A week with no added sugar
I’ve mentioned in the past that I wanted to try going for an entire week without any added sugar, and so I’ve decided that next week- from when I wake up on Sunday March 8th until I fall asleep on Saturday March 14th- will be it! And I encourage anyone who is interested to join me in this challenge.
I see this as a particularly difficult challenge because it’s not just about cutting out things like baked goods and cereals and such, but it’s also really about reading the ingredients lists and identifying just how many different names there are for “sugar” out there. Most store-bought breads (and even homemade breads) are baked with some amount of sugar, even if its just a tablespoon, so those are all out. Condiments and beverages and even things like tea will have to be closely examined (I’ve seriously found tea that had “artificial flavoring” in the ingredients list. And a bottle of cinnamon with “partially hydrogenated oil” in the ingredients list. No food is safe from these toxins).
The list of different names for “sugar” seems nearly endless. This is a great resource to begin with, citing sugar as being barley malt, dextrose, and mannitol among many others. The standard way to figure it out is that if the ingredient ends in “ose” or “ol”, it’s probably a form of sugar. Natural sugars, like the sugar found in fruit, is unavoidable in a healthy diet and those are the sugars that we actually want to be consuming. They are necessary for our bodies to function smoothly. We do not, however, need the added sugars found in all of our processed foods.
Identifying Hidden Sugar In Your Diet lists 100 different names for sugar! It is clearly a very serious problem that does not receive enough awareness. A Life Less Sweet is a fantastic blog that addresses the issue of sugar on a regular basis, particularly that of high fructose corn syrup, so definitely check it out to learn more.
My personal potential obstacles for the no-added-sugars week:
Alcohol: I don’t drink much of it, but when I do drink alcohol my drink of choice is wine. Definitely sugar in there! So I will not be drinking alcohol this week. I’m not a fan of hard liquor but even if I was, that has added sugar too. Ditto for beer. Sugar-free means alcohol-free (hence why we’re doing this before St. Patrick’s Day ;)).
Fruits and Veggies: this should be pretty safe, but if you’re getting the frozen stuff, check the ingredients list! Many berry medleys have added sugar to them. I tend to not drink juice but if you do, choose the 100% juice and steer clear of the “juice cocktail” or “juice beverage”.
Condiments: I make my own hummus, so this won’t be an issue. My beloved PB2, however, has sugar added to it, so I will instead be eating all-natural peanut butter to get my fix. But what about other things like cream cheese? They’ll have to be looked at closely. Jam, honey, ketchup, and soya sauce (to name a few) are also out
Grains: Breads and cereals pretty much all have some amount of sugar in them. I will be eating my grains primarily via oatmeal, quinoa, popcorn, and pasta. If you’re eating canned corn, again, check that ingredient list, because I have yet to discover a can of corn that doesn’t include sugar and salt on the list. I have a recipe for biscuits which do not require sugar so I might make them if I’m feeling the need for a more bread-like texture.
Extras: Obviously cakes, cookies, pies, puddings, soft drinks, etc are crossed off the list as being loaded with sugar. However, some extras such as vanilla extract even have sugar added to them (usually the cheaper brands). So if you’re doing any baking, check the ingredients list even on your vanilla extract.
Going out to dine: This is where it gets really tough. I think I might just try to avoid dining out at all, but if I do, I’ll be very careful in what I order. Salad dressings and sauces are virtually all out. Even soups could potentially be traps (some vegetable broths even have sugar added to them), but depending on where you go to eat the chances of sugar content will vary.
Some more things to remember: some packaged meats contain sugar; many canned goods include sugar; yogurt often has sugar in it (but there are yogurts out there without any added sugars. Go on the hunt for one!). Gum has sugar in it. If it’s going in your mouth, do the research and get the details on exactly what it is made up of. Think of it as a scavenger hunt!
I will be posting what I eat at the end of each day (or else I will post it the day after) to examine just how many foods I can manage to eat that don’t contain any added sugars. Although this is in part a challenge to get healthier and ease up on the sugar so that the body doesn’t rely on it, it is essentially going to be a demonstration of how deceptive our food can be and how nearly everything we eat contains some amount of added sugar.
I think this goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway: this sugar-free week also means no sugar alternatives. No artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, no sugar alcohols, and no natural sugar alternatives such as stevia. I’m lumping them all together as added sugars.
I will be spending the next few days stocking up on foods that have no added sugars. It will require some creativity!
What do you think? Are you up for the challenge? Will you attempt a variation of this challenge?
Interesting experiment – I bet by the end of the week you won’t be missing the sugar. I think this is where it pays off to stick with whole foods and whole ingredients rather than packaged food where an amazing amount of sugar sneaks in. I bake my own bread, so no sugar there, and I don’t eat packaged cereals (breakfast Bircher muesli is all fruit!). I do add honey to my tea and coffee. Oh, and I also add a little sugar to my marinara sauce. I never really understood why “they” add sugar to PB. I like my PB to be salt and nuts – nothing more nothing less! Now added salt, THAT I would have trouble giving up.
