Sugar Cravings

[mads]

Afternnon Tribe!

I just had a huge sugar craving. Being in stage 1 still (week 3) I frantically started  having nuts and a banana which didn't do anything. And then followed it with a couple of handfuls of nuts covered in honey. Now I feel sick and full and ugh!

Any suggestions for if/when these cravings happen again?

Thanks!

[houmax]

Sugar free gum might help.

Maybe you need to make your house a sugar free zone to remove the temptation.

[Tony Bondioli]

Honey and pure maple syrup are excellent paleo-correct sweeteners.

Dates are also a personal favorite of mine.  If you have a food processor, toss in about 2 cups or so of dried dates, a handful of walnuts, a tablespoon of cocoa powder, and about 1/2 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract.  Grind it all up, then press it into balls about 2-inches in diameter (rinse your hands with water and dry thoroughly after every few of these... very sticky!).  This is a delicious sort of "paleo fudge."  

[houmax]

Honey and pure maple syrup are excellent paleo-correct sweeteners.

Dates are also a personal favorite of mine.  If you have a food processor, toss in about 2 cups or so of dried dates, a handful of walnuts, a tablespoon of cocoa powder, and about 1/2 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract.  Grind it all up, then press it into balls about 2-inches in diameter (rinse your hands with water and dry thoroughly after every few of these... very sticky!).  This is a delicious sort of "paleo fudge."  

I know Paleo man ate honey but if somebody's trying to recover from a western diet honey is still sugar. And shouldn't we be trying to avoid this until at least stage 3.

Some reading on sugar...
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/the-definitive-guide-to-sugar/


http://www.modernpaleo.com/principles.html
Don't eat sweets: avoid sugar, corn syrup, agave nectar, honey, maple syrup, and artificial sweeteners. If you must have some sweetener for a dish, you might try a bit of stevia. With time, your tastes will adjust: ordinary sweets will taste cloying, but formerly bland vegetables will seem delightfully sweet. [+/-]

http://hunter-gatherer.com/blog/get-ready-2011-paleo-challenge
No to sugar.  I don't care whether it's super natural 100% organic fair trade sugar from the honey of communitarian bees, ITS STILL SUGAR.  No sweeteners, no agave nectar, honey or maple syrup.

[SidheDraoi]

i get sugar cravings quite often, but I usually eat a fruit or eat a small block of chocolate (80% cocoa) and that usually does the trick. I am not too fond of many sweets and natural sugars from fruits are usually enough but if its a really serious craving I go for the chocolate or even a tablespoon of local honey.

but you have to watch that you don't get a dependency on sweets, try to go as long as possible without them. and soon you'll find that the craving is no longer there.

[houmax]

i get sugar cravings quite often, but I usually eat a fruit or eat a small block of chocolate (80% cocoa) and that usually does the trick. I am not too fond of many sweets and natural sugars from fruits are usually enough but if its a really serious craving I go for the chocolate or even a tablespoon of local honey.

but you have to watch that you don't get a dependency on sweets, try to go as long as possible without them. and soon you'll find that the craving is no longer there.

I guess I'm lucky, I don't crave sugar very often. Maybe once a month I might get stupid and eat a little pack of cookies and usually feel like crap for about 3 hours. You know your doing good when carrots start to taste sweet. Sometimes fruits like grapes are just too sweet for me. I like blueberries, kiwi, and cherries much better.

Mark even had a piece on sugar cravings. Could be effects of poor diet, lack of sleep, etc.
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/sugar-cravings/

5 tips to avoid temptation
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/reduce-junk-food-cravings/

[SidheDraoi]

houmax, I know how you feel about grapes being too sweet. I wont get near them for that fact. I prefer light sweets like peaches or watermelon. mmm I love chilled watermelon.

carrots are very sweet! I dont understand it when people say they taste like dirt, the outter "skin" is a bit bitter but its definatly not dirty tasting. i'm going to get me a carrot now 

[Lilnicki]

For me personally my sugar cravings are fairly constant even though i've been on the diet for over a year..... I've tried trying to resist them but usually end up grabbing something i shouldn't when that happens. ( saying that i also get "savoury" cravings too...... but when i get a craving i HAVE to have it. That's why i keep a jelly handy  and pancakes too....... but also boiled eggs and cold cooked meats).

I think it must be my taste buds because i dont find fruit particularly sweet, even a very ripe banana

Nicki

[houmax]

Another motivational trick I do is when I get the craving for a sugar/starchy/high-carb treat is take my thumb and index finger and pinch my "very small now" love handles and say, "nope", still a little more to go, "no need to add more fat there"  

[Iain]

Is jelly paleo??

