It’s week three. The time is now. No more run ups…
we’re going cold turkey…no more sugar!
Image by Takaya Hanayuishi
First up, though, some housekeeping:
* On Friday I invited you all to join FebFast (quit booze for February and raise $ for charity). It’s a good time to drop the booze if you’ve just quit sugar. It will help with the cravings and the detox process.
* A reminder to those of you with blogs. You may want to join the IQS affiliate program, and make $6 for yourself off every ebook you sell through your site. Stupidly simply and I’ve sent out hundreds of dollars to some of you who’ve got on board. You can read more and sign up here.
* Ten great sugar quitters won a copy of Lee Holmes’ Supercharged Food from last Friday’s giveaway: Carlie C, Emma, Rachel G, Sue S, Mademoselle Slimalicious, Jess J, Tara S, Kathie R, Sarah R, Kris B. Hoorah to you and big thanks for your tips!
But now. In my IQS book I outline what foods to cut out… and why. But today we might do a little reality check session of how much sugar you’ve actually been eating.
Hopefully you’re boldly replacing sugar with fat and protein from today. It takes some getting used to and you might notice different hunger levels. Find them interesting and move with them. For example. I often get a sugar craving after lunch. As many of you know, I eat a tablespoon or two of coconut oil to quash this…which then leaves me STUFFED until dinner. At first I found this disconcerting…now I find it a godsend. No afternoon snacking is freedom.
Something that helped me when I was quitting was to get real about how much sugar I’d really been eating.
EVERYONE I meet tells me they “don’t really eat much sugar”. Which I find kinda FUNNY. Somebody’s got to be eating all that sugar!
When I chat with people about what they mean by not much they describe a breakfast of muesli and low-fat yoghurt, juice, some honey in their tea…”you know, just natural sugar”. And so on.
Yep, by now you know: sugar is sugar, whether it comes in a Coke or an apple; arsenic is “natural”, doesn’t mean we eat it; etc, etc, etc.
But how much sugar – natural or otherwise – have you been eating? Have you been kidding yourself you don’t eat much?
I had. So I sat down with pen and paper and added up the exact number of teaspoons of the stuff I was eating. It was shocking.
This week, try it. It’s a good reminder as to why you’re doing this. Being real helps.
To do this:
* look on the food label at “serving size”. Then divide the number of grams by 4 to get the number of teaspoons.
* remember to subtract the first 4.7g of sugar in dairy products (this is lactose, which contains no fructose)
* double or triple the serving amount if you tend to eat up big. As I do.
* and remember:
from a biological point of view, we’re designed to be able to handle the sugar contained in about two pieces of fruit in a day, so about 5 teaspoons.
The American Heart Association advises about 6-9 teaspoons.
Some starting points:
* when calculating a piece of fruit, it gets tricky. But to give an indication, an apple is about 3 tsp of sugar (more than half of which is fructose, so it’s kinda the equivalent of 4.5 tsp of sugar), a banana is about 4 tsp
* that handful of raisins or dates or sultanas on your muesli? About 5-7 tsp (yes!). Dates are about 70% sugar!
* a glass of fruit juice = 10-12 tsp
* fruit toast = 6-7 tsp per serve (two pieces)
* a fruit muffin = up to 11 tsp
* a dollop of tomato sauce = 1-2 tsp
* Kellogg’s Just Right = 4-8 tsp (depending on serving size)
* light yoghurt = 4-6 tsp
* pasta sauce (from a jar) = about 4 tsp
Jot down a day’s worth (casting your mind back to a typical day…and going through your pantry) and add it all up. What did you arrive at?
Would you still say you “didn’t eat much sugar”?
try these for hunger/cravings
Lavender tea with almond milk. This is an idea from Lee Holmes’ Supercharged Food cookbook. Simply steep French lavender in hot water and add hot almond milk. Sweet and calming. Great for after dinner.
I’ve discovered these Artisana nut and seed butter snacks and I eat the coconut oil and coconut butter ones straight out of the packet with a spoon. The cacao ones are great for a chocolate fix. Honestly. So good. You can find them at select health food shops. Tip: put in the fridge to firm up…like a chocolate bar.
your questions answered
This week I’ve asked David Gillespie, anti-sugar activist and author of Sweet Poison, to help with some of your questions…
Emma asks: Eating glucose and other non-fructose sugars – won’t they just keep the need for the sweet taste alive? is this a problem?
David: we don’t become addicted to sugar because of the taste. The studies suggest the mechanism is an opioid addiction (just like nicotine). Fructose is the only sugar that stimulates an opioid response in our body (it causes a cortisol spike) – so just like a nicotine (also an opioid) addiction it is the chemical reaction that makes us want more not the taste.
Lady Ashford asks: Are all veggies considered ok? I noticed my pack of semi-dried tomato has 34g of sugar per 100g!
David: The dried tomatoes are just like any other dried fruit. Drying them concentrates the sugar and gives us you a big sugar hit without the associated bulk that would slow you down if you were eating the whole fruit. We should try to avoid all dried fruits (even ones we think are savoury).
KiKi asks: how do you feel about coconut milk yoghurts such as COYO? Good? Bad? ok? They say 0% sugars. I just can’t quite believe it?
Sarah: Coconut is naturally sweet, but contain virtually no fructose (some trace amounts). That’s why I’m such a fan. Just don’t go for the fruit flavoured ones, and remember normal yoghurt is fructose free AND tastes sweet, due to the lactose.
Rebecca asks: 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.
Sarah: Most herbals are fine at any point in the day. I personally drink green tea in the morning (great for stabilising sugar cravings, but does contain some caffeine), dandelion root or leaf tea during the day (it’s a great detoxer, but can make you urinate a lot, so not great just before bed), camomile at night (it’s a relaxant and will help you sleep). Fennel and licorice are great after meals (they help digest) and I tend to keep some of the cinnamon/spicey teas for the cooler months (they are a little too warming in winter).
Kimbo says: 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?
Sarah: YES! Fats are bloody confusing and really it’s mostly about how stable they are when heated and whether they contain omega 3 (good) or omega 6 (bad) fatty acids. There are roughly 4 types.
- Saturated fats, from animal fat and tropical oils: eg lard, ghee and coconut oil. These are healthy and the safest to cook with.
- Monounsaturated fat, such as olive oil. When cold-pressed, it’s great. It can be used for light cooking, but it does become a little unstable (rancid)…which is carcinogenic. I tend to use it cold on salads, rather than risk cooking with it.
- Polyunsaturated fat, or vegetable oils.We’ve been told these are healthy, but only some are. The ones to avoid – they are full of omega 6s and are very unstable when heated are
- Corn oil
- Soy oil
- Canola oil
- Safflower oil
- Sunflower oil
Nuts oils can be great, but are quite unstable and should never be cooked. They also contain a lot of Omega 6, so use sparingly. Flaxseed oil is full of Omega 3, but in an unstable form, so should be treated with care (ie kept cool and stable).
- Trans fats, such as margarine and the fat used to deep fry things = NEVER GO NEAR THEM. Highly carcinogenic …and the rest.
extra reading
If you haven’t watched this already, then now is a great time. You’re probably au fait enough with some of the science so it shouldn’t be too dense.
Robert H. Lustig, MD, UCSF is a professor of pediatrics and an endocrinologist and is something of a definitive voice with all this stuff. In this video he explains why sugar is making us fat. A great link to send to any of the “but where’s the science to back all this” sceptics.
Some of the points he makes:
- calories in = calories out is bullshit
- there’s an epidemic of obese 6-month olds…we can’t put our weight issues down to lack of exercise and high fat eating!
- our biofeedback system is what’s broken
- it aint’ the fat, people! (we’re eating less fat than ever, and getting more obese and sicker than ever…at inversely the same rate)
- Fructose is a poison, it’s not about the calories.
- He also explains the political reasons for why all this happened
That’s all for now folks. Give me feedback on what else you’d like answered. I’ll post info about the webinars shortly.
Hi Sarah,
Just wanted to let you know that I think you may have accidentally posted a draft…
Cheers,
Hayley
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January 16th, 2012 at 12:57 pm
I did!!!
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Hi Sarah – loving the look of today’s post…but looking forward to the completed version too!
Just one quick point – I got all excited about the look of the Raw Cacoa Bliss product that you posted, but when I went to the website I saw it listed Agave as an ingredient….isn’t this a no no on IQS?
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January 16th, 2012 at 12:58 pm
Correct. But it actually contains a small amount.
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An answer for Amyer:
Try making your own probiotic! They are actually really easy to prepare and only take a small portion of time and can provide much more beneficial bacterias to love your body.
Lookup and experiment with making your own healthy versions of fermented ginger beer (instead of using sugar like many recipes indicate, try using banana or home squeezed fruit juice – don’t worry about the sugar content because the fermentation will consume it all leaving a non-sweet beverage) or try making sauerkraut. You’ll probably find using organic produce has better results with better fermentation.
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January 16th, 2012 at 2:08 pm
Thanks very much. I’ll look into that. Might be a good way to use up the fruit I don’t always get to from my weekly delivery!
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Hi Sarah
Thought Id mention a great, if quite old, book which looks specifically at the link between sugar, alcohol and depression. Its called Potatoes Not Prozac (Kathleen Desmainsons). The book talks about how important it is to give up alcohol with sugar and vice versa as one drives the desire for the other. She also recommends eating a baked potato before bed to balance blood sugar levels and I found that this really works for me in getting rid of cravings quickly.
