Man With a Craving & a Mission

What do a Harvard-trained doctor, lawyer, medical school dean, dumpster-diver and former commissioner of the FDA all have in common? One name, one man: David Kessler.

He has recently come out with a book, The end of overeating, which I read about in this fantastic Washington Post article. Why the dumpster-diving? He was on a mission to find out the ingredients of restaurant foods.

Below is an excellent video with Dr. Kessler as he discusses the topics in his book. It helps answer the questions-Why can't I resist eating those chocolate brownies or that hot fudge sundae? Why don't I feel satisfied after eating? What is it about certain foods that trump my willpower? The end of overeating sounds like a fascinating read. Just when I began to think I might have an eating disorder (I'm perfectly healthy until I smell cookie dough!) after watching this video I feel like we ALL might have a common eating disorder--loss of control over foods that have just the right ingredients: fat, sugar, more fat and more sugar. Layers and layers of fat and sugar. Dr. Kessler asks, in essence, how the food industry is going to take responsibility for the problems they have created.

Check out this video, it might just make your day. If you feel powerless against certain foods, learn why and know that you are not alone. Enjoy!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/mpd/permalink/mEWVSEWYGEKK1

Sugar Versus Corn Syrup

It's funny to read an article about how sugar is making a major comeback into our food products. And how that is a good thing. People are excited about this. Really? Things of this nature truly depend on which way the wind blows. Today it's blowing in favor of sugar. Almost 30 years ago corn syrup was the more favorable of the sugary choices. To researchers and doctors, there is not much difference between the two when it comes to how it affects the body.

(Though there are many health-related problems arising from our consumption of sugars, I am going to focus on obesity for this article because it is a particularly alarming national epidemic.) 

Obviously, sugar has been studied longer than high fructose corn syrup, but so far, the research shows that both have a lot to do with obesity. Obesity has a lot to do with diabetes and heart disease. And we are supposed to be excited about our old friend sugar? 

Thank you to a reader who forwarded me this article from the New York Times. "Sugar, the nutritional pariah that dentists and dietitians have long reviled, is enjoying a second act, dressed up as a natural, healthful ingredient."

It made me giggle and cringe at the same time. I feel like the point is lost on people. There are those who have a vendetta against corn syrup, and those who have a vendetta against sugar. I started my blog because I had a vendetta against sugar. But, as I wrote about earlier, I realized that sugar is not evil. Read more about that here. Corn syrup is not evil. It is the food corporations and media and advertisers and people who push for sugar in our food products who are screwing with our minds and best intentions. Best case scenario is that no matter what is in our foods, we would eat in moderation. 

The problem is Americans have a very hard time with moderation. Moderation is not a motto we live by. (I just deleted an entire paragraph about restaurant buffets...)

Sugars are found in more food products today, I will speculate, than 50 years ago. I'm guessing because it is now so cheap to add to our food, why wouldn't a company add this simple, cheap sweetness, which will make a product stand apart from another. We like things that are sweet. We love a perfect balance between sweetness and saltiness. They know this and are preying upon our senses. The sugar industry folks and corn syrup folks have something in common. Neither of them care about our health individually, or the health of our nation as a whole. Rates of obesity are at an alarming, all time high. Not only are more people considered obese, but those once considered obese are now being considered morbidly obese. The money the United States spends on obesity and overweight issues is estimated to be about $90 billion annually. Billion.

The sugar industries: cane, beet and corn continue to market and sell their products because somehow we have been convinced that "in moderation" is okay. Really? I am an expert on one thing. Going without sugar for one year. It was one of the most challenging things I have ever done. Sugar/Corn syrup was in practically everything. How do those industries propose that we eat it in moderation, when they serve a disproportionate amount of sugar in their "suggested serving size?" 

Though the pendulum swings back towards an increase in sugar consumption instead of corn syrup, I believe that we still have the same problem on our hands. That is, our addiction to sweet things and our "need" for sweets in greater and greater amounts. Since going without sugar, I've come to realize that eating too much sugar and corn syrup is a problem, but so is eating too much honey and agave and brown rice syrup and dried fruit. They are all carbohydrates which our bodies turn into glucose and if we eat more calories than we burn in a day, our glucose is stored as fat. Our bodies don't care what the source of the carbohydrate is. If it's a carb, it turns into glucose (with the exception of some fiber). Obviously, if a type of natural sweetener is less likely to spike our blood sugar, it is probably better for us for that reason, but when it comes to carbs, calories and weight, we are pretty much comparing apples to apples. 

I don't typically make generalizations like this. However, I have to make the distinction between choosing something based on morals versus choosing something based on health. When it comes to white sugar and corn syrup, I don't eat either one because of health and moral reasons. Morally, I won't eat corn syrup because most corn is grown using GMO's and pesticides. I just don't support that kind of farming. Morally, I don't eat white refined sugar because I don't support the organizations selling it. It has no place in our food supply. It is empty calories, which means that it offers no essential nutrients but is extra calories in our diet that most of us don't need. I can't support the sugar and corn industries that are fattening us to death. 

Morally and for health reasons I don't eat artificial sweeteners or the new stevia products (I eat pure stevia, but not the new products of processed stevia.) Most of these products have not been around long enough to have long-term research studies done to determine their safety. I feel good about eating natural sweeteners, but I have to be careful not to overindulge. Yes, honey is natural, but to be completely grass roots and organic about it, if I were living out in nature, the fact is that I would probably only be able to swipe a finger full of honey from a bee hive before getting chased out of the area by a swarm of territorial bees. It would not be possible to eat a large amount of honey at one time. Yet, because of the industrialization of food, I can go buy a jar of honey and sit with a spoon and eat to my heart's content. But I have not evolved to eat honey in those kinds of proportions. 

