The Sugar Smart Diet: Stop Cravings and Lose Weight While Still Enjoying the Sweets You Love (23 page)

You might wonder, though, how this is different from the sugar that gets added to jarred tomato sauce, vegetable soup, or chocolate milk. The answer is: less sweetener of a higher quality. Pure honey and maple syrup and dried fruit come packed with disease-fighting antioxidants. Imagine that you were still consuming more than 30 teaspoons of added sugars a day from processed foods. (Perish the thought!) If you eliminated them and replaced them with an equal amount of a natural sweetener, you’d add the antioxidant equivalent of a serving of nuts or berries to your diet, according to a study published in the
Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
(But don’t! Although healthier than refined sugars, natural sweeteners are calorie dense and can contribute to weight gain if not used sparingly.)

We’ve expanded your bread options in this phase, too, to include whole grain English muffins, rolls, bagels (small ones), or sliced bread. These products tend to contain added sugar, so we set a sugar content limit of 2 grams per slice of bread, English muffin, or burger bun/roll and 6 grams or less per bagel (bagels tend to contain more because the sugar helps the chewy crust form during cooking). However, your best bread choice would be a dense, seed-caught-in-your-back-tooth bread, rather than a fluffy loaf. (I usually buy
breads by Ezekiel. Widely available in regular grocery stores, they come in a variety of flavors and contain no added sugar. The slices are sturdy enough to enjoy as an open-face sandwich, and toast up deliciously.) And we still recommend having processed grain products no more than once a day. Between the natural sweeteners and the added sugar in bread products, you could be taking in 2 teaspoons of added sugar a day in this phase, depending on what you choose to eat.

Now, let’s take a closer look at the natural sweeteners you’ll be dipping into.

The thick, delectable liquid we spoon into tea or spread on toast starts as nectar from flowers, including clover, buckwheat, orange blossoms, and many more. Hardworking honeybees break down that nectar into simple sugars. Packed into honeycombs and fanned constantly by bee wings, the nectar evaporates. Presto! Honey.

Like wine, olives, and maple syrup, honey’s flavor is influenced by region and environmental conditions. Depending on the type of nectar that bees collect, honey can be nearly colorless or dark amber; its taste delicate or robust. As a general rule, however, the lighter the honey, the milder the flavor.

But all honey is complex. It contains an estimated 180 different substances—proteins, enzymes, amino acids, minerals, vitamins, phytochemicals—that may account for its health-promoting effects. For example, gram for gram, honey is as rich in antioxidants as some fruits and veggies. Of course, we eat honey in small quantities (at least we should, to keep sugar bellies in check), so it can’t replace produce. But even small amounts may offer some protection against cancer and promote heart health. In test-tube studies, honey—the darker the better—slows the oxidation of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol in human blood. Oxidized LDLs are the foundation of dangerous plaque deposits in blood vessel walls that can lead to heart attack and stroke.

Compared to clover honey, the variety easiest to find in most supermarkets, buckwheat honey contains eight times the antioxidant punch. Sunflower honey boasts three times as many antioxidants, and tupelo honey packs twice
the antioxidant punch as clover honey. Or check out your local farmers’ market for honey that’s been produced near you. I love taking my kids to the Saturday morning farmers’ market and taste-testing different honeys. My kids usually opt for mellow flavors, while I lean toward those that are rich and dark.

Wherever you buy your honey, when you find the real deal that sends your taste buds on a happy dance, store it at room temperature (your kitchen counter or pantry shelf is ideal). It will keep indefinitely. (If it crystallizes, just place the jar in warm water and it will clear.)

Pure maple syrup—the kind you buy on weekends spent in Vermont or New Hampshire—is pricey, which is why many people make do with HFCS-laden imitators. By law, pure maple syrup can be made only by the evaporation of pure maple sap, and by weight may contain no less than 66 percent sugar. But in the amounts that you’ll use it in this plan, it will last a long time. And you don’t need more than a teaspoon to reach maximum, eyes-shut-in-delight pleasure.

