I cut sugar out several months ago as part of the ketogenic diet. And boy, I can tell when I slip up. I plan to continue a near-absent sugar lifestyle for the rest of my life. It's not hard at all for me, and the long-term benefits are unquestionable.

quote:

Originally posted by chongosuerte:
I cut sugar out several months ago as part of the ketogenic diet. And boy, I can tell when I slip up. I plan to continue a near-absent sugar lifestyle for the rest of my life. It's not hard at all for me, and the long-term benefits are unquestionable.

I'm enjoying ketogenic as well. It took me a few weeks to get through the adjustment, but it is definitely worth it.



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quote:

Originally posted by arcwelder76:
If you're going to add sugar to things, use unrefined honey. It's about as healthy as sugar can get.

Not really. It has a glycemic index of 50. That's pretty high.Refined Sugar has a GI of 65 for comparison.

Here are some natural, low-to-zero glycemic index (GI) sugar substitutes:

Agave Syrup- looks and tastes like honey - GI is 15
Xylitol- GI 12
Yacon Syrup- GI 1
Stevia - GI 0

quote:

Originally posted by TigerDore:

quote:

Originally posted by arcwelder76:
If you're going to add sugar to things, use unrefined honey. It's about as healthy as sugar can get.

Not really. It has a glycemic index of 50. That's pretty high.Refined Sugar has a GI of 65 for comparison.

Here are some natural, low-to-zero glycemic index (GI) sugar substitutes:

Agave Syrup- looks and tastes like honey - GI is 15
Xylitol- GI 12
Yacon Syrup- GI 1
Stevia - GI 0

Honey is essentially identical to High Fructose Corn Syrup. Ironic that one is lauded while the other demonized. Ultimately both should be avoided.

I am severely addicted to sugar and carbs. For me the only healthy way to eat is the VLCHF (Very Low Carb High Fat) diet. Barely more carbs than incidental and I lose control like a alcoholic trying to stop at one glass. It sometime takes me months or years to regain control and often it is short lived.

quote:

Originally posted by TigerDore:


Here are some natural, low-to-zero glycemic index (GI) sugar substitutes:

Agave Syrup- looks and tastes like honey - GI is 15
Xylitol- GI 12
Yacon Syrup- GI 1
Stevia - GI 0

I would add erythritol to this list. It's similar to xylitol but with a smaller molecular structure, so it's easier to digest.

IMO, no point in trying to use honey. Your body doesn’t know the difference, just use sugar.

I’d advise ditching artificial sweeteners too. It won’t lead to lasting good habits. Learn to eat right and cut the bad shit out. Sprinkling fake sugar on your food won’t help you learn to eat better, it will only continue bad habits.

quote:

Originally posted by Fenris:
...I am severely addicted to sugar and carbs. For me the only healthy way to eat is the VLCHF (Very Low Carb High Fat) diet...

That's a good way to do it. Our collective diet is much too high in carbs. Simple carbs are a cheap drug, an upper. Then you crash and want more, just like a meth addict.



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quote:

Originally posted by brecaidra:
I would add erythritol to this list. It's similar to xylitol but with a smaller molecular structure, so it's easier to digest.

Thanks for that info, brecaidra. I meant to add that too much xylitol can upset your stomach. I wasn't aware of erythritol.



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Eating sugar and carbs are like drinking alcohol. Some people"s bodies deal with it just fine. Some don't. Doling out info and advice about them like everyone is the same is pure folly.

I use to hear people say,"cut out the sugar and you won't believe the changes". The older I get, the more willing I am to listen to those older and wiser than me.

Reducing (not eliminating) processed foods and sugar, has helped me keep the weight off. I LOVE candy and so this was a slow battle. I could not go to the grocery store or gas station, without buying a candy bar. In the afternoon, instead of going to the candy machine for 1 or 2 Snickers, I eat celery and carrots.

I still allow myself 1 or 2 candy bars or packs of M & M's on the weekend, but it is a treat and not a staple of my diet any longer.