I would not have the facilities to make agave or brown rice syrup or molasses in nature. I am currently questioning my consumption of these products, as well, in an effort to be eating how I was meant to be eating, not what the media or latest fad would have me believe. In my perfect world, I would dry my own fruit, squeeze my own juice by hand and collect honey in moderate amounts before the bees got to me. These sweet items would satisfy my sweet tooth, and because of all the whole foods I would be eating, only, I wouldn't have insane cravings. In my perfect world. I am working on making this a reality, but to participate in society, I am faced with difficult food choices--eating with friends, family and going out to eat. So, in my perfect world, everyone else figures out that eating healthy is the secret to happiness and longevity and we all thrive happily. One must dream...

How Much Sugar is Too Much?

I have to wonder how much is too much because I've been given different answers from....everybody. As a kid, my dentist used to say, "Eat ALL of your Halloween candy right away and cut down on soda." I never drank soda, but I did used to stash my plastic pumpkin full of candy under my bed for months. You read in the news how "over-consumption" of sodas, desserts and other sugary goods may lead to obesity, type 11 diabetes and heart disease. What is "over-consumption?" To me, more than one glass of pure juice a day would be over consumption, but if I told that to anyone in line at the supermarket, I would be laughed out the door and their liters of soda on the check-out belt would explode.

I ask not only about white refined sugar, but all sweeteners, even the good ones. Even the raw honeys and maple syrups and dried fruits can be eaten in excess....so, how much is too much? How much were we meant to be eating? Does a craving ever justify what I do with a craving? Is my craving physical, like my body needing more balance, or is it a learned response to the thought of sugar, which begins producing endorphins and increasing the pleasure portion of my brain, thus rewarding me for having the thought in the first place?

In most cases, I have learned to trust my intuition when I eat. What I eat and how much is mostly obvious to me now because I have taken extreme efforts to see past what's marketed at me. Though the junk food at the grocery store sings like a siren for my attention, I have learned to trust the quiet fruits and silent vegetables. This being said, I can say now while I am not in the middle of a freak sugar craving, that yes, I should carefully limit even my natural sugar intake. However, when the sugar-craving-moment strikes, I often have no gauge as to how much is too much. I've never seen it in writing and I don't give myself a limit because I am usually in such control of things like that. It's those days when I am feeling awful and stressed beyond belief that it would be helpful to have this problem of how much is too much issue solved once and for all. It would be nice to have something in writing to fall back on when I am not sure that I can trust myself.

Here are some samples of what I found. I am sharing this because I find it interesting that there are so many different ideas roaming around out there. To me, it's obvious that we would all be better off if we didn't eat ANY sugar (well, maybe sometimes something natural like dried fruit or raw honey...) but the way for most people is to try to moderate their over-consumption of white table sugar. A great blog that I enjoy reading, A Life Less Sweet, is all about cutting out high fructose corn syrup. It is very informative and most recently someone has blogged as a guest, regarding, "How much sugar is too much for kids?" I highly recommend reading this article.

Andrew Weil, M.D. has this to say about eating sugar in moderation:

• "Your own response to sugar is the best test of how much you can handle. In some people, sugar triggers mood swings - it brings on a rush of energy followed later by a "crash" into lethargy and depression. Others don't get the rush; they just feel logy and sleepy after consuming sugar. And, of course, some people don't notice any physical or mental effects at all.

• I recommend cutting down or eliminating sugar if you experience mood swings, fluctuating energy levels, suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, or have frequent vaginal yeast infections. You may notice an improvement in your moods, a lessening of your arthritis symptoms and the frequency of yeast infections when you reduce or eliminate the sugar in your diet."

The American Heart Association has a great take on why to reduce our intake of sugars:

"The primary reasons to reduce the intake of beverages and foods with added sugars are to lower total calorie intake and to get enough of the nutrients your body needs. People who consume large amounts of beverages with added sugars tend to consume more calories. Some experts believe that calories consumed as liquid are not as satisfying and filling as calories consumed as food. This may have a negative effect on people who are trying to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight."

How much sugar is too much? Is there a way to justify or support your answer? I would love to hear from you on this.

No Sugar, No Problem. It's Easy Now

Maybe because the holidaze are over or maybe because it's a new year.....but....I'm over the hump. Going without sugar is no longer what I do--it has become a lifestyle. Friends and family know that I am committed, so there is little pressure anymore. I wondered if it would ever be easy, or second nature to go without. It is so easy now that I feel almost bored with it! I know that this year I won't be wrestling with mental donut demons, or whiffing baked goods with tears in my eyes. When a sugar craving hits me now, it is so minor that I can ignore it or make hot tea with a drop of honey, or eat an apple or a prune. It's insignificant. The holidaze were the climax of my personal research project. I experienced being present with friends and family as they ate desserts and goodies. I came to terms with the fact that just because I am not eating a bowl of ice cream, I am still sharing in the moment.

Several people, by their own choosing (I've never asked someone to go without sugar) have joined me this year in going without sugar. Some are friends, some are strangers. It is an inspiration to me, and an exciting journey ahead for each person. I like that everyone's way of cutting back on or going without sugar looks different. For some, it is avoiding the junk food aisle at the grocery store. For others, it's stocking with kitchen with healthy, naturally sweet items.

When you make one little commitment to healthier living, it often snowballs into other areas of your life.

For me, it played out like this:
1. 2008 New Year's resolution: No white refined sugar
2. Within the first month, I also pledged to myself to include no corn syrups
3. I decided I would AVOID white flour, and do for the most part
4. I began eating less packaged food (this happened by default because most packaged foods contain refined sugars)
5. I bake and cook with healthy ingredients. I don't even consider baking with white flour. I have begun to explore all the varieties of flours out there, thanks to Bob's Red Mill.
6. I have adopted a healthy, regular exercise routine using baby steps. It's not only realistic, but it keeps me wanting more.
7. 2009 became my second year to go without sugar/corn syrups

Good luck to those of you who have made healthy resolutions for 2009, and to the rest of you, thanks for reading!

Late Night Munchies Syndrome

You've eaten dinner. You ate enough to satisfy your belly for the rest of the evening.

But...

All of a sudden....

You get the munchies! You are not even hungry!

