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Reducing Sugar | Pad Patter 05.13.23

ArmyGrl

ArmyGrl

Merlot, Cab, Chard, Reisling - all 4 food groups!
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Sep 1, 2012
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So, I've been working on reducing refined sugars and fructose in my diet. And let me tell you, it is DIFFICULT!

I am not pre-diabetic or anything like that, I just realize I put too much sugar into my body...and want to develop healthier eating habits now rather than when I have no choice but develop better eating habits.

If you have gone the route of reducing sugars in your diet, I'd love to read about tips and things you do to minimize carbohydrates in your diet.

For me, I do not buy store bought coffee creamer any longer. I buy half and half and add 1/3 cup sugar to 24 ounces of liquid. In the future, I'd like to use no sugar or flat out replace coffee with green tea (I don't use sugar in tea). And yes, half and half has lactose which is a sugar.

I rarely eat breakfast cereal out of the box anymore. I replaced that with plain oatmeal or plain grits mixed with fresh berries. Berries are a significant source of sugar, but I am not looking to go Keto and remove all sugars or carbs from my diet...just the "added" refined sugar or fructose that many American food manufactures add to foods. And berries punch many health benefits, especially blueberries.

I've added quinoa, a seed, back into the weekly meal planning. Quinoa replaces rice.

Also, I started hard boiling eggs and having one with half an avocado for many lunches.

I try not to eat cookies...hubby is a cookie fanatic and I buy or bake him cookies. I'd say, I am a cookie fail :giggle. I keep eating them.

But seriously though, I'd love to hear tips, advice, and recipes you have that are low or no sugar (carbohydrates).

Thanks.
 
I don't really have any advice, but I'm definitely following along for tips!

I have 2 hard boiled eggs and either cottage cheese or Greek yogurt for breakfast every morning, but lunches are hard! I get super tired of salads after awhile. I don't eat a lot of sweets and have pretty much cut soda out of my life recently. I think I've had one Diet Coke in the last couple of weeks. I don't use creamer, I like my coffee black. My biggest weaknesses are pasta, cheese, and rice. I'm just really not a fan of any of the pasta and white rice alternatives.

I'm looking forward to hearing the responses! I need ideas lol.
 
Maybe it’s just me but I have found that how I prefer my coffee can be changed over time. I used to just drink lattes but at one point I thought “5 billion people can’t be wrong” about regular drip coffee so I started drinking drip coffee with lots of half and half and got used to that. Then, over time, as I wanted to cut calories, I slowly switched over to lower fat milks and now I’m at skim. Now half and half tastes wrong to me. So, I guess my advice would be to slowly cut the sugar in your coffee - after a while it will taste “right” with less or no sugar.

I also do an egg and avocado (sometimes with some black beans added) for lunch.
 
I’m with your hubby and am a cookie fanatic. ;) Our current favorite salad (thanks to Subway inspiration) is instant pot onion garlic chicken, lettuce, spinach, bottled banana peppers, bottled jalapeños, sliced purple onion and sliced dill pickles with ranch and Frank’s hot sauce on top.
 
umyesh said:
I’m with your hubby and am a cookie fanatic. ;) Our current favorite salad (thanks to Subway inspiration) is instant pot onion garlic chicken, lettuce, spinach, bottled banana peppers, bottled jalapeños, sliced purple onion and sliced dill pickles with ranch and Frank’s hot sauce on top.
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That sounds delicious, I'm drooling
 
dawnmarch said:
Maybe it’s just me but I have found that how I prefer my coffee can be changed over time. I used to just drink lattes but at one point I thought “5 billion people can’t be wrong” about regular drip coffee so I started drinking drip coffee with lots of half and half and got used to that. Then, over time, as I wanted to cut calories, I slowly switched over to lower fat milks and now I’m at skim. Now half and half tastes wrong to me. So, I guess my advice would be to slowly cut the sugar in your coffee - after a while it will taste “right” with less or no sugar.

I also do an egg and avocado (sometimes with some black beans added) for lunch.
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Totally agree with the sugar in the coffee. The 1/3 per 24 oz of half and half is a reduction from 3/4's per 24oz. I'm slowly letting my taste buds get used to less sweet items. The interesting thing is that between the less sweet creamer in the morning combined with plain oatmeal - when I eat something really sweet, like the cookies, I'm like wow that is very sweet! I'm more sensitive to the sugar. Let's hope I keep moving in that direction.

And I like the bean idea!!! Thanks. Would help add some bulk and fiber to help me feel more full.
 
