Sugar has become the new smoking. So dangerous that even the government has brought in a tax to protect us. It all feels a little overkill to me. There is no doubt that too much sugar is bad for our health, and obesity and diabetes is on the rise. So I have been trying to cut back. Dieting, however, is a word that encapsulates everything hard and boring. I have lived my life and have only been on one. A no sugar diet I did a few years ago. Which you can read about here. It was brutally but I felt great after. I love chocolate and having an occasional coke. I do not prefer all sweet food to savoury but I believe a world without dessert is a sad one indeed. I have thought about going no sugar again. Each time the days seemed long and boring. I know sugar is not good for my health so I came up with a solution: no sugar days. Now I am not a dietician so this is just opinion. The problem with my previous attempts was obvious: they were for months or even forever. A lot to live up to. The truth is; sugar in moderation is fine. So why give it up completely? You can manage anything for a day. It is barely anything at all. I have noticed a difference in my health and in my body. In a world were having a no sugar, no gluten, no anything fun, diet seems to be the fashion I just want to rebel. And do not get my started on the whole clean eating thing. Food is not dirty. If you have a no sugar day once a week then the next day you taste sugar more and just eat less naturally. The key is to not just eat lots of junk food that is not full of sugar. A day of health eating makes you more conscious and kicks off more healthy habits. It also means you keep away from those horrible sweeteners. I have never believed that sweeteners are better for you than sugar. I keep away from them, and aspartame in particular, as much as I can.
You can eat fruit on your no sugar days. You can also have some cheese or an oat cake with peanut butter. Fix your body with good food and you are investing in your health and your future. Food is medicine. We forget this at our peril. Try having a no sugar day yourself. Or even a low sugar day. Write any comments or tips below, or email me at frost magazine at gmail.com