Hello!

I really need to cut back on “sugar” foods in my diet, but every time I try, I suffer from what can only be described as “Withdrawal symptoms”, and it’s truly hideous. I would appreciate advice from any other Mums on how to decrease sugar-laden foods without going through the agony of withdrawal. I’m like a bear with a sore head if I crave sweet stuff and can’t have it, so I’m a nightmare to be around. I get particularly bad “sugar-cravings” after dinner, right up until bedtime. I desperately need to lose weight, as at 5’7″, I shouldn’t be nearly 100 kg. Please ladies, if anyone’s got any constructive ideas to help me, I’d be so very grateful.


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  • Cravings will usually reduce after 7-10 days, so you might just have to tough it out. I found that drinking mint tea helped – it’s not sugary but it kinda confused my taste buds into thinking it was.


  • Good on you for trying !
    First of all you could use a healthier sugar (like raw coconut palm sugar) or alternative healthier sweeteners (like coconut palm syrup, local raw honey and yacon syrup) and use raw cacao powder instead of sweetened cacao. Then you could slowly decrease sugar instead 2 teaspoon use 1 teaspoon, to half a teaspoon to none.
    I agree that peanut butter coconut oil is a good alternative and so are nuts in general. You could also make your own raw chocolates !


  • I really like the coconut oil and peanut butter suggestion.


  • When I’m craving sugar, I find a teaspoon of coconut oil and a teaspoon of peanut butter together take away the craving. They taste similar to eating a lindt ball. Or make sugar free snacks that trick your mind into thinking you’re having sugar


  • Try cutting out a couple of foods. When you’ve adjusted to that, add a couple more to the list. Keep going til it’s all cut out


  • Maybe see a nutritionist they can help & choose the right food for you. If everything else fails. Sugar is the same as cocaine it’s a hard addiction to give up


  • that is the biggest thing I struggle with. Hermestas sweetener is a good natural alternative to sugar – maybe try to make your own snacks with it. It still has the sweetness without the heavy sugar content.


  • Just cut back a little bit each day


  • Do it gradually. Have lots of fresh fruit and veggies, some contain natural sugars that may help with withdrawals.


  • Seeking help from your doctor and working out a gradual plan to reduce the sugar maybe helpful. Also try using sugar substitutes like Xylitol or Stevia in small quantities.


  • I’ve cut out sugar and did it very slowly.Two teaspoons of sugar in my tea and coffee were cut back to one then half a teaspoon and for a couple of years now I’ve been sugar free in that area and then have slowly cut out the chocolate, cakes etc… to only having the very occasional treat.


  • try cutting down very slowly and gradually, ie, if you take 4 tspsns of sugar for one week make it 3 and a half, the next week 3 and so on, that way your body won’t go into ‘withdrawal symptoms’ good luck :)


  • I am so bad with sugar I usually have 3 teaspoons in my coffee or tea not to mention on my weetbix I have tried to put less in but I do not enjoy it without that sweet taste


  • Try cutting back one thing at a time. so try your breakfast cereal. then in a week or so your tea or coffee. etc etc. It takes two weeks for the taste buds to renew themselves.


  • Just cutting back a little at a time will help. If you drink soft drink, try a good quality cordial with soda water. Also just put a little less sugar in your cuppas and then once you are used to it decrease a little more. Also if you subsitute fruit for sweet cakes and biscuits you will make a huge difference. Grapes and mandarins are really yum at the moment and will save you kilojoules if you have a proper serve. Then you will be getting natural sugars that are better for you. Good luck


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