As with honey or wine, no two bottles of pure maple syrup taste exactly the same. There are more than 300 different natural compounds found in pure maple syrup, but only one (sugar furanone) is linked to the maple flavor present in all maple syrup. The flavor is affected by a variety of factors, including the genetics of the tree the sap was tapped from, the composition of the soil, weather conditions, and the time during the season when the sap was collected. Besides that can’t-be-replicated maple flavor, you might taste subtle hints of caramel and vanilla, nuts or butter, chocolate or coffee.

Regardless of flavor, all pure maple syrup is rich in antioxidants. Researchers at the University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy have repeatedly investigated the compounds in maple syrup. To date, they’ve discovered more than 50. Among them: polyphenols, which appear to slow enzymes that help convert carbohydrates to sugar. This particular ability raises the possibility of a new way to manage type 2 diabetes.

Maple syrup is classified by its color. The darker the syrup, the more intense its flavors. You’ll find two types on the market:

Grade A.
Syrup classified as grade A comes in three amber shades: light, medium, and dark. The flavor profile ranges from mild and delicate to strong and caramel-like. Medium amber is probably the most popular.

Grade B.
This is darker and more maple-y than syrup rated grade A, and until recently it was mostly used commercially. Now you can find it on store shelves, and it is typically less expensive than grade A.

Buy your maple syrup in a bottle, rather than a plastic container. Plastic can affect the syrup’s color and flavor after 3 to 6 months of storage. Glass, while more expensive, protects the quality of the syrup for a longer period. Unopened, maple syrup will stay fresh for more than a year. After you open it, it will keep in your refrigerator for about 6 months.

Each time I stir raisins into my oatmeal or nibble dried figs or dates, I’m bowled over anew by the intense sweetness of dried fruit. But
why
is it so sweet? Because as the dehydration process removes the fruit’s water, it intensifies its natural sugars. That shrinkage doesn’t just amp up the sweetness. Nutritionists consider dried fruit “energy dense,” which means that it packs a ton of calories into a small portion.

That’s why the Sugar Smart Diet limits the serving size to 2 to 3 tablespoons at a time. That amount yields about 80 calories, around the same number of calories in a piece of whole fruit. But that small amount is plenty sweet for a snack in place of fresh fruit, to sweeten salads, and to savor in the Fruity Trail Mix featured in this phase. Your newly sugar-sensitive taste buds will rejoice. However, before you buy dried fruit, check the ingredients list for added sugars. Most commercially available dried fruit is filled with them. Pass them by and choose dried fruit with no sugar added. Dried cranberries are the one exception. Because of their natural tartness, the added sugar brings their sugar up to that of other dried fruit.

Your local supermarket or natural foods store should carry at least a few brands of dried fruits, either packaged or in bulk-bin containers. Even if you shop at natural foods stores, check those ingredients lists: Some natural dried
fruit is sweetened with added sugar, and you’ll want to avoid those. Dried fruit doesn’t require refrigeration; store it in airtight containers so it doesn’t absorb moisture and attract the interest of insects. On occasion, the natural sugars in dried fruit—especially prunes and figs—will solidify, forming crystals on the surface. This is okay. They’re still edible, and delicious.

Unlike most commercial jams and jellies, 100% fruit spread contains no added sugars. Its sweetness comes from the sugar in the fruit itself. Treat yourself to a top-of-the-line brand. I like Crofter’s Just Fruit Spread Organic Blackberry, which contains 10 calories, 2.6 grams carbs, and 2.6 grams sugar per 1 teaspoon. A less expensive alternative, but just as tasty, is Smucker’s Simply Fruit Spreadable Fruit: 1 teaspoon contains 13 calories, 3.3 grams carbs, and 2.6 grams sugar.

One teaspoon of 100% spreadable fruit goes a long way toward sweetening up your menu. Here are a few ways to enjoy it.

• Mix it into fat-free plain yogurt.
  
• Stir it into plain cooked oats.
  
• Spread it on your daily refined-carb treat, such as an English muffin or a slice of whole grain toast.
  
• Whisk it into balsamic vinegar and olive oil—you’ve just made your own fruit vinaigrette, without a ton of added sugar.
  

As I mentioned earlier, fruit juice is pure sugar without any fiber to slow its journey through your digestive system, so I don’t want you to be drinking it by the glassful. But juice helps tenderize meat and fish in a marinade, cooks down into a delicious sauce, and adds some brightness to a salad dressing. We use fