Cutting down sugar

LadyMayBelle

Okay, story is, i got bad news at the dentist last week and really urgently need to cut down my sugar intake. This might sound like a petty complaint but to be honest, It's a struggle.

I'm not overweight, just under 8stone, good skin, relatively fit, and eat a good breakfast everyday (3weetabix/porridge), a decent lunch (rice cakes and cheese, banana, fruit yoghurt and or a tuna wrap) and a light dinner (pasta usually or a veg/meat mix). Don't drink fizzies, only 1.5 litres plus of water a day.

I have never been a dinner person, and much prefer a salad to a meat/2 veg/gravy meal). But i eat till I'm full.

problem is...i eat chocolate like there is no tomorrow. I do not be hungry or anything, but crave it like i wouldn't survive. I could eat 3-4 bars of choc a day, and a pack of biscuits too. I don't think I'm "filling a void" or any of that jazz, but i literally crave it straight away after dinner even if I have stuffed myself or just as a snack. I have tried eating popcorn or choc rice cakes as an alternative, but end up eating the whole pack! Bought extra dark choc today to see if that would work as it contains higher levels of cocoa but no joy.

I feel like an addict going cold turkey even just cutting out some of it. i crave the taste and texture of chocolate, beyond belief.

Could really do with some suggestions form people who may have similar experiences. I'm honestly finding in incredibly hard, I'm beginning to think it's not just a matter of willpower anymore.

EileenG

Go for the really dark chocolate. The darker the chocolate, the less sugar, and the more nutrients. Try the 85% stuff (Lindt and Green & Black both do nice ones) and once you get used to that, try the Lindt 99% stuff. I guarantee you won't eat bars of that. I can eat a 100g of chocolate in one go, but with the 99% stuff, I can eat two squares and stop. A bar usually lasts me a week.

LadyMayBelle

Thanks for replying eileen. Yeah I know that Blakes stuff, tis pricey but prob worth it if i won' manage to finish the bar! i'll try one tomorrow. I got a 100g 'very dark chocolate' bar in oxfam today with 70% cocoa but it was too yum i ate it over the space of two hours

EileenG

If you can finish a bar of the 70% stuff, then you need to go for the 85% or higher. I really love chocolate, but if it's strong enough, I can eat a bit and then stop.

LadyMayBelle

Thanks eileen, i'll def try that tomorrow, was worried this wouldnt be taken seriously, thanks for your comments!

rubadub

You say it is only really because of the dentist (I assumed it would be a dietician/GP). So really you just have to be cleaning your teeth after eating sugary stuff. If it is acidic you just rinse/wash with normal water, as acid can weaken teeth and then brushing removes it.

If you eat a full bar or 2 squares of chocolate, or have one half glass or a 2 litre of coke, it is really going to coat your teeth the same amount.

Bananas are around 22% sugar too.

You could also try those sugar free hot chocolate drinks.

There may also be foods recommended to eat after the sugary stuff to neutralise the effect.

corkcomp

rubadub wrote: »

You say it is only really because of the dentist (I assumed it would be a dietician/GP). So really you just have to be cleaning your teeth after eating sugary stuff. If it is acidic you just rinse/wash with normal water, as acid can weaken teeth and then brushing removes it.

If you eat a full bar or 2 squares of chocolate, or have one half glass or a 2 litre of coke, it is really going to coat your teeth the same amount.

Bananas are around 22% sugar too.

You could also try those sugar free hot chocolate drinks.

There may also be foods recommended to eat after the sugary stuff to neutralise the effect.

+1 OP, it will probably have a similar effect having two squares vs lots! If you brush your teeth afterwards you should be fine ... Rubadubs advice is spot on re stripping the enamel off the teeth though, my dentist told me recently to be very careful of sugar free stuff like wrigleys extra and also diet coke (i have maybe 2 cans per day). The symptoms are increased sensitivity to hot and cold foods but especially switching from hot to cold within the same meal. .. eating chilled fruit with porridge was getting me!

rubadub

corkcomp wrote: »

be very careful of sugar free stuff like wrigleys extra and also diet coke

Yes, I find even dentists over stress the sugar thing, when acid is probably worse and not warned enough about. Coke has phosphoric acid in it, and really does strip things down, we use concentrated stuff in work to strip rust off steel. Leaving copper in coke does strip it clean too, it is not just some myth. Citric acid will also strip them, like oranges & pineapples, it can be more acidic than soft drinks. Eating a small remegel sweet after would neutralise it somewhat.

I read this thread last night and was also going to recommend the high cocoa chocolate. It was only after re-reading it I saw it was the dentist recommending it, and that your weight was not an issue, though a little chocolate is better than a lot health wise too.

LadyMayBelle

I tried the choc thing, had to go to 85% and altho I'm still craving, it's hopefully done the trick (we'll see come my tom!!). I meant to say yeah that I have always been fussy bout brushing my teeth anyway *not to the extent of stripping off all enamel or anything, but after meals, i hate the taste of food in my mouth*, and i don't drink fizzies.

I think i'll stick with the choc thing anyway. Yeah, my main sugar intake was coming from chocolate,. Thanks folks

EileenG

I was in Down to Earth in Georges Street today, and they had bars of chocolate sweetened with Xylitol, which is supposed to be good for your teeth. No sugar in it at all. I bought a small bar, and it wasn't bad. I'll probably get more next time I'm in town. It was Plamil chocolate, small 45g bars for 1.30.