal pasta, quinoa, wholewheat/spelt/teff/brown rice flour for baking, rye or wholemeal bread.
Also, try some rice bran syrup. A little is all I need when nothing else will work.
Good luck Samantha, don’t give up. It is so worth it. Being free from sugar addiction is wonderful! And I was someone who once they had one lolly or piece of chocolate, would end up stuffing their face with sugar loaded food all day!
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January 11th, 2012 at 9:25 am
Thanks Lou, I’ll try it!
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Hi there,
Just wondering whether the odd beer is still ok!?
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January 11th, 2012 at 12:23 pm
Hi Meg
Unfortunately, I don’t think so, I have resigned myself to wine for the next 7 weeks. The book only mentions wine and spirits.
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Sarah. Thank you so much for your ongoing help and support. I am on the programme. But have lapsed several times. With your gentle forgiving approach I have returned to the programme with renewed resolve. I agree that gently gently is best and sets you up to succeed rather than fail. Most challenging for me are social events or being outside of my own home. Especially when culturally its rude to refuse case in point my Lebanese auntie! I think I just have to toughen up!! Any top tips gratefully received! X
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January 11th, 2012 at 1:20 pm
Oh I know how you feel, well at least now I don’t have the excuse of family since I’m living overseas but I know what it’s look to feel guilted into eating someone’s food. The best advice I could give you is to be upfront with people and tell them you are doing this for your health. I know it might seem rude to the person who has just made the food but at the end of the day it’s your body. Worst comes to worst just pick at the food and pretend your’e eating lol!
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I fell off the wagon and some sugar filled cereal the other night, (nothing else available, starving bla bla bla) – my heart raced for a good hour afterwards! Good indication that living without sugar might be far better for me already
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Hi all – i am now on day 7 and over the withdrawal. I have not had cravings as such except for last night when I made hamburgers for the kids and started drooling over the beetroot. That can’t be too bad can it? I am drinking white wine most nights (I can’t sacrifice everything) and along with that goes a packet of potatos chips. I really should be giving those up too I guess but one thing at a time hopefully. I do worry the wine has sugar because it tastes so sweet but Sarah says its ok (in moderation of course which is not exactly easy for me!)
I had a very rare auto immune blood disorder when I was a child called henoch shonlein purpura. It has never come back but I have always suffered from fatigue, stiff ankles and severe bruising. I have often wondered whether something like this has a life long residual effect. Those out there who are AI have my sympathy.
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Could I get some advice on probiotics? Are they unnecessary if you eat well? I looked up Yakult and found that it has 11.4g of sugar (or 10.9g in the ‘light’ version), most of which is sucrose (and a small bit of glucose and lactose). Is it best just to stick with natural yoghurt?
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January 12th, 2012 at 1:46 pm
Best grab a pro-biotic powder from the health food shop or even many chemists stock them. Ask the sales person their recommendation. A quality product might cost slighty more but it’s worth paying. You can take it in water – it really doesn’t have much taste and the quality is superior. I like Metagenics but even something like Inner Health Plus is ok.
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January 13th, 2012 at 4:18 pm
Thank you! I eat well and exercise quite a lot, yet my skin just isn’t as good as I feel it should be (quite dry and dull). I’m thinking this might help. &/or perhaps some fish oil?
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Sarah I’m sure you’ve answered this before but I can’t find it!
Can we have the sweetened Cacao nibs, found one sweetened with panela? Is this high in fructose? I bought the raw ones and they don’t taste like anything to me. Which would you recommend?
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I’m just curious about the whole skim-milk vs whole milk issue. I personally drink almond milk myself but for people who do drink skim-milk is it necessary for them to switch to whole milk? Also doesn’t skim have more calcium?
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January 13th, 2012 at 1:25 pm
Naz – unfortunately by treating milk we actually change its composition, making the available calcium virtually impossible for our bodies to digest and absorb. This means that milk really isn’t giving us the calcium we might think it is.
Full fat is best as I’ve explained because it is a wholefood. You might like to see my reply to Sharon above.
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January 13th, 2012 at 2:21 pm
Thanks for that Nat,
I had just come across an article that stated that skim milk offers more calcium that’s why I posed the question.
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Hi Sarah & others,
I’m wondering if you could tell me why it is that nutritionists and dieticians all seem to back a low fat diet? Is it because it’s assumed that most people would reach for a Big Mac if they were told to increase their fats?
Just yesterday I was reading an article about swapping out your bad habits one at a time, and one of the tips was to swap full cream milk in a coffee for skim. I think it was Michelle Bridges who suggested it. I understand and am fully behind your approach (it’s working for me!) – I’m just confused as to why the people who’ve studied this field most seem to give the opposite advice?