Sugar is a recreational drug. It's nice to have a raw honey (Nature Nate's) nearby for a quick hit or Swerve for baking etc. Pitted dates are like candy. But yeah, I was buying the bag of Zulka sugar way too much. Craving carbs is a terrible way to go. Butter on the other hand...

quote:

Originally posted by cas:
Eating sugar and carbs are like drinking alcohol. Some people"s bodies deal with it just fine. Some don't. Doling out info and advice about them like everyone is the same is pure folly.

Perhaps. And perhaps some people can smoke crack regularly and not become addicted. How do you know if you'll become addicted? Smoke a lot of crack and find out.

It took me a long time to understand that I was a sugar/carb addict. I have much more empathy for drug addicts than I used to have.

I once read that it is every alcoholic's dream to be able to drink like a normal person. I would love to be able to eat a single piece of pie and stop. But that ship has sailed.

quote:

Originally posted by TigerDore:

quote:

Originally posted by brecaidra:
I would add erythritol to this list. It's similar to xylitol but with a smaller molecular structure, so it's easier to digest.

Thanks for that info, brecaidra. I meant to add that too much xylitol can upset your stomach. I wasn't aware of erythritol.

If you have dogs be careful. Some of these sweeteners, like Xylitol, are deadly poison for dogs.

quote:

Originally posted by cas:
Eating sugar and carbs are like drinking alcohol. Some people"s bodies deal with it just fine. Some don't. Doling out info and advice about them like everyone is the same is pure folly.

That depends on whether you are talking about physiology or psychology.

Sugar, like alcohol, affects everyone largely the same physiologically and neither is healthy in large quantities.

Sugar = white death

As a general rule we try to eat foods as close to God made them as realistically possible in my house, though we aren't zealots about it.

Regarding sweetners, what that looks like is primarily using either a locally sourced uncooked honey or a pure maple syrup. I'm not educated enough to know much about much, but it seems logical to me that the closer to God's design (or nature if you're not a God believer) is probably best.

We mostly use the maple, even though it is "further from designed" than a raw honey... It's just easier to work with.

I read time and again that stuff is all "chemically identical" or whatever, and I get it... But at the same time, I think there is a lot we don't know and I think our bodies are even more sophisticated than we give them credit for. We don't know what we don't know, and the chances that we know it all is pretty much zero. So while current science may say HFCS and honey are the same thing, I'm a skeptic. Sticking with the honey hasn't harmed me one bit, as best I can tell. Maybe our bodies are smarter, or better designed, than we realize.

In the end, do what seems best to you. You'll find no judgement from me.

*interesting aside* we do keep a little white conventional sugar in the house, but it is only used to make hairspray for the girls.

I work with a guy who I would say eats a normal amount of carbs, but he probably eats above average. He's constantly eating whole bags of chips, popcorn and pretzels. He eats candy every day, many times all day. And I'm talking sugar! I've never seen a grownup eat Pixie Stix, but this guy in his late 50's downs them daily. lol His body fat is very low, his blood glucose levels and his teeth are fine.
I'm the exact opposite in what I can eat, unfortunately I learned it about 40 years too late. Several times in the past I'd cut out added sugar, all soda. ice tea etc, candy, cake etc... You know how much weight I lost? Between none and 5 lbs each time. Woopie! (and I drank a LOT of soda daily, thousands of calories).
It wasnt till I combined it with low carbs and intermittent fasting that I lost any weight. His body and my body obviously don't work the same way. lol

If you're looking to sweeten up your morning coffee, try honey or maple syrup instead.

Sugar is like smoking. Just don't do it.

A favorite banana nut muffin recipe? Add a cup of plain light honey instead of two cups sugar, plus maybe half a cup sugar.

Coffee gets milk (with its natural sugars) instead of the sprinkled stuff.

Tea gets milk and honey.

Occasionally black tea does call for some real sugar ...

I'm down to under a pint a year. Even less if I'm not making cole slaw for the holidays. And I still get too much glucose, from bread.

I use the sugar you are asking about in my sweet tea. I like the flavor it gives the tea so I think you should try it in your coffee.

You can get the sugar in question in small or large crystals.

I think a lot of the "calorie reducing" properties you've read about this sugar are from the large crystal version. Some say that using the large crystals gives you less sugar when measured by volume and that is where you are getting your calorie savings.