Trying to consume less sugar can be challenging if you don't no where to begin. Here are 5 steps to helping you reduce or eliminate less processed and refined sugars and begin steps towards SUGAR FREE-DOM!
When I first detoxed from sugar about 10 years ago it was cold turkey. I couldn't have one foot in part of the time and one foot out some of the time. It had to be gone for good. I had to make drastic measures in everything I ate and brought home. It's certainly not an easy task, but for me it was better to break free completely than trying to restrict myself to only eat some sugar on weekends as a special treat. The pull was too strong. You can read more about my own struggle here. Today I'm sharing the methods I used to really eliminate processed and refined sugars in my life. With these 5 steps you can choose whether to do either, eliminate or reduce your sugar consumption, the same methods apply, but which you choose is up to you. I didn't realize it 10 years ago but today it's called eating clean. Eating foods as close to way they are found in nature, made with little processing.
Sugar seems to be in everything store bought, from the obvious packaged cereals and yogurts, but even unsuspecting things you wouldn't think of, like dried savory seasonings for tacos or chicken. Sugar seems to be a controversial issue on whether natural sugars and processed refined sugars are any different when the body processes them. I can't say if there is any truth to that either way as I'm not a doctor, but what I do know is that if you want to reduce your sugar consumption you need to begin somewhere. At least moving from processed white table sugar to more natural sugars is a great beginning.
Processed and refined sugars are any of these types of sugars; white table sugar, brown sugar, powdered sugar, and beet sugar. In addition to fruits the following are less processed and more natural sugars; honey, brown rice syrup, black strap molasses, maple syrup, coconut sugar and sucanat or also known as evaporated cane juice, made from cane juice and molasses. You need to decide which you will use and which you won't. I don't use maple syrup because I've found it simply causes my blood sugar to spike, although my kids use it on their pancakes. Here's my post about Maple syrup if you want to learn more. If eventually your goal is to lead a sugar-free lifestyle you will want experimenting with sugar-free substitutes. Deciding on what sugar-free alternatives you will start using can be difficult as well. You won't see any artificial sweeteners in my recipes and here's my post about why I don't use Splenda. For me it was stevia right away as it is a natural growing plant in South America, with sweetness like sugar, but completely sugar free and doesn't raise your blood sugar and zero calories. You can read more about stevia here and why I use it.
1. Choose Your Natural Sugars and Sugar-Free substitutes. You must first decide which naturals sugars you will consume and which you won't. Decide what you will allow in your home for your family and stick with it. It won't be easy especially if the kids go to the market with you so try to go alone where you can really look at everything you purchase.
2. Clean your Pantry. Once you've decided on which natural sugars you will bring into your home and use, you must clean out what you've got in those cupboards. You might decide to allow the family to finish off what is in there, but choose not to bring home any more of those tempting treats. I can say when you are the only one reducing your sugar that having those tempting things in your pantry makes it all the more difficult to stick with it. I say get rid of it all and stock up on other options found at your local health store or of course make your own goodies. Here's my pantry list for you to begin to replenish each week you shop.
3. Read your Labels. Some of you might be completely shocked by the fact that some form of sugar is in bread. Reading labels on everything store bought is imperative. The rule of thumb I follow over all these years and that has served me well to this day: If sugar is in any form in the first 5 ingredients I do not purchase it. Also if I see any of the following words, I also avoid it knowing it is not a whole food product: wheat flour, durum wheat, semolina, whole durum semolina, enriched wheat flour. Below is Annie's barbecue sauce. When I was detoxing from sugar I would not have even purchased something like this since brown rice syrup is listed as the 2nd ingredient, but for my family this is a fine option for them or I make my own BBQ sauce.