Re-reading a lot of my old Women’s Health magazines, I find that they always suggested lowering sugar levels, but I always skipped over that part, thinking it was cutting out fat that was the key to a flatter stomach. Their advertisements are incredibly contradictory to the message they’re trying to sell though, so I’m not surprised that I was so confused. It just strikes me as bizarre that the sugar-free message seems lost on the sources we rely upon most.
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January 13th, 2012 at 1:36 pm
Hi Amyer,
They are really good questions and I would love to hear the response too! I am totally on board with the IQS thing – have read both Sarah and David G’s books several times – and sugar as the culprit just seems to make sense. Both scientific and anecdotal evidence would suggest that in spite of more and more low fat products on the market, more and more people joining gyms etc, we are still getting fatter.
However I think we have been fed the low fat message for so long now that it is hard to let go – and it seems that most nutritionists and experts are not totally on board with the quit sugar message.
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Sarah, I so look forward to your posts, and this is a great one! I bought your ebook a few months ago, and found the sugar surprisingly easy to ditch (although I’m back to eating fruit and some honey now). I am now about to head down the Paleo path – as inspired by you! I’ve started a blog about my health/lifestyle journey and your blog is a constant source of inspiration, information, and motivation.
Congrats to all embarking on the IQS journey.
Thanks again.
Kim
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My late night fix is hot cocoa. I make this with rice milk (just can’t seem to get it taste nice with raw milk, coconut milk or almond milk – but that’s me), raw cacao (1T – again that’s me and I built up to that amount), the tinsiest bit of powdered Stevia (seriously tiny amount – I use the back of a plastic fork to get the tiniest speck, but I’m sure I started off liking it a bit sweeter). This I stir over the stove until almost boiling (using a wooden spoon to press out all the cacao lumps), then I add a Tbs or 2 of coconut oil to a the cup I measured the milk with, and poor the hot cacao over. Always does the trick.
Also works well with xylitol (actually I liked it a lot better with xylitol but prefer not to be eating it every day – too processed). With xylitol I would use a 2:1 cacao to xylitol to mix a big batch and measure it out in one Tbs amounts to mix with milk to make the hot cacao goodness. Mmmm.
If you’re very sensitive to caffeine before bed you could use a tsp of cinnamon instead of cacao. I like to use cacao as it doesn’t keep me awake, it is so packed full of antioxidants, and it satisfies (these days prevents) any choc cravings.
xo
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January 14th, 2012 at 7:56 am
is Stevia less processed than Xylitol? Xylitol has been my lifesaver since IQS…so like white sugar and no bad press!!
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January 18th, 2012 at 9:46 pm
Stevia is from a plant so more natural. You can even buy your own plant – my friend has one in her garden. Also try rice malt syrup. Nice and sweet but made from rice. Its fructose free and safe to eat.
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January 18th, 2012 at 1:19 am
Thank you for the idea of adding coconut oil to hot cocoa–that sounds way tastier to me than adding it to green tea!
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Hi Gabby,
Xylitol is Ok but not recommended over long periods of time and only in limited doses..
David Gillespies’ Quit Plan.
and treat Stevia the same way. I don’t use any substitutes as I think the addiction to the ‘sweet stuff’ stays with you that way.
good luck.
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Hi Sarah
Into week 2 of IQS for my partner & I now – whoops! We started eating more pasta which we hadn’t been before IQS and forgot that it has hidden sugar! Can we substitute with wholemeal pasta or similar? Find it a good meal with protein-y toppings e.g. carbonara made with eggs not cream and some pancetta.
Also, need to drop tomatoes with other fruit-y fruits in week 3?
Thanks!!
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January 18th, 2012 at 9:43 pm
Hi Hannah
I quit sugar about 3 months ago. I eat wholemeal or wholegrain everything. I think it stabilises your blood sugar levels so the cravings settle. Hope this helps.
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Ooh yeah, good question…I hope tomatoes (in moderation) don’t have to go!
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The IQS journey is going pretty good for me and for the first time in probably 10 years or more I haven’t wanted to stuff my face full of chocolate or other sweets during my period…and I feel so much better for it! Usually I would eat whatever I wanted (full of sugar) and then feel guilty about it afterwards but now I haven’t had any urges!
WOHOOO!
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Hi All,after almost two weeks on IQS things have been going well – a few unintentional slip-ups (like semi dried tomatoes!) and even while on a beach holiday with the family, I’m managing to say no to the traditional afternoon ice cream, to the mini mars bars left in the fridge by a generous aunty….all without too much trouble at all.
I am thoroughly enjoying the feeling of control and like so many of you, it seems, leaving behind that desperate feeling of needing to constantly trawl the fridge and cupboards for the sweet treats that never quite hit the spot.
