31 Days Without Sugar Blog

I’m enjoying a cup of sweet masala chai right now. It may be my last for a while. Starting Monday, March 1, I’m aiming to go 31 days without added sugar.

I’ll still be eating lower glycemic fruit such as apples, berries, and some citrus, but no bananas, dates, dried fruit or melon.

I’ll still be eating higher carb vegetables like carrots, but passing on the sweet potatoes and white potatoes.

I’ll still be eating beans, lentils, and tofu.

I haven’t decided yet about other high glycemic foods that don’t have added sugar, like rice or pasta or oatmeal. I”ll contemplate that more this weekend. Most breads have sugar added, but I do make a mean sourdough at home with no added sugar, so I’ll have to think about that.

I will NOT use any table sugar, brown sugar, honey, molasses, maple syrup or any artificial sweeteners. I may indulge in a tiny bit of stevia or allulose (natural, non-nutritive sweeters) occasionally if I need a “sweetness fix”. I will only be using unsweetened non-dairy milks in my tea or coffee.

WHY?

I have a crazy sugar habit. I crave a sweet cup of coffee as soon as I get up in the morning. I adore cookies and vegan ice cream and chocolate. I don’t eat them that frequently (OK, I guess I do eat a couple squares of dark chocolate every day,) but I’m thinking about them a lot!

I have chronic inflammation (as do most Americans). My joints hurt when I get up out of bed in the morning. I get tired during the day. I don’t sleep as well as I’d like to. My body feels puffy to me, and I often have the experience of “brain fog”. I’m not operating at an optimal level, even with all the yoga and meditation I practice.

I’ve done a month long sugar detox before, and it helped me feel SO MUCH BETTER. The first few days are rough- headaches, nausea, fatigue, and massive cravings. But by Day 4, I noticed a lightness, a vitality, a sense of clarity, and the recognition that I was no longer being driven by the hold that sugar had on me. I’m looking forward to experiencing that again.

I don’t know that I will kick my sugar habit for good. But I’m ready to start eating for optimal health, and I know this is a good way to start. I don’t see this as a deprivation- I see it as an opportunity to improve my habits and level up my health.

If you want to come along on the journey with me, I’d love to support you. Heck, we’ll be supporting each other. Feel free to comment on the blog posts here or on my personal facebook page.