The Sweet Life

Guest post by Stephanie Van Zandwyk

Good day everyone. I want to tell you about an experiment I took part in throughout the month of April that led to some pretty staggering – and quick – results. Better still, this little experiment has the potential to yield amazing long-term results as well, provided I stay the course… most of the time anyway.

Three friends and I embarked on a detox of sorts. We all agreed to avoid ANY foods with added sugar, and alcohol for the month. We also agreed to pass on all artificial sweeteners – and natural sweeteners like honey, agave and syrups of any kind. Naturally occurring sugars were fine, such as those found in unsweetened yogurt, wheat, fruit, and unsweetened dried fruit.

Watch the video that inspired us.

The quick results were amazing, I’m not sure I would have believed them if I hadn’t experienced them for myself. Inside of five days, we discovered we had more energy, less stress, lower blood pressure, leveling insulin, better sleep, lower resting heart rate, weight loss and less hunger. We all experienced a general feeling of overall wellness.

Interestingly, while my co-participants and I are different ages, weights, and of course, genetic makeups, we all experienced similar results from doing the same thing – choosing no sugar. Our dietary selections included a great many fresh foods, and did take some planning. But once you become familiar with the variety of products that don’t include added sugars or artificial sweeteners, shopping is a breeze. Even dining out was possible by asking questions and making a few simple modifications.

The easiest thing of course, was to cook at home, pack a lunch, and think ahead.

If removing all added sugar seems extreme, or you are uncertain about making a diet change on your own, think about a “step down” system. Start by reading the labels of everything you eat. Note how much sugar is in a single serving of that product, as is listed on the label. Be aware that every 4 grams of sugar is equal to 1 teaspoon. That alone may be a revelation, and a great place to starting build your awareness.

Know that there is added sugar in just about every packaged product in the supermarket. Even in places you wouldn’t expect. The only way to know is to read the ingredients. Of course, added sugar masquerades under quite a number of different names. Here is a list to help you identify what counts as sugar in your food:

56 Different Names for Sugar

When in doubt, pass and find an alternative.

With organic Niagara farms coming in to season, there will be no shortage of choice! We will all be able to load up on nutritious, delicious, fresh foods at their very best.

With that in mind, here’s one of my absolute favourite springtime suppers: oh she glows’ Glowing Green “Pasta” Primavera. No sugar added.