Stop SUGAR Support Thread

I drink something called Brassica  green tea; it has a compound called SGS (Sulforaphane Glucosinolate) that is derived from broccoli. Johns Hopkins scientists originally found the SGS compound and, according to the tea box, "believe that SGS boosts the body's onw defense systems...this includes phase 2 detoxification enzymes, which promote long lasting antioxidant and essential cellular processes that inactiviate free radicals".

it tastes just fine - i guzzle about 8 cups daily. it's the only thing i'll drink, other than water. i order mine from the Baltimore Tea and Coffee company.

Sr, if you're down to 1/4 teaspoon of sugar in your tea, then you're doing very well!! I used to have 2 tsp in my tea, too (about 30 years ago), and now tea tastes so "clean" without any sugar at all. I HATE tea with sugar now. Your body will be able to realize it's the tea it wants and not the sugar.

I drink the Brassica Green Tea also.  I've ordered from the Baltimore Tea and Coffee Company.  I've also found it online less expensive if you buy in bulk from webvitamins.  Since I drink so much and there I don't mind ordering more.  It comes in Green Tea with Orange (my favorite), Green Tea with Lemon, plan decaf green tea, and a black tea.   I think it tastes great and I don't add any sugar to it.  I do sometimes put a wegde of orange, clementine, or sometimes a strawberry (organic) in the tea.   I've been drinking at least 2 cups a day.  Johns Hopkins breast site recommends at least 2 cups a day.   It must be popular as the Green Tea with Orange was backordered. 

Great tasting tea without sugar:  Celestial Season's Bengal Spice.  Sometimes I slice some piece of fresh ginger & put it in the pot too.  No caffeine - but I do add some loose green tea to big pot I steep - so I get some caffeine too...which I like to have during the day.

Ohhhhh....my tummy hurts.

A question for all you sugar-avoiders...are you trying to avoid white sugar?  Or are you concerned about that which your body will process as glucose?  Because there's a huge difference.  I have been diabetic for 10 years and I've learned a few things over this time.  The body processes ALL CARBS into glucose.  And if it's glucose that feeds cancer cells, then you will want to make sure the carbs you do eat are healthy, low glycemic index carbs.  I have been eating a low carb diet for these ten years.  So what does that mean?  For me, it's between 60-100 grams of carbs a day, with a focus on low starch veggies, berries, no-sugar-added dairy and a very few whole grains. I try not to eat white stuff at all (like pasta, potatoes, white bread, white rice, flour, sugar, etc).  I limit dried fruit because they are naturally highly concentrated sugars (like raisins, dates, cranberries, etc) and usually processed with a sweetener, often HFCS.  If you're trying to stop all sugar and you think honey is better, well from a glucose perspective the body really can't tell the difference.  Now that doesn't mean that honey isn't a better choice than sugar for its other benefits, just that it will raise glucose levels just as quickly.

My overall diet is moderate lean protein (yes I eat meat), healthy fats (like olive oil and avocados), low carbs and a little dairy (cheese and low/no fat yogurt).  I snack on nuts, berries, apples, oranges and other fruit that has lots of fiber.  My big cheat is popcorn with real butter and salt.  I do use artificial sweeteners in coffee and Diet Coke.  I've given up a lot of things in the past ten years and I'm not budging on the coffee and Diet Coke. 

In the big scheme of things, my goal is to be compliant 90% of the time.  With this diet, and having breast cancer now for a second time, I have lost weight - going from 162 in 2001 to 125 now. 

So think about what you are trying to achieve with your "stop sugar" goal and then seek the foods that will help you get there.  If you don't want your body sending glucose to cancer cells, then you need to think way beyond just "sugar." 

A couple of really helpful sites:   http://www.calorieking.com/   will show you the nutritional content of almost every food and many chain restaurant dishes.    http://www.glycemicindex.com/  will explain how the glycemic load of certain foods affects glucose levels.  It has a huge database of foods from across the world and is another great resource.

Michelle

Thanks for the info Michelle!

I fell off the bandwagon yesterday. Ugh. I don't have candy at home but my younger cousins had it at my grandparents. So I had a little bit. 

So now I'm jumping right back on!

Michelle I have been following the same way of eating as you for the last 2 years.My only downfall is when I eat out in resturants.

So true about the fast food joints,more less avoid these except for an ocasional pizza with whole wheat crust.

Usually on the weekdays I am very disciplined about my eating, but on weekends I have one cheat day.  Yesterday I had an Easter buffet and had Tiramisu cake and cheesecake (half slices).  I also had 1/2 a cup of real soda (not diet).  My philosophy is everything in moderation - I don't want to deprive myself of anthing, but I also don't want to feed the cancer cells. 

I drank the brassica tea through chemo...got it at Whole Foods. I am reading this new cancer and the nutrition connection book I just picked up, while literally feeling sick from eating peanut butter Reese eggs from my 3 kids today. How crazy is that?!? I know what to do....I just don't always do it, then I feel guilty!! I am hopping back on the wagon too!!! Tomorrow is another day!!

Lilah - it's hard to know what the impact has been on my blood sugar.  I still take 2000 mg of Metformin.  My A1c was 10.8 at diagnosis and I've managed to keep it below 6 most of the time since then.  Diabetes is progressive, so I guess it has helped because I have no side effects at all.  But my morning fasting numbers are still above 100.  I guess I also have impaired fasting.  In any case, I don't worry too much about it because I am doing good overall.  My metabolic panel lab numbers are all good.

Michelle

XMas,

The point of the Huffington article was simply to point out sugar is not evil.  Our society seems to be about dieting extremes.

Even lemon cake/apple pie sugar won't hurt you if done in moderation.  I don't know if there is such a thing as a little "evil."

I agree with you that too much makes me feel GROSS.  And I am detoxing as I write this...sorta.  Greek yogurt and fruit snack. 

In general (not directed toward you Xmas)

This reminds me of people who say they don't eat "processed" food, as if it is all really bad.

Processed or not has nothing to do with whether it is healthy.  Canned fruits, veggies, and beans, low fat milk and yogurt, whole grain breads and cereals, etc...all "processed."

Processing allows us to consume crops all year round, from every crop producing state, and often makes it easier to incorporate more healthy choices into our diet.

And occasionally it even INCREASES the nutritional value in food.  That's right I said it.   (Antioxidants like lycopene and beta carotene in tomatoes and peaches are higher when canned.)

The point I'm making about processed food is, we shouldn't lump it all together...by saying sugar is bad, processed foods are bad does just that, and seems imo, a bit extreme.

Well with that great A1C Michelle... I don't blame you!