4. Beware of Beverages! Vitamin waters, Coconut waters, Sports drinks, even store bought smoothies may also contain sugar or even worse artificial sweeteners. Start with adding some lemon stevia to your water or use sparkling water add some limes and stevia to taste and you will be surprised how good it is. I buy all my liquid flavored stevia's though iherb.com and my discount code is YAJ035. Be careful of your milks as well. Almond milk, rice milks, coconut milk and here below is Hemp milk with evaporated cane juice in it. When I first started out drinking almond milk 10 years ago I couldn't find any unsweetened. Although now today you can find many of these milks unsweetened.
And some coconut water below.
Sugar is listed as the second ingredient. It's just worth your while to always check labels in the ingredient list and decide from there.
5. Get Cooking! Start making some new recipes on the weekend that are healthier snacks the family and you will love. I recommend starting with recipes that include a combination of fruits, honey or stevia. This way your family will gradually start adjusting to less sweet foods and hopefully with some of my recipes not even notice too much of a difference.
Reducing your sugar consumption can be done one day at a time just by being consistent. Any steps toward reducing is better than no steps at all! If you are looking for more information on how to detox from sugar I recommend checking out my 6 week sugar detox plan which provides menu plans and shopping lists and a weekly video by me! It is not for the faint of heart. It is hard core, but anything worth doing is going to be work, but the rewards are worth it!
Here are some Popular recipes to get started!
Breakfast
- Blueberry English Muffin Loaf
- 2 Minute English Muffin
- Cloud Bread French Toast
- Vanilla Ricotta Pancakes
Lunch or Dinner
- Bacon Cheeseburger Cauliflower Casserole
- Crock Pot Un-Stuffed Cabbage Roll Soup
- Taco Stuffed Zucchini Boats
- Chicken Sausage Calzone
Snacks and Desserts
- Salt & Vinegar Zucchini Chips
- 1 Minute Chocolate Mug Cake
- 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Fudge
- Cheesecake Brownies
Check Out my Top 20 Best Recipes of 2016!
About Brenda
Brenda Bennett is a certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, certified Sugar Detox Coach, certified Keto Coach and certified Life Coach. She has been Sugar Free & Refined carb free for 17 years and has written 2 cookbooks, Sugar-Free Mom, and Naturally Keto and her 3rd book The 30-Day Sugar Elimination Diet, is a four part program to help you detox from sugar, eliminate cravings, balance blood sugar and lose weight all while eating a delicious, nutrient dense whole foods. Meal plan offers two tracks to follow, low carb or keto. She is the founder of the Sugar Free Fresh Start course and Sugar Free Tribe weight loss membership. Learn more.
k sullivan
I find the first step is to religiously read all food labels! Look for the sneaky way sugar in all forms is added to what you eat. By the way, love your recipes & blog.
Brenda
Thank you!
Tracey
have you ever tried growing and making your own stevia sweetener? I bought a stevia plant and its grown into a beautiful plant and now I'm not sure what to do with it! lol.
Heather
Thank you so much! I am trying to cut down on my sugar consumption, so I will certainly work on implementing some of these tips.
Rachel
I gotta say, if that's your actual, real pantry, I would literally do almost anything to have one like that. I cook and bake multiple times every day and would actually enjoy the process if my supplies were organized like that! Good for you. Someday, when I'm ready, I hope to remember you and that picture and email you for the plans or at least more pictures! Thanks for the post.
Brenda
That is my DREAM pantry is well!
Angie | Big Bear's Wife
We still eat sugar but we've cut down a TON, I can really tell a difference when we eat out now, some things are just way too sweet.
Angie
I love sweets. But if I eat more than a very small serving, I get this unbearable migraine. My addiction is for salt. (Which is also my logo) I could eat a whole jar of pickles in the blink of an eye. I love everything salty. And I'm also super sensitive to to sodium. If we end up eating at the wrong place, I wake up the next morning so bloated and hurting in every joint I can barely move. It's a hard struggle for me to keep sodium levels in check .
Brenda
I agree sodium is in everything as well, so difficult to keep under control. I get the same way with it and the bloating!