Am really enjoying your blog and this shared experience, any thanks indeed! Lizzie
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Sorry, again for Amyer:
“Are [probiotics] unnecessary if you eat well?”
More and more research is now cropping up which shows that many chemicals are making their way into water ways and food supplies having a detrimental effect on internal micro organisms which are responsible for extracting nutrients from the food we eat.
Even on a balanced diet, some of these chemicals are so insidious that even at doses of 1 ppm (consider distilled water contains around 5 – 10 parts per million) are having incredibly huge effects on the bodies ability to function normally.
Many herbicides and pesticides even at such minute doses which are even so small that they would still be considered “organic” have shown to reduce your bodies ability to assimilate nutrition, causing massive reduction in internal flora but most importantly, causing the flora to not be able to actually bond to the food at all!
I would hedge my bets and include sauerkraut into my diet because of its digestive tract protecting qualities and I do so even though my diet is very good and mostly home cooked organic produce I feel its an essential warrior on my side in the war against digestive natural processes.
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January 16th, 2012 at 3:13 pm
I’ll give it a go! I get all my organic fruit/veggies delivered each week. It would be great to feel confident that the benefits are being supported with probiotics.
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Hi All, I’m going to answer the probiotic question more fully next week!
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January 16th, 2012 at 3:14 pm
Thanks, appreciate it!
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Hi Sarah,
Not sure if you have read it but there is a great book called Sugar Blues by William Duffy (you can download it for free on the web). Great history on sugar in our diets and different studies that have been done over the years on its effects. Well worth a read.
Thank you for all your great tips and help on this issue. I have cut back on sugar, but I still eat fruit. I am pregnant and I do not what to miss out on the nutrients that fruit has on offer. Mind you the odd bit of cake has snuck through – plus pregnancy cravings are much easier to tame if I am not cutting out too much!
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Hi Sarah,
I haven’t purchased the book but want to do it ASAP, I was wondering does it still cost $15 if I’m in the U.S?
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January 16th, 2012 at 4:12 pm
It does. It might work out a little more or less than $15 due to the exchange rate (it’s about on parity at the moment).
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ooh, i want to try that lavender tea w/ almond milk, sounds so soothing! Again, not a part of the “I Quite Sugar” group, but I did actually quit sug a year ago. Coming from a former fruit addict who thought she wasn’t eating sugar when she ate fruit and couldn’t imagine giving it up- you can do this! It feels so good to have broken that cycle of needing something sweet and overeating fruit etc… Cheers!
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Hi Sarah, I’m very interested in quitting sugar & buying your ebook. I already limit sugar in my diet (but enjoy two pieces of fruit a day & have cut out gluten & dairy for 4 years due to AI) but just wondering does the quitting sugar program mean no more fruit forever?? Frankly I already miss out on so much that the thought of subtracting my watermelon & blueberries makes me want to cry a little! Surely the benefits of limited fruit outweigh the drawbacks of having sugar? Thanks! Elisa xx
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January 16th, 2012 at 4:14 pm
i advice quitting fruit for the 8 weeks (to get ALL sugar out of the system)…then reintroduce a little whole fruit after that (1-2 pieces/day). I explain why in the book.
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January 17th, 2012 at 8:28 am
Thanks Sarah
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When we’re on week three and we’re cutting out sugar, do we also cut out bread? I mean plain white bread, not just fruit bread?
Thanks,
Amanda
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January 16th, 2012 at 2:46 pm
I’m also curious about whole wheat/whole meal bread and bagels. I don’t eat much of them but want to do this as right as I can. Tks
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January 16th, 2012 at 2:47 pm
Yes, this is my question too… I like a bit of cheeky sourdough and Vegemite on the weekend especially. I re-read through the first 3 weeks of the book but wasn’t sure. If you could clarify that would be great. Thanks!
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January 17th, 2012 at 8:42 am
Hi Marion and all others, love hearing what you all have to say….
I have just double checked David’s book on the bread issue (having read both Sarah’s and David’s books several times) because I am a huge sourdough fan – especially the grainy Woolworths one with butter and vegemite- my breakfast of choice about 5 days out of 7! – and he goes into it quite thoroughly on pages 118 -119 of the Quit Plan.
The upshot is that bagels are not great (unfortunately) as they usually have twice the sugar of normal white bread, most grainy breads are really good but check the nutrition panel for hidden sugars in the ‘low carb, high fibre’ variety, and thankfully for us sourdough lovers, David says…”If you are a big bread eater, go for the sourdough(white) or the lowest sugar rye or multigrain you can find….”
My aim is to be healthier and lose weight – but I must admit weight loss is my main aim. I am now concerned that as I am eating nuts, full fats etc (and enjoying it) that I will overcompensate, go overboard, and not lose any weight at all!!
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January 17th, 2012 at 8:57 am
Gabby – you’re a legend! Thanks so much for addressing that question. x
January 17th, 2012 at 12:49 pm
Hi Gabby
Thanks for the looking it up and giving the answer, even though I don’t like the response for my bagel consumption
I think I’m giving it up for the next 6 weeks and just have a wholewheat role instead.
I’m in the same boat as you, I’m a bit concerned I’ll overcompensate but I am trying and I don’t feel as hungry as I used to so hopefully it works in the long run.
Thanks again
January 16th, 2012 at 4:59 pm
Buy the book guys!!
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January 16th, 2012 at 11:29 pm
I have the book, I’ll go back and check it again but I’m missing something obviously.
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January 17th, 2012 at 2:00 am
Yep, I’m confused on bread too. I thought (based on the book, which I have bought) that we were NOT cutting out bread. But a lot of people seem to be cutting it out. I love my wholewheat bagels and I know my parents who quit sugar based on David Gillespie’s book haven’t cut out any carbs.
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January 17th, 2012 at 9:39 pm
this will depend on the type of bread you are eating. Obviously, some contain sugar. You need to be finding a good quality bread – usually you will find it is reflected in the price. If you aren’t GF, spelt and millet breads are wonderful.
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Not a question but a recipe that I just stumbled upon that I thought I’d share:
1 cup coconut milk + cream (from a can) – chilled.
1 cup pumpkin puree – chilled.
2-3 tsps of Brown rice syrup.
A dash of vanilla extract.
A sprinkling each of cinnamon, vanilla powder and nutmeg.
Place all of the above ingredients in a blender and whizz away.
YUM!
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January 16th, 2012 at 5:01 pm
Don’t think we can get pumpkin purée in Oz : (
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January 16th, 2012 at 5:29 pm
You can make your own just using a pumpkin. Bake it and then scoop out the flesh and puree.
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So I buy Sliced Smoked Salmon 100g net ( a packet from Coles only 5 slices in it)
– And on the back it tells me: Serving Size 50g
So 50g divided by 4 = 12.5
So 12.5 teaspoons of sugar in this pack?
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January 16th, 2012 at 3:42 pm
Hi Jess – look for the amount of sugar in gms per serving size i.e. that 50g serving will contain xx amount of sugar.
That xx amount is what you divide by 4 to get the no. of teaspoons. Multiply that if you actually eat more than the written serving size (e.g. if you ate the whole 100g then you multiply it by 2 – although most nutritional panels will tell you the values per 100g anyways
)
Hope that helps!
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January 16th, 2012 at 3:42 pm
Hi Jess!
Assuming the product is similar to this: http://www.tassal.com.au/tassal-quick-healthy-sliced-smoked-tasmanian-atlantic-salmon-100gm-dp1.html
“look on the food label at “serving size”. Then divide the number of grams by 4 to get the number of teaspoons.”
Sugar is 0.3g (then divided by 4 = 0.075g) so hardly any sugar.
Then for example in a fruit juice the sugar in the serving size (200ml) is 19.8g (then divided by 4 = 4.95) So about 5 sugar cubes. (“double or triple the serving amount if you tend to eat up big”).
That’s my understanding of how to calculate it… If anyone else has a different approach please feel free to correct me
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Hi Erin,
I have read the book but I couldn’t find a specific point on bread. To my understanding bread has a bit of hidden sugar and in week one the book suggests to pare back on sugar and refined carbohydrates (doughnuts, bready and white floury things, etc). However, it’s mentioned later in David Gillespie’s tips. My understanding is you can still have it but try to keep it in moderation. Just want to make sure I’m doing the right thing and not cheating!
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All Everyone, thanks Sarah for answering the tea question. It’s interesting how I have my teas at similiar times as your suggestions.
For those just starting out – as the days pass it really is getting easier. I have breakfast and then 2pm roles around and I’ve ‘forgotton’ to eat! As someone who is overweight I often thought how could people ‘forget’ to eat, food was the one thing that was always on my mind, inhale one meal and think about the next. Not any more! I don’t miss fruit that much, but will certainly savour a good handful of strawberries at the end of the 8wk experiment – which I intend to continue as a life long experiment!
I am also using the WW food tracker for daily allocation of points etc and its interesting to view how many points something like a handful of almonds are compared to something that is traditionally viewed as non-fat, when in fact it’s packed with sugar. No wonder we are all confused! I am just using the points tracker to stay within the WW points system and it’s working with the ‘higher’ fat / protein type of foods as I am not hungry and looking for the next thing to eat!
