Hi everyone.



Today I read all the stuff about what sugar will do to you physically (including Turbinado and so forth). I DO NOT want this junk in my diet anymore, but I do have a sweet tooth, and I'd like to replace the sugar with sweet fruits. Here's my questions:



I use mint tea to prevent gas from my frequent bean meals. What do I sweeten it with? (no honey)



What are some sweet dried fruits I can use to replace the chocolate chips in the trail mix I take with me when I hike?



What are some *really* sweet fruits I can eat when I feel like I want cookies or ice cream?



Thanks for the help anyone.

What kind of junk is sugar supposed to do?



I do not think it's a good idea to eliminate sugar from your diet that extensively because you'll feel deprived. You should use it in moderation. Props to you for cutting out processed sugar, but it's okay to use some turbinado or maple syrup in your tea and eat sweets in moderation (a little every day).

I too have a sugar problem, but like Sunflower said, you'll feel deprived if you try to eliminate it totally. First, start with eliminating things that contain high fructose corn syrup (if you haven't already). Then cut back on refined sugar. Like most things, sugar is only dangerous in excessive quantities. Molasses, maple syrub and even table sugar can be good in limited portions to give you instant energy (especially if combined with a grain, fat and protein to help the energy last).



As for sweet dried fruit: dried papaya is very sweet, so is dried pinapple. I also find that pineapple or berries help kick my chocolate cravings. I like to drizzle a few melted chocolate chips over my strawberries as an alternative to other sweets.

In answer to the question, sugar hurts your immune system. In addition to not giving you any nutrition, it actually depletes your supply of vitamins because the body has to use them up to get rid of the sugar.



I'm not too worried about feeling deprived. I'm pretty good at the cold-turkey (so to speak) thing. I went vegetarian overnight, and I did the same thing when I went vegan. This is pretty mild compared to that.



I think I'm going to be using brown rice syrup or maple syrup (whatever is cheaper) in my tea and smoothies, and get the rest of my sweet stuff from fruit. I just mixed some raisins into my trail mix and it tastes SO much better than the chocolate chips did.

Brown rice syrup and maple syrup are still sugar. They still affect your immune system negatively and provide lots of calories for nearly no nutrients.

You could use splenda to sweeten the tea, but I don't recommend that at all, it can give you bad bad indigestion and gas.



I would squeeze some orange or lemon or lime juice in the tea.



I think dried blueberries, dried bananas, and dried cherries are rich and sweet enough to replace the chocolate chips.



Really sweet fruits..frozen bananas. Seriously. Tastes almost exactly like ice cream.

Virtually any berry. And ripe stone-fruits are always good choices.

Ok, a new problem. Money. Right now financial worries are keeping me from sleeping, but I really want to buy some unrefined sweetener. What's cheap?

you could use stevia, which comes from an herb to sweeten your tea, etc. you can also use it as a replacement in any 'sweet' recipe that you may use, including making your own chocolate (buy unsweetened chocolate, sweeten it with stevia).

Get rid of sugar, why on earth? I can understand the processed white sugar crap but other kinds aren't that bad.

I'm a sugar lover!



You could drink some 25 cal. sugar free hot chocolate when a sugar craving strikes. It's really sweet!

in cooking and stuff, I use apple juice and things like that. I still eat sugar on occasion but are more of the mindset that...if i dont need it, i dont need it. its in many things that i like, so why add it to others?

i just made a killer batch of muffins actually, wheat free, dairy free,sugar free and low fat..but still sweet as the dickens!! apple juice and fruit and stuff. delicious!!

i htink its a good idea, to limit the sugar, i really do. ive also seen the bad stuff it does and like you, i like to go cold turkey if i can.

sweet fruits are things like strawberries and blueberries i guess?? Also i find that adding cinnamon to things, gives them some flavour. and i have friends who swear by stevia.

i really dont recommend artificial sweeteners (no offence to endorsers of that of course, just personally dont like them) ..they taste yuck and are far more damaging than sugar.

um....also, you'll find that when you drop out sugar...you stop craving it. i used to be a complete sugar addict, eating like 8 times the recommended amount and not much else. but a day or two after you cut back, you don't even crave it. though that could be more to do with G.I.

and when i go for sugar...i go for 'good kinds'. but you probably already knew all this!! tata

i've heard agave nectar can be used to replace sugar in baking. it has a low glycemic index and is low in calories. i haven't picked any up and tried it myself, though, so i don't know how it is on the wallet.



i personally adore stevia for my tea. it takes so little to make it sweet! although some people seem to notice a slight filmy feeling on the top of their mouths when they use it. i still think it's great, though! i've tried it in baking a couple times, usually i replace half the sugar with it. using too much can cause a sort of bitter aftertaste.

For me, a really perfect ripe pear is one of the fruits closest to ice cream in sweetness and melting texture. Really good pears are sometimes hard to find, and are seasonal. Nectarines are also very good.



Beware of some dried pineapple, it may have added sugar.



I've replaced a good deal of the sugar in my baking with applesauce (be careful to get the no added sugar kind, many have corn syrup added - evil!), which is very convenient to use.



I still have a horrible sweet tooth though, and succumb to oatmeal cookies made with brown sugar.

Well the other day I was in whole foods and they were handing out samples of their dates. So the woman took half of one date, spread a little almond butter on it, and dipped it in dried coconut. OMG I went through the roof!! The good thing about the date is that it is very sweet, yes. BUT it is also high in fiber so it satisfies you more than an empty calorie sweet. So maybe try the above combo as an option.



I am with you in this boat. I just went veggie (again) only 4 days ago. And I am trying my darndest not to buy Uncle Eddie's cookies. High fiber stuff seems to help me curb the urge a bit.

Blackstrap molasses is the only sugar to have any real nutritional value (lots of iron, calcium) , it's got a slightly wierd taste so i don't know how it'll be in tea.