Reality set in last night though – dinner out with friends, a couple of glasses of wine…and then the kids get their complimentary ice cream and topping. I scrape by with just a taste from one little spoon…and soon make the mistake of reading the dessert menu. I convince the teenager across the table (didn’t take much convincing, admittedly) to order the ‘caramel sin’ off the menu. With five spoons. Its not even a dessert I would normally order but I felt like it was calling me. It is probably no coincidence that I felt like I was doing a drug deal. I am an addict !!!! I managed to keep it to 3 spoonfuls. I closed my eyes while I ate them and they were gooooooooood.
I feel both exhilarated and depressed at the thought that one day the dessert will not longer have this pull. Will it ever really happen???? I need to know!
PS Back on the wagon today.Only 3 hours in but resolve is strong. So far so good.
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January 15th, 2012 at 2:38 pm
Didn’t you have any reaction to the ‘caramel sin’?? no headache, cramps in legs, feet??
I had a reaction to a few tinned peaches after 1 month off sugar….and never again will I touch sugar..knowingly! the worst headache, my feet cramped so badly all night that I was in tears….
good luck,
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January 15th, 2012 at 4:46 pm
Actually now that you ask – I mentioned to hubby that I had quite bad reflux late last night (after steak and chips – not the kind of meal that normally gives me reflux) and he said ‘must be that sweet stuff you had!’
He reckons since we quit sugar his reflux has reduced dramatically. I think he might have a point!
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Another question!!! I tried to make my own activated almonds, walnuts & pepitas but I think the coolest setting on my oven was still to hot they are golden brown inside & out. They still taste…ok? But have I inaccurately activated?
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Hi Anne – Marie,,
you wrote above that ‘maltrodextrin is safe!’ but I was reading on the internet that there are doubts about its safety. Could you tell me more about maltodextrin?
Thanks!
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January 18th, 2012 at 7:58 am
Hi Bettina,
according to David Gillespie’s The Sweet Poison quit plan, Maltrodextrin is absolutely safe. I don’t use any substitutes …..
anne-marie
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January 23rd, 2012 at 1:15 am
Thanks, Anne-Marie!
I should get his book–but after sitting through the 90-minute video and remembering almost nothing from it, I’ve been hesitant to get it…maybe you/Sarah could write a book review of Sweet Poison?
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January 23rd, 2012 at 8:04 am
so much information in the book….I couldn’t even ‘think’ about writing a review…
but do get the Quit Plan book as it is easy to understand…
good luck
January 23rd, 2012 at 8:20 am
Bettina, isn’t the fact that it inspired Sarah (and a lot of us)’to quit sugar a good enough review. Have a google if you want book reviews but it’s a great, easy read.
January 23rd, 2012 at 9:14 am
Bettina its a small investment, but I refer to his book constantly.
I have even photocopied the “top 10″ tables from his books to make it easier when I go to the supermarket.
It would be almost impossible to go sugar free from a video that you have watched only once. Sarah’s tips are invaluable and I refer to her book too, plus I enjoy the support of this website – but David’s Quit Plan is kind of like the reference/guide for me.
January 23rd, 2012 at 9:21 am
thanks, Gabby and Dana, I agree with you both..Dana, I also have photocopied parts of David’s book and believe it is THE reference to have…
best wishes.
January 23rd, 2012 at 7:24 pm
Thanks, Dana, Gabby and Anne-Marie!
When I read about sugar I start thinking about it, so I’d rather not think about it but only about what I can have–like fats and frozen coconut milk and chai tea.
But if I were to get one, it seems like it’s more practical to get his Quit Plan rather than Sweet Poison?
January 23rd, 2012 at 7:32 pm
Hi again Bettina!
I have read both of David’s book, and if you were only buying one I would definitely buy the Quit Plan. The first book (Sweet Poison) is basically the science behind the theory (albeit easy enough to read) but the Quit Plan was apparently a response to demand from readers of the first book as to exactly WHAT to eat etc.
Its definitely the practical guide book to help you live the fructose free lifestyle.
January 23rd, 2012 at 8:29 pm
Hi again, Gabby,
thanks for the answer!
But I can’t find the Quit Plan for sale on Amazon (my source for English books in Germany)–is it in print in Australia??
Actually, I just googled it and saw that it’s for sale from his website–but $50 AUD to Europe is a bit eyebrow-raising for me!
Here’s a link (not an affiliate) for other interested readers:
http://sweetpoison.com.au/wordpress/?page_id=33
I won’t be ordering it, because right now I’m fine with Sarah’s book. If I really want to dive into the chemistry, I’ll re-think it.
January 24th, 2012 at 9:20 am
I am reading the sweet poison – good read so far – the quit plan one was tough to get through however (Im not much of a reader) but It did give more information on how to incorporate into everyday life.
I saw them both in a book store in Doncaster recently – and would guess that most book stores would order then in for you. around $30 a pop from memory.