Lisa dear, I went keto 4 years ago, more or less, and I stick on it basically, but last year, I've added oats and of course quinoa, lentils and beans. No rice, no sugars, but honey. Honey is a great way to add a sweet taste. My recipe for health cookies, mix well a couple of egg whites, stevia (with no erythritol), a little bit of rapeseed oil, mix well and then add equal parts of almond flour and oat flour, baking powder, and you can add dried fruits or raisins, dark chocolate with no sugar, etc., also you can prepare your own oat flour ( just put in a blend oat flakes and mix). When the dough is done, do little balls and flat them, place in an oven tin covered with baking paper, place in pre-heated oven to 356 F or 180 C for around 12 - 15 mins
If you'd like to bake salty cookies that really taste good, then, in a bowl place chia seeds with cold water, and let for around 1 or 2 hours, it must look like 'jelly". In a bowl place oat flakes and oat flour (half and half), add a little bit salt and the chia seeds, mix well if necessary add a little bit water, nothing else, prepare same like the ones above, and in the oven let them till they are done, if you want them more hard, I turn off the oven and I let them for some minutes more. And no kidding, they taste like crackers, but without wheat. I've eliminated all the wheat, feeling better.
 
IntenseMagic said:
I'm just really not a fan of any of the pasta and white rice alternatives.
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If you've tried quinoa, I'm wondering if you cook it with a bit of chicken or beef broth. For me, the broth makes a world of difference...adds much needed flavor (salt too, but oh-well).
 
Lisa, I totally forgot, here in Finland I can get easily xylitol, changes a little bit the taste, and it's not recommended to use overdose for the laxative side effects, but to me has working great for bake, especially keto cakes made with almond flour.
 
ArmyGrl said:
If you've tried quinoa, I'm wondering if you cook it with a bit of chicken or beef broth. For me, the broth makes a world of difference...adds much needed flavor (salt too, but oh-well).
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Lisa I fried the quinoa in olive oil, then I add hot water, salt and coriander, and let to boil till is done, I like a texture similar to rise, and really taste delicious.
 
umyesh said:
I’m with your hubby and am a cookie fanatic. ;) Our current favorite salad (thanks to Subway inspiration) is instant pot onion garlic chicken, lettuce, spinach, bottled banana peppers, bottled jalapeños, sliced purple onion and sliced dill pickles with ranch and Frank’s hot sauce on top.
Click to expand...

I had to google "bottled banana pepper" 'cause I've never heard of "banana pepper". Turned out it's not the banana fruit bottled in a jar, but a yellow pepper! LOL.
 
I might not be of a help for this topic since I still consume sugar, but I do try to reduce a little bit.

Prior to being married (2019), I'd put 2 teaspoons of brown sugar into my morning coffee, but after getting married, I reduced it to 1.5 teaspoons. I'm still at 1.5 teaspoons 3 years later (LOL), but I do reduce other forms of sugar consumption, e.g less store-bought cookies, less sugar in baked recipes, or use a recipe that calls for honey instead. Baby steps.
 
Less sugar is supposed to help my chronic hives- so I've been on a similar journey.

For my coffee- I have really gotten to enjoy just a dollop of whipped cream- I buy the small carton of heavy whipping cream that has no sugar and then just whip it up in my mixer. One carton will last me at least a week before either I run out- or it starts to go bad. I get that "creamy" coffee without all the sugar!

For breakfast- I've been loving chobani's no sugar yogurt with just some chia seeds & hemp hearts.
 
zakirahzakaria said:
use a
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I have not tried it yet, but I found a recipe for banana nut bread that uses only honey. IMO honey is better than sugar. At least honey has some antibiotic properties and is touted to help protect against pollen based allergies.
 
I've been low carb, vegetarian and WW off and on for years but have spent the most time on a low carb plan and have been back on it for this last year or so. I have tried all different plans and what really works for me is to limit sugar as much as possible and my body accepts sweeteners with no ill effects. I stay low carb most of the time with the odd higher carb day, almost no wheat and moderate amounts of dairy. I average about 20-40 net carbs most of the time but on a higher carb day (splurge day) I'll have around 60-100 carbs. I don't worry about bits of sugar in condiments as I don't eat a lot of it. I mostly eat lower carb fruits and veggies but if I eat the higher carb ones, I just limit the amount.

I don't put sugar in anything unless its a sweetener i.e. stevia, erythritol, inulin, splenda or monk fruit. I'm not opposed to using honey or maple syrup but b/c of the high carb count I prefer to limit that and use the other sweeteners instead.

For coffee, I mix heavy cream with unsweetened almond milk half & half and use sugar-free flavored sweetener. I like vanilla stevia and also order sugar free coffee flavors on amazon.

When baking, I use mostly monk fruit, stevia, splenda, inulin, erythritol (often blending them together).

I'll come back with a few dessert recipes I like.
 
cuttig sugar is tough... one of the best recommendations I've heard was 'be a bad cook'... I am often a lazy (and a stingy) one when hubby's away and we just eat what's in the fridge... kids have been complaining we don't have any snacks at home...
 
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