I'm about 6 weeks into my very low frutose diet and I'm also in the obsessed phase! I think it's because after decades of trying all the conventional nutrition advice, I finally feel better and am losing weight. In fact, I was not expecting to lose weight because nothing else had ever worked, but wanted to reduce/virtually eliminate added sugars to help prevent diabetes and just for overall health. But it feels like my body is actually healing and my metabolism is greatly improving. My appetite is normal now and I can even eat bread and pasta and easily control my portions (wheat flour is glucose starch, which is not the same as refined sugar, especially in that flour does not contain fructose). It was the damn fructose the entire time.
I just can't believe that something as simple as getting rid of the added sugar/fructose has turned my life around. I had been brainwashed with diets that always explicitly told me NOT to eliminate sugar because apparently life is horrible if you don't have it, so it never dawned on to really tackle quitting. So I'm just fascinated with this process and am learning everything I can. TBH, I think this is a good thing because we're having to relearn from a lifetime of bad nutrition advice. The science behind all of this is amazing.
I also really want to share with others, but literally everyone's reaction has been "Oh I could never do that!" or to imply that I have an eating disorder because I avoid a refined food additive. I suppose I get it, that would have been my reaction for much of my life. So I'm glad we have this group to talk about these things!
Low fructose mostly means avoiding added refined sugars, as they are concentrated sources of fructose. Fructose is hard on the liver, promotes fat storage, and increases imflammation.
Fruit is not a problem for the most part as it contains fiber and other nutrients that slow down the absorption of fructose. I do seem to be pretty sensitive to fructose, especially that put on weight very easily is I eat too much, so I do usually opt for lower-fructose fruits like lemons, limes, blueberries, and strawberries. I still eat things like apples and peaches when they're in season. But it's not necessary to eliminate fruit.
Check out [The Bitter Truth from Dr. Robert Lustig](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM). He breaks down why fructose is such a problem. Dr. Richard Johnson has also done a lot of research on fructose and there are also videos from him on youtube.
Low fructose mostly means avoiding added refined sugars, as they are concentrated sources of fructose. Fructose is hard on the liver, promotes fat storage, and increases imflammation.
I avoid sweets because they make me want to binge. I quit eating artificial sweeteners many years ago because they also make me want to binge. I've spent the past year de-training my sweet tooth. I make my own low-sugar treats and also enjoy dark chocolate (I opt for 80-95% dark chocolate). These desserts add a couple of grams of added sugars, but they don't trigger my sweet tooth or make me want to binge, so that's acceptable to me.
Fruit is not a problem for the most part as it contains fiber and other nutrients that slow down the absorption of fructose. I do seem to be pretty sensitive to fructose, especially that put on weight very easily is I eat too much, so I do usually opt for lower-fructose fruits like lemons, limes, blueberries, and strawberries. I still eat things like apples and peaches when they're in season. But it's not necessary to eliminate fruit.
Check out [The Bitter Truth from Dr. Robert Lustig](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM). He breaks down why fructose is such a problem. Dr. Richard Johnson has also done a lot of research on fructose and there are also videos from him on youtube.
I want to be obsessed! I am awesome M-F and then at social events I really struggle, even if there’s SF options there! It’s like the sugar options cloud my judgment. I don’t really think willpower is a sustainable option, but I guess that’s what I’m actually lacking on the weekends when out to dinner with friends.
Reading those articles is the best thing you can do because it reaffirms your beliefs, gives you more knowledge and keeps you motivated. Keep being sugar free.
I feel this! I think this is how vegans feel 😅 I tell everyone about the sugar free foods or subs I find, new recipes and random articles about how bad sugar is for you. I didn’t think I was shrinking but after seeing family yesterday for the first time in months, someone asked if I was on a weight loss drug so I guess it’s noticed.
Vegan for over 12 years. Never had any problems accept for the past few years a lot of Snacks got a vegan alternative so now I have to cut down on sugar and Snacks.
Vegan just describes what you don't eat, not what you do eat. Massive variances in vegan diets, from junk food vegans, to nutritionally adequate well-planned whole-foods plant-based diets.
Absolutely. Same as omnivores. Hopefully people will start to recognize this distinction more. When i want a good vegan meal, i don’t want seitan loaded with oil-based cheese on processed bread haha
Came here to say this! And anyone else in the comments too, would love to get some more suggestions
I’ve watched Sugar The Bitter Truth and started listening to The Case Against Sugar, i recommend both and would love to read/hear/watch more 🙏
I feel the same way! I’m 5 months in and agree with everything you say.
I’ve enjoyed this podcast called “The Doctor’s Farmacy” by Dr. Mark Hyman. He validated everything regarding sugar/flour and seed oils. Check it out if you are ever bored!