January 24th, 2012 at 7:37 pm
Hi Lola,
thanks for your feedback! Now I’m no longer sure which book to get…but most likely none, because it would be too much information. Going through the 8 weeks without sugar is much more important to me than knowing all the details why.
I live in Berlin, Germany, so the shipping would be prohibitive for me for reference books.
DAVID, if you read these forums, consider publishing an e-book or Kindle version of your book. Your message needs to get out there!
Thanks,
Bettina
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One thing I’ve noticed with the anti-sugar brigade (myself included) is that such strict thinking in regards to sugar can often give the stuff more power than it deserves. In the long term, yes, I definitely believe in the benefits of a sugar-free diet. I know that a very strict sugar-free diet is mandatory for AI types or people with medical conditions like diabetes etc, but for the vast majority of us who are quitting sugar simply to feel fresh, clear, energised, in control etc, a slip up now and then is a good reminder for us that nothing awful will happen in the short term as a result, and that it’s not worth getting so worked up over it.
Sometimes sugar-free people (not you Sarah) can sound like they think the end of the world will come if we have a piece of birthday cake, and it’s simply not true. I am as guilty of this as anyone. I’ve had three weeks off sugar completely, even fruit, and the other day I ate a chocolate bar just because I felt like it. I could feel my blood sugar rise, and I definitely felt sleepy (and a little more depressed than usual) later, but other than that I didn’t have any other reaction to it. No headache or cramps. Sometimes it just isn’t that big of a deal, and I think that often the adverse effects people claim to experience from a piece of fruit or some tinned peaches after two weeks being sugar-free are just overly dramatic exaggeration. We detox the stuff out overnight, which Sarah has pointed out several times. Having this slip up has actually made me feel good about continuing to avoid sugar, because from avoiding it I now know that a little bit isn’t going to ruin my life.
I guess what I’m trying to say is, don’t worry about it if you fall off the wagon. It’s not a big deal, you can start over anytime. Having a piece of birthday cake doesn’t mean that you have to go back to eating sugar all day, every day, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
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January 20th, 2012 at 12:13 pm
Completely agree. I ‘quit’ back in February, only to fall off the wagon and beat myself up about it to the point where getting back onto this path took far more time and energy than what it was worth. I know now that if I’m doing my best at least 80% of the time, that I’m doing pretty damn well.
This ‘experiment’ truly is worthwhile doing though, in my opinion. It’s done great things for my overall wellbeing …but I won’t be saying no to cake all the time either!
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[...] or cakes or processed and pre-packaged foods that are sneakily high in sugar. However, she wrote in a recent article about quitting sugar that she has found success with replacing the sugar treat with a high-protein treat. As a picky [...]
Just woke up from an intense dream..I was at a family function (similar to one from last weekend) where I was described each of about 6 dessert options in detail. I could see them laid out before me beckoning but still said ‘no thanks’ – even my subconscious self is getting some self-control after 2 weeks sugar free!
Thanks Sarah!
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Hello,
I’m really hoping someone can help clarify a few things for me as I’ve recently started the IQS program (week 3), but am a bit confused out about a couple of things. Please see below.
1) Can we still drink full cream milk throughout the program? I just looked at week 6 in the IQS program – being an eager beaver, and noticed that it says we can re-ntroduce milk and also stevia then, but nothing says we can’t have this throughout.
2) What’s the go with bread? Yay or ney?
3) Rice malt syrup? Even Pure Harvest has 42g of sugar per 100g and I thought the deal is 3g – 6g of sugar per 100g for all foods, besides lactose as the initial 4.7g is the lactase?
I’m having a bit of a freak out and so is my boss as we have been consuming all of the above, besides the rice malt syrup, but would hate to think we haven’t been doing this properly, eeek!
Thank you in advance for your help.
Cheers,
Phoebe
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October 9th, 2012 at 4:20 pm
Hi Phoebe,
Rice malt syrup, stevia etc are all out in the ‘full quit’ phase. For me, it worked to keep them out until the full 2 months had passed but in Sarah’s plan you can start to add them back in a couple of weeks before the end if you want. Bread is ok, just look at the label and make sure that it is less than 6g sugar per 100g. And don’t eat the whole loaf! haha
I can’t remember about milk. It has lactose, so tastes sweet, so you might find it easier to completely get off sugar if you don’t drink it for a few weeks but don’t stress, you have to just start from where you are! Now you can cut out rice malt syrup and milk, and you’re still a long way ahead of where you were 3 weeks ago!
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October 9th, 2012 at 4:27 pm
Thanks Samantha. I get my bread from a local baker in Melbourne, so I’m sure there’s no added sugar – I hope not anyway, and I don’t eat much anyway. I am not currently eating stevia or rice malt syrup, so all is well.
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October 9th, 2012 at 8:07 pm
Rice malt syrup has NO fructose so it’s the best choice for a sweetener.
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