Do you have the late night munchies syndrome?

Look here to find out!

You have eaten a complete meal for dinner (maybe you've even overeaten!):

1. Within a few hours or less you find yourself wandering through your kitchen.
2. You look for something to eat, but you're not hungry.
3. You look for something to eat because you're bored.
4. You look for something to eat to distract you from something else.
5. You look for something to eat to procrastinate.
6. You look for something to eat out of habit.
7. Your sweet tooth is talking. Hollering. Screaming!
8. You begin to think of alternatives to eating, because you're not hungry, but you know there is ______ (add your naughty goodie here, that you currently have in your kitchen).
   
9. You want something to eat, so you try to feel hungry, even though you're not.
10. You're with someone who gets the snacks out, or goes through a fast-food drive thru.
11. You're at a party and (see 2-7 above).
12. You're angry about something, so you snack-out, but you're not hungry.
13. You feel bad about yourself for some reason anyway. You might as well have a few moments of eating something that tastes really good.
    

Having the late night munchies syndrome does not mean that you are hungry. You might be hungry, but more often than not, the late night munchies syndrome is a very, very bad habit. If you were really hungry, you'd eat some healthful food, right? A banana, some peanut butter and celery, toast, or cottage cheese to name a few. Unfortunately, the late night munchies syndrome has developed over time, and from your habit of giving in to it from the beginning. When you don't give in to it, you feel empty like something is missing. You would rather have that sick-to-your-stomach feeling from eating half a bag of chips/crackers/cookies, than have that empty, needy feeling. I understand because I feel like the inventor of the late night munchies syndrome!


How to Overcome the Late Night Munchies Syndrome

1. Eat a healthy, well-balanced meal for dinner.
2. Drink plenty of water.
3. Find interesting things to do after dinner.
   
4. Don't sit around watching television every night. If you do, prepare healthy snacks ahead of time.
5. When you feel like you're going to give in to the munchies, call a friend or someone that you have been meaning to talk to.
6. Go for an evening walk. This is one way people stay healthy, active and young even into their 90's.
7. If you are on the computer in the evening after dinner, have healthy snacks ready to munch on, and water.
8. If you enjoy reading at night, keep water and healthy snacks handy.
9. Purge your kitchen of junk food. Only stock healthy items.
10. Make friends with your mean roommate if you have one, and give that person all your junk food. Let them get fat.
    
11. Stop procrastinating. Do what's on your list of things to do, and if it involves house cleaning, either crank up loud dance music, or if you have little sleeping ones, listen to headphones.
12. Make a new evening habit. If it's eating, have healthy foods ready to snack on. If it's being more active, invite your partner or a friend or your pet to join you in being active.
13. Write out a list of reasons why you have the Late Night Munchies Syndrome. Work from there.
14. Keep snacks handy at all times. In your bag, in your car, in your pocket. Then if you are around others who are eating junk, you can join them in eating, only you'll be eating healthy. Who knows how this will influence your friends. (It's okay if they tease you, it's actually their way of caring and/or telling you that they are proud of you without actually saying it.)
15. Bake something naturally sweetened and share it with others.
    
16. Revisit this post and send it on to anyone else who needs to read it

Benefits of Overcoming the Late Night Munchies Syndrome:

• You will feel better about yourself.
• You will identify an unhealthy pattern and begin a new, healthy one.
• You may lose weight.
• You will find that evening walks are much more fun than vegging out.
• You might start eating healthier dinners.
• You will wake up feeling fantastic!
• You'll stop feeling sorry for yourself.
• You might be more productive.
• Your kids will learn from your habits. What you do, more than what you say.
• You'll realize your sweet tooth can be overcome!
• If you can overcome this bad habit, you're more likely to overcome other bad habits.
  

2009: No Sugar For Me!

No sugar for me this year, either!!!

I chose to not rent out that donut shop after all...

Last night I celebrated the incoming new year on the roof of my cousin's apartment building, in the rain, overlooking the city of Portland. There were fireworks all evening long.

My cousin made her special homemade pizza...we each had our own pizza with a dozen different topping choices. She is a natural cook and the pizzas were incredible. To top it all off, she had made brown rice flour molasses cookies for me, that are to die for. I ate three this morning for breakfast.

Sometime yesterday I decided that there were not enough convincing reasons to eat sugar again. Why be its slave? I realized that I may have control over sugar ONLY because I am not eating it; therefore I would not tempt the limits of my willpower by trying to eat just one sugary item. By now you are tired of hearing this, but I have to reiterate once more, THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS JUST ONE OREO!!

Because of quitting sugar last year, I am facing 2009 with a new perspective on nutrition, my willpower, others' willpower, and the overall power that sugar has on people. Around the time I quit eating sugar last year, I thought about sugar on a much lighter note. Now that I have experienced going without it and the struggles it involves (can you say CRAVINGS and that IT IS IN EVERYTHING!?!) I do not take sugar lightly. It is a tiny, empty granule capable of so much.

If someone wanted to, a movie could be made about a tiny program inserted into each sugar granule that is used to control people......however, I did watch Tron this morning....

Sugar Has Power Over Me, Only if I Eat It!

Sugar is a mind-altering drug.

I picture myself having one mint on New Year's Day. One mint. You know those pink, green and yellow melt-away mints shaped like Hershey kisses, with little white sugary balls on the bottom? I've been imagining how savory it would be, how sweet and creamy and perfect just one mint could be. But one won't be enough. Just when I start to have that climax of sweet taste, it melts away and I'll need another one. That's why when Santa brings me a bag of them every Christmas, they are always gone before New Year's Eve.

By the time I need another one, my mind will have been altered. My mind will have given way to the forces of my tongue, which makes outrageous demands, especially when it's on drugs: sugar.
The psychology of this is beyond me. I've spent hours talking to friends and different people about the psychology of wanting sugar, and the general conclusion is that, yeah, it's addictive.

