Sugar Free(k)
[The following is taken largely from emails I wrote to a friend who was taking a sugar-fast. I would like to share these notes with my blog readers in commemoration of my one year (so far) free from refined sugar. Responses to my decision have ranged from “Wow, that’s great,” and “I’d like to be able to do that,” to “What?! For real?! Do you ever eat sugar? What?! That’s crazy!” What do you think? Could you ever do it? Have you tried it? Comment, and let me know!]
What inspired this madness?
Last January I began with a resolution to absolutely cut out all ice-cream, candy, and sodas from my diet. The latter two were rare treats, but ice cream I had almost every night. I thought I was being ambitious until in May, after reading William Dufty’s book Sugar Blues, I abruptly quit all refined sugar. Since then, I’ve made few exceptions in what I intend to be a life-long pattern of freedom from refined and fake sugars. I have been encouraged by the great physical and emotional benefits I’ve experienced, and I immediately feel ill if I make even the smallest exception. (I thought I was going to pass out the one time I licked store-bought, heavily sweetened mayonnaise from my finger.)
How do you do it?
I have found that psychological power has a lot to do with how I've been able to keep off refined sugar, especially at the beginning. After I quit refined sugar, it simply was not an option for me anymore. If I was asked whether I wanted to eat something (that had refined sugar), my immediate reaction was (is) "I can't," rather than "I choose not to." Because of this determination, I seldom experienced the mental exertion of "choosing" to eat or not to eat something. If it had refined sugar, I couldn't eat it. It was that simple, and that much easier. (“The effort of decision,” claimed Charlotte Mason, “is the greatest effort in life.”)
The subject of will-power came up recently, in fact. Mama teasingly suggested that she would test mine in regards to refined sugar. My response was that it no longer required will-power to avoid refined sugar; it really does make me feel very ill. I don't want it, so I don't have to fight it. (Not that I should consider myself absolutely immune, but it certainly doesn't involve the constant struggle some people imagine.) In the beginning I would experimentally tease myself—"Would you like one of those cookies?"—but even the remembrance of the sweet taste would repulse me.
Once you've become sensitized to sugar even a very small amount of refined sugar will have an immediate and surprisingly powerful effect. This makes sense when one considers that refined sugar is a pure chemical. The body never does well with a pure chemical, whether it be refined sugar, sodium (rather than unrefined salt, which is only 80% sodium chloride), or even much purified water. (I drink most of my water with lemon juice, unfiltered cider vinegar, unrefined sea salt, or steeped in herbs.) Things from nature come in packages; real, whole food is a synergistic balance of minerals, vitamins, sugars, etc. that balance their effects against each other. When one element is isolated it creates a problem.
William Dufty, after listing the categorical definitions of poison, showed that refined sugar fulfilled each; one can even draw a parallel between drugs and refined sugar. What especially interests me is the fact that, when sugar cane was first refined to nearly-pure sucrose, it was considered a powerful mind-altering drug, available in some cultures only by a strict prescription! The Crusaders' reaction to their first taste of sucrose is especially notable. It seems rather excessive, until one remembers that they had likely never eaten anything so chemically pure.
Why do you keep repeating the phrase “refined sugar”?
It might seem verbose to repeat "refined sugar," but I have had to emphasize to others that I am not on a sugar-free diet, which would be unhealthy and impossible, but a right sugar diet. This positive approach is important. Rather than considering my diet 'limiting,' I have reason to consider it a broadening of my culinary horizons. I am "forced" to look for new and healthy thing to eat. There are plenty of delicious dishes to try which are free of refined sugars.
What about your birthday and holidays?
For my last birthday I enjoyed some of my favorite foods, none of which contained refined sugar (polenta for breakfast, and a large Mediterranean dinner). After dinner Next Sister served a delectable apple and spice cake with walnut cream-cheese frosting. It was prepared with freshly-ground whole flour and sweetened with real maple syrup, a whole sugar. Moderate amounts of whole, natural sugars—honey, real maple syrup, molasses, fresh fruits—do not make me feel ill, though they do quickly satiate my sweet tooth. Even nuts, grains, legumes, and vegetables have a subtle sweetness that my palate, dulled by refined sugar, had been unable to appreciate before. (Notice again the broadening of my food experience!) Incidentally, a small amount of very dark chocolate, with its small amount of refined sugar, does not make me ill, but satiates me even faster; a single ounce is almost too much.