Arrr the bliss of it all. Happy Week 3 all.
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January 18th, 2012 at 10:35 am
Ah, Rebecca! I’ve often thought that myself … how can people “forget” to eat?!?! But I agree, after three weeks sugar free, it is something I can see as a possibility for the first time in my life ….
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Just wanted to know what brand of coconut oil your using Sarah. I bought the Spiral expelled pressed virgin organic coconut oil and it doesn’t taste like coconut at all! I love the idea of eating some after lunch to ward off cravings but the stuff I bought tastes like nothing!
Also David’s book says carbs like bread are ok if they are low in sugar, I eat spelt bread with 0.9g of sugar per 100g.
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Hi Sarah,
I am on day one of “full quittagre” and despite wanting to kill for something sweet, I feel great!
My question is this: you have as “adding some sweetness back in” at week 6. So really, we’re only fully quitting for 2 weeks?
You list low fructose fruits as well as some other non fructose alternatives to do this. Is that because those fruits are so low that it still couts as quitting?
Many thanks,
Erin
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January 16th, 2012 at 7:03 pm
3 weeks rather, not 2…
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Hi everyone
I have bought both David Gillespie’s book sweet poison quit plan and Sarah’s ebook. I am finding it really hard to give up fruit during summer when we have the best, freshest, fruit in Oz available
David’s book does not recommend excluding fruit entirely, so Sarah can I keep a couple of pieces in a day to have with yoghurt or on their own? Please?
Nomes
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January 18th, 2012 at 10:07 pm
Hi Nomes. I’ve been sugar free 3 months, maybe even longer. Sara motivated me to quit but I started before the ebook was released so did it in a different way. I ate some fruit when I quit. I still eat 3-4 pieces a day. I’ve personally found this works for me but we are all different. If you do decide to eat fruit just make sure it is not juiced, dried or preserved (only eat it in its natural state). Lou
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Argggh the penny has just dropped and I’ve realised I AM in denial. I’ve been giving myself constant pats on the back for not eating refined sugar (I used to eat a daily mountain of the stuff) and have just realised having read today’s blog that I now eat a mountain of natural sugar in honey, fresh and dried fruit. I’m scared tho as I have a quick metabolism and am ALWAYS hungry. I’m also prone to vata imbalance and feel sugar nourishes my nervous system. I eat a lots of nuts, coconut oil and avocados….will have to think of more fat, and maybe more protein xx
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January 16th, 2012 at 7:59 pm
I was really surprised how my apetite changed once I gave up sugar. That “always hungry” feeling just goes when I eat enough of the right foods, and skip the sugar. Maybe that will happen for you too..?
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[...] goes into it more here and answers some reader questions as well. Have a read if you’re [...]
Appetite totally disappears once you cut out sugar and increase fat, cheese is the best hunger curbing food.
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Thanks for the reminder re: serving size ! I need to look at this one a bit more.
x
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Hi Sarah,
Three things:
1. I’m a little bit in love with you and your e-book, because I haven’t had this much energy in years. I started last week (now on day 6) and I feel amazing!
2. Curious about butter. Stupid question, perhaps – what category of the above fats does butter fall into?
3. More curiosity… Would love to know what a typical day’s menu looks like for you.
Marnie
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January 17th, 2012 at 9:16 am
I agree with Marnie, a typical day/week’s menu would be great for inspiration and ideas!
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January 17th, 2012 at 7:27 pm
I’m sure sarah posted a typical day/ foods he eats a whole ago on the blog!
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January 18th, 2012 at 2:59 pm
I couldn’t find it. If you know the post title or what else was in it, that would be helpful.
January 19th, 2012 at 8:09 pm
http://www.sarahwilson.com.au/2011/05/17-of-my-cooking-tricks-for-wellness/
January 17th, 2012 at 12:55 pm
Re Butter: I think pure butter is fine – Sarah says in her book she uses organic butter. The margarines are not good because they often mixed with an oil like canola oil (bad). Also the low salt butter can have added sugar for flavour so be careful there. So straight out of the cow sounds the best! When I make a sandwich I now use avocado as the base spread.
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January 17th, 2012 at 10:12 pm
butter is fine – it’s also excellent for good gut function.
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January 18th, 2012 at 2:58 pm
Thanks, bought some today! I can’t have avocado unfortunately – it triggers severe nausea and vomiting.
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I just wanted to share a little story about my progress so far. I’ve been going really well, no lapses and no major withdrawals now, but feeling kind of sad that I couldn’t have a treat. My boyfriend and I found some ‘no added sugar’ shortbread biscuits in our cupboard and a quick scan of the ingredients showed that, indeed, they had no sugar in them. We were halfway through eating a couple when we looked more closely at the sweeteners and saw sucralose and maltitol. My reaction “oh…maltitol is carcinogenic and I think sucralose is made from chlorinated sugar”. My boyfriend goes “oh god, that sounds awful.” Halfway through a biscuit each and we threw them in bin. Do you have any idea what a big deal that is? I threw out a biscuit when there were still mouthfuls left. Before this I would have eaten the whole packet and resolved not to buy them again. Dropping sugar has had an amazing impact on my will power.
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January 17th, 2012 at 12:52 pm
Thanks for the story Kimbo, keep up the good work
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January 18th, 2012 at 10:42 am
Well done, Kimbo … that’s unreal.
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I am interested in cutting out sugar, I think it could be a huge link to my “issues” however, I have one BIG hesitation. In looking at both this option (here and elsewhere) as well as the Paleo diet, both have a heavy reliance on nuts and nut products. My daughter is severely allergic to all nuts, so we are a nut free house. As well, I am still nursing my son, so I am afraid that I will not be able to get what I need to maintain milk supply and stay safe. I realize that it is probably possible, but most of the time there is no guidance, and as I have someone else’s health at stake, I don’t want to risk it. As it is I am inspired to cut out much of the sugar already there, but I don’t know that I can confidently and safely do the full purge until later? Any advice?
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January 18th, 2012 at 2:58 pm
Hi Ellen, I’ve just read Nina Planck’s Real Food for Mother and Baby, and it might be a useful read for you to help focus on eating real foods and the benefits of these for your bub and of course for you! I wish I had been off sugar when nursing my two littlies! hope this helps.
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January 20th, 2012 at 3:00 pm
It’s a great book!
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Hi there,
I have been following your blog for about a month now and felt like I should share my 2 cents on the whole sugar diet! For a long time I was really sick and nobody could say what was wrong with me. My weight dropped hugely and yet I was constantly eating, every time I did eat something my stomach would inflate and I looked like I had eaten a basketball! I was also constantly tired, to the point where I had to take several naps a day. Even the smallest sip of alcohol, juice or fruit would have me on the floor in a fetal position because the pain was so great. I lived like this for a few years before finally finding an alternative doctor in Germany who knew right away what my problem… I had Candida in my stomach! Candida lives and craves sugars, so everything I was eating was getting absorbed before my body could make use of it. As well as being given some homeopathic medication I also had to go on a strict sugar free diet. I quickly learned that there is sugar in EVERYTHING! At this point I was willing to try just about anything though. The first couple of weeks were hell. I craved sugar so badly I wanted to cry, I was in a constant rotten mood and worst of all I actually smelt awful because all these toxins where coming out of my pores. After a while being sugar free became a way of life and I realised that all the cravings were gone, I wasn’t even thinking about it anymore. Eight years down the track and I am totally happy and healthy but still need to keep my sugar intake in check. I allow myself one sweet thing a day now (which is probably more than necessary), and what this has done is really made me think about what I want to eat. I don’t want to waste my sweet treat for the day on any old rubbish so I now allow myself a small piece of super dark organic chocolate, or perhaps a delicious slice of fancy cake on the weekend. I would never consider drinking a soda, a milkshake or anything else that is cheap and nasty. Oh and I read the labels on everything!! In other words I am extremely aware of what I put into my body these days and for that I owe thanks to the no sugar diet.
x
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January 17th, 2012 at 12:51 pm
Wow that is a great story to hear Malayka (well it turned out to be great!). Thanks for sharing it with us.
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I thought I would share a couple of breakfasts I have added to my favourite list. The more away from sugar you become the yummier these seem to get…..
Quinoa Porridge:
40g Quinoa (white, black or red)
2 Tblsps organic yogurt
10ml flaxseed oil
1 tspn chia seeds
1 tspn sesame seeds
Just boil the quinoa and once cooked add in all other ingredients, stir and eat up!
This fills me up well and truly until lunch. If being a bit decandant I’ll also add in a few walnuts.
Yogurt Smoothie
200g Organic yogurt
1 tspn Acai Berry powder
1 tspn chia seeds
1 tspn sesame seeds
10 ml flaxseed oil
Blend everything together, add ice if you want it super cold, sit back and sip away.
Find this great for a breakfast on the go.
Lastly – Microwave Egg Omelette (an old favourite)
2 eggs
2 pces of chopped short cut bacon.
Crack eggs into a microwave safe bowl with a little water together with the bacon. Cover and microwave for 60 secs. Take out and mix, the middle will be more runny then the outer, then pop back in the microwave (covered) for another 30 sec.
You can also add almost anything else to this. Sometimes I add a chopped spring onion or some grated cheese.
Enjoy!