Kim (Feed Me, Seymour)
I am really glad you shared this. I've been looking to cut down on the sugar lately and your tips are just what I need.
Brenda
Thanks Kim!
Loretta
When I went to iHerb to place order for Sweetleaf Stevia and some other items, this is what was written under the Sweetleaf Stevia box. I assume this is standard for their protection against lawsuits, but is it something I should really worry about before purchasing? "Warning to California Residents
Chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and reproductive toxicity are present in certain dietary supplements, nutritional food powders, juice beverages, grocery items (i.e. coffee, fried and baked goods) and other products sold at iHerb. Some or all of the products you are ordering from iHerb may contain such chemicals.
California's Proposition 65 (commencing with section 25249.5 of the Health and Safety Code) requires that producers, manufacturers and retailers of certain products provide customers with special warnings for products which contain chemicals known to the state of California to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm, if the consumer is exposed to those chemicals in concentrations above certain thresholds.
iHerb is committed to compliance with Proposition 65 and to the safety of our customers. Accordingly, we provide the following warning for all products linked to this page:
"WARNING: This product contains a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm."
Please note: It is a well-known fact that Prop 65 has spawned lawsuits against several thousand companies that distribute, store, manufacture or sell products containing Prop 65 chemicals including iHerb. These lawsuits in some cases with no merit, have presented costly challenges to defend against opportunist individuals taking advantage of regulations mandated by Prop 65.
Read more about Prop 65 at: http://www.oehha.ca.gov/prop65.html
By moving forward with the iHerb check-out process, you verify that you have read the CA Prop 65 warning (above), and are purchasing these products from iHerb with full knowledge.
Brenda
All I can say Loretta is that I have never had a problem with stevia and have been using it for 10 years and I give it to my children in my recipes. I've never even read this about sweetleaf, I'm not sure it's accurate.
Loretta
Whenever I see a recipe that calls for honey, I substitute Coconut Nectar instead. I didn't see this option on your site. Also, when I see sugar in a recipe, I substitute Xylitol for white sugar or coconut sugar for brown sugar. In store bought items, if there is evaporated can juice as an ingredient, if I'm not able to avoid completely, I choose products with a low amount. I'd like your thoughts on my substitutions for sugar please. Thank you for your article on how to reduce sugar intake. My daughter (age 12 1/2) has been wanting to go sugarfree since March and this is what I have done for her since. I've been reading labels and doing my best, however, I could use more guidance to get to her goal and am grateful I found your website.
dianne
Trying to cut back. I never realized i ate a lit of sugar. I find it hatd. Go one day. Then back again.
Virginia
I have cut out sugar but I find Stevia isn't sweet enough for me and I use splenda. I use it on my oatmeal in the mornings. I don't want to use coconut products as there is too much fat in it even though folks say its a good far. Its still fat and I need to worry about cholestral. I do enjoy your recipes but try to substituts the coconut things for others.I eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean fish and sometimes chicken. turkey and very lean ground beef. I am not a steak eater.
Kim Beaulieu
I am a total sugar junkie. I've been trying to cut back but it's in so much stuff. So this will come in handy. Our general rule of thumb these days is to eat healthy during the week, then lighten up a bit on the weekend. Seems to be working really well for us.
valmg @ From Val's Kitchen
This sounds like good advice for those wanting to cut back on their sugars. I don't really watch them much myself at present.
Deanna Segrave-Daly (@tspbasil)
Some great tips here - I'm a dietitian and pride myself in not being the food police but it just appalling how much added sugar there is in foods - like bread, tomato sauces - places you don't need it! I bake with a variety of sugars and just use it in moderation. Eating more whole foods is always a good choice !
Ginny McMeans
Great information and advice!!! Thanks!
Meredith in sock monkey slippers
Great Tips! Reading lables is such great advice!
Amanda ( The Kitcheneer)
Great post! Thanks for those helpful tips!
Ashley @ Wishes & Dishes
I definitely needed this post! I consume wayyyy too much sugar!