(っ◔﹏◔)っ I have a confession: I am addicted to sugar. 🙇♀️
I’ve had a sweet tooth since the day I was born and given a choice between candy or food for survival without the repercussions, I would have chosen the candy 🍭 Unfortunately, I inherited a sweet tooth from my grandmother and it runs in my family. Even though I minored in Nutritional & Nutraceutical Sciences (NANS), I didn’t need to study nutrition to know that sugar is addictive. And If you’re anything like me, you probably know that sugar is incredibly difficult to quit. The last time I tried quitting sugar, I managed to detox for 21 days only to relapse during the Christmas holidays. My recommendation is not to try quitting sugar during the holidays, especially if you are just starting out.
I know that I am not the only one who struggles with this addiction and if you are reading this blog post, I am guessing that the title intrigued you. My intention wasn’t to use clickbait, and to be totally transparent, the longest I’ve gone without sugar was #21days. They say it takes 21 days to break a bad habit and I want to ditch the sugar, regardless of how many times I relapse. This past weekend, I ate sugary foods and now I am paying the price with a lot of bloating, mood swings, irritability, and more sugar cravings. That being said, these past two weeks have been nothing but bad news for my family, and by now I am well aware that my coping mechanism is sweets and treats 🎂😋
Disclaimer: This blog post was inspired by blog.paleohacks.com. I added some of my own anecdotes to help emphasize the key points from their list (see image below ↓) I hope you know that sheer willpower alone will likely lead to a relapse. If you want a more sustainable, long-term solution for quitting the sweet stuff, then we need to treat sugar like the drug that it is. Let’s get started, shall we?
Easy Ways to Cut Sugar Out Of Your Diet
Stop Buying Processed Foods If you stop buying processed foods, over time you will accumulate much less of them in your house. If you really want to quit cold turkey, dump your sodas down the drain and toss the rest of your empty-calorie snacks in the trash. We poured the sugar-laden sodas and drinks down the drain which was very therapeutic for me. Some people might say that it is a waste of money to throw food in the trash and I agree with them. However, we should not have purchased these products in the first place.
Make Your Own Spaghetti Sauce I have not tried making my own spaghetti sauce. We try to buy brands that are low in sodium and contain the least amount of questionable ingredients. Look for spaghetti sauce when they go on sale and stock up on the good brands.
Swap Fruit Juice with Whole Fruit I quit this bad habit years ago and I don’t feel deprived by diluting fruit juice or skipping it altogether. Whenever I drink fruit juice such as 100% orange juice or 100% apple juice, I water the juice down with 3/4 water. To this day, I cannot drink non-diluted fruit juice. It is way too sweet!
Avoid Flavored Yogurt There is a lot of hidden sugar in flavored yogurts and that is scary! In a single serving of flavored yogurt, I have seen as much as 20 grams of sugar. Yikes! This doesn’t even include the hidden sugars and sneaky sweeteners that are usually added to flavored yogurts. Opt for plain yogurt and flavor it yourself. It is pretty tasty with a little maple syrup and sliced banana.
Make Your Own Salad Dressing I have not tried this yet but both my mom and husband started making their own salad dressings. I can see the appeal in homemade salad dressings and I plan on making my own one day. Please tell me that I am not the only one with 20+ bottles of salad dressing? I cannot bring myself to throw away store-bought salad dressing.
Give Yourself a Quota Going cold turkey is hard, and let’s face it: we are going to slip up from time to time. If you are used to eating fast food for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert, then you may want to slowly cut back on sugar and gradually introduce healthier alternatives like fruits and vegetables. If you must have dessert, save your cheat treat for a time when you will really enjoy it, such as date night. I did not grow up in a household where I ate dessert every night and I seldom ate fast food, so, fortunately, I haven’t developed a habit of gluttony and instant gratification.
Try Stevia, Monk Fruit, or Xylitol I have a hard time loving stevia. I find the taste of stevia awful but a lot of people have jumped on the stevia bandwagon and they embrace it with open arms. I don’t mind monk fruit but most often, it’s not made primarily of monk fruit. The one I have is erythritol with monk fruit extract. Erythritol on its own has a cooling aftertaste but gives me stomach aches, so I use it sparingly. I also use maple syrup and coconut sugar in some recipes to replace cane sugar. For days when my sugar cravings are intense, I might try sugar-free gum.
Set Dessert Rules Do you ever implement new rules, end up failing and feel worse than when you started? This method does work with strict discipline but even my family and friends haven’t had much success with it yet. You will likely end up relapsing if you feel too deprived, undergo an uncontrollable binge, or experience withdrawal as you wean yourself off of sugar. What is the best way to overcome potential drawbacks? Decide to make a change and commit to it for a month.
