Somebody pull my sweet tooth!

[Celtic.Child]

I've been nearly 100% raw for the past month. I feel fantastic, but I have insatiable sugar cravings! Fruit sugar just isn't doing it for me unfortunately. I'm eating raw honey by the jar every few days (over a cup of it yesterday), and it's making me gain weight like crazy.

I know someone has gone through something like this before, so what did you do about it? The thought of getting home to my honey is a distraction, and if I decide not to buy any (trying to outsmart myself) I have to make a special trip later because the cravings are so intense.


Thanks for everyone's help!!!

[ladypeace82]

I've got some floss and a door knob here...... ;)


no idea, I just made Alissa's Walnut fudge and added some carob powder. It's good and rich. So satisfying that you'll need only one and keep the rest in the fridge or freezer. :)

[Veganforlife]

Two words: Green smoothies

[Green Life]

OH< BOY. this sounds like me.

Here's what I do.

I use the "Now" brand Stevia. I use alot of it. When I get hungry for something sweet, I'll add in some Stevia and it really quells the sweet tooth. In my case, I have sweet "teeth". Stevia does the trick because it's so sweet to begin with. can't seem to go without it anywhere.

There'd be no teeth left in my mouth if I were to pull all the sweet teeth I have.:)

[rawhjdmom23]

Green smoothies did the trick for me. It took about 3 months of having one daily but I can honestly say that the sweet things that used to be the biggest thing keeping me from raw- namely dairy ice cream and cookies- are no longer appealing. I never in my life thought I would be able to say that. Just the other day I bought a pint of ice cream- (and embarrassingly enough I usually finish that in one sitting) I ate 3 bites of it and threw it out- it tasted way to sweet and thick and nasty to me. Even other SAD things are beginning to taste bad- I know it has to be the green smoothies because I haven't changed much else.

[bananas]

I second the green smoothies!! I had one for breakfast early this morning and have been completely satisfied for a while now. They really kill my cravings for sugar. If that doesn't work, try munching on some dates. They are like candy!! Sooooooo gooooood....*drool*

[mulch]

i also do green smoothies as well.
i am not sure if that is helping it though.
one thing i do not have in my house EVER is honey.
honey is soooooooooooooooo nice
my friends used to call me pooh bear
i even had the extra fluff to go with it

i was going through agave like a fiend
even with allissa's agave being soooo nice and smooth isn't sweet enough when combined with my smoothies.
which is crazy because that stuff is CRAZY sweet
i think you should not add it to your foods for a couple
of days so your taste buds can remember what sweet is
i tend to do it once a week because
i start off the week with a little bit of agave and then progressively i increase it (unconsciously)
by the end of the week
then i realize how much it is going to cost to purchase
some more agave and i don't use it for a couple more days
i remember when i first bought honey a 2 months ago
and mixed it in with almond butter(whole foods makes it)
i ate soooo much i couldn't move
then i said self "no more crack head" and then threw it away
that was one heck of a buzz that i came crashing down from

[TheAvocadess]

NOW's stevia isn't raw, but processed.

Good idea those green smoothies.

[exurb]

Celtic, I think you have to take the bull by the horns...

The bioligical nature of sugar cravings is that eating sugary things begets MORE sugar cravings and the cycle continues. The downspike in our insulin following an upspike is a vastly powerful strong driver to go eat more.

So you have to go a period of time to stop the cycle. IF you can get yourself through a few days (or starting with even a day :o ), you may be able to pull yourself out of this and maintain it.

First off, I would say do not skimp on your calories overall!

Second, exercise (but exercise in the context of enough eating) may help moderate it also, but you can't do this out of balance with insufficient food that your blood glucose will go low...

There are some people who have a tendency to ward off depression using carbs.

So my advice would be to get ready to start to tough it out for a day. Plan ahead, sufficient food to keep your blood sugars fairly level. Good healthy food across the nutritional spectrum, enough calories. Try to shift toward veg, nuts seeds, avos, whatever. Even overeat slightly if you have to for the starting period where you're trying to shake the sugar attacks.

Then gradually cultivate a taste for that type of eating.

But IMO it is only by stopping that it will help you stop, as after a sugar binge like that, your body will be dying for another sugar binge.

LOL did you see Ugly Betty last night, with Amanda binging on candies whenever she got the chance?

[Celtic.Child]

Thanks everyone for the responses! I guess I should break down and try these green smoothies everyone keeps talking about. I've never had them before, but I do like my vegetables (almost as much as honey :) ). I love you all, thank you!

[StarFire]

oH ... GEEEZE... EVERYONE IS SOOOO good.... http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s43/FireStar_830/blush_mini.gif....


I was going to say... http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s43/FireStar_830/thyahoo.gif ALISSAS FUDGE BALLS.....

COCONUT OIL FUDGE..... (a definite staple in my house!)
DONUT HOLES by Ani Phyo....
banana icecream with coconut milk... OMG YUMMI'licious!!! (or you can get creative and add in strawberries, mango, cacao nibs, get creative!)
carrot sticks dipped in almond butter!
celery sticks dipped in almond butter then drizzled with agave - or just add a few raisins!
Morns' cheesecake!! (OMG SOOO GOOD!)
the list is basically endless of the raw goodies you can make!!!
Alissas book is FILLED WITH RAWMACIOUS DELICIOUS GOODIES!!!

or... http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s43/FireStar_830/tapeonmouth.gif ... tape usually works pretty good too!!! I'M KIDDDING!!! I'M KIDDING!!!!

or okay veganforlife... I'll say it.. Greeeen smooothie!!! http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s43/FireStar_830/grin.gif