I don't want to feel out of control. I would like to taste one of those mints. I feel better saying no to all sugar. What about an old-fashioned donut, oh my gosh it would taste so perfect. I have been enjoying my even-keeled, sugar-free self. A bar of chocolate is all I need. One bite. I feel really good about myself and that has led to my eating healthier all year, and exercising regularly. What about a little squirt of whip cream on a small hot chocolate? Right at midnight tonight. I am satisfied with naturally sweetened alternatives. Okay, just one of those mints and then throw the rest away immediately. This back and forth in my mind has been going on since November.

Do I eat sugar again or don't I?

You have spoken and I have taken all of your recent comments and emails to heart. The common theory is that no one can have just one taste of sugar. It is so good, so literally mind-altering, that one does not mean one. Eating sugar means eating more sugar. That scares me because that is the very problem I worked so hard to get out of my system all year. I had to quit eating sugar cold-turkey because I could not moderate my sugar intake.

Even if I set out to only have one cookie, that always meant at least 3 or 4 or 5, etc. The sugar got a hold of my senses and started speaking for me. The sugar started making the decisions for me. It took a lot of sugar to satisfy the sugar. Usually the only thing that spoke louder than the sugar itself was my tummy ache after I had royally stuffed myself. That tummy ache was the most common problem with eating sugar. I depended on feeling sick to know when I was done eating sugar.

Those days are over.

I know that if I eat sugar, it is likely that it will have power over me, but as long as I don't eat it, I'm the winner!

Tips on How to Quit Sugar

Here are tips for those of you who would like to quit sugar for a month, a year, or forever. I find it hard to make forever plans, so I take things one year at a time. I'll probably do this forever.

So, you want to quit white, refined sugar. Maybe you've tried before, maybe you think it's impossible. Maybe you don't want to quit, but you are still curious what the process of quitting looks like. Maybe you need a year to think about quitting. For me it's cold turkey or I won't do it. I realize this isn't the tactic for everyone, but even if you quit sugar slowly, weaning yourself from the addiction day by day, I think these pointers will work for you, as well. If you have any pointers of your own or suggestions or comments, please let me know, as I will most likely re-post on New Year's Eve. What works for you? Do share!

* * * How to Quit Sugar * * *

• Make a grocery list and visit a local health food store. If you don't have a health food store in the area, try to find these items anyway, or do some online ordering.
  
• Stock your kitchen with all kinds of naturally sweetened goodies. Here are some examples for when that sweet tooth comes a'callin:
• 100% fruit juice (I'm not a wine snob, I'm a grape juice snob. I drink R.W. Knudsen)
• Dried fruit, fresh fruit, frozen fruit (smoothies)
• Naturally sweetened cookies and ice cream
• Ingredients to bake with: natural sweeteners, grain-sweetened chocolate chips, pure cocoa, unsweetened almond or rice milk, honey, molasses, agave, brown rice syrup, etc.
  
• Buy some flavored tea that you wouldn't normally get. Get cream and make sure you have honey. You won't believe how wonderful some of those hot teas are with a drop of cream and a spoonful of honey. My favorites are the spicy flavors and the vanilla/nut flavors. Buy plenty. Treat yourself. Spend more money than you normally would on tea. This may be what it takes to keep off of sugar. It sure beats the price of hypnosis.
• Make sure you buy naturally sweetened breads, chips, crackers, salad dressings, etc. These normally have hidden sugars and you don't want to cheat just because all of your salad dressings have sugar, do you? Also, remember to get cereals and other snacky foods that are naturally sweetened. If you don't have a health food store, there is one huge commercial brand of cereal that consistently keeps sugar out of its ingredients: Post Grape Nuts.
  
• Double-check your kitchen. Is it stocked? Make sure it's full of naturally sweetened goodies.
  
• Keep junk food in your kitchen. Yes, you read that right. It's good practice to have junk food available, because then you can practice turning it down and choosing something healthier. I was going to throw out all of our junk food last year, but not only was that not fair to Jeff, but if I didn't see junk food on a daily basis, how would I react when I did see it? You'll have to think about this. Even if you live alone, you want to have junk food available to your guests, right? You still want to have visitors, and they certainly want their junk food. They don't want to go on your sugar-free diet! However, if you are an excellent cook, it is possible to make naturally sweetened goodies for your guests, but keep in mind that it usually takes white sugar to satisfy the sweet tooth of those on a white sugar diet. Honey will not satisfy. It takes a couple of months to change your palate and train your sweet tooth to like natural sweeteners. If you know yourself well enough to know that you will sneak treats if they're around, then by all means, clean out your kitchen. Just ask guests to bring their own goodies.
  
• Do not buy "Sugar Free!" labeled goodies. These are tricky gimmicks usually found in the regular cookie aisle, and they are sweetened with a laxative otherwise known as Maltitol. It's the worst sugar substitute I've ever experienced. If you read the fine print on the label, there will be a disclosure statement warning against eating too many. Well, I don't want to worry about a laxative affect. Sometimes I just want to eat the whole box of cookies, thank you very much. Anyway, name brands like Oreos will have a "Sugar Free" variety of their product right next to the original variety. Beware, I have checked the labels and they contain maltitol.
  
• Do buy "naturally sweetened" and "No Sugar Added", as these terms usually mean what they say. Read the label to be safe, but these are terms that usually identify good products.
  
• Check for "Sucralose" which is a generic term for Splenda. You can make your own decision about Splenda. I don't touch it.
• Decide how dedicated you are to eating sugar free--are you focused mainly on quitting desserts? Drinks with sugar? Breads and cereals? If you are just trying to stay away from "sweets", that's one thing. It is another issue to go without white sugar entirely, because it is included in so many ingredients. Now, before you start, is a good time to decide how far you are going to take this. Keep in mind that sugar is in just about everything packaged and hidden in foods at restaurants. If taking your goal to this extreme seems too hard, don't give up. Start with sweets/cookies/obvious no-nos. Consider going 100% sugar free later. You have to find your starting point. Something that is realistic. For me, because I had practiced going weeks at a time without sugar, it wasn't a huge deal to do it again for a year.
• Set a realistic starting point/goal for yourself!