Don’t Keep Treats in the House Preach! 🙌 I stopped buying treats and we rarely have treats in our house. If we really want treats, we have to go out of our way for ice cream, or we make homemade french fries and chips (air fryer or baked). It also forces me to get creative. I have made recipes I would have otherwise never made, such as paleo mint chocolate truffles and chia seed pudding. If you’re going to make desserts, then at least make them paleo! Paleo desserts are naturally healthier and less processed compared to store-bought food.
Eat Dark Chocolate Ideally, you want to eat dark chocolate that is at least 70% solids. I do consume dark chocolate on a weekly basis, and I prefer to bake with dark chocolate which is naturally lower in sugar compared to conventional milk chocolate varieties.
Avoid Mixed Alcoholic Drinks Just avoid alcohol like the plague. Alcohol won’t help you lose weight, is chalked full of empty calories and it wreaks havoc on your kidneys and liver. There are other ways to have fun, like writing blog posts *laughs* In a more serious tone, alcohol is a toxin and I have been around too many alcoholics in my lifetime to know how batshit crazy alcoholics and drunk people can be. Didn’t know alcohol is a drug? FYI alcohol is a depressant. Look it up!
Cut Out Soda If you’re going to drink soda, you might as well drink liquefied candy washed down with a glass of lemon juice. I don’t need to explain why soda is bad which is pretty much self-explanatory. Don’t fool yourself into thinking that diet soda is any better. Diet soda contains similar ingredients as regular soda plus several questionable artificial sweeteners. It’s not even the sugar that is the most cringe-worthy ingredient, or the high fructose corn syrup for that matter. It’s the caramel color that is notorious for staining and corroding your teeth, and the highly acidic nature of both diet and regular varieties. Love the carbonated bubbles but don’t want to quit soda cold turkey? Try flavored sparkly water like Perrier, Bubbly, or Spindrift. Although acidic, these unadulterated sparkling waters are still healthier options.
(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ FINAL THOUGHTS ♥
Well, there you have it! If this blog post inspired you to join me on this sans sugar journey and/or you are currently embarking on a similar journey towards a healthier lifestyle, feel free to join the conversation by leaving a comment below ↓ I look forward to reading your comments!
Also, if you would like to have your recipes featured on sereneluna.net, you can get in touch with me through my contact page or e-mail me @hilary_harm_7@hotmail.com 💌 There is no set deadline for recipe submissions. Ideally, I am looking for recipes that are wheat-free and sugar-free. Stevia, monk fruit, and xylitol are more ideal than added sugars. However, I will accept recipes that use small amounts of honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar, etc. anything of that nature. Thanks so much! 🍨💕
Sereneluna 
I’m also addicted to sugar 😅. My greatest triumph has been learning to enjoy it in moderation!
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Same! I have an intense sweet tooth but going cold turkey just doesn’t work. So I give myself the target of going sugar free for the week and getting a small treat on Saturday. Usually by the time Saturday comes, I don’t feel the temptation.
But definitely not keeping any tempting snacks at home works wonders. I usually munch on some nuts whenever I crave something sweet thro the week.
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Hi Happy Panda! I envy you and Ang for having self-control and not having to go cold turkey. I’m a very all-or-nothing person. I’ve tried the one small treat a week but somehow manage to convince myself that I can have more treats throughout the week.
It’s amazing how the brain can rationalize just about anything. I stopped trying to reason with myself because I don’t trust myself around sugar. I’m trying to get my daughter off of the sugary stuff too and it’s hard. Not keeping sweet treats in the house is a good tip! Thanks for your insights 🙂
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Hi Ang! I haven’t had much luck with eating in moderation. For me, it’s all or nothing. I envy those who can enjoy things in moderation and know not to overdo it! I feel like we are biologically wired to crave sugar.
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The best thing I have ever done to get off foods is to NOT bring them into my house! Best tip ever!
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It’s hard not to buy delicious things at Dollarama. I have no self-control at that store because the price is right and everything screams, “Buy Me!” It also depends on who is bringing the stuff into the house. I’m not the only one who grocery shops.
Great tip though, but I wish it was that easy at my house lol 😝
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I hate sugar
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You hate eating sugar? I wish I didn’t love sugar so much…. I am helplessly addicted to it. I think it’s part of human survival to crave the sweet stuff.
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How do you feel about sugar free products and candies?
I am just now embarking on a sugar addiction. I have discovered pancakes and maple syrup. Which must also have strawberry topping. And I am eating this now.