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January 17th, 2012 at 12:51 pm
Yum thanks Rebecca – printing this out as we speak!
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January 17th, 2012 at 12:55 pm
Thanks Rebecca, I need to give these a try, need to change my breakfast up a bit and these are great ideas.
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January 18th, 2012 at 11:03 am
Thanks Rebecca. I’m definitely going to try the quinoa porridge.
I’d also like to share one of my go-to breakfasts also.
“Choats”
1/3 cup raw oats
1 tspn black chia seeds
1 tspn linseeds
2 tspns organic shredded coconut
A2 milk (full fat) – enough to just cover
Combine all and leave in fridge overnight. In the morning, the oats and chia have soaked up the milk and you have a bircher muesli style consistency, minus all the sugar. I often make it in a little tupperware container so that if I am running late in the morning (often) I can take with me and gobble in the car at the traffic lights like a little piggy. This is a delicious and easy breakfast and I always find that I am full until lunchtime. I call it “choats” for “chia + oats”, geddit? Oh … me so funny.
The overnight oats idea came from a great blog I have been reading for a couple of years : http://www.ohsheglows.com. This chick is a vegan, and definitely not sugar free, but I love how creative she is with food, and her story is really inspiring.
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January 18th, 2012 at 1:25 pm
Thanks Peckingbird, I’ll have to try this as I normally eat brekkie on the train to work.
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January 18th, 2012 at 1:35 pm
This sounds great! Def going to try this one out
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Hi Sarah and all – I’m on day 13 and I cannot believe the change in my body. I’ve only lost about 1.5 kilos but my stomach is so flat and my body has…shrunk. Better still I fell much lighter and cleaner. Now I need to think about Febfast! I’m so pleased for all the inspiration I have found here.
On another note and putting on my legal hat – the above post from Ellen who is a breastfeeding mum concerns me. Ellen, you should really speak to your doctor rather than asking for advice about what is, really, a medical issue on a blog. I am sure Sarah can give lots of guidance and opinions but when it comes to breastfeeding and kids with severe nuts allergies that is a whole new level and placing such expectations on Sarah to ‘advise’ aren’t fair or appropriate for what this blog is about.
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January 17th, 2012 at 1:33 pm
Kate, I agree completely with both the points you made!
My stomach is flatter and I feel lighter and just…better…. – I hope it keeps going and I don’t pay for my increased macadamia nut consumption….
Ellen – my advice is be kind to yourself. Leave the sugar withdrawal until later. I think it is really wise to be conscious of the amount of sugar we ingest (particuarly in yoghurt, juice, cereals, museli bars etc that we feed our kids).But as a mum of three I know that breastfeeding and a severe nut allergy in a family member adds layers of stress.
Sometimes its just about making it through the day without having a nervous breakdown!
If you are really determined, seek professional medical advice. Otherwise, give yourself a break for a little bit.
Just my opinion…
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January 18th, 2012 at 6:50 am
Hi ladies!
Sorry that my previous post was misconstrued. I was mostly just looking to see if anyone else has gone down this road without nuts. I am not planning on making any changes until I am done nursing nor do I expect anyone other than my doctor to help me at this point. My larger point that was overshadowed was the lack of information (here and elsewhere) as to how to factor in the nut allergies of a growing number of individuals. That is all, I’ll leave everyone alone now.
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January 18th, 2012 at 11:39 pm
HI Ellen
Please don’t feel like you have to leave us alone. I am sugar free and my 3 year old is mostly sugar free (what I can control anyway) and we rarely eat nuts. I don’t think you have to eat them, they are just one idea of a heathy filling snack. But there are heaps of others. I eat 3-4 pieces of fruit a day for my snacks. More than most sugar free people advocate, but it works for me.
Also, I don’t think that there is any reason why your can’t stop eating sugar while you are breast feeding, if you choose to do so. Bub certainly wont miss out on anything if you avoid sugar, though I would still eat fruit in its natural state – not juiced, dried or preserved. Avoiding prepackaged and highly processed food full of sugar has to be of benefit to both you and bub. Healthy food in its natural state is much higher in nutrients, vitamins, minerals, fibre, etc and much better for all of us.
Good luck on this journey when it is the right time for you to start.
Oh Im a bit sad reading how well some people are going! If anything, I’ve gained weight and I’m on day 17 no sugar. I burst into tears at the gym tonight when I weighed myself.
I know I’m feeling better, and I’m eating a lot of greens, but I’m exhausted and more bloated than before! I’m feeling a bit down in the dumps but I’m going to withhold eating sugar. I think I need to cut out any carbs to kick start some weightloss, but too much protein makes me ill.
Why o why isn’t there a meal delivery service that is sugar free?! Maybe thatd help
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January 17th, 2012 at 10:14 pm
Dana – maybe put up an example of what you are eating on a typical day so we can see if there is something going on.
Do your clothes feel tighter or just the scales indicated you have gained weight?
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January 19th, 2012 at 12:14 am
Hi Dana
I feel for you. I put on weight during my first attempt to go sugar free. At this stage I was still eating processed food (i.e. white bread, rice, potato chips, etc) as well as lots of nuts. I lasted about two weeks and couldn’t do it anymore. The weight gain was depressing, I felt hungry and unsatisfied, and the withdrawal symptoms revolting (headaches, nausea), so I caved.
On my second attempt I also started eating a wide variety of wholegrains and legumes, upped my vegetable intake, and completely cut out white and processed food. I ate some full fat food but not too much as I am aware it is high in calories, but I didn’t up my meat intake as I don’t enjoy the taste or how my body feels after I eat it. (Drum roll ….) And it worked! I had no side effects and quitting became easy. Remaining sugar free has also been easy as I have continued to eat in this way. Best of all, instead of putting on weight I have lost 7kg!
I have eaten sugar twice since quitting i.e. I had some chocolate on Christmas day (and couldn’t stop eating it that day). The next day I’ve woken up, said to myself no more and kept on being sugar free.
Before, I was a slave to food. I binged. Once I tasted chocolate or lollies it was all over. I would eat them all day. It was like I lost control. NOW I AM FREE!!! (Thank you Sarah!)
Don’t give up Dana. Play around with your diet and find out what works for you. Good luck. It is so worth it!
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January 22nd, 2012 at 12:57 pm
Dana,
I feel exactly the same! I actually put on 2kg and am hugely bloated. I haven’t had any processed or white flour foods, but I’ve been having 2-3 strawberries in my morning smoothie, which after reading these posts I’ve now stopped. I thought that if it meant the difference between having a good breakfast or not, it wouldn’t matter. But Í know realise that I need to be removing absolutely all sugars. I put some whole grain mustard on my chicken which I thought would be ok as it has 2 g sugar per 100 g, but now I’m thinking that this is still too much (maybe ok for maintenance?)? Maybe our bodies are still adjusting.
I’ve moved from drinking soy milk all my adult life to full fat dairy, so am wondering if this is sustaining the bloating. Not lactose intolerant, but have IBS. Maybe it’s my stomach adjusting? I’m only having 1/2 cup in my smoothie. Today I’ve swtiched to Zymill milk, which is still dairy but meant to be easier to digest so will see if that makes a difference. I’ve thought about rice or almond milk, but am concerned they would be high GI?
Anyway, I’m going to stick with it for the 8 weeks and hopefully it will all settle down. It’s a big change for my body (especially digestion) I think – no sugar but also full fat and oil products to adjust to digesting. I had a teaspoon of coconut oil this morning and gagged! Fat in my diet is a new sensation for me. Maybe this a big change for you too?
Hang in there & keep us updated.
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January 22nd, 2012 at 4:38 pm
Hi K
Re the milk, I can’t drink full fat or trim milk although I can drink skim with no problems but don’t unless it’s a bit in coffee. I used to think it was the fat, although I eat full fat everything and the fat on meat. Now I think it’s the processing. I bought some milk from our deli which is pasteurised (heat treated to kill the germs) but not homogenised (where they mix the cream in with the milk) and I could drink that with no problems at all. If I have trim or full fat milk in coffee, my scalp starts to tingle within minutes!
I use Vitasoy which has a full range of organic soy milks so I would be interested to know what the nutritionists/naturopaths have to say if the soy is organic as I know a lot of the soys on the market are not so good!
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January 24th, 2012 at 10:50 am
K, I wonder if it’s a sensitivity/ intolerance to milk casein that’s contributing to your bloating. Casein is the protein part of the milk and lactose is the sugar part. I know that I tend to bloat if I have too many cow products (butter, soft cheees, etc) because of a casein intolerance. So I find goat’s milk (available at Coles & Woolies) better. I still get the lactose sweetness but because goat’s milk is structured differently I can tolerate it. Might be worth a go.
And if you do stick with the cow milk a pasteurised but unhomogenised one is better for digestion.
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Any take- away ideas? what about sushi?
need a few hints for when I am desperate for something on the run!
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January 17th, 2012 at 10:26 pm
Hanna
Sushi has heaps of castor sugar in the rice and rice wine vinegar used to cook it. BAD cliche unfortunately for us cause I love my sushi…
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“No afternoon snacking is freedom”–I have to keep that in the forefront of my brain for the next few weeks!
And thanks, Sarah, for the lavendar + almond milk suggestion–I’ll have to test my new blender if it can grind the almonds fine enough.