Pamela's Products: Incredible Cookies, But Not All Sugar-Free

Have you ever heard of Pamela's Products? They make delicious, gluten-free and wheat-free cookies, some of which are also sugar-free. However, in the last year or so, Pamela's has changed some of their cookie recipes to include sugar as an ingredient. It's been terrible! My favorite cookie, the Lemon Shortbread cookie, was so good. I used to graze right through an entire box in one evening (not good), because it was hard to stop eating them. Anyway, I wrote to the company a while back to inquire about the ingredient change. I received a quick reply back from Pamela's, explaining that due to the Hurricane Katrina disaster, their honey supply has been inefficient and too expensive to continue buying.

I did not understand that very well, but left it alone. Recently, however, I was craving those Lemon Shortbread cookies again, and thought I would recheck the ingredients at the store. Sadly, they are still using sugar, and are using sugar in other cookie recipes, as well. While they do offer a small selection of sugarless cookies, I can't help but wonder why they don't make all of their cookies sugar-free. After grazing through my box of sugar-free Ginger cookies, I decided to write to Pamela's again. Here is the letter I sent:

"11-6-08

Hello. I have contacted Pamela's before to ask about the disappointing ingredient change in the cookies. I consume no refined sugar and have had to stop buying most of Pamela's cookie products. If you have noticed a decrease in sales of the Lemon Shortbread cookies over the last year or so, it is because the ingredients now contain sugar, and I have discontinued buying this product. I received a response about this months ago, which explained that it has become difficult to find a honey supplier to sweeten the cookies. However, there are so many natural sweeteners that could be used in place of sugar! Agave, molasses, honey, stevia, brown rice syrup, date sugar, etc. I really miss the lemon shortbread cookies, and some others, and have had to resort to the ginger cookies only--which I LOVE, by the way. They are absolutely heavenly and sweetened only with molasses. Is it possible to reformulate your cookie recipes at some time and go back to using natural sweeteners? What can I do to help?

I had a habit of recommending Pamela's cookies to people, but now do not feel comfortable recommending a product with sugar. There are a lot of people looking to cut out all refined sugar, and there are few packaged products out there that offer a delicious and naturally sweetened goodie. Please bring back your naturally sweetened cookies!

Thank you.
Sincerely..."

I'm anxious to hear from them!

My Nothing Cookies

My sweet tooth went out of control tonight. Maybe my cravings started earlier in the day but I was too busy to think about it. Well, at some point I jumped up from what I was doing to go make cookies. My first thought was snickerdoodles. I recently had one eaten right under my nose and it honestly seemed wrong for me to just sit by and let that good cookie go. I had to though, because it had sugar. It was loaded with sugar. That was when I decided that next time I'm in the mood for baking, I will make snickerdoodles and substitute date sugar for white refined sugar.

It seemed like a good idea, but here is what happened:

I pulled out the few ingredients needed to make cookies and started by creaming the egg, date sugar and organic, non-hydrogenated shortening. Things were not looking so good. Instead of a "whipped" consistency, these three ingredients became tough. I decided to switch to a chocolate chip cookie recipe so that I could add vanilla. I added vanilla, some baking soda and then white flour (I know, I know...).The cookie dough still seemed rather stiff and tough, so I opted to add some water to smooth things out, and then more vanilla for taste. I realized this was not going to be a chocolate chip cookie recipe for several reasons, one of which is that I do not have any grain-sweetened chocolate chips at home right now. At this point I added a little sea salt here, a splash more of vanilla there, and then sent it through the mixer for a few more rounds. I tasted the dough and it was so-so. It left a pretty nice aftertaste though, so I went ahead and put some doughy spoonfulls on a cookie sheet.

When they were done baking, I had to smack each one of them with a spatula so that they were flat cookies instead of the biscuits that they looked like otherwise. After they cooled I bit into one and was pretty surprised how nice and chewy they turned out. The flavor is hard to describe, but I could taste the vanilla and sense the presence of salt. They were dark brown because of the date sugar. That is another reason I could not go through with making them snickerdoodles. Snickerdoodles are typically white colored with a light sprinkling of cinnamon sugar on top. My cookies were a dark brown and would not pass for a snickerdoodle. I will have to wait for 2009 to eat a snickerdoodle.

In the meantime, as I bite into another cookie, I have to say it's pretty darn good for a no-name, date sugar and shortening blend. It provides the sweet chewiness that is ultimately what I am craving when my sweet tooth acts up. Here's to a no-name, made-up cookie!

Nothing Cookies

1 C. organic shortening
2 eggs
1 and 1/3 C. date sugar
1 tsp baking soda
3 tsp vanilla
3 tsp water
1/2 or 1 tsp sea salt
flour (I did not even come close to measuring this. Just add enough so that the consistency is similar to chocolate chip cookie dough)

Cream together shortening, eggs and date sugar. Add other wet ingredients and then stir in the dry. Scoop into spoon-sized drops on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for about 7 minutes or so. Enjoy!

Hot Fudge Banana Split

I have almost made it through the entire year denying myself all sorts of gooey, chewy treats. Off and on I get cravings, but I've been able to tame them with natural sweeteners or drinking a ton of water or hot tea. A few days ago, I was hit hard by a craving that came to me out of the blue. It was around the time I usually wander the kitchen and look at what I have to make dinner with. As I picked up my squash, zucchini, tomatoes, and other vegetables, and began envisioning a perfect soup, all of a sudden I started craving a hot fudge sundae...REAL BAD. I immediately quit thinking about dinner and started thinking about how I could satisfy my craving. I HAD to have a sundae. No, make that a banana split. With lots of vanilla ice cream and salty peanuts. I had to have hot fudge--I was obsessed with the thought of cold ice cream drenched in thick, hot chocolate sauce. I ran to the pantry and threw around all kinds of ingredients. Found the peanuts, large and salted. Ice cream....awesome! I had just brought home a container of vanilla Rice Dream the day before. I had ripe bananas on the counter so all I needed was to come up with the best part: hot fudge. I was determined to make it happen no matter what.

