Tips on reducing or removing sugar from diet

[NewPage]

I really want to reduce the amount of sugar I consume, or eliminate processed sugar altogether. I’m really struggling though, I love biscuits, cakes, sugar etc!

Has anyone done it successfully and able to share tips? What alternatives are there, or do you know any good recipes? I know fruit is a good substitute but how much and how to make it interesting?

Hi, I recently improved my diet by cutting out sugar, wheat & processed food after reading Why We Eat (Too Much) and felt loads better. I lasted 4 weeks with no sugar at all but then it started creeping back in and I lost my way a bit. I’m restarting again tomorrow. What helped me was having nourishing, filling meals with protein as if I wasn’t hungry between meals I was less inclined to want to snack (on sugar!) but it is hard and you just have to be strict and decide you’re not going to have any.

The best tip I can give is to find distractions. I tend to eat sugar when I'm bored and just fancy eating, I'm not actually hungry, I just fancy eating something and go for convenience and sweet.

Find something else to do with your hands so you don't snack, colouring, crafts, tidying, whatever passes the time and stops you thinking about food.

Cold turkey is the most effective solution. You'll crave biscuits for a couple of days but then cravings largely disappear. I personally dislike sugar substitutes like Stevia as they leave a weird aftertaste. I'd rather just have some 70% chocolate at the weekend. (over 70% and I find it too bitter)

Strawberries and raspberries are the best fruits as they're delicious and much lower in sugar than other fruits.

I've just done a week of the carnivore diet; meat, eggs, water. I did have the odd diet fizzy drink though. I don't feel hungry, and have moved on to salad and soup. I did half want a biscuit or cake yesterday but when I thought about it, I wasn't even hungry, was quite easy to ignore the want. You just need to break the addiction, go cold turkey and don't have substitute with sweeteners. Stick to whole foods and homemade meals.

Thank you, some really great tips. I will try cold turkey, but it is so so hard! I feel like I constantly want a digestive biscuit!

I was thinking I might still have chocolate on occasion but over 70% or a really happy Andy Belgian one as a treat. Xx

😆😆😆oops- spell check. I have no idea who happy Andy Belgian is, I meant to type ‘really fancy Belgian one’.

Fruit still has sugar in it though?! You're just replacing one less socially acceptable form of sugar with another. Cutting out sugar also doesn't guarantee weight loss.

The sugar in fruit is not the same at all, when do you last binge on fruit? It's full of fibre and vitamins. My good friend is a dietitian and she cannot stand this message of fruit as being the same as sugar, it is not, it is a great substitute. Best of luck OP, it is tricky, find what works for you is my advice. I find, three decent meals daily, watching portions but otherwise not restricting, allowing you to enjoy your food, works best for me. And just decide, hard as it is, I'm not going to snack etc. And the old reliable, don't have it in the house!

I read this:

Allen Carr 'Good Sugar Bad Sugar - Eat yourself free from sugar and carb addiction'. I listened to it on audible whilst reading it to make sure it really went it. It isn't a book to dip in and out of - you need to start at the start and read it properly through as it is removing the addiction [so you don't have to rely on willpower].

Early days for me but it seems to have worked...I am definitely still eating fruit (and that is encouraged!). I feel great! Long may it continue...

People who think eating a handful of strawberries is the same as eating a mars bar are nutritionally illiterate.

Absolutely! Such a bad message to pass to people trying to improve their habits.

Do you have sugar in tea or coffee? I had sweetener and so thought it harmless but then had a blood test which showed high levels of nasties so I cut out the sweeteners and ever since I don’t crave pudding or sweet things in general like I used to. I obviously still love pudding but only eat it when out for dinner rather than after every dinner like I used to.

I've got a list of things to do when I am about to eat sugary crap, which is generally out of boredom!

Stuff like:
go for a walk
read
have a drink (tea/water - not alcohol!)
watch.. (currently something on iPlayer about ultra processed food)

there's about ten things - you need to work out what works for you
first big step is convincing yourself that you can have a tea or coffee without biscuits!

How are you getting on @NewPage?