How else are you all staying motivated for the next six weeks?
As for me, I wrote a ‘break up’ letter to sugar on my blog–it really helped me stay clear about why I’m quitting 100% this week: http://activehandsyoga.com/i-quit-sugar-week-3-breaking-up-with-sugar/
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January 18th, 2012 at 12:57 pm
I loved your break up letter. Actually that’s a really good exercise to do. Finishing the relationship for good!
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Oh! And I wanted to add that I joined Sarah’s IQS affiliate program and am really happy to finally be making extra income from my blog. So I really recommend doing it, because people need to know about quitting sugar.
And I offer people who buy through me my shopping list supplement, the sum of my research of where to find the Australian products in the US and in Germany.
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Hi Sarah – loving your eBook. It’s very enlightening and inspiring.
I would like one clarification though. When talking about fats on p 12 you say Canola oil is from “grapeseed”. Did you mean “rapeseed”?
I sometimes use grape seed oil for frying because of its high smoke point. Do you know where it lies on the good fats/bad fats spectrum?
Thanks
Charles
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January 20th, 2012 at 3:02 pm
typo! I know! eek!
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Just a little update from me. I’m 18 days sugar and alcohol free and feeling pretty freakin good.
I’ve dropped a few kgs (about 4.5), but FEEL like I’ve dropped more. I never realised how bloated I’ve been feeling … I thought it was just because I’m fat, but I realise now there is a difference between fat and bloating. My tummy is much flatter these days.
The biggest difference I feel thus far is in my mood. I’m actually feeling very “clear” in my head, and very positive. Normally when I embark upon a “new” exercise/diet regimen, I feel positive and motivated for about a week, then I tend to fall into a bit of a slump. But I still feel very motivated and energised. I actually feel like I can sustain this, and keep going.
I’ve been eating fruit (1 apple and 1 squeezed lemon daily) but have now cut that out since commencement of week three. I also had a sugar free lemonade last night (aspartame, yuck, yuck) and a tomato sauce sachet last week. So a couple of slip ups but nothing really to get fussed over. My desire for chocolate and lollies is almost nonexistent, and this has been my biggest problem so I am very happy with that.
Good luck to all still soldiering on. Don’t sweat the mishaps, as Sarah says “gently gently!!”
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Well, this breaking up with sugar caper is going much better this time around (he’s always seduced me back previously). It really helps having this online community. It’s as if our mutual energy into quitting sugar is making the process a whole lot easier.
I got my period this week and usually I’d have chowed down ALOT of chocolate and other sugary morsels in the week lead up. Not a square/ slice/ passed my lips. And no bloating, aching or mood swings. Coincidence? I don’t think so!
I am loving my cacao smoothies and hot drinks now enhanced with Miessence Radical Berry powder (my splurge – I saved alot on pre-menstrual scoffing after all). Plus, for the extra fat I’m loving chicken liver pate (Arc Cafe brand, Dromana, Vic. Call (03) 5981 9210 for stockists).
And I watch Ormie the Pig (http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=FrTbnczYAd4&feature=player_embedded) to be reminded that sugar ain’t worth it!
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January 18th, 2012 at 1:31 pm
Thanks for Ormie!
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January 18th, 2012 at 2:39 pm
He’s too cute, isn’t he?!
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January 18th, 2012 at 2:04 pm
MirandaBB – I’m totally with you on the whole period thing! I too was the same and would gorge myself on chocs and sweets etc and would feel so crap, this time though just like you I didn’t eat one bite of those things and yep no bloating, aching or mood swings! In fact it was a breeze this time! I wonder how it will be the next time
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January 20th, 2012 at 9:49 am
Miranda it is no co-incidence you didn’t suffer from the dreaded PMS – your body has everything it needs right now – therefore it isn’t communicating to you otherwise! Wonderfully clever.
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January 20th, 2012 at 3:03 pm
Nat, we love you for your sage input! xxxxx
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Ok so I pretty much started the whole IQS program from when Sarah did the first week of the IQS blog posts. At first it was going well, and I went into with confidence. I mentioned previously that it was the first time I was able to get through my period without going crazy on choc and sweets etc. BUT for the past few days I’ve REALLY been craving sweets, I have not slipped up yet but feel like I might at any second! I have been trying my best to curb my cravings with teas, or Sarah’s idea of having coconut oil just on it’s own (still getting used to that one.) It’s helping but still hard.
I’ve pretty much put all the fruit away – even though I was not really eating much fruit before this other than bananas in my smoothie or the occasional pomegranate. The only big concern for me are things like rice, pasta, flour etc. My husband prefers the white variety where I prefer the whole meal, etc, the exception being basmati rice which is my favourite! I just feel bad if he has cooked something with white flour or pasta and I say no. I try to buy whole meal pasta and if I’m baking I never use white. I don’t eat bread at all, never really been a bread person, instead I occasionally have these sourdough crackers with my eggs, maybe 1-2 at a time.
Anyway I’m not sure where else I can cut out the sugar from, don’t drink so don’t need to worry about that. But yeh I hope the cravings disappear soon! and hopefully I can continue to ward them off.
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January 18th, 2012 at 2:38 pm
I wonder if including more ‘good fat’ foods would help. That could be what your body is craving. Read Chapter 2 ‘Operation eat fat’ of IQS again. See if that works. Oh and you’re brave to have coconut oil on it’s own. I can’t do it by itself. Gotta mix it with something (nice with hot cacao – sort of like a coconut rough!). Good luck!
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January 18th, 2012 at 4:35 pm
Maybe, I have been working on including the good fats into my diet, been using coconut oil for a while now. I haven’t tried the cacao yet but sounds good
Will keep trying new things and see how it goes 
Thanks!
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Hi Sarah and anyone who may be able to answer this question,
I am curious about the whole quitting sugar thing. I am contemplating about giving it a go though I have the largest sweet tooth of anyone I know! I am a vegetarian and recently have gone gluten free after noticing that gluten products were making my skin break out. I know that eating “meaty” meals were a big part your (Sarah’s) diet when you (she) was blogging about quitting earlier on and also you (she) gave up fruit, which is a huge staple in my diet (I eat at least 3 pieces a day). I am fine with doing the whole ‘fat’ thing but just a bit concerned about what exactly I would be eating if you can understand where I am coming from? Or am I just making excuses? Haha. And also, is a sugar free diet expensive to maintain? Just became a ‘uni-graduate looking for a job and still in casual employment’!
Thank you for any help
x
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January 18th, 2012 at 2:57 pm
Hi Stacey,
I’m also a vegetarian and I’ve found it quite easy (and cheap) to maintain. I’ve been doing it for a week and instead of meat for protein, I’ve had beans, cottage cheese and other cheeses, roasted paprika chickpeas or nuts or fried haloumi for snacks, tofu or tempeh as the protein in mains, etc. You’ll be fine!
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January 18th, 2012 at 3:24 pm
Oh thank you! Cheap with even buying all of the non sugar sweetner things? All those things sound so yummy! I guess it will give me an excuse to eat haloumi more often! Ok well you have given my confidence a boost so thank you Marnie! I really appreciate it
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January 18th, 2012 at 3:36 pm
This is an excellent website: glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com
Karina Allrich – the goddess – has heaps of vegetarian and vegan gf recipes. Alot without sugar/unprocessed sugar (she has an interesting section on sugarfree baking tips). She also writes really well.
January 18th, 2012 at 3:39 pm
No problem! I haven’t bought any sweeteners to be honest. I’m just eating mostly all natural whole foods. You’ll be amazed how after only a week a teaspoon of shredded coconut on your natural yoghurt tastes like a teaspoon of sugar! That happened to me today. I NEVER thought coconut was sweet and was even skeptical when Sarah said it was naturally sweet, but it just shows how warped my taste buds were. They’ve certainly changed after just a week!
Ah, Sarah thankyou for your constant reminder that I shouldnt consume sugar! was thinking back to when I last felt “skinny” and it was when your E-Book first came out & I went cold turkey off sugar & it did a world of good!
Need to stop making myself excuses for sneaking sweet treats as it seems to be where I fail – damn willpower!!! shall take it easy on myself & as you say start over again.
would love some more recipes – & am hoping that you are going to compile a recipe e-book of sugar free goodness???
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I bought the Artisana coconut butter pack 2 weeks ago and the first taste – oh it was love! My healthfood store sold out and I got the last packet on the weekend! I’ll be going back soon for more. In the US you can purchase jars of the stuff… so jealous!
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January 19th, 2012 at 4:42 pm
Hi Marisa,
Yep I saw the Artisana coconut butter at Whole Foods today (in the US) but it’s really expensive! Not sure If I’m willing to dish out so much but if it tastes as good as you say hmmm
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January 20th, 2012 at 9:23 am
The only problem with a jar would be I think it would be hard to stop eating it – it really is divine stuff, I was literally licking the foil packet last night! I am visiting the US in July and can’t get to visit Whole Foods! haha
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January 20th, 2012 at 9:37 am
Oh wow, you have me intrigued now hehe, might have to buy some on my next Whole Foods trip
January 20th, 2012 at 8:13 pm
I wish I could just get a packet to try, buying a whole jar is going to be a waste if I don’t like it but you have me wanting. To try it. How are you using it?
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OMG!!! I had fruit envy today at the supermarket……I have been totally doing great & still no sugar and 1/2 way thru week 3! yay!