The only chocolate in the house that is sugar-free is my pure, organic cocoa. This would have to work. I did not give myself enough time to think this through, because I was lusting after my banana split so badly, so I skimped on making hot fudge. What I should have done was run online and looked up some recipes, but what I ended up doing was making up a hot chocolate sauce. I combined the cocoa with lots of honey and some heavy whipping cream and heated them together. I then added some boiling water to speed up the process, but it made my sauce too runny and thin. As if that was going to stop me. As soon as my chocolate sauce was hot and smelled delicious, I poured it over my Rice Dream and chopped up half a banana and then sprinkled a handful of peanuts on top. No whipped cream. Bummer. I don't like those rubbery cherries used on sundaes, and I think they're mostly for show, anyway.

I ate my banana split so fast I almost made another one. It was delicious. The runny chocolate sauce was not worthy of sharing with anyone, so I still need to look up a tried and true recipe for sugar-free hot fudge. But the next night I made another banana split instead of dinner, again. It was blissful. I highly recommend it.

Red Lodge & Bozeman Montana

We have arrived in Montana, after 10 long days on the road. This road trip has been as amazing as it has been exhausting. Who would think that sitting in a car driving on the open road could require so much energy? Today I have been taking it easy in Bozeman, after spending the morning in Red Lodge, Montana. Red Lodge is an adorable little town. Its main street is lined with original brick buildings, complete with attractive, large loft windows on the second stories. The first place we visited in town was the bakery. I have NEVER seen so many delicious baked goods in my life. As soon as I walked in, my eyes roved immediately to the showcase of pastries, including a 10-inch high flaky cream puff, cut in half and filled with about 3 inches of cream. The donuts were so fresh they were the only thing I could smell. Luckily my husband bought one so I could take it in my hands and smell it to death before he ate it. I joked that if he didn't tell, I wouldn't tell--that I would eat a donut, too. Of course he looked at me mortified in case I wasn't joking. I was joking of course, but I had to say that so I could visualize for one second just sinking my teeth into one of those deep fried, frosted donuts. Breakfast. Alas, I ordered my usual coffee and walked away with yet more willpower than I have ever had before. If ever I was going to eat sugar before the year's up, it would have been at this bakery. There was a line of customers behind us, but that didn't stop me from blocking the view of the donut case as I photographed that unbelievable, gigantic cream puff.

Before we left town to hit the road, we wandered through Red Lodge's little farmer's market. Gorgeous purple onions and green cucumbers beckoned to me. I tried to figure out how to utilize them on the road, but I couldn't figure it out. While I was thinking about it, I spotted a table covered with giant green cabbages. Could we travel with these? Of course not, they would get wilted and I wouldn't be near a stove for at least another week. Before I left the block of tables I visited a booth where a lady was selling wool, both spun and raw. A basket of beautiful, naturally colored wool really got my attention. I touched some of the bounciest wool I have ever felt. When I decided to buy a bunch of beautiful, bouncy gray wool, the host of the booth asked if I would like to buy some bak lava that she was randomly selling at her table. I told her "no, thanks" and that I was sugar-free for the year. She looked up surprised and said, "I am, too! My husband and I have gone without sugar and white flour for four years, now." That led to some interesting conversation and supreme motivation on my part. They both lost weight and don't ever crave sugar. I asked her if she ever used honey or molasses in her baking. She said that she doesn't use any of those sweeteners. She uses white sugar for her baked goods that she makes for others, but does not consume them, herself. I am wondering if I would benefit from cutting out all sugars including the natural sugars in honey, molasses, fruit juice, etc. I am considering doing this for a month to see what happens. Of course I will never cut out whole fruit, but this lady was so trim and healthy-looking, it motivates me to try to cut out sugar alternatives, as well. I'll start one week at a time. Thank you C-, at the farmer's market, for the inspiration!

An Easy, Healthy Morning Breakfast Routine

I wonder how many of you crave sugar first thing in the morning? When I ate sugar regularly, I would often get up in the morning and wander into the kitchen looking in cupboards and the refrigerator where I would find the jackpot: left over dessert from the night before. I would usually be thinking, "It will probably get stale soon, and I might as well get rid of it as soon as possible before it tempts me later in the day." Other treats in the morning have included: homemade cookies, a left over pan of brownies, M&M's, and the hardest thing to not eat--packaged cookies. Cheap packaged cookies have always been a favorite of mine. Being bite-sized, they are so easy to eat and before you know it, half of the package is gone. When half of the package is gone, and you already feel guilty for eating that many cookies, it's even easier to eat the rest of them so you don't experience a second bout of guilt. Just because I've gorged myself on sugar in the morning does not mean I'm done having breakfast. Even when I've been full, I've eaten breakfast food after eating something sugary. There were days that seemed like a vicious cycle. I did not want to listen to my body. My mind said "EAT!" so I overruled my body saying, "Give me a break! Stop eating, NOW!" It is very easy to say these things in retrospect. I would never have admitted to this while in the moment.

Currently, I have a healthy breakfast habit in place of my unhealthy habits. I still like to eat something sweet in the morning sometimes, and fruit tastes sweetest first thing in the morning before eating anything else. (Note: Fruit does NOT taste sweet right after eating a hunk of dessert.) My new habit is cereal (Grape Nuts, Ezekial Brand Cereal, Barbara's Brand Cereal, Oatmeal, etc.) topped with fresh strawberries (they are now ripe and in season!) bananas, blueberries, rasberries, peaches, raisins, nuts or dried apricots. I have never been left hungry after one bowl. After eating such a healthy meal, you will feel inspired to eat healthy at your next meal, too. It helps to have pre-prepared healthy snacks on hand, otherwise it can be tempting to run to a vending machine with the justification that you are starving.