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I spent a few hours last week searching for sugar free candies and tbh the ones I tried were gross. Yuck. I couldn’t eat the lollipops and ended up tossing a few of them. I also discovered that sugar free candy makes me crave more sugar d/t the sweetness. My brain still thinks it’s sugar and wants more sugar. Any kind of sweetness makes me want more even if it’s the diet variety such as diet sodas, etc. I rather not have it at all or have a little of the real thing to prevent a future binge.
I have erythritol/monk fruit in my cupboard which I tried in a recipe last week and it made me nauseous. It’s not so bad in small quantities but I don’t like the side effects of sugar alcohols, artificial sweeteners, etc. Stevia is still yucky imo 😝
Too bad I can’t have pancakes. I’m currently embarking on a wheat-free journey and I seem to be failing at that too. It’s a new week and a fresh start at least 🤷♀️
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If it makes you feel any better, I want to give up dairy. Goodbye ice cream.
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Yeah, me too tbh. Ideally, I want to quit wheat, dairy, and sugar. I’m quite sure I have IBS, and I’m lactose intolerant. As a kid, an allergy tester told me that I shouldn’t be eating wheat, dairy, and sugar. These seem to be the most difficult for me to quit. I’m not giving up though!
As for ice cream, coconut ice cream is apparently quite easy to make using coconut milk. Or you could try “nice cream” which is blended frozen bananas, berries etc. If you really like bananas, nice cream is the way to go. If you want something that resembles dairy, try coconut ice cream.
Avoid “Rice Dream” it’s gross. That’s the stuff I lived off of as a kid. Made with rice milk. Tbh idk if they still sell it but yeah… just avoid it. 😅
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Ha. I will stay away from rice cream then. It even sounds gross!
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Thank you for all the great tips. I am addicted to sugar my husband calls me the human fly. I have quit a time or two throughout the years. It is amazing when I don’t eat sugar I stop craving it. I don’t know why I go back to it. Moderation is not the key for me. I have to totally stop or I keep going back. You have inspired me. As I get older I really notice the affect that sugar has on me it makes me bloaty and sloth like. Must try harder!!!
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I stopped using any sort of sugar product in my tea by switching to Truvia. I didn’t like the taste of it, so it was a good motivator to wean off it quickly.
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It’s funny you mentioned Truvia because we happen to have a thing of it in our cupboard which nobody uses 😂 I don’t like the taste of it either. The only tea I add a little sugar too is steeped tea at Tim Hortons. Apparently asking for “1/2 sugar” means different things to different employees – it’s different every time they make it. At home I don’t add any sugar to my tea either. Thanks for stopping by, Ashley! 🙂
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These are all great tips! I stopped eating processed/refined sugar almost entirely a while ago and it’s been difficult but great. I think giving up processed foods is a big one because they generally have so much sugar in them and we don’t even realise it. Another one you mentioned that I found most helpful was to not keep treats in the house because when they’re there it’s hard to resist.
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That’s awesome, Pooja! I knew you were a vegan but had no idea that you are on this clean eating journey too. Thank you for sharing this factoid with me. I’m honestly shocked by how many products including supposedly healthy products (organic, vegan, non-GMO) have added sugar. Sugar is in everything! 🤦♀️
The only treats I keep in the house are dried fruits (figs are amazing), plain pumpkin seeds which won’t lead to a binge because they are boring, 85% dark chocolate, and freeze-dried apples. Most of these treats are just one or two ingredients. No added crap diet is what I call it. 🙂 I will update the monthly goals at the end of March because I’m no longer doing low carb. Tbh it made me feel miserable and deprived. I love figs and fresh fruits way too much! 🍎🍒🍊🍑🍐
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Yup, I’m definitely into healthy eating these days! I feel like almost all products that are supposed to be healthy alternatives are almost as bad as the real thing. Sugar really is in almost everything and it sucks for people like us who are avoiding it.
We usually have the same at home and we’ve been eating small pieces of sugarcane instead of sweet desserts. I don’t think I could ever do low card either. Carbs keep me happy if I’m being honest 😂
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Sugarcane is quite tasty, especially fresh sugarcane juice. Low carb diets suck and I am miserable if I cannot have carbs. I tried low carb/keto but it didn’t work out… As soon as bad news hit my family last month, that was the first to go. Trying to find balance has been quite a struggle for me but I am determined to get healthy again. I am sick these days but I know this isn’t an excuse to eat junk food. The struggle is real! 🙄
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Yeah sugarcane juice us amazing too, I usually have it with some lemon and ginger drops.
I think cutting out carbs just makes you crave them more and I also don’t think carbs are bad for you unless eaten in large quantities. I try to mostly eat protein and fiber and will have some carbs just to satisfy my cravings which has been working well for me.
Hope you feel better soon and can get back to eating more healthy!