Anyway – I’m standing in line at the supermarket today after a big shop with heaps of fresh veggies & gluten free bread & nuts & all good things……right in front of me on the supermarket conveyor is a lady’s shopping – all good, the person in front of her is s-l-o-w so I get a chance to peruse her shopping on the conveyor. The last items were FRUIT!!! Masses of fruit – blueberries x 2 punnets, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries & peaches – all fresh!!!! Argh……first time I’ve ever in my life I had fruit envy LOL! But I survived & was happy with the shop I did! 
On another note, they’ve had rockmelon (canteloupe) at work all week. There was left overs from training each day – I looked at it and it looked so good – OMG it even smells sooooooo sweet. Never realised that before but now that I’ve been sugar free it’s amazing how sweet it must be for me to be able to smell the sweetness. I didn’t have any
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Hi Sarah,
I was wondering if you could clear this up for me – I’ve your eBook and both of David’s books.. while I get this gist to cut out all sugar, it seems like a limit of <10g per day is acceptable. Do you think it's possible to have a max of 10g (for example, swapping a piece of fruit for a biscuit or a milo?) and still be OK? If it's both fructose (I get that that's sans the fibre) is it doing damage?
Also – I read the sorbitol on chewing gum breaks down in the body as fructose. Do you know if this is true?
And finally, Nativa. Is this a suitable sugar substitute?
Thanks, Sarah!
Cheers,
Nicola
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Hi Sarah,
I’d had a number of passes at quitting sugar, with the initial pass of dropping fruit netting me a drop of 5kgs in 5 weeks.
Quitting sugar completely has been the stumbling block, with the afternoon cravings getting the best of me each time . . .
I’d be interested in hearing more about any connection between sugar cravings and deficiencies in minerals like zinc and/or omega 3.
Thanks in advance . . .
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Hi Sarah
I have a few questions I would love answered.
I have been on the IQS wagon for 3 weeks and I haven’t really felt the withdrawal symptoms everyone talks about. I have certainly wanted chocolate and the like, but I mostly just feel mildly out-of-sorts. I was thinking that this may be because I have been eating a few treats made with stevia and rice syrup. Overall, does this mean that I am not really detoxing from sugar properly, and will my end result be poorer??
Thanks Sarah, I really think I am your biggest fan!!
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January 19th, 2012 at 4:22 pm
Hi Jessica,
obviously I’m not Sarah but just wanted to say I’m in the same boat as you. I have also been using rice syrup, but other than that I can’t think of anything else really that would classify as me having sugar. Did you eat a lot of sugary foods before hand? I wonder if it’s just our bodies responding differently. I haven’t been on the scales yet just going to give it some more time.
Best of luck!
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January 19th, 2012 at 5:55 pm
Hi Jessica and Naz
Now I could be totally wrong (and am happy to be corrected) but I thought rice syrup was off the list during the sugar free period. My understanding is that in this next stage ALL sugar needs to be ditched ‘to allow your confused system to rid itself of cravings and swings’ (IQS quote).
Even though rice syrup doesn’t contain fructose it does contain sugar.
For instance on the Sweet Poison online forum (very good resource) a particular organic brand contains 30g per 100g of sugar and these sugars break down to glucose, maltose & higher sugars (?) I’m sure other brands are similar.
see: http://sweetpoison.myfreeforum.org/archive/brown-rice-syrup__o_t__t_66.html
Stevia is ok because it’s a sweet leafed plant and doesn’t impact on blood sugar levels.
Is this right?
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January 19th, 2012 at 8:37 pm
I think you’ve touched on where I am stuck. Sugar substitutes and no-fructose sugars are very different things. Since yesterday I had only been having stevia until I made some muffins with rice syrup. It has been hard to put them down! Also they feel much more like they hit my “sugar spot” than stevia and it definitely felt like cheating when I ate four today.
Also, is Pepsi max okay? I have quite the addiction and I have still been having some during this stage.
January 20th, 2012 at 9:08 am
Hi Miranda,
Thanks for that info, this morning I added a few drops of stevia liquid into my oatmeal instead of adding the rice syrup. I wasn’t aware that we couldn’t have rice syrup at this stage, I don’t use much of it anyway, just a drizzle on top of my morning oats.
Jessica I’d suggest leavig the rice syrup out of the equation – especially if you notice it’s triggering the fructose monster. And yes I’d ditch the Pepsi Max. I just looked up the ingredients on Wikipedia. No sugar or high fructose corn syrup but lots of caffeine and things that are hard to pronounce. Not good for the body you’re helping to detox! Sounds like that could be a challenge but stick with it.
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Hi all,
Just wanted to share a very basic dessert type recipe. I made rice pudding last night without the sugar and substituting some coconut milk and it turned out quite nicely. Once we’re adding a little fruit back in I think this would be delicious with a few fresh berries to balance out the creaminess but for now I just had it with a dollop of natural yoghurt or kefir and a little lemon zest.
3/4 cup arborio rice
3 cups full cream milk
Half a standard sized can of coconut milk
1 cinnamon stick
1 vanilla bean, split along the middle
natural yoghurt, optional
1/4 tsp lemon zest, optional
Put the rice, both milks, the cinnamon stick, and the vanilla bean in a saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil then reduce to a low heat and cook for 25-30 minutes or until you’ve got a thickness you like. Remember to stir OFTEN to stop the rice sticking to the bottom of the pan. Remove the bean and cinnamon stick. Serve with yoghurt, zest and a litte powdered cinnamon or whatever sugarless treat you like. It’s nice fresh, chilled, or re-heated.
Enjoy!
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January 20th, 2012 at 5:38 am
I should probably add that this is really a winter dessert. I’m in Toronto so the icecream recipes haven’t been very appealing for me
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January 20th, 2012 at 9:06 am
Hi Kimbo,
Thanks for the recipe! It sounds delcious
I’m in the US so this recipe def works for me 
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Thanks for all the helpful hints
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Hi Sarah,
I start IQS at New Years and so far so good – however I’ve just found out I’m pregnant and I’m wondering how healthy it is for me to not be eating fruit at the moment – especially being first trimester. I feel maybe I need to eat my two bits a day and continue with no other sugars for the other goodies in fruits. Quite confused! So far I haven’t had any major cravings but the combination of no sugar AND pregnancy has made eating out/on the run quite a challenge also!
Interested to hear your thoughts!
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January 20th, 2012 at 8:16 am
Shouldn’t you ask your doctor that? If you feel like you need to eat fruit rather than vegetables, then eat it!
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January 20th, 2012 at 9:05 am
Hi Sarah,
As guest said below I think it would be best to speak to your doctor about that. Being pregnant I wouldn’t worry myself too much about the whole fruit thing, but like I said you should def talk to your doctor and do what’s best for you and bub
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January 20th, 2012 at 9:36 am
Oops that was meant for you Ali and not Sarah, sorry!
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January 20th, 2012 at 9:41 am
Hi Ali,
Not eating any fruit poses no risk to your health during pregnancy – everything you need in terms of vitamins and minerals is available in good wholesome foods and vegetables. What is most important is your omega 3′s & good quality protein to support your fertility, hormones and pregnancy. If you are suffering from morning sickness and feel the particular urge to eat some fruit – then that is fine, but there is no risk as such if you are following the IQS programme at all – in fact, it’s perfect.
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January 20th, 2012 at 11:11 am
Hi Nat. It’s great to read your comments on the article
Reading that we get all vitamins and minerals from fruit in other sources though just stirs some resistance in me. How can we be sure, otherwise why would there be fruit? I’m just wondering if science / nutrition studies etc… really know enough to be able to say this. Am sure it’s all good for an I quit sugar program and cutting anything out for a period of time is always a good re balancer, but for pregnancy? Just thinking xx Have a fab day 
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January 20th, 2012 at 1:03 pm
I advise all patients to be taking a quality (practitioner grade) fish oil & multi vitamin to ensure they are getting adequate amounts of essential vitamins & minerals. Our soils aren’t producing as vitamin rich foods as they were in years gone by & whilst foods are a great source of nutrients, unfortunately we can rely on them alone to achieve this.
January 20th, 2012 at 2:21 pm
Thanks Nat,
Your insight is much appreciated! It all gets a bit confusing – so much conflicting info around for what you can and can’t do when you’re pregnant. Since quitting sugar I feel better and hope it stays that way!
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January 20th, 2012 at 11:09 am
Good luck!! when I was pregnant my biggest craving was fruit, I ate soooo much pineapple and would knock anyone down that stood between me and fruit, And I’m not usually a fruit eater! most women I know craved fruit during pregnancy, I say during this time eat what you crave your body is asking for it for a reason, that’s what my doctor told me.
Good luck.
xx
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January 20th, 2012 at 2:11 pm
Thanks all… some very helpful info there! I feel like Ive been doing well so far, I was just a bit concerned that I was possibily missing out on things I may need but I already take a great fish oil and preggy multi-vit and am eating well – so far so good!
Keeping my fingers crossed for when/if the nausea and cravings start – I may just be a bit of a wreck then haha!
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January 25th, 2012 at 9:33 am
at this point – ginger becomes your friend! Good luck.
Hi Sarah,
Tinned tomatoes in cooking ok?