If you are not a breakfast eater, I am guessing that around mid-morning when you begin to feel really hungry, it is easy to justify that Coke, or the donuts in the break room, or a sugary coffee drink of some kind. Skipping breakfast is the quickest way to eat unhealthy later in the day. Eating a healthy breakfast is the quickest way to eating healthy later in the day. If your concern is time, prepare something the night before and take it to work with you if you have to. A thermos is a great way to transport cereal (note: to avoid soggy cereal, pour milk or yogurt in the thermos and carry your cereal in a baggy until you have a chance to eat.) If you feel like you are too busy to shop for healthy food, order groceries online and have them delivered to your doorstep. It is easy to kick that sugary morning habit if you replace it daily with something healthy and filling.

Check Out This Donut Blog: nycdonutreport.blogspot.com

STILL CRAVING DONUTS....STILL CRAVING DONUTS.....STILL CRAVING DONUTS.....

Condolences:

1. I acquired a donut hole maker! Thank you Nancy! Complete with a recipe book, and some donut recipes that don't call for sugar. My first try at making hand-made donuts involved a sugarless apple fritter recipe. I used agave nectar for sweetener. When the donut holes were formed and cooked (taking only 4 minutes!) I rolled them in melted butter and stuffed my face with them. They were delicious despite being sugar-free and non-deep fried, though a little bready and more like a sweet muffin. The smell brought other members of my family into the kitchen, but moments too late. I had devoured all of the apple fritter donut holes, so I made another batch of plain, but full-of-sugar donuts for my family. Those were devoured in less than 5 minutes, after being rolled in melted butter and cinnamon sugar. I will be trying different recipes in the near future, and comforting myself with these sweet morsels, albeit sugar-free.

2. Condolence number two happens to be a blog-of-note that I ran across, titled "NYC Donut Report"! It is a very well-written, informative and interesting blog about DONUTS! Here's a description I read that had me salivating and questioning my plight:

"My only solace in those days was that coffee cart chocolate glazed. I do not know where this donut was made, and I wish I'd asked the nice Middle Eastern man in traditional clothing who ran the cart. I remember the glaze was thick and crusty and extra-sweet. The donut meat itself was moist and rich. And of course, once you've added the sugar to your coffee cart coffee, you simply can't go wrong." -NYCDonutReport.blogspot.com

3. My last and most affirming condolence is my new exercise routine. It helps me think about donuts for what they are-fattening, caloric, sugary, unhealthy and heavy. My new routine is one that I will have for life. It is very easy and I can choose every day how hard I will work at it. My routine is to do push-ups, sit-ups and one yoga pose (the plank) every morning upon waking and every evening before climbing into bed. What I believe will make this a lasting routine, is that I only have to do one of each, more only if I choose to. Last night camping, I forgot about my new routine until I was snuggled deep in my sleeping bag in our little tent at the edge of a gorgeous lake. To prove to myself that I can keep this routine in any situation, I climbed out of my sleeping bag, crouched over my husband and my dog, and did ONE sit-up, ONE push-up and the plank for only a few seconds. I adopted this new routine last week, and I can already see a difference in my abs. While I want a stronger, firmer middle, donuts want to plump me up. Maybe next year.

The Psychology of Sugar-Part Three

I AM CRAVING SUGAR TONIGHT LIKE NEVER BEFORE! ALL I CAN THINK ABOUT ARE JUICY, GREASY DONUTS AND THE CRUNCHY LITTLE SPRINKLES ON THE FROSTING THAT JUST MELT IN YOUR MOUTH!! WHAT IS MY PROBLEM?! I HAVE ALMOST COMPLETED FOUR MONTHS OF NO SUGAR--SO WHY IS THIS SUCH A BIG DEAL???

I'm having a super immature tantrum and reminiscing my high school days of weekend slumber parties. Those were always about sugary treats, candy, and ice cream. My best girlfriends and I would take my mom's largest mixing bowl and we would make a "community" ice cream sundae. We'd top it with caramel sauce, chocolate sauce, marshmallow creme, M&M's, peanuts and then whip cream. I have one old, tattered picture depicting that disgusting mix! We would sit around the huge green mixing bowl, each with a spoon, and eat as much as we could. At some point when it began to melt and look too runny, we would get grossed out and just eat the candy instead. Okay, I'm not feeling the same sugar craving that I was a few minutes ago. Just thinking about those times is enough for me. I can't help but wonder, though, if and when my sugar cravings will subside. If they are truly psychological at this point, will they ever go away? What sort of psychological substitute is there for sugar?

The Psychology of Sugar-Part Two

What a difficult task this is, of finding credible sources of information about sugar and psychological addiction! I'd hoped to have a lengthy list of articles and sources, but so far these were the only valuable links I found:

"Food Cravings: In Your Head or Tummy?"
http://www.writeeating.com/Weight%20Loss%20Articles/Food%20Cravings%20in%20your%20head%20or%20tummy.htm

"Sugar Cravings"
http://pattyjames.com/2008/02/sugar-cravings.html

"Sugar and Fat: Cravings and Aversions"
http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/abstract/133/3/835S?maxtoshow=&HITS=&hits=&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=sugar+craving&andorexactfulltext=and&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&resourcetype=HWCIT