Cool Challenge Sagan! My ma puts sugar in everything except our homemade breads, so I grew up with a sweet tooth needless to say. I have cut most processed sugars out of my diet (except a spoon in the morning tea). I will definitely have to give the labels a closer examination!
Great challenge!! I’m currently trying to minimize added sugar (it’s just so hard to cut out completely) so I’m kind of in 🙂
Hey,
Good luck with your not added sugar week, influenced me to sit down and work out where I could cut out sugar.
I reccomend making your own peanut butter, I made my own last week and it was very successfull. Plus sides are you know excatly what goes in, you can make the levels of chunkyness to however you want and you end up with mass amounts of peanut butter. 🙂 Its worth it even if its a pain washing up the blender!
can not wait to see what you think.
I did the same with salt and, unlike what everyone said, I DIDNT experience the ‘oooh this too salty’ when I went back (yes, I went back. I can do the lowlowlow sugar—I miss my salt :)).
Sounds like a tough challenge! I might try to make it 3 days without sugar for starters, but I don’t think I could make it a week all at once. Good luck, and I can’t wait to hear your commentary!
Excellent challenge Sagan and good luck. I’d be interested to know if you experience any physical changes too, like headache, light headiness fatigue or energy boost. There is so much sugar added to our lives that we don’t even think about.
Like Miz and her experiment, our entire family doesn’t mess with extra salt at all. Don’t even own a salt shaker, but the processed stuff is in just about every item.
I already eat this way, so of course I’m in 🙂 Good luck!!
I minimize sugar, but do not completely eliminate it, as it’s in some of the condiments I use. Good luck with this. I applaud your decision and look forward to your report!
Sagan – this week will be a challenge. Initially, I thought I would just recommend having the standard Cambodian diet that I see here, which for the most part is sugar free. i.e. fish soup, vegetables, stir fried meats and veggies etc. Then I realized they usually have something like oyster sauce or a similar condiment in them..and all contain sugar. They do serve them on the side though. Some kind of soya sauce is usually mixed in, does that contain sugar? Let us know if you go thru ‘withdrawal’- as it may be a long week! Good luck!!
im not up for the challeneg but only because i just wetn grocery shopping, and im too cheap to go buy new stuff 🙂
Kelly Turner
http://www.everygymsnightmare.com
That is so exciting! I’m sort of doing that this week…I’ve had some bread and a few small items with sugar, but for the most part, I’ve gone without. I’ve learned SOMEtimes fruit is enough to satisfy my sweet tooth (and boy do I have a sweet tooth).
The most difficult part of my week hasn’t been actually going without the foods, it’s been the planning ahead and really racking my brain for a variety of healthy eats. 🙂 I’m anxious to see what you think and what yummy foods you eat!
Very interesting challenge, Sagan! I’m looking forward to hearing how you do with it.
I like to think I don’t ingest a great deal of hidden sugar – a lot of our diet is home grown, so I know what is in it, and I very rarely rely on packaged food. I do love my granola cereal, though, and it has sugar in it. Not sure I could give it up, even for a week…..
Monica- don’t worry, we’ll have another week-long challenge of no added salt, too 😉 Although the natural PB that I have doesn’t have any added salt or sugar, which I really like.
Rupal- I have SUCH a sweet tooth! Will be eating so much fruit…
Maggie- great!
Jack- that would be lots of fun. Except I like my PB to be really creamy… I’d have to get a very good blender/food processor to achieve that 😀
MizFit- I think I’m the other way around- I like my sweets, but I can do without the salt 🙂
Gena & Veggiegirl- am glad you’ll be along for part of the ride!
Tom- that’s interesting that you don’t even own a salt shaker; very good idea. I’m looking forward to see if there will be physical effects, too.
Dr. J- it’s tricky to COMPLETELY eliminate it, isn’t it?
Sagan’s Dad- yep, soya sauce has sugar. And lots of soups eve have a little bit of sugar added (think about all your recipes, even stirfries, that call for even 1/2 tsp of sugar or honey… it’s really everywhere!).
Holly- I’m looking forward to figuring out a variety of meals, it will be fun 😀
Bag Lady- I like to think the same thing too… if it wasn’t for PB2, I’d be pretty much golden 🙂 Do you make your own bread? Does it call for honey or molasses?
I think this is one of those challenges I will watch from afar. 🙂 It’s a great challenge, though. I’m always amazed at how many products have sugar-like ingredients added to them, and I definitely try to limit those.
The really neat thing is that when you reduce or eliminate the processed sugar from the input pool, you start to notice the natural sweetness in fruits and veggies.
Wow, good luck! I don’t eat much in terms of added sugar, but I don’t think I could ever give it up completely!
After a lifetime of allergies, I’m an expert label reader, but thanks for the list link–I’ve never seen some of those! “Florida crystals”??? And my favorite peanut butter is all peanuts.
My grandmother used to put a one-finger pinch of sugar in each quart of canned tomatoes, along with two two-finger pinches of salt. She said it made them taste saltier, and having tried it both ways, she was right.