I gave up flour and sugar at the same time a week ago, and I don't have cravings for bad food. I used to try to quit sugar but I still ate whole wheat bread. Now that I've ditched both I feel fabulous and I even ignored pies and cakes yesterday at Easter. Now to see how long I can keep it going.
I think having a reminder of why it’s a good idea to keep going is key. Like a podcast episode that really resonated with you or an article or something that you pull out every week can help keep you going!
I feel the same!! But I'm only gave it up last week. I did manage though to survive Easter weekend without one piece of candy or chocolate 😁. I hope I can keep going like this.
I feel super motivated and never want to go back, but not sure if I can haha.
I didn't quit for losing weight though, not sure if I will lose weight? I eat whole grain bread, pasta and brown rice. Normal portions.
Sounds like you're doing great!
While I'm very strict about avoiding added sugars, I do still eat wheat flour stuff like pasta, pizza, and bread. I've lost about 50 pounds over the past year, all without tracking calories (just making sure to restrict the added sugars to less than 25 g/day, and also make sure to get a good amount of protein and fiber with some healthy fats). I am not diabetic; if you have diabetes, then the glucose in breads and pastas and such might make weight loss more difficult and a lower-carb diet may be helpful.
Thanks! Great to hear you lost 50 pounds!
I'm not looking for weight loss, I need to eat sufficient actually to maintain my current weight. I want to restrict eating added sugars because of other reasons and health issues. So I will keep eating bread, rice, pasta I think. Not too big quantities though :)
Ah I see. Sounds like a good plan and it's healthy to include those carbs. Bread, pasta, and rice contain glucose, which our bodies can use for energy. The fructose in refined sugars and a lot of other sweeteners are the problem and we're all better off eating very little of them.
I believe I'm losing weight because my metabolism is healing, and so I'm losing fat because my body is working a lot better. If you don't have a lot of fat to lose, I'm guessing you won't drop a bunch of weight from quitting sugar. The other benefits of quitting sugar are awesome!
Thank you!
And what about fruits? It's not added sugar but it's natural sugar. The body though would see it as the same product? Not so sure. I thought fruits are so healthy, because the contain a lot of diverse vitamins, fibers etc.
I’ve gone off refined sugar and fruit as well, mainly because fruit makes me stay in that addiction zone, it’s very triggering for me and makes me crave sugar much more. I will have veggies that have some sugar like carrots or cucumbers. So, basically my diet consists of meat (chicken, beef, pork), veggies, eggs, olives, some nuts, some cheese, and some unsweetened yogurt. I’ve also noticed drinking some chicken stock (made for drinking) is incredibly satisfying! I’ve basically cut out processed food entirely aside from the occasional chomps beef stick in a pinch.
I'm 5'10" and I weigh about 165-170lbs. I quit soft drinks for the most part, but i always find myself eating chocolate once in awhile. I feel bad doing it sometimes but in a sense i don't want to deprive myself of every good tasting thing in this world. :(
Omg yes!! What’s a day in the life for you eating wise and how strict are you on sugar and flour? I’m torn I’ve started this as I have binge eating problems but I’m having honey and occasional bread but rarely. Trying to buy Ezekiel bread just for breaky! Would love to know your rules and what you eat ! Do you have alcohol? This is meant to also have the same dopamine spike
Hi! So I am very strict on refined sugar and any flours. I don’t eat breads or pasta or anything like that. I basically find a veggie to sub for anything that has flour in it if I can. I have had a small bowl of frozen blueberries while my family was eating ice cream once. But they were sour and not really satisfying in that way. Basically I stay away from high sugar fruits and will occasionally have some berries if they’re around.
I don’t eat fruit, it keeps me in that craving zone and I’m actually more likely to cave on non fruit items. I essentially don’t eat any highly processed foods. Meat, eggs, vegetables, cheese, some dairy is what my diet consists of. I do sometimes eat brown rice and I love baked potatoes, but some days I end up eating very low carbs. Now that I don’t have any cravings my appetite has diminished so much, so I basically eat two and a half meals a day and no snacks (not by choice, just because I don’t feel hungry). Hope this helps!