Thanks,
Erin
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January 20th, 2012 at 9:36 am
Great question Erin.
I use tinned tomatoes all the time to make my own pasta sauce as the store bought ones are always full of sugar!
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Brilliant info once again Sarah, many thanks.
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Hey guys!
Great info and questions!
One thing… I’m still struggling to remove the artificial sweeteners from my diet… (yes, I’m talking about that evil Diet Coke and Coke Zero)!
I don’t drink tea or coffee so struggle when my only options are water and milk! Any advice or suggestions?
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January 20th, 2012 at 1:46 pm
Hey Mel,
If you are really struggling in the IQS ebook book Michelle Bridges says she has mineral water with a splash of Bickfords lime cordial (It’s 9.4 per cent sugar so only a little splash for taste!). That might help?
I like fresh vegie juices with mint/ginger/lemon to sweeten them a bit. I am also addicted to coconut water! When I first had it I hated it. I seriously thought it was the most disgusting thing but now I love it! It has no fructose so its fine for the IQS diet and it is so good when you crave something other than water. My friend was a Diet Coke addict (like 6+ cans a day!) and after going to Thailand she has converted to coconut water so I have hope for anyone! (It is a little more expensive than a Coke habit – but worth it for your insides!
Try to break the habit and stick with it! Good Luck! x
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January 20th, 2012 at 2:06 pm
perhaps try making your own iced tea? T2 would have some inspiring mixes to try yourself & sweeten with stevia if you need some sweetness?
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January 20th, 2012 at 3:23 pm
Try the strawberries and cream iced T2 tea. I’m not sure if there are any additives in it though.
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January 20th, 2012 at 2:42 pm
Hey Mel, I totally feel your pain.
I am a diet coke/coke zero addict from way back.
Its not a six can a day thing though….I just have this problem of needing something fizzy and sweet with my food. Have never been into full strength coke or soft drinks (what a waste of calories!) but I really feel like there is so much bad press about artificial sweeteners that I would do myself a huge favour if I broke the habit.
I too read the Michelle Bridges thing – I am trying to make the switch over to mineral water with just a dash of Bickford’s cordial (actually all the Bickfords seem to have less than 10g sugar per 100ml).
It’s not easy but its a start (she says sucking on a Pepsi Max….)
I have also tried coconut water after Sarah wrote about it.
I want so badly to like it but I just find it kind of ….blurgh…..
I also find the labelling a little deceptive – I tried some that said pure coconut water, nothing added, yet it seemed to have a very high sugar content.
Anyway, I went to the movies last night and had a plain soda water from the post mix machine. It was surprisingly satisfying, if a little burpy.
I also really need to discuss the fact that I got on the scales this morning and gained weight for the second day in a row, in spite of being extremely vigilant about the sugar thing since the start of IQS. I need to lose about 20 kilos.
Am trying very hard not to be discouraged….
One last thing, and I think this is very brave of me to ask this and risk looking like a complete idiot (maybe I should have done this post anonymously)- I have tried to work it out but just can’t seem to. What does the abbreviation ‘amp’ that everyone uses mean?
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January 20th, 2012 at 2:52 pm
I’m not sure I understand why you think regular coke is any different from coke ‘zero’ or ‘diet’ kinds? They’re all the same thing = sugar. The diet and zero cokes are probably worse if anything due to all the weird chemicals they use to replace the calorie content.
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January 20th, 2012 at 3:08 pm
Amyer I’m not sure I understand why you think they’re all the same thing.
Coke zero and diet coke contain a lot of weird chemicals and sugar replacements, which is why I want to stop drinking them.
David Gillespie drank them as he was going through sugar withdrawal, but does not recommend using them long term.
They sure don’t contain any sugar though.
January 20th, 2012 at 3:18 pm
Hey Gabby
Do you read new comments via your inbox? If so I think that’s where the ‘amp’ gets put in next to the & (cos that’s where I see them too but not on the actual website). Some computer thingo repeating things, maybe? So just read & as ‘and’.
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January 20th, 2012 at 3:34 pm
Miranda you are absolutely right – its only in my inbox that amp appears – must be ampersand!
thanks for that…
January 20th, 2012 at 4:32 pm
Hi Gabby
It’s not a silly question about the amp it does mean ampersand and a tecchy could explain it better, but it’s the way & is converted when the messages are sent to us.
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January 20th, 2012 at 8:32 pm
Hi Gabby, I can’t help with how to quit but I was a big diet coke drinker who for some reason quit without realising it. I loved it for the fizziness, I prefer sparkling mineral water now. I think it helped that I moved to the US and tastes different to me. It was a slow process of cutting back till eventually I just stopped buying it.
With the weight gain don’t be discouraged, I had/have the same thing and I’m conscious that weighing myself everyday is not the best thing for me to do. I have seen it go back down though and it got me thinking about my portion sizes. Just a thought.
Tks for asking about the amp as well, I was wondering what it was as well.
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January 22nd, 2012 at 9:46 pm
Gabby I’ve been IQS since Oct last year. I originally gained about 6kgs but that has all dropped off now and all up I’ve lost 12kgs with the loss continuing. I think the initial gain was due to to the increase in my fat intake but now that I’ve stabilized off sugar I just don’t seem to need as much as I used to. Ive noticed I’m not eating as many carbs either. My diet revolves around protein, a bit of fat (usually coconut or macadamia oil) and green leafy veggies. Lots of eggs, grilled mushrooms, avocado and one serve blueberries or blackberries each day. I snack on Sarah’s activated salt n vinegar almonds or mixed seeds. Re the diet coke addiction. I was a 6 can a day gal until 2 years ago. Try soda water mixed with a slice of lime and a small piece of fresh Ginger root. It’s a refreshing drink that helped me break the habit. Good luck!
January 20th, 2012 at 3:25 pm
This one’s for Mel and Gabby –
My husband is the same and loves his coke zero! I’m slowly trying to break him of the habit but it’s hard! As someone who can’t stomach fizzy drinks I find it hard to imagine people are drinking this stuff all the time.
Anyway with water it’s something you need to get used to, of course if you’re going from something fizzy and sweet to plain water it’s going to be a bit weird but try adding some lemon or sliced cucumber to your water. Maybe even start of with carbonated water and then work onto having still water.
I know they have something called SodaStream here in the US. I’m not sure if they have it back home in Oz and if it’s any good.
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January 20th, 2012 at 8:32 pm
Thanks for the advice guys! I know I need to kick the Coke habit (that sounds bad, doesn’t it
) but I have been struggling!
I quite enjoy coconut water from the young Thai coconuts but they’re pretty difficult to take to work! I need my husband to open them for me! I’ve tried Cocobella but it’s not the same as the real stuff!
Will try the Bickfords idea – thanks Marion!
And the strawberries and cream iced T2 tea sounds divine Bianca!
Keep the suggestions coming!
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January 20th, 2012 at 9:39 pm
Hi Mel, if it makes you feel any better, I’ve been drinking at least 2 cans of diet coke a day for the past 20 years (14240+ cans – shit!. Oh, just did the calcs and it works out to over $28000). Anyway, I decided last week to quit and have only had 2 cans all week (still good progress). Has been pretty hard, but now I carry a water bottle around with me everywhere and it seems to do the trick. And every time I feel like a can, I put the $2 in an envelope. After 1 week alone I have saved $24.
Good luck.
I love reading everyone’s comments and checking on people’s progress. It’s so inspiring and supportive! A small update on me:
I’m onto Week 6 of IQS and I’m feeling terrific! It’s pretty difficult living through my first UK winter and not consuming to sugar-laden comfort food, but I’ve been doing well. I’ve been eating a few (imported) organic blueberries but otherwise I’m relying on cinnamon, milk and good fat to keep me going. I’ve lost a load of weight (not my intention) so I’m now going to focus on putting some weight back on and toning up. I was happy with my weight before IQS and don’t want to lose too much!
I’ve also upped my veggie intake. I would say that about 80% of my diet is vegetables, the other 20% is tofu, meat, chicken, fish, yoghurt, nuts, milk, avocado, whole grains etc. Sometimes the ratio slips to 70:30 or 60:40, but I aim for 80:20.
I’m also getting good at eating vegetables at breakfast time. Here are some of my recent breakfasts:
- Roast vegetables in coconut oil and cinnamon with a poached egg on top. (roast the night before for a 2-min breakfast)
- Vegetable omelete
- Vegetable frittata with sweet potato
- Vegetable soup with toast and cheese
It’s all very warming and a brilliant start to the day.
Keep going people! You are all an incredible inspiration.
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Hi, do you think it is possible to be allergic to chia seeds? Since changing my diet, I appear to have a mild allergy. I have always had dairy though it is whole milk/yoghurt/cottage cheese but I am also eating a lot more chia seeds as it is what I have in my yoghurt every morning. I had previously eaten a cereal with chia seeds but am adding them to the nutballs and powerballs that I have as a snack so am eating more of them. I am going to cut them out to test it but just curious if anyone knows or has had something similar.
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January 21st, 2012 at 7:37 am
Hi Sharon,
Did you have any symptoms after eating the seeds?
I found this on Google:
http://www.chia-seed-side-effects.info/chia-seed-allergy-symptoms-diagnosis-and-treatment/
Maybe take them out of your diet for now and see what happens.
