How much sugar (chocolate, sweets etc.) do you consume a day?

[mumofatoddlerhelp]

I have a massive sweet tooth and I eat a variation of chocolate, sweets, biscuits or cakes most days. My dentist has told me I drastically need to cut back my sugar in take but I know I won't be able to just go cold turkey. So I don't know whether to just try and cut back to once a week or a few times a weeks as I don't want to suddenly binge. So how often do you eat sweet food?

Farmchild, old size 10 or new size 10?

I haven't read the replies, sorry. I know people will be saying how bad sugar is etc. but I'll answer the question honestly.

I eat about 90-100g chocolate most days. Usually high quality dark ethically produced stuff.

I like it. I want to. I'm going to and I'm not going to feel guilty about it.

But, I don't drink, at all. I don't vape or smoke. I do go to the gym a minimum of 3 times per week to build muscle mass (metabolically active muscle). I do a couple of hours of zone 2 work each week. I am on my feet at work all day. I am a healthy weight.

I also eat my chocolate after my main meal, but several hours before bed. With the aim being that the sugar will be absorbed more gradually after a fibre-rich vegetable heavy meal, reducing the sugar spikes further than that achieved by the glycogen replenishment following activity.

At the moment, I am healthy. My teeth are good. I don't have any signs of metabolic disorders. And it brings me more pleasure than it should!

I will happily revisit this decision should the signs point to it being less well tolerated.

Not sure what the difference is? Am 5 foot 6 and around 9 stone. I exercise regularly and walk around 7 miles a day with the dogs.

I'm more of a savoury person so I prefer to eat crisps and cheese rather than sugary stuff. I love home made cakes and desserts and almost never eat cake and biscuits from the shops. Maybe from a good bakery.

@SurvivalKits Should also say I see my dentist twice a year for check ups, never had a filling or a tooth out.

As I said, I don't eat it nowadays because of blood sugar issues and also eat low carb for the same reasons. If I knew I didn't have these issues then I'd probably be eating something every day, usually after dinner. In the grand scheme of things that's probably reasonable.

I have to say though that having gone cold turkey, I don't regret it and don't crave it anymore. If I fancy something I will have a couple of squares of 90% dark chocolate.

I think having a health issue with it keeps you on the straight and narrow.

No cakes, biscuits, or anything like that. But I do eat quite a lot of basic carbs (bread, pasta) and alcohol which are both high in sugar.

It's all about what you're used to/addicted to. If you gradually reduce the quantity of sugar you eat, you will eventually stop craving it.

None, and I don't drink either. No cravings, but not aware of any particularly marvellous health or skin benefits. Maybe that's just because it's my 'normal' and I'd be a whole lot worse if I did have sugar and alcohol!

About 100g of chocolate a day and often a piece of cake or cheesecake type thing, I don't drink any alcohol but have hot chocolate most evenings, I'm 65 and have been eating this for years, I'm not going to stop now, I'm fairly average weight with bmi about 22

I keep a ginger jar of Lindt Lindors on the sideboard for convenience.

Far too much. Sometimes dark chocolate in porridge along with dried fruit, couple of biscuits with my morning tea, another couple of a 2 finger Kit Kat / twix finger type thing with my afternoon tea. Sometimes a bit more chocolate or a few sweets after dinner (or a hot chocolate at the moment). Feel like I need something sweet after a meal! Clearly going to end up diabetic 😬

I had to give up most sugary things about a year ago, when I started gaining weight in perimenopause. As PP have said, it's mainly habit, and after the first two weeks I stopped wanting it. I lost a stone, and won't be tempted to go back to my old habits because I get a headache if I eat it now.

Some chocolate every day after lunch and dinner - usually 6-8 squares of dairy milk after lunch and after dinner either the same or a packet of buttons

As others have said, sugar is all kinds of nasty and the best plan is to quit altogether. However, for the sake of your teeth, the best things to do if you are eating are as follows:

Fewer overall episodes - it’s not the amount of sugar you eat that matters to your teeth, it’s the duration of exposure. Eat the bag of Maltesers (or whatever) in one go, rather than grazing on them all day

after eating sugary food, rinse your mouth with mouthwash (or water if not available) and if you can, chew some sugar free gum to remove the sticky layer from your teeth

Drink smoothies / sugary drinks through a straw

Good luck OP

I don't know either, I was joking.

I eat one small 110 calorie Tam Tam (like a small fairy cake with a brownie like center) a day and two caramel rice cakes. I love sweet things, I could eat half a cake if so minded. But have to put a limit in it.

Most days one thing, like a mince pie or a biscuit. No fizzy drinks or fruit juice, maybe 4 alcoholic drinks a week

I’d rather have crisps, but can be persuaded into a pudding or slice of cake, and right now love a mince pie. Stuff like chocolate and sweeties I just don’t like as much as I’ve got older. I do drink alcohol and eat regular carbs.

Sugar is not addictive, that is a myth put about by someone to sell a dodgy book by cherry picking research.
I agree that your tastebuds change really easily and if you dont have sugar it doesnt take long for sweets to become too sweet etc

I used to have at least a couple of sugary treats every day; biscuits, cake, chocolate etc. I went cold turkey on all sugar (along with all white carbs and processed foods) a couple of months ago in the hope of feeling much better in terms of energy levels and maybe losing some weight.

My taste for sugar has now completely gone and I don’t really crave it at all anymore but very disappointingly I feel no different to before and have lost absolutely no weight at all (I’ve not overweight but right at the top of my bmi range). But I will probably carry on anyway as most health experts agree that sugar is bad for you generally and I guess it’s better for my long term health. Just was hoping to see some difference in energy levels, skin, weight etc but no, nothing at all!!

@bruffin are you talking about Allen Carr easy way?

not sure about chocolate bars but I can easily believe the story about vodka, a lot depends on genes even how our teeth reacts on chocolate…hope you got some good genes from your uncle’s side of the family.

I can't believe so many people don't eat sugar! I'm literally addicted. I'm also breastfeeding a 3 month old tho and am constantly hungry. But I eat a lot of chocolate/biscuits/cake every day. It's terrible. I went cold turkey a couple of years ago and felt so so ill, must be like coming off drugs. Lasted about 3wks and then went back to it 🙈

I think it's pointless to argue whether sugar is addictive or merely habit forming since it is clear that many people find it difficult to moderate their sugar intake.

Sugar may not be addictive in the same way coke or heroin are, but it definitely feeds cravings. The body get used to having a constant supply of glucose. The associated insulin spikes in turn release dopamine....... which feels sooooo good.

Reducing consumption of sugar and refined carbs can only be a good thing. You may feel fine and all your blood values are within normal range, but once you get older, complications such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease are very real risks.

I have the odd square of dark chocolate, but I try to stay away from anything else sweet, or processed, as my cholesterol isn't brilliant.