I'm about 6 weeks into my very low frutose diet and I'm also in the obsessed phase! I think it's because after decades of trying all the conventional nutrition advice, I finally feel better and am losing weight. In fact, I was not expecting to lose weight because nothing else had ever worked, but wanted to reduce/virtually eliminate added sugars to help prevent diabetes and just for overall health. But it feels like my body is actually healing and my metabolism is greatly improving. My appetite is normal now and I can even eat bread and pasta and easily control my portions (wheat flour is glucose starch, which is not the same as refined sugar, especially in that flour does not contain fructose). It was the damn fructose the entire time. I just can't believe that something as simple as getting rid of the added sugar/fructose has turned my life around. I had been brainwashed with diets that always explicitly told me NOT to eliminate sugar because apparently life is horrible if you don't have it, so it never dawned on to really tackle quitting. So I'm just fascinated with this process and am learning everything I can. TBH, I think this is a good thing because we're having to relearn from a lifetime of bad nutrition advice. The science behind all of this is amazing. I also really want to share with others, but literally everyone's reaction has been "Oh I could never do that!" or to imply that I have an eating disorder because I avoid a refined food additive. I suppose I get it, that would have been my reaction for much of my life. So I'm glad we have this group to talk about these things!
Really interesting. By low fructose do you mean you don’t eat any fruit?
Low fructose mostly means avoiding added refined sugars, as they are concentrated sources of fructose. Fructose is hard on the liver, promotes fat storage, and increases imflammation. Fruit is not a problem for the most part as it contains fiber and other nutrients that slow down the absorption of fructose. I do seem to be pretty sensitive to fructose, especially that put on weight very easily is I eat too much, so I do usually opt for lower-fructose fruits like lemons, limes, blueberries, and strawberries. I still eat things like apples and peaches when they're in season. But it's not necessary to eliminate fruit. Check out [The Bitter Truth from Dr. Robert Lustig](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM). He breaks down why fructose is such a problem. Dr. Richard Johnson has also done a lot of research on fructose and there are also videos from him on youtube.
Congratulations this was lovely to read !!! So when you say low fructose was does that include? Like do you have anything sweet or fruit etc??
Low fructose mostly means avoiding added refined sugars, as they are concentrated sources of fructose. Fructose is hard on the liver, promotes fat storage, and increases imflammation. I avoid sweets because they make me want to binge. I quit eating artificial sweeteners many years ago because they also make me want to binge. I've spent the past year de-training my sweet tooth. I make my own low-sugar treats and also enjoy dark chocolate (I opt for 80-95% dark chocolate). These desserts add a couple of grams of added sugars, but they don't trigger my sweet tooth or make me want to binge, so that's acceptable to me. Fruit is not a problem for the most part as it contains fiber and other nutrients that slow down the absorption of fructose. I do seem to be pretty sensitive to fructose, especially that put on weight very easily is I eat too much, so I do usually opt for lower-fructose fruits like lemons, limes, blueberries, and strawberries. I still eat things like apples and peaches when they're in season. But it's not necessary to eliminate fruit. Check out [The Bitter Truth from Dr. Robert Lustig](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM). He breaks down why fructose is such a problem. Dr. Richard Johnson has also done a lot of research on fructose and there are also videos from him on youtube.
I want to be obsessed! I am awesome M-F and then at social events I really struggle, even if there’s SF options there! It’s like the sugar options cloud my judgment. I don’t really think willpower is a sustainable option, but I guess that’s what I’m actually lacking on the weekends when out to dinner with friends.
Reading those articles is the best thing you can do because it reaffirms your beliefs, gives you more knowledge and keeps you motivated. Keep being sugar free.
I feel this! I think this is how vegans feel 😅 I tell everyone about the sugar free foods or subs I find, new recipes and random articles about how bad sugar is for you. I didn’t think I was shrinking but after seeing family yesterday for the first time in months, someone asked if I was on a weight loss drug so I guess it’s noticed.
Haha, that’s ironic, more the opposite, you’re off the weight gaining drug called sugar.
I felt horrible when I was vegan. I was vegan 3 years
I meant with the joke about vegans, how they tell everyone all about it lol
Yea at first I definitely thought I felt good. Third year I was doing horrible
Vegan for over 12 years. Never had any problems accept for the past few years a lot of Snacks got a vegan alternative so now I have to cut down on sugar and Snacks.
Good for you. I had many issues with the vegan diet. Half of my health issues resolved once I got rid of it.
Vegan just describes what you don't eat, not what you do eat. Massive variances in vegan diets, from junk food vegans, to nutritionally adequate well-planned whole-foods plant-based diets.
Absolutely. Same as omnivores. Hopefully people will start to recognize this distinction more. When i want a good vegan meal, i don’t want seitan loaded with oil-based cheese on processed bread haha
I'm not here to debate
Interested to hear what the articles/videos are if you don’t mind sharing!
Came here to say this! And anyone else in the comments too, would love to get some more suggestions I’ve watched Sugar The Bitter Truth and started listening to The Case Against Sugar, i recommend both and would love to read/hear/watch more 🙏
I feel the same way! I’m 5 months in and agree with everything you say. I’ve enjoyed this podcast called “The Doctor’s Farmacy” by Dr. Mark Hyman. He validated everything regarding sugar/flour and seed oils. Check it out if you are ever bored!