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It’s the processed carbs I crave. The unrefined carbs like fruits and vegetables I don’t crave as much… and then there’s grains which I think I have an intolerance to but eat them anyways. Staying away from packaged foods is hard. They’re literally everywhere. I know what you mean about cutting things out and then wanting them even more.
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It’s so insanely difficult. I have the hardest time not picking up a pack of chips or something everytime I go grocery shopping. I literally have to skip the aisle.
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I get snack attacks at the grocery store too. Ugh. Dollarama is the absolute worst for that because everything is “cheaper” and I can justify the smaller portion sizes. I tend to eat a lot more junk food whenever I shop there.
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Yeah smaller packs are just a trap. It’s the worst. I always used to get Old Dutch packs at Dollarama lol 😆
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“It’s a trap!” -Sheldon from Big Bang Theory
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Hi Hilary! I love all the suggestions you give for cutting out sugar. I too have quite the sweet tooth. I’ve managed to cut out white sugar, but I couldn’t imagine giving up my beloved maple syrup and honey.
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Thanks for reading and commenting, Martina! 🙂 Me too, I love maple syrup and honey way too much. Tbh I still use them to sweeten things but I have cut back on the amount I use. I also use coconut sugar but use half of what the recipe calls for… I’m slowly learning to live with less sweetness. ☕️💕
I still struggle with giving up sour gummy worms. There’s something about sour candies that I love so much.
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You’re welcome, Hilary! Thank you for also commenting and checking out my page.
Good for you! I like to use coconut sugar, but I prefer maple syrup or honey. I have a BIG sweet tooth.
Gummy worms. Yum! I haven’t had the sour ones. I used to make “mud pie” and top it with the gummy worms.
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Yummy! mud pie is delicious! It was my favourite dessert as a kid. I used to make a healthier chocolate pudding recipe made with coconut milk and maple syrup. It’s a shame I no longer have the recipe.
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Yeah… I’m never going to be cutting sugar out of my diet haha! I think I probably eat quite a lot of it, so I could definitely do with making some small swaps and changes here and there and that would be a good step for me!
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I am going to assume that those British treats were not sugar-free. Tbh I tried some sugar free candy alternatives and they were all gross. Yuck! I much rather have real candy than some “I can’t believe it’s not candy” alternative. 😆
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The sugar addiction is painfully relatable. I’m forever trying to cut down but…not massively successful at it. Thank you for sharing these tips!
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Thanks for your honesty, Crystal! I’ve only managed to cut down my sugar intake ~50% compared to what I was consuming before. My family also has a sugar and processed food addiction so I am trying to get them on board with healthier eating. It’s been a struggle, but I still find these tips quite helpful whenever I “forget” why I am doing this. Thanks for stopping by! 💕
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Thank you for your brutal honesty about your sugar addiction. I too am struggling and your tips give me something to aim for!
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Thanks Wendi! I appreciate your feedback. I’m glad that this blog post resonated with you. Good luck on the sugar detoxing! 🙂
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A beautiful and highly information blog! I would love to write something like this in the future. Also, a great topic. Kudos
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My best piece of advice is to just start writing. I am a perfectionist and most of my stuff never ends up getting published. I keep reminding myself to write anyways, and publish it even if I am not 100% ready. I’d be much further in my blogging journey if I could get past this writer’s block so I understand where you are coming from. Just start! 🙂
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I’ve started last year and till now I’ve written 55 blogs and currently working on 56th 😁
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Keep going 🙂
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Writing health blogs is really very tough. It gets tougher when there are such a beautiful and informative blog. Great information, thanks for sharing.
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Try not to compare your writing to other people’s blogs. It’s easier said than done! I often find myself trapped in the cycle of comparison which can be so paralyzing when it comes to writing.
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Well I was just appreciating. If I like a certain blog, I need to express my feelings towards it
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I too have a sweet tooth and my wife keeps me away from sugar by not letting me buy any of those sweet treats. I am surprised how less i crave for sugar now. We have home cooked meals almost all week and treat ourselves once a day by eating out. This way we don’t feel we are missing on anything we love but also get to keep ourselves healthy. We never liked sugar alternatives so much either so we tend to stick to no sugar or natural sugar only like fruits, dates etc. That helps.
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I think the natural tendency for people is to crave sweet foods, primarily fruit and maybe some vegetables. I know that this is true for me because my sugar cravings decreased quite a lot. They were replaced with other cravings, but at least it’s a step in the right direction.
Wow, that’s fantastic that you and your family cook at home! It’s much healthier and cheaper. I’m out of dates but I should hopefully have some on my next trip to the store. I do have some dried figs, a few unripe bananas, and apples. I try to eat fresh fruits and vegetables throughout the day which helps cut down on cravings and binges. Thanks for reading and commenting!
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