As for holidays, we've never gone to many parties (nine people are a lot to host!), and we don't make many holiday sweets at home. Somehow, for our family, dessert has never been a fixture of any holiday. Last Christmas Littlest Sister did make monster cookies and chocolate-covered pretzels, and Next Sister the traditional fruit cake. Although I might miss these sweets as a tradition, I know that I couldn't enjoy them anymore. I'm not going to eat them; the smell alone is quite enough to turn my head!
What is the the significance of this post’s title?
My siblings have often inappropriately ;-) referred to me as being “sugar free.” With time and humor, this eventually became “sugar freak.” It’s all in good fun.
Do I really want to know more?
Yes, you do. Read my post Goodbye, Sugar to learn more about my decision to quit refined sugar, the benefits I experienced, things to search for in ingredients labels, and answers to questions like, “What do you do when you eat at someone else’s house?”
Yes, I did “cheat” a few times. Below you will find photographic evidence that I ate homemade (homegrown!) mulberry pie with organic vanilla ice cream. Unfortunately, this did include a lot of refined sugar (I knew that), and this smile is definitely a before-I-ate-the-dessert smile. (That’s Littlest Sister on the left.)
Title Photograph: Fennel Soup with Saffron Dumplings a recipe from Local Flavors by Deborah Madison. The fennel I used was an heirloom variety harvested from my own garden. One of my goals after going refined-sugar-free was to try new vegetables.
Photographs and text © 2011.
COMMENT ON THIS POST BY SENDING AN EMAIL TO THE HANDMAIDEN.
RACHEL said...
I think your refined sugar free diet or life style sounds awesome. I have a hard time sleeping plus with wanting a lot of sugary foods. Not good, but the few things for me is that we don’t make bread often because (as you know) my mom’s gluten free. Though I just have to be disciplined and make it.
I read your post “Goodbye Sugar,” and I’m very inspired. Do you have a plan on how much sugar to take out at a time? I’m not sure if this would be long-term, but I would like to try it out. I may not have time to do it right now because we are busy, but I’ll see. So if you have any additional information, please tell me.
Thank you!
Rachel :-)
Tuesday, July 12, 2011 10:40 PM
HANDMAIDEN said...
Hello, Rachel! It’s so good to “see” you here. I think you would definitely benefit from trying this!
I am an “all or nothing at all” person (a blessing and a bane ;-), so my plan to take out sugar was to take it ALL out AT ONCE. For reasons I mentioned above, this was actually easier for me. It meant that I didn’t have to decide “Should I make this exception?” every time I was tempted by a sugared treat. That’s very wearying to the will, you know?
However, other people do better with a gradual approach, and you should definitely do whatever will work for you, because you want it to work for you.
If I were going to take a less drastic approach ;-), I might start by cutting out dessert/ soda/ candy—anything that definitely has refined sugar (white sugar, brown sugar, turbinado sugar, corn syrup, etc.). That, of course, would be the biggie! Maybe I would allow myself a weekly treat (a specified amount), which I could eventually replace with a dessert sweetened with whole sugars like fruit, maple syrup, or honey. After I felt secure in this area, I would start checking labels to see what refined sugars might be hidden in my diet. (You’ll probably be surprised by what has sugar and what doesn’t.)
Remember that if you do take a more gradual approach, the benefits will not be as immediately noticeable. Immediate effects are really encouraging, but you might have to make up with extra determination.
If you have any more questions, please do let me know! You can keep commenting here, or send me an email.
PS. Good Cuban and French breads don’t have sugar. ;-) Do make your own bread when you can, though! If you use the recipe for six loaves, you shouldn’t have to make it very often.
Thursday, June 2, 2011 11:06 AM
RACHEL said...
Thank you for all the advice! I think I’ll do this soon. We’ve been very busy lately, so that’s why it took me awhile to get back to you. Well, I’ll talk to you on Sunday. Thanks a million! —Rachel :-)
Friday, June 3, 2011 11:35 PM
HANDMAIDEN said...
You’re very welcome, Rachel. Lord willing, we’ll see you tomorrow!
Saturday, June 4, 2011 01:26 PM
ANONYMOUS said...
Looks like you’ve started a reporting trend. ;-) [http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/06/05/addicted-to-sugar-how-to-kick-habit/?test=faces]
Monday, June 6, 2011 08:57 AM
Tuesday, May 31, 2011