I’m a bit better but still not where I want to be. I have used some of the really good suggestions on this thread, thanks again everyone.

I’m just finding giving up biscuits or a bit of fruit cake so hard! I am eating more fruit though and enjoying that. Still keeping it in reasonable amounts though, whilst the sugar in fruit isn’t the same I’m aware eating more fruit than veg isn’t good.

I’ve also found that if I do indulge in something, I pause before going for another chocolate or biscuit. I’ve found that waiting a couple of minutes actually reduces the craving, but immediately after having something I want another.

I’m also trying to have one ‘nice’ cake or biscuit type thing a week on a Friday lunch as a treat to look forward too and having less sweet stuff in the house, not easy with the kids and hubby as they eat all the junk stuff.

Sounds like you've made some very positive steps there @NewPage - hopefully it will become second nature to think/eat like that soon.

I do eat plenty of veg/salad but my fruit intake has definitely shot up - I'm not even trying to restrict it tbh - especially when it is berry season!

If you are insulin resistant/diabetic and/or have sugar binge issues, too much fruit IS detrimental. Once consumed, your body treats it as sugar and starts to elicit insulin. And in insulin resistant body it will cause a huge blood sugar spike. Which in turn slowly stores more and more fat around your liver.

There are something like 1000 different banana varieties but only one type is imported here which happens to be a very sweet variety. It may have beneficial qualities but it is also pure sugar once eaten. You can have potassium from chia seeds, legumes, some nuts, meat and milk if you are concerned.

Berries, apples and pears are better and ok in reasonable quantities. I make no sugar apple sauce with some added cinnamon and freeze it in ice-cube trays. Delicious mixed in with greek yogurt and really easy to make!

The only thing that works for me is just to stop. Totally. And stick out the cravings and feeling hangry for the few days it takes (lots of protein helps until your body adjusts). I don't eat it for health reasons, and find every time I try 'just one', a treat or a healthier version the cravings are back and I can't stop. For me it's a real addiction. And weight drops off the minute I stop. I can't eat dairy or any grains either, so for me it's now pretty much meat, fish, eggs and veg.

It's just learning to do without that taste. I have very dark chocolate, plain soya or coconut yoghurt, strawberries and raspberries, peanut butter, and that's pretty much all my desserts. That isn't to say I don't crave donuts, ice cream, scones, jam, fruit crumble.... I do. It's pretty tragic when you start seeing an apple or banana as a rare sugary treat! However I do feel better without it, and the longer I hold out the easier the habit gets.

Are you a baker?
I replace sugar with Natvia. Still gives me the sweet taste I'm looking for but without the insulin hit. I don't get sugar highs and lows with it. It also doesn't kick off my sugar cravings.
Ideally I wouldn't eat sweet things but I have a massive sweet tooth which has reduce substantially since being low carb but every once in a while I do want a sweet treat. This is my way round it.

I have found if you get into your coffee (unsweetened) it can be a good chocolate substitute.

People who are suggesting dark chocolate - does that not still have sugar in it?

Not sure this is good advice but I can share what worked for me - i started fasting and being really strict, just two meals a day (lunch and dinner). Then tonnes of diet coke and coffee in between 🙈
After a few days I started to get used to it, now after a few months I'm not even bothered about snacks and starting to add more protein to my meals (should have done that earlier).
I also found if Im going off the plan and beginning to snack - that being crazy strict for a couple of days sorts out my cravings again.

I was just coming on here to ask the same. Sugar has become my coping mechanism. Life stressful? Eat a bar of chocolate. Exhausted? Eat cake. You get the picture. It's got completely out of hand and I need to stop but it's so hard to. I have no ability to stop once I start so I think the only way is to go cold turkey...but I keep putting it off.

One place I find good for substitute recipes are baby and toddler food blogs. I have a delicious banana bread recipe from when my kids were little and it is only sweetened by bananas and raisins. Obviously still has sugar in from the fruits but far less sweet than your average cake and no added sugar.

I suggest having a copy of ‘Sweet Poison’ on hand for moments of weakness. It will put the fear of God into you!