It's hard to reduce your intake of sugar! No doubt about it. Sorry, but there it is. I've been working on reducing my sugar intake for over a year, and I can honestly say, I'm not over sugar. It's one of life's greatest pleasures. That said, reducing your sugar consumption and cravings is possible, and I've done it.
Despite what social media might say, I've found no tricks or quick fixes for getting off sugar. Ignore the beautiful people out there on social media who are trying to sell you a quick sugar reduction plan. Not gonna happen! Just prepare yourself for a long haul, a gradual reduction, and, eventually, a lot of pleasure in a lot less sugar. In fact, to me, many of the so-called "decadent desserts" just aren't that good anymore. Those "decadent desserts" are overly, cloyingly, nauseatingly sweet. I can't take them. I do like lightly sweetened treats. That generally means baked goods that are sweetened with fruit, not a lot of refined sugar. Yes, fruit has sugar in it, but fruit also comes with fiber and and substantial nutrients, unlike refined sugar. Fruit is "worth eating," in my view. What about "alternative sweeteners"? I really, really, really dislike the taste of artificial sweeteners and ultra-processed "natural sweeteners," like stevia and erythritol. I guess that's a good thing. Scientists and doctors are now finding that a lot of the artificial/ultra-processed sweeteners are dangerous to consume--more so than sugar. Oops.
So, how do you get "off sugar" or do a "sugar detox"? You don't, really. Sugar is in almost everything. What you can do is cut back--way back--on the amount of ultra-processed foods you eat. Those ultra-processed items almost always contain copious amounts of the sweet stuff. Forget commercial baked goods, too. Those things are mostly sugar bombs held together with heavily processed fats. I know, I sound like an anti-sugar zealot. I'm not. I really do enjoy sugar, still, just mostly in small quantities and in fruits. I've come to appreciate far more than in the past the joys of freshly ripened berries, melons, grapes, apples, bananas, and pretty much any fruit. I've also begun to enjoy in small amounts many dried fruits, like dates, dried apricots, raisins, and even weird little goji berries. Some flours and many nuts have a basic sweetness to them, as do some vegetables and many spices. Now that I've cut back on commercial sweeteners, I realize much more than before that many foods have an intrinsic sweetness to them.
I've also gotten used to preparing a lot more of my food from scratch. Yes, it's a royal pain in the the butt. Nonetheless, I do it anyway, for my health and more importantly, the health of my husband, who is a type 2 diabetic. Neither of us needs a jar of pasta sauce that has more sugar in it than a typical cupcake. So instead, I make my own pasta and other sauces and dressings from basic ingredients you can typically find at a supermarket. It's a pain, but I think it's worth it. I have continued to bake, but now I bake with fruit purees rather than refined sugar (and NO, NO, NO artificial sweeteners). My husband's blood sugar has come down (with, of course, the addition of the drugs his doctors have prescribed), and I probably have more energy than I had before cutting back on sugar. I've also lost a little weight, and my pants aren't as tight as before. So, progress!
Does this mean you can't have any refined sugar? Nope. I have the occasional cookie, brownie, or piece of cake or pie. I just don't have them often--like only when my son and daughter-in-law visit us (which is mostly only on major holidays, sad to say...). I also still eat ice cream about once a week, because there are some things I'm just not giving up, and ice cream is one of them! I've given up wine and other alcohol (except for in cooking, occasionally), but ice cream? Not gonna happen. My grandparents were dairy farmers. It's in the genes that I like ice cream. So, I eat it. In a small bowl, with a small spoon, and in reasonable quantities--usually on Friday or Sunday nights only. I also try to look for brands that aren't as sugar-laden as others (like Aldi light ice cream, Turkey Hill, and some Breyer's ice creams). And I don't eat weird "no sugar added" ice creams that contain sugar alcohols (which are bad for you and really don't do much for the ice cream, anyway).
So, yes, it's possible to reduce your sugar consumption, and yes, you can do it over time. Not counting my occasional ice cream and holiday dessert splurges, I haven't "fallen off the wagon" yet. My cravings for sugar haven't gone away--especially when I see advertisements for great looking desserts--but I also am satisfied with more nutritious alternatives to those fancy desserts. And, by continuing to limit my sugar consumption, I'm healthier and my pants fit, which aren't bad things.
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