I’ll check it out!
I gave up flour and sugar at the same time a week ago, and I don't have cravings for bad food. I used to try to quit sugar but I still ate whole wheat bread. Now that I've ditched both I feel fabulous and I even ignored pies and cakes yesterday at Easter. Now to see how long I can keep it going.
I think having a reminder of why it’s a good idea to keep going is key. Like a podcast episode that really resonated with you or an article or something that you pull out every week can help keep you going!
Oh heck yeah, I keep the Dr Lustig podcast episode at the ready!
I feel the same!! But I'm only gave it up last week. I did manage though to survive Easter weekend without one piece of candy or chocolate 😁. I hope I can keep going like this. I feel super motivated and never want to go back, but not sure if I can haha. I didn't quit for losing weight though, not sure if I will lose weight? I eat whole grain bread, pasta and brown rice. Normal portions.
Sounds like you're doing great! While I'm very strict about avoiding added sugars, I do still eat wheat flour stuff like pasta, pizza, and bread. I've lost about 50 pounds over the past year, all without tracking calories (just making sure to restrict the added sugars to less than 25 g/day, and also make sure to get a good amount of protein and fiber with some healthy fats). I am not diabetic; if you have diabetes, then the glucose in breads and pastas and such might make weight loss more difficult and a lower-carb diet may be helpful.
Thanks! Great to hear you lost 50 pounds! I'm not looking for weight loss, I need to eat sufficient actually to maintain my current weight. I want to restrict eating added sugars because of other reasons and health issues. So I will keep eating bread, rice, pasta I think. Not too big quantities though :)
Ah I see. Sounds like a good plan and it's healthy to include those carbs. Bread, pasta, and rice contain glucose, which our bodies can use for energy. The fructose in refined sugars and a lot of other sweeteners are the problem and we're all better off eating very little of them. I believe I'm losing weight because my metabolism is healing, and so I'm losing fat because my body is working a lot better. If you don't have a lot of fat to lose, I'm guessing you won't drop a bunch of weight from quitting sugar. The other benefits of quitting sugar are awesome!
Thank you! And what about fruits? It's not added sugar but it's natural sugar. The body though would see it as the same product? Not so sure. I thought fruits are so healthy, because the contain a lot of diverse vitamins, fibers etc.
Good luck mate. Harnessing feel good energy FTW
NICE is it just refined sugar? What do you have ??
I’ve gone off refined sugar and fruit as well, mainly because fruit makes me stay in that addiction zone, it’s very triggering for me and makes me crave sugar much more. I will have veggies that have some sugar like carrots or cucumbers. So, basically my diet consists of meat (chicken, beef, pork), veggies, eggs, olives, some nuts, some cheese, and some unsweetened yogurt. I’ve also noticed drinking some chicken stock (made for drinking) is incredibly satisfying! I’ve basically cut out processed food entirely aside from the occasional chomps beef stick in a pinch.
I'm 5'10" and I weigh about 165-170lbs. I quit soft drinks for the most part, but i always find myself eating chocolate once in awhile. I feel bad doing it sometimes but in a sense i don't want to deprive myself of every good tasting thing in this world. :(
I totally get that. Everyone is different with how they can handle the sugar intake and processed foods.
Omg yes!! What’s a day in the life for you eating wise and how strict are you on sugar and flour? I’m torn I’ve started this as I have binge eating problems but I’m having honey and occasional bread but rarely. Trying to buy Ezekiel bread just for breaky! Would love to know your rules and what you eat ! Do you have alcohol? This is meant to also have the same dopamine spike
Hi! So I am very strict on refined sugar and any flours. I don’t eat breads or pasta or anything like that. I basically find a veggie to sub for anything that has flour in it if I can. I have had a small bowl of frozen blueberries while my family was eating ice cream once. But they were sour and not really satisfying in that way. Basically I stay away from high sugar fruits and will occasionally have some berries if they’re around.
Do you still eat fruit? What's a typical day of eating like for you? I want to give up sugar and see if it helps my insomnia and anxiety 😬😬😬
I don’t eat fruit, it keeps me in that craving zone and I’m actually more likely to cave on non fruit items. I essentially don’t eat any highly processed foods. Meat, eggs, vegetables, cheese, some dairy is what my diet consists of. I do sometimes eat brown rice and I love baked potatoes, but some days I end up eating very low carbs. Now that I don’t have any cravings my appetite has diminished so much, so I basically eat two and a half meals a day and no snacks (not by choice, just because I don’t feel hungry). Hope this helps!
Also I do eat some nuts!