Quitting sugar - FAQ

Yesterday's post about the impact of a year without sugar raised some questions amongst readers.  I'm happy to answer them all.

Lots of people wanted to know about the affect, apart from the lab results.  I've dropped a dress size.  I don't have cravings. My appetite is more stable. I eat less. My skin is clear.

I've really noticed the 3pm sugar run that people in the office have. There's a line to the biscuit tin, the chocolate box and the lolly jar. It's so great to be free from that kind of slavery.

The other question I received was about whether I eat fruit. The answer is: "rarely". I now eat fruit when I'm at an event and the only other food on offer is sugar laden cakes and biscuits. I will also choose the fruit carefully and pick high fibre or berries, ie avoid watermelon and dates and choose the pineapple, pear (skin on) or banana. I never have juice. Juicing the fruit turns it into almost pure fructose when the the fibre is removed. I also avoid dried fruit because the fructose becomes concentrated.

Some of you also wanted to know about my porridge. Breakfast was actually the meal that I had to change the most.  I used to be a yoghurt, fruit and muesli girl. That had to go. I discovered Vita Brits, just with milk. As my palate adjusted I discovered a natural sweetness in many foods that I would not have previously identified as being sweet. Porridge is my new favourite breakfast during the week. Oats are also recommended for lowering cholesterol. I buy rolled spelt and mix it with rolled oats, cook it on the stove top with some added chia seeds and then serve with milk and a sprinkle of seeds and cinnamon. You can sprinkle the chia seeds on top instead of cooking them in if you prefer. This is a long way from brown sugar and maple syrup that I used to love.

If the supermarket has other rolled grains available I buy them and mix them in too.  I cook two thirds of a cup of grains with twice the amount of water and find the stirring at the stove with my myrtle spurtle a quiet moment of morning meditation. This keeps me going until lunchtime. Ground cinnamon is an easy ingredient to sprinkle over if you need a little sweetening. With time, I've discovered that there is a natural sweetness in the oats and it's not needed. I haven't gone down the Scottish path of adding salt.

Anything else you'd like to know? Just ask me.  Thanks for your interest.