[Lilnicki]

The jelly i make is just fruit juice and gelatine...... so ok to have now and again. The shop bought stuff has too many E numbers!!

Nicki

[Iain]

Thanks Nicki,

I was more concerned about not being able to eat jellied eels 

I'm a cockney at heart, I just need to find paleo friendly pie,mash and liquor now 

Iain

[MommyOf2]

Dark chocolate covered strawberries!

[Danimal]

Jellied Eels, now there's a proper London treat  pie and mash shops are a rare thing these days, if you come across that paleo friendly version Iain. You let me know yeah 

Dan.

[Danimal]

Oh and on the subject of sugar cravings .... has anyone tried taking a small sip of 100% chilli sauce ? Give it a go, you may be surprised

Dan.

[Iain]

Dan,

I'll continue the search, the mash could mashed swede and carrot, the liquor should be ok, its only parsly sauce, minced beef........just need a paelo friendly idea for the pastry 

Any ideas anyone, please let us know 

[Loulou]

Hi guys,

Today I have given in to an urge/craving, I had a cup of decaf tea with a sweetener and some marzipan and wowweeee do I have a headache now, are these related. I haven't had any dairy or sugar (apart from honey occasionaly on fruit) for over 6 weeks, no idea why today was the day, but now I am suffering. Any thoughts, tips and advice gratefully received on how to resist these urges or what may have caused it?!

Thank you

[BigKhanz]

Best cure for a sugar craving: pushups.

It may sounds dumb, but the hormones produced from a medium set of pushups will curb your cravings and help balance sugar/insulin levels.

[xclusiv8]

I am a little over a week on stage 2. Today i just had such a sugar craving so i ate two pieces of 70% dark chocolate. Not proud of it 

[SidheDraoi]

I am a little over a week on stage 2. Today i just had such a sugar craving so i ate two pieces of 70% dark chocolate. Not proud of it 

70% chocolate is good for you! Packed with antioxidants! I eat chocolate every now and then, it does the mind and body good! Don't feel ashamed of it, so long as you aren't eating a whole bar of it in one sitting you should be fine! 

[xclusiv8]

I am a little over a week on stage 2. Today i just had such a sugar craving so i ate two pieces of 70% dark chocolate. Not proud of it 

70% chocolate is good for you! Packed with antioxidants! I eat chocolate every now and then, it does the mind and body good! Don't feel ashamed of it, so long as you aren't eating a whole bar of it in one sitting you should be fine! 

Well that is a relief to hear. =) Thanx
I found that those two pieces were enough. 

[JessiRhea]

I used to be a sugar addict, big-time. But these days, when we go to the grocery store, I just plain can't afford cookies and chocolate and all that. It's beans and rice, meat and vegetables (from the goats and chickens and the garden), and that's about it. When I was still refusing to give up sugar, I would get a pound of brown sugar and some butter and make cookies. But after a while, I just didn't feel like baking. That's one area where laziness is a good thing. Nowadays, since I don't have anything sweet in the house besides apples and the occasional banana, I just plain don't crave sweet stuff. It took a few months, to be sure. But during those months of cravings, I had no choice but to accept that there was nothing sweet in the house, and I had to munch on carrots or leftover beans till I was stuffed and didn't want to put anything in my mouth at all, sweet or not. And the option of just going to the store to get some cookies was out of the question, because A) I had no money, and B) my husband won't let me drive his car and I already sold mine.

Now, for those of us who aren't living in extreme poverty and have the choice of going out for ice cream or chocolate, here's my advice: It's cliche, but never NEVER go to the grocery store when you're hungry. Go when you're stuffed, and you won't care about getting anything that's not on your list. And make a rule for yourself, or have your Significant Other enforce this rule if you are weak-willed (as I am): We do NOT go to the store unless it is for necessary household foodstuffs and items. We go to the store with a list that is agreed-upon by both parties, we don't go hungry, and we don't make pit-stops for fast food, donuts, or ice cream. It feels like deprivation at first, but after a while it becomes normal, and you find yourself not even caring or thinking about those things.

Also, now that I've effectively broken my sugar habits, I actually can make a decision every now and then, when at the store, to get a good bar of dark chocolate. Not all the time, just when I feel I may want it in the next couple of days. I have a couple squares, and I'm good. I put the rest in the fridge, and sometimes I forget it's there till I open the butter compartment and see it and go "Hey, lucky day!" You really can break the sugar cravings, it just takes a little suffering at first. Then you'll suffer less later on, with less dependence on carbohydrates for energy and more appreciation for regular, wholesome foods.

The end.