Biscuit recipes with sugar? My mind boggles. You put the sugar on afterwards, from the jelly jar. 8)
Sagan – yes, I make my own bread some of the time. The recipe I use calls for a teaspoon of sugar, but you need to remember that yeast has to have sugar to feed it….. otherwise the bread doesn’t rise properly.
wow, quite the undertaking!! it’s startling to realize how much it is added to… i’ve noticed it in certain products and avoided them, but likely haven’t cut them out completely. i eat a ton of fruit, so (sometimes) that suffices 🙂
I’m definitely not up to that challenge. I’m planning a wedding and gave up sweets for lent. I need to be able to drink and eat bread if I want to keep my sanity.
Have I mentioned that I am a HUGE sugar junky? I’ve given up all traces of dairy, wheat, and eggs (at the same time!) with a few other things thrown in here and there for over a year for my kiddos, but I don’t know that I could give up sugar. Even a week would be excruciatingly difficult for me. So, go Sagan!
This is a hard one, Sagan. It’s going to be fascinating seeing your notes of what you’ve eaten. An astonisshing range of things are ruled out! I think I could probably do a few days at least without added sugar but as Holly says the faff of thinking up the recipies is the killer. So you do the hard work and then I might try reaping the benefit!
Hope the week goes quickly for you.
We must be on the same wave length. I started this week off as a no sugar week. I always feel really good when I avoid sugar. It essentially turns into lots of veggies, fruits, protein, some grains like quinoa, good fats and water for me. Hard for me to do long term, but like I said I love how I look and feel when I eat the paleo-way. I can’t wait to hear how your week goes…
Cammy- so true! Mmm apples.
Chocolate Covered Katie- it could get interesting!
Mary Anne- well there’s sugar in bread… stands to reason that there’d be some biscuit recipes with sugar in them. Unfortunately 🙂
Bag Lady- I love your pearls of wisdom! I had no idea yeast required the sugar. Guess that’s why the breads I make that don’t call for sugar are also ones that don’t call for yeast…
ttfn300- I’m all about the LOTS of fruit, too.
Tricia- I hear you. Sanity must be kept!
Cathy- wow, now THAT’S a challenge that you’ve gone through. Couldn’t give up eggs 😀
Liz- interesting for sure.
Jolene- nice! We can compare notes.
I’m totally addicted to sugar! Wow! I’ve been working on staying away from refined sugars and just getting my sugars from fruit. I even found a maple syrup made from fruit that has no added sugar but taste great. I’m slowly switching to natural un-refined versions of it, and even then less of that even. Thanks for all the added tips.
This is going to be awesome! I have definitely wanted to do this, but I will let you test it out first. I am not sure how much dried fruit you eat, but sometimes that has added sugar.
You would have to post this right after I made a very large Banoffee Pie for a “treat in case guests pop in”!!! Right….OK, I will try it for one day…it really is a shock when we see just how (well – I see ) how much this sweetner has crept into my life and taken over.
Great post Sagan! And especially important because of sugar’s addictive properties. I’m interested to see how this goes for you!
This makes me think how much sugar I usually consume everyday. I do try to lessen my sugar intake though. I don’t even add sugar to my milk. My uncle has diabetes and I realized I have to start cutting down sugar in my diet. We are what we eat. Most diseases in our later age can be avoided if we’ll start eating healthy as early as now.
Good luck. This will take amazing discipline, something I have not yet achieved in fullness!
Hi Sagan!
Okay, you’ve convinced me to try this – it will likely be a modified form of it. I’m a big believer in sugar being one of the leading causes of weight gain we’ve seen in our world in recent years. So, I’m all for this! (not that it will be easy…)
Good Luck!!!
I have wanted to try this many times. But I always set the bar at one month, so I have never done it. Although I want to join you, the only part I baulk at is not drinking wine. Now I should just clarify I never drink before 10am 😉
In any case, I was thinking that most dry wines don’t usually have any added sugar. Seeing as the sweetness is from the grapes and fruit is ok, I wonder if it would be acceptable? Apparently the EU standards are that dry wine contains less than 4g/L, which isn’t that much anyway 🙂
Incidentally, I just found out that adding sugar to wine is called ‘Chaptalization’ and it’s illegal to do in Australia. Ahhh good old Aussie wine, I shall not forsake you!
That’s a great challenge! Go for it!
This is a great and helpful idea, a wonderful way to force yourself to read labels and take a look at what you put in your mouth. The best solution is to eat what grows from the earth…most of the time that does the trick.
peace,
mike
livelife365
Social Networking Blues
Fitness Surfer- good for you!
Hangry Pants- I don’t eat much dried fruit, but when I do I get the stuff without added sugar… it’s sweet enough as is.
Rebecca- it can be a really big shock!
Charlotte & Yum Yucky- thanks 🙂
Lance- great! Am glad you’re going to join in the fun.
Spring Girl- modify as much as you like… a week would certainly be much more doable than a month, though 😉 Yum Australian wine, I’ll have to look into that.
Hanlie- I’m excited about it 😀
Mike- agreed, for sure.