The Psychology of Sugar-Part One

Someone left a comment asking if I still crave sugar. No, but yes. No, because I have no physical cravings for it. My body doesn't "need" or expect it anymore. In fact, at parties, I have watched people load up on sugary treats and then later, watched them walking around looking very tired and lethargic. Meanwhile, I feel energetic and distant from those sugar highs and lows. Watching someone else have a sugar crash definitely reinforces my plight! The "yes" part of my answer deals with the psychology of sugar and goodies in general. Because of what I have been experiencing over the last couple of months, I believe that sugary treats are more of a psychological addiction than a physical addiction. Here's why I think that, and how I am going forward to overcome this savvy, ingrained, psychological beast:
I think it is psychological because ever since I quit having cravings, I still "yearn" for that shared moment of eating donut holes with someone. After dinner at a restaurant, I "want" to enjoy hot chocolate (loaded, and I mean loaded, with whip cream) with my friends. Not having one feels like I am not participating in this ritual. I feel left out in a way. I always try to get something else instead so I am not just staring at everybody else's drinks, but tea does not bring the satisfaction and merriment that hot chocolate does! Sharing a warm, homemade dessert together as a family is a very cozy, safe feeling. Opting out feels like it brings some sort of negativity to the scene. It seems to automatically make someone aware that what they are about to partake in, is unhealthy. If everyone participates, no one has to feel guilty or think twice about it. In the past (pre-2008) when I have tried to say no to desserts, I have actually experienced people getting upset. There is tremendous pressure to conform and eat dessert. What I am saying is that there is much comfort and psychological ease in sharing desserts and goodies with people. It is a predictably warm, safe, fun feeling. The moment you opt not to eat dessert or pass down a piece of birthday cake, you have suddenly made the group aware of something. Some people may become aware that they probably shouldn't eat dessert either. After all, they are extremely full, or they are trying to lose weight, or they are just giving in to peer pressure (especially when they don't even like what's being served!). I think that this tends to make the host or hostess feel a bit uncomfortable, as they are surely thinking similar thoughts. Even worse though, because they are the ones providing this sugary, fattening dessert.

Another similar, psychological role goodies have played is being the reward. When you were little, how many times did you hear, "If you are good, you can have some _____ for dessert,"?
Our culture has learned to celebrate using sugary goodies as the highest mark for good behavior. Every birthday, holiday, graduation, winning event, and wedding celebrates with desserts and candy. I can't think of any event that's excluded. When did this begin? Thousands of years ago, you read that people celebrated events with their best wine. Before sugar was available, how did people celebrate, and why did people celebrate with food? I think sugar is a learned, psychological addiction. I am excited to find out when it became important to celebrate with, and what people did long ago before white refined sugar was available!
I would like to relate a personal experience that I find quite indicative of the extent of the psychology of sugar. When I arrive at certain places, I am asked if I would like this or that (almost always a sugary treat of some kind). When I say, "No, thank you," my answer is not good enough. The host or hostess will push his/her dessert on me, trying to convince me to change my mind. Every "no, thanks" I utter is taken like a personal insult to that person. What I have got to thinking, is how strange it is that people try and push their sugary goodies on you, and yet, no one will try and push a tray of fruits or vegetables on you. It is not the food itself that they are pushing, but the meaning of the food. I believe this to be true because otherwise wouldn't people offer and try to push healthy food on you, especially if they liked you and had your best interest in mind? Why is it that someone will push a sugary, fattening, artery-clogging, cavity-causing, blood-sugar raising dessert on you? It is not because they want to fatten you up or clog your arteries or give you cavities or raise your blood sugar. It is because the meaning of their dessert is their way of saying they like/love you. Rejecting it is rejecting (not acknowledging) their time spent preparing it and the thoughts and love behind the motivation to make it.
There. Consider this Part One of The Psychology of Sugar. I would LOVE to hear your comments and similar (or not so similar) experiences.

Craving Frenzy

I had a gigantic sugar craving yesterday. I went through all my cupboards, the refrigerator, and the freezer to no avail. No sugar-alternative could satisfy my sweet tooth. I looked at Jeff's chocolate chip cookie dough with envy. Why were the cupboards full of dark chocolate covered almonds and chocolate coated pretzels and organic chocolate bars? I knew I wouldn't give in but I felt angry every time I looked at those foods because I wanted them so badly. Jeff must have heard me running around the kitchen in a frenzy because he yells, "Take a giant bite of cottage cheese!" In my vulnerability I didn't even think about it. I just did as I was told. I took the biggest spoon I have and filled it with organic, non-fat cottage cheese from Trader Joe's. As soon as I had finished it, I instantly felt better. My craving disappeared. It was so weird.

I'm Having a Sugar Craving!

I can't believe that there is sugar in trail mix! All I want are the wonderfully salty nuts and dried cranberries and raisins! Tonight, I was having a sugar craving and I would have gone to the ends of the earth for a piece of dried fruit. All the dried fruit had sugar coating over each piece.
As I sit here in the San Diego hospital, I am amused at all the junk food that is promoted and sold down in the cafeteria. There are 6 vending machines standing shoulder to shoulder in the cafeteria, here. Three of those machines sell soda!
My mother had to have a sudden surgery while on vacation here, so I flew down to keep her company. I was hoping that travelling would help quell my sugar cravings, but instead, I am finding that my sugar cravings have increased. I need to find out where the nearest health food store is. It is so easy to eat "bad", especially when travelling. I did manage to find unsweetened chocolate almond milk, at a Safeway grocery store called "VONS" and I have really been enjoying that. Daily dips in the hot tub have also motivated me to drink more water, which is what I really crave when a sugar craving strikes.

Tornados, Monopoly and Cute Jeans

Besides the weather here (we had a tornado touch down!), it's been a pretty good week. No major sugar cravings. I even bought ice cream and chocolate for Jeff. No problem. I have stayed up later every night this week than I have in a long time. Maybe it's because I'm not as tired or maybe it's the games of Monopoly we have been playing every evening. Our last game we had placed a $170 bet. Jeff won. Which is good because I've been dreaming all week of the shopping I could do with that money. One early evening this week we happened to be walking through Nordstrom and I spotted the cutest pair of jeans, ever. Even though they were $200, I tried them on just for fun. Luckily, they weren't as cute once I had them on, but I did realize that I may have gone down a size. Jeff noticed, too. I wish I could say it is due to all the exercising I'm doing--but I'm doing none right now. I'm glued to my cave waiting for the sun to come out. It has been weeks since we have had a sunny day. Anyway, I have a feeling that giving up sugar might have something to do with going down a size. Not only that, but since I have given up sugar and have observed my own will power to do so, I have noticed that I am making other healthy food choices as well. I don't know how long this will last, but I am determined to ride this wave for as long as possible.