Sugar, sugar!

Recently, I've been attempting to lower my sugar threshold.  Just like any other threshold, a person can get used to a certain level of sweetness and then it takes more and more to get the same pleasure from the sugar.  (Just a side note, but really sugar is non-nutritive and highly addictive.)

I have to admit that I have a pretty high sugar threshold, or at least I used to.  I can remember hearing thin people say,"Oh, that is toooo sweet for me!" I'd hear them, as I was shoveling more of the too sweet stuff into my mouth.  I'd be thinking,"Really?  Tastes good to me!"  They were weird.  How could something be too sweet? 

Thankfully, I woke up and realized that I was the one with the problem.  So, ever since, I've been trying to cut down.  It seems to be working, although, I have not arrived! 

For instance, my oatmeal tastes bland without the real maple syrup that I used to drizzle on top.  The 200 calorie maple syrup that ,while full of calcium, is really not necessary!  So, I put blueberries on top now, lots of them. 

Then there are the drinks that I drink.  While I no longer drink sodas of any kind, I do like to make iced tea once in awhile.  I do not put any sweeteners in my iced tea.  I used to be a two splenda girl.  I don't use stevia either, since I learned that in some cultures they use it for birth control!  (Not that I want more kids, but if it does that, what else does it do?)  I do use agave in my coffee, but I am down to one spoon instead of two and when the current bottle is done, I have no plans to buy more.  I'm on a slow wean of that stuff, too.  (I've read it is processed in the liver just like corn syrup.)  When is it gone, I plan to work on liking unsweetened coffee. 

One thing I've noticed is that when I do have something like ice cream now I do not want as much as I used to want.  It's too sweet! 

I think giving up the artificial sweeteners was key to this process.  They may not have calories, but they do set up your mouth to want more and more sweetness. 

Lowering my sweet threshold has also helped me to pass up tempting desserts.  Twice this week, I've been offered desserts that I really had no desire for.  In the past, I'd have taken a bite, at least.  I passed up chocolate browines with peanut butter icing and chopped up peanut butter cups on top!  I had decaf, unsweet, no cream coffee instead and that was really nice.  Last night, there was apple crumb cake at small group.  It is the first time in my life that I can recall not even thinking of having a piece.  I chatted with others as they enjoyed theirs, but since I was not hungry and I am not craving sweets, I did not even miss it. 

Another benefit is that in season fruit is incredible to my taste buds.  I've heard people say, "Have fruit for dessert."  I'd think, again, that they were crazy!  Not any longer.  Fruit in season is awesome!  And it is guilt free.  And it is full of good things for my body.  It's win, win, and win some more! 

I am not saying the sugar is bad.  I am not saying that I am working on being sugar free.  I am saying that I really had an unhealthy relationship with sugar and we are putting it back into a proper perspective.  Moderation.  Occasional.  Not every meal, every day, every beverage!