Addicted to Sugar? Here's How You Can Beat Your Cravings

Discussion in 'Survival of the Fittest' started by Quigley_Sharps, Jan 24, 2014.


  1. Quigley_Sharps

    Quigley_Sharps The Badministrator Administrator Founding Member

    I've been off sugar for three years now. And I've shared tips and tricks with millions around the world on how to do so with (relative) ease. But between you and I, I still struggle with cravings. The stuff is gnarly - some say as addictive as cocaine and heroin - and it's dangled in front of us everywhere we turn. What's more, we're actually biologically programmed to binge on it and to be obsessed by it. This is because it's such a fantastic way for us to get instantly... yes... fat. Back in caveman times, when we needed as much fat as we could get and sugar was very rare (a few bitter berries here and there), this made sense. Today, of course, these cravings land us in dire trouble and we have to fight our cravings.

    But I have a secret weapon that I like to use in my own personal war against sugar. It stops cravings in their tracks but also deals with mid-afternoon energy slumps. Ready for it? It's coconut oil.

    I take it a tablespoon at a time
    Yep, I eat it directly from the jar after lunch. Or I mix it with a little raw cacao powder to make the simplest chocolate snack on the planet.

    It kills sugar cravings, immediately.
    How so? Coconut oil is made up of medium-chain fatty acids, or medium chain triglycerides (MCTs). Indeed, coconut oil is nature's richest source of MCTs. These fatty acids produce a host of health benefits which you can read about here. But here's the bit I like: your body sends medium-chain fatty acids straight to your liver to use as energy. This means coconut oil is a source of instant energy, much like sugar and other simple carbohydrates. But although both deliver quick energy to your body, unlike the carbohydrates, coconut oil does not produce an insulin spike in your bloodstream. This saves you from a slump, and is really good news for anyone struggling with insulin issues. Like me.

    It fills you up, immediately.
    After two tablespoons I'm not hungry for about four hours.

    And bonus: it helps you lose weight!
    Again, it's the medium-chain fatty acids. Most plant oils are made up of longer chain fat triglycerides (LCTs). LCTs are typically stored in the body as fat; MCTs are transported directly to the liver, promoting "thermogenesis" which increases the body's metabolism. There are a stack of studies that have shown this to be the case, like this one. This study shows eating two tablespoons of coconut oil with a meal caused body temperature to rise, boosting metabolism. Plus, MCTs are not easily converted into stored triglycerides and cannot be readily used by the body to make larger fat molecules.

    headshot.
    Sarah Wilson
    Australian media personality, journalist, health coach and blogger
     
  2. VHestin

    VHestin Farm Chick

    I'm still working on alternative sweeteners. I might end up sticking to coconut sugar though. I think of coconuts as a superfood, not because of nutritional value per se, but it's versatility. You can make flour, sugar, milk, and oil from it(you can eat the whole thing and basically have your own cake in a shell, especially if you add cocoa powder to it). Plus you can use the threads on the shells for mats and such. And the shells have uses as well.
     
    Hammerhead and Quigley_Sharps like this.
  3. Snake_Doctor

    Snake_Doctor Call me Snake...

    Three Years? I couldn't go three weeks!
     
  4. melbo

    melbo Hunter Gatherer Administrator Founding Member

  5. cjsloane

    cjsloane Monkey

    I couldn't do low carb without xylitol.
     
  6. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    Someone suggested xylitol but after reading up on it I don't know if I want to put that stuff in my body. It can kill your dog. I would like a doctor to truthfully tell me if natural sugar is okay or honey. Two drs have said all sweeteners are bad.
     
  7. BTPost

    BTPost Stumpy Old Fart,Deadman Walking, Snow Monkey Moderator

    Heck, MotoMom34, chocolate will kill your Dog...I have never heard of a woman that can do without Chocolate....
    The Women's Three Rules of Chocolate:
    If there is Chocolate in the house, it must be eaten.....
    If there is No Chocolate in the house, she MUST go buy some.
    If her Man eats ANY of HER Chocolate, He either MUST Replace it, BEFORE she finds out, Or spend then Next Month with the Dog, in his digs...

    ......
     
  8. cjsloane

    cjsloane Monkey

    In general, they are all bad but honey/maple syrup/agave are not quite as bad in very small quantities.

    If you're trying to loose weight you have to cut them all out. And bread/potatoes which have more glucose than sugar when they get broken down.
     
  9. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    Potatoes are bad? I love potatoes. Not trying to lose weight, I am just trying to live w/o sugar. Sugar is in everything.
     
  10. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    No, 'tain't. Bacon and chocolate take the front seat.
     
    Sapper John likes this.
  11. cjsloane

    cjsloane Monkey

    Potatoes raise blood sugar more than sugar!

    Here are some #s:
    A potato that is raw or cooked using the boiling method contains approximately 18.75 grams of sugar.
    When you roast the same potato, the amount of sugar increases to about 35 grams.
    Finally, a fried potato contains about 67 grams of sugar.
     
  12. BTPost

    BTPost Stumpy Old Fart,Deadman Walking, Snow Monkey Moderator

    When you say "Sugar" which KIND of sugar are you referring to? Glucose, Sucrose, Dextrose, Fructose, orLactose? The Term "Sugar" is very generic. There is a BIG difference in how the Human Body, and other Living things Metabolize each..... .....
     
    Tracy likes this.
  13. cjsloane

    cjsloane Monkey

    A potato breaks down in to glucose.
    The thing people do seem to harp on is that a baked potato has a glycemic index of 85 and table sugar (sucrose) only has an index of 58.
     
  14. chambers270

    chambers270 Monkey++

    I have always eaten a lot of sweets, but I have started to transition with the use of honey. The honey is from my own bees which are 100% natural (Only thing added to hive is smoke when I rob them). I use it in my coffee, on a sausage dog etc. It is great. Don't know if I will ever be sugar free though.
     
    chelloveck and Quigley_Sharps like this.
  15. chelloveck

    chelloveck Diabolus Causidicus

    Stevia is a good substitute for sugar. It too is 100% natural (though in its refined state am not quite so sure). It satisfies the craving for sweetness without the calories that go with sugar.

    Stevia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    There may be some contra-indications that have been associated with Stevia consumption. 8 Stevia Side Effects : 3FatChicks on a Diet! – Diet & Weight Loss Support

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    [​IMG]

    All About Growing the Stevia Plant - Organic Gardening - MOTHER EARTH NEWS

     
  16. ditch witch

    ditch witch I do stupid crap, so you don't have to

    I have no idea if this is accurate or not, but worth a shot.
    Cravings.
     
    chelloveck likes this.
  17. cjsloane

    cjsloane Monkey

    Stevia taste yucky to me!
     
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