Today’s the day we go sugar free. How sugar free are you going?
I’ve decided on no added sugar in any processed foods, which means being vigilant in checking labels, not eating my favourite treat of tahini and honey on a corn cracker –might have to revert back to vegemite and avocado- and not adding any sugar to cooking, which I very rarely do anyway. When I do bake, it’s usually muesli muffins, much loved by my family and the “hippy” children up the road, but no-one else. These have honey and fruit juice added, which for the purpose of sugar free eating I’d consider sugars, so they are out for me as well. I’ll still be eating fruit and my home-made muesli which has a small amount of dried fruit in it.
Personally, I think a little bit of sugar is ok. I do use convenience foods such as tinned baked beans, occasionally tomato sauce (what’s a sausage sanga without sauce) and from time to time I add some bottled pasta sauce to a home-made bolognese.
The point of going sugar free was simply to see what all the hype is about.
Will I feel better and will my running improve, if my diet is completely sugar free for 4 weeks? Quite possibly yes.
Although I like to think I don’t eat much junk, on reflection, I probably eat more than I’m admitting to. I know I’m carrying a few kgs at the moment, and I’ll probably lose a bit of weight being sugar free. I am going to be far more conscious of what I eat (no quick chocolate as an afternoon pick-me-up), and drink. I’m intolerant of yeast and fermented products so not drinking any alcohol is bound to make me feel extra good.
I don’t drink much as a rule generally-used to be about once/month I’d have a couple of glasses, but since I’ve discovered the fantastically knowledgeable proprietor of Wine Culture in East Roseville, I’ve been tending to share a bottle with my husband which may or may not be finished over the course of a week. So, no wine at all will make me feel a million times better I’m expecting – but it’s not the sugars, it’s the yeast that I have a problem with.
The point I’m making is it’s pretty hard to take sugar out of your diet without taking out a lot of other stuff that isn’t great for you. Take out sugar containing processed foods, and you’re bound to take out a lot of fats and food additives as well. So is it the reduced sugar, or the reduction in the rest of the junk that will have an effect on my well being?
