7 DAYS WITHOUT SUGAR & MY FAVORITE NATURAL SUGAR AND SUGAR FREE RECIPES
So if you follow me on Instagram then you know that I have partnered with Sweet Defeat to do a #SugarFreeChallenge post, which is HARD for someone like me who...LOVES SUGAR!
Ever since I can remember, I have always had a sweet tooth. I remember my nanny making me sweet Fried Plantains (still my favorite food to this day!) and she would also make me coffee (it was probably 80% milk) but I remember always asking for the “coffee” to be sweeter - “More sugar please!”.
Some of you know that I have been recently trying to regulate my cycles/ hormones and as I always try my best to live a healthier lifestyle in general, I thought let’s cut out SUGAR for a week and see what happens.
The first few days were hard, but honestly as the days went on, it got easier! It feels so good to feel free from sugar! Have you ever noticed the more sugar you have, the more you crave? Well that’s scientifically proven! An initial taste of sugar immediately increases your desire for more. But the truth is when you eat less sugar, you have fewer cravings, look better, feel better, and have consisted energy throughout the day. I didn’t get tired as much or have afternoon slumps; however, I WILL SAY that the first few days I felt a bit antsy and jittery, almost like my body and mind were going through a detox.
(Photo above: Toby was sitting real pretty to try and get some Pie! Also, note, this piece of pie was saved until after my #SugarFreeChallenge/it was so hard not to eat it sitting in my kitchen!)
HOW TO DO THE SUGAR FREE CHALLENGE
1. DON’T add sugar to your food. Yup, no sweeteners in your coffee or tea. You can add whole milk, which has natural sugars. Skip the jam and honey (that was hard for me in my oatmeal but I simply added Peanut Butter or fruit instead - small amounts of fruit is okay!).
2. Don’t use Splenda, Stevia, Aspartame. Fake sugar makes you crave more sweets as much as regular soda does!
3. Don’t eat packaged foods that have more sugar than fiber. Read nutrition labels, you’ll be surprised at how many foods have hidden sugars like pastas, breads and crackers. My favorite way to do this is to just NOT HAVE THEM IN THE HOUSE - If it’s not there, you can’t eat it! :)
4. Don’t have sugary drinks like sodas or juice. Did you know a 12-ounce can of Coke has 39 grams?! Even a green juice can have up to 51 grams! Eek, not good!
5. Don’t use bottled salad dressings, pasta sauce, and condiments like ketchup and bbq sauce. Looks at the ingredient list: sugar shouldn’t be in the first three ingredients.
6. Do eat fresh fruit (natural sugar) - this was a big saver for me! Try to limit how much fruit you have though. No more than 1/2 cup.
My tip if you want to sustain the #SugarFreeChallenge after your week sugar detox: DO TREAT YOURSELF. Give yourself a daily intentional treat like a square of chocolate or one small cookie. Don’t totally deny yourself, or your new eating plan won’t be sustainable.
SWEET DEFEAT - Sweet Defeat was a big savior for me. It’s like a little mint that basically helps with sugar cravings and makes you not crave sweets! Anytime I got a craving, I would carry these with me and I felt better. I didn’t think a little thing could really make a difference, but it did - All of a sudden, I wouldn’t crave sugar! I’ll usually have a Sweet Defeat after having natural sugar (like strawberries and coconut cream or any of the recipes below) to avoid ongoing cravings. It’s crazy how your sweet tooth can really be turned ON and OFF. Sweet Defeat binds to sweet taste receptors in the taste buds, suppressed sweet taste, and helps reduce sugar cravings. It really helps and it’s all natural!
(I am giving away 1 30ct. box of Sweet Defeat to one lucky winner - head on over to my instagram here to enter! Also head on over their site to get 50% off here!)
Many of you were going through this with me last week and giving me such great natural sweet treats when my sweet tooth was kicking in! THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU. Here’s some that you came up with!
-COCONUT CREAM - Refrigerate can of coconut milk (with no added sugar!), 8 hours or overnight.
Place metal mixing bowl and beaters in the refrigerator or freezer 1 hour before making whipped cream.
Open can of coconut milk, taking care not to shake it. ...
Beat coconut cream using electric mixer with chilled beaters on medium speed; turn to high speed. Add on top of your favorite fruit!
-DATES - 1-2 Dates will sometimes do the trick. Dates have a ton of natural sugar in them so don’t over do it but they are simply so sweet you may just be good after 1!
-FROZEN MANGO - People say frozen mango is incredibly delicious. Let is defrost a bit before eating, but it takes a while to eat and perfectly sweet.
-POPCORN - And one of my favorite go-tos (with NO SUGAR AT ALL) is homemade Popcorn. We love this Stovetop Popcorn Maker on Amazon. Simply add Coconut Oil or Ghee Butter to the bottom of the pot and add popcorn kernels. Continue to spin until you stop hearing popping - Add a touch of Himalayan Pink Salt and voila! So good!
What are your favorite ways to cut out sugar or what helps you not go into sugar overload? Comment below as I’m always seeing yummy new recipes that don’t have a ton of sugar!
Wishing you guys a great rest of your week - See you on the blog soon!
