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Day 5: Avoiding Sugar In The Real World
Below you will find some of the best ways to avoid sugar in your life, and answers to some questions you may have right now about what foods to eat beyond this challenge. Let's start here:
Remove temptation. Take some time to clear out the junk from your house, car, and workplace. It's the adage, out of sight, out of mind.
Slowly change your grocery shopping to reflect your reduced sugar needs. It is extremely difficult to transform your kitchen into a clean, green machine in one go. By slowly replacing products as you use them up, your kitchen will transform over time, without breaking the bank.
Keep working towards your goal of eliminating harmful sweeteners. You have completed step one on your sugar-reduced or sugar-free journey. Keep your list of reasons why you want to be healthier handy and reference it when you start to fall off the wagon.
Continue to drink more water. Don’t forget most cravings can be quelled with a tall glass of water.
Can I eat fruit? What kind is best?
Yes, fruit is an acceptable way to consume sugar – it is a whole food. The complex carbohydrates in fruit come in the form of both soluble and insoluble fiber. This allows the natural sugars to be released more slowly and will regulate blood sugar, especially when paired with fat and protein and keep your insulin hormone levels at a normal range.
Some fruits have lower amounts of fructose, which makes them low-glycemic. All of the examples on the chart contain less than 10 grams of fructose per serving. Some fruits are very sweet and should be avoided for the 5-Day Sugar-Free Challenge, such as grapes, cherries, bananas, mangos and dried fruits.
Can I have any alcohol?
Here are your best choices for low sugar alcohol:
Wine: Dry red wine is the best at 1-3 grams of sugar per litre
Spirits: Gin/Vodka/Whisky is okay, but you should have it on the rocks or with soda water (not tonic water)
Beer: Must be light, like Bud Light (7 grams of carbs) or Corona Light (5 grams of carbs)
What about chocolate?
After the challenge ends high-quality dark chocolate is best, and you should aim for dark chocolate that contains at least 70% cocoa. Higher is better but start with 70% and work your way up. Avoid milk chocolate and white chocolate which are full of added sugars. Also, beware of fruit or nut chocolate bars which can have sugar additives for flavor.
Which vegetables are the sweetest?
Vegetables, in general, are very healthy for you and should not be avoided. Beans and legumes are also a good choice. Of all the legumes, lentils are your best bet. Check out this chart below for a guide to carbohydrate content in vegetables.
What beverages can I have?
Lots and lots of water! Remember sometimes the body mistakes thirst for hunger; this triggers cravings. Water will also flush the system out and reduce the potential effects of withdrawal from sugar. Caffeinated drinks might be hard on your system, but if you must sweeten with Stevia or xylitol, or not at all. Other acceptable drinks are herbal teas, and lemon water.
Where can I eat out?
We understand that it is difficult to cook all meals at home. Sometimes you just don’t feel like cooking or want to go out with friends and family. Either way, there are a few options out there in the real world for when you want to eat out:
Sashimi at a sushi restaurant (watch out! sushi rice is sweetened)
Indian food: Generally low in sugar
Ethiopian food: Mostly beans and meats, and the injera bread is fermented
Raw food restaurants: They can’t use anything that has been heated over 150 degrees, so processed sugars are definitely out
Regular restaurants: Opt for grilled fish or chicken (no BBQ) and have it with steamed vegetables or a salad (make sure the dressing is sugar-free, and if you're unsure ask for lemon and olive oil)
Which products have hidden sugar?
Some foods that we love to eat all the time actually have tons of sugar. This can be disappointing for sure. Keep an eye out for sugar content in ketchup, chips (potato/corn), white flour, white rice, marinades, sauces, dips, deli meats, nut butter, balsamic vinegar, and barbecued items. Make sure to read the ingredients label carefully.
What should I look for on package labels?
Have you noticed that on nutrition labels sugar is the only item that is listed without a "% daily value"? This is because if it had to be labelled the percentage would be huge, over 100%! The ingredients matter more. Companies will use a variety of sugars to avoid having to list "sugar" as their first ingredient. Use the handy Best/ Worst chart included in the day two email this week to check for all the different varieties of sugar.
Which sweeteners should I avoid at all costs?
High Fructose Corn Syrup (known as Glucose/ Fructose in Canada) and white sugar.
Can I eat grains?
Yes, the carbohydrates in whole grains are released slowly due to their fiber content. Remember to eat complex carbs only, and your best choices are buckwheat, millet, oats, and quinoa. On a side note, quinoa is actually a seed, but it works so well in place of white rice it often gets included as a grain.
What is the easiest way to stay on track?
Follow the emergency craving tips provided on day two of the challenge, PLUS:
Each meal should contain leafy greens, and high-quality fat and protein
You can support your digestion with enzymes or apple cider vinegar and a quality probiotic supplement
Healthy fats are great for satisfying a craving, and they help trigger satiety and are needed to absorb fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E & K)
Replace processed foods (oils, sugars, chemicals) as they send messages to the brain leading to addiction