I've thought a long time about changing my diet. I've considered veganism, vegetarianism, paleo, you name it. It took me too long to realize that animal products and even meat itself are not the enemy, nor is naturally-occurring fat like what's in cheese and butter. The problem is refined sugar! I'm not just talking about cupcakes and candy bars, but also muffins, cereal, crackers, and even salad dressing and salsa. Added sugar can be found in almost all products on supermarket shelves these days, with names ranging from "corn syrup" to "cane juice" to "maltodextrin." These are all just sneaky synonyms for sugar!
But what's the problem with bread? I know what you're thinking - "Bread isn't sugar - it's wheat!" Well, true bread is made of wheat, but the stuff we buy at the supermarket is NOT real bread. It's a bread-like product made from refined bleached flour, which breaks down into sugar as soon as it enters the bloodstream. So really white bread and even breads that say "wheat" on the package aren't any more nutritious than cookies! Isn't that sad?! Sara Lee's been playing us THIS WHOLE TIME! (Watch "Hungry for Change" on Netflix for more info!)
When I eat sugar (refined sugar, not fruit where it occurs naturally) my brain releases dopamine that makes me happy, which makes me want more sugar. Before I know it I've eaten not one, not two, but three slices of chocolate cake and I'm still hungry for more. It's a vicious cycle that needs to stop before my liver mutinies!
GOOD sugar is fruit. Berries, bananas, mangoes, watermelon, apples, grapes - my mouth is watering just thinking about all the yumminess. So instead of stuffing my face with bagels and Oreos after work, I'm going to rely on good, natural sugar - plus lots of veggies, beans, nuts, and even some dairy.
I know it's not going to be easy, but I'm up for the challenge. I've been at the mercy of sugar for too long. Time to take back control of my health. So to commemorate my first day as a sugar-free woman, here's an artsy-ish smoothie bowl I made for breakfast this morning. It contains NO added sweetener, and you know what? It was DELICIOUS!
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| 3 handfuls baby spinach, 1 banana, 1 cup frozen blueberries, 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk, ice - topped with coconut flakes, sliced almonds, and more bloobz of course! |