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January 21st, 2012 at 8:26 am
Hi Naz, thanks for the info, I wasn’t noticing any symptons straight away or serious and I’ve been eating them but have started coming out in some kind of rash and I’ve been getting itchy eyes but really only the last day or so did I think it might be them. Maybe I OD’d on them or something. A friend suggested webMD but I couldn’t find any info there so thanks again. I am going to cut them out to see what happens but its a pain as I was enjoying them
One good thing about the IQS is it’s getting me to try different things so I’ll look for something else
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January 21st, 2012 at 8:37 am
No worries! Yes take them out and see what happens, and you’re right it does get you to try different things
Best of luck!
January 24th, 2012 at 9:49 am
Yes thanks for that link. I’ve been incredibly bloated n wondering of it’s the teaspoon of chia seeds I put in my smoothies. NOt an allergic reaction, but a side effect as the link says. it could also be the change to full fat dairy. So have removed seeds and will see if it makes a difference, though it hasn’t after 3 days no seeds. I thought maybe soaking them in water first might help?
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I have 2 questions:
1 – Cheese: What kind of cheese are people eating? Haloumi is one, but are all other types of cheese fine? What about things like Ricotta or Marscapone?
2 – I guess this one might not be able to be answered but here goes:
My husband drinks a LOT of coke, in fact when I first met him and until we got married I never saw him actually drink water! I often have to force him to have a glass of water and most of the time he doesn’t finish it off. Anyway, so like I said he drinks coke all the time, Dr Pepper Diet and Coke Zero are currently the trend, and Pepsi Max. Why because no sugar but we all know what goes into this stuff! I haven’t been successful at getting him to stop and here’s why:
He is physically in shape, I mean he exercises ALL the time. His routine is: 1 hr gym session in the morning, 2-3 times a week he also does 1 hr basketball session on top and every night he goes to the gym for another 1.5hrs.
He doesn’t eat breakfast, he wakes up and eats a few pieces of licorice or a few ginger bread cookies, then he eats lunch (now a days left overs from dinner which is good because usually I make dinner and load it up with veggies so at least he gets some nutrition there) and then nothing until dinner, unless he has a protein shake after his gym session.
I was wondering if he would have to exercise as much without all the sugar he has? I’m doing this IQS thing for myself and also for him to see the effects. I guess for someone who hasn’t ever had a soft drink addiction (growing up my mum would only ever buy soft drink if we had guests over and only then my sisters and I were only allowed less than half a glass each, the rest of the time it was just water and fresh fruit juice which I stopped having.)
Anyway just thought I’d put it out there and see what others think.
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I’ve been cutting back on sugar with awareness as I am currently breastfeeding too. This has been since Sarah launched her e book so it’s been a little while. Then Xmas came and of course I had to eat fruit and mum’s pavlova….and boy did my body ache. I’ve never felt these pains before so it could be post natal changes, but really when I slipped in a biscuit or some other sugary treat-for-getting-thru-the-day, my body really ached the next morning, particularly my legs. Does anyone experience this in relation to quitting sugar slip ups?
In addition I’ve been dealing with some sleeping baby (not) issues – my stress levels rose and I went and bought a whole load of sugary items! My drug of choice it seems. Needless to say my bubs sleep issues did not improve until I got all that extra sugar out of my system.
Just needed to share that – Feel free to laugh cos I did eventually!
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January 24th, 2012 at 12:32 pm
Hi Lotus bee,
I haven’t felt it since starting IQS but I did do a juice cleanse a while ago and my body (legs) ached like crazy, especially when I was trying to get to sleep. I had already cut out a fair bit of sugar, since I’ve started IQS I’m thinking I won’t be doing another juice cleanse because I don’t think I can handle the aching in my legs again.
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Thanks Jan that’s interesting! I’m so confused about soy I thought I’d give it a miss for a while. Plus I assume the sugars in soy aren’t lactose so must be something I should be avoiding…? Will try the non homogenized milk.
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January 24th, 2012 at 5:57 pm
What are you confused with about Soy K?
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January 24th, 2012 at 7:09 pm
Hi K and Nat
I don’t wonder that there is so much confusion about soy when you hear it’s good for you then it’s bad for you, there’s so much conflicting information out there! My take on it is that I think soy milk is an OK substitute if you really want it for cereals and coffee (that’s what I use it for), but I don’t have it in great quantities.
The main thing to stay away from is soy protein isolate which is highly processed and uses heat and chemical processing to extract the milk, so undoubtedly there is next to no goodness left after the extraction and it is basically rubbish. If you pick a soy milk made from whole organic beans, it means it has not been genetically modified and should only use soaking and some heat in the processing to extract the milk.
Products made with organic beans are generally made with a bit more care such as no artificial colours, flavours or preservative, using natural cane sugar (instead of cheap high fructose corn syrup) etc whereas the ones that use soy protein isolate can have a lot of other ingredients that are not so good for you.
An interesting exercise is to go to the supermarket and check out just how much soy is in each product – you will be very surprised. The Vitasoy high fibre one that I use is 13% but I have seen them as low as 2%!
Would love to know how you go with the non-homogenised milk. I used to holiday on a farm that had a jersey cow and a fresian cow and I could drink that milk without any problems at all! Pity we are not allowed to buy it fresh from the farmer anymore.
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January 25th, 2012 at 9:31 am
Just to further expand, my main reason for steering patients away from soy is its oestrogen mimicking properties which can have a terrible affect on fertility.
Jan is correct – it is in everything!
Hi Sarah, absolutely LOVING your blog! Did you or anyone else read today’s Sydney Sun Tele’s Body + Soul? On inside of front page is huge picture of woman eating spaghetti with title “No.1 – High-Carb Diet Voted Best for Health” …. 6 x serves of grains PER DAY! If I ate that amount I’d weigh another couple of stone! Talk about sending mixed messages to people. My teens read that and are now totally confused and arguing about the food I make for them. Grit teeth, grit teeth, argghhh!
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January 29th, 2012 at 6:46 pm
Cathy F – I couldn’t agree more! I Googled it with great interest since it has won best diet in a year 2 years in a row and has some seriously heavy endorsement including the American Heart Foundation. On the lowest end of the scale (1600 calories a day) it recommends 6 serves of grain, 4 serves of fruit, 4 serves of vegetables, 2 fats, 2 low fat or non dairy foods, 1.5 serves of protein, 2 serves of fat and nuts, seeds and legumes 3-6 times per week. It’s not a bad diet but there are a lot of people who aren’t into carbs big time and would want a heck of a lot more protein and fat – it doesn’t say what the serving sizes are because you have to buy the book. This would be hopeless for me as I am flat out eating one piece of fruit a day and only eat 2 a day when all the stone fruit is in season!
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Hi all,
Just a question regarding milk.
I’ve bought Sarah’s book and have read it thoroughly, but still feel a little unsure about milk. If I find a full milk that complies with the “4.7g/100g” rule, is it ok to have for the first 8 weeks?
Thanks
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Hi, this is my first comment on Sarah’s website. I’d really love some answers before i start week 3:
1. During the “no fruit” weeks (weeks 3-6) can we still have the safe sweetners like dextrose & stevia?
2. Re walnut oil and pouring it onto yoghurt (yum), I’m worried about the PUFAs. Any thoughts?
3. Re Miessence Berry Radical, is it really fructose free with all the fruit powders it contains?
I’ve only just recently bought the IQS program and am very excited about the whole thing. I’m nearly entering week 3 and have been feeling GREAT since day 1, no withdrawls at all – is this normal? I have only felt a bit tired during week 2 when i decided not to eat any (fresh) fruit for a few days. Is tiredness a withdrawl? Thanks heaps!
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June 26th, 2012 at 10:59 am
Hi Andrea,
Not sure I can totally answer your questions but wanted to at least reply to your first question. I didn’t use anything during these weeks, I wanted to take a complete break. I think Sarah mentions it in the book, if not, check out the Week 3 post.
Unfortunately I live in the US and haven’t been able to find Miessence, I’m looking forward to checking it out when I am home for a visit soon.
I found it normal not to have any withdrawal, i was a bit concerned I wasn’t doing it “right” but others felt the same. I was tired in the first few weeks and slept really well, not sure if it was a withdrawal but it felt good to be sleeping so much.
Good luck, I’m 6 mths in and I still feel great with quitting sugar.
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July 2nd, 2012 at 9:38 am
Thanks for your reply Sharon. I want to have a complete break from it too. I’ve been trying to find a good reliable list of fructose in vegetables too, but they seem to differ so much.
Good on you for staying off sugar for 6 months, that’s great! You must feel like a new person?
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April 8th, 2013 at 11:41 am
Hi Andrea and Sharon
I’ve come across this helpful page which could be of some use to you both
http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumerinformation/nuttab2010/nuttab2010onlinesearchabledatabase/onlineversion.cfm?&action=nutrientFoods&category=Proximates&nutrientID=FRU
It shows what includes Fructose and how much
i think this will really help with your Vegie concerns
Sarah you don’t mention Grapeseed Oil. I guess it is a fruit oil, but also a seed oil
Is it okay to have? I only use it for my popcorn. Everything else is olive oil.
Thanks
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Hey just starting week three iqs….are we meant to be eating dairy aka lactose?
I know Sarah says get rid of all of it but the next page has the info
about the food labels so not sure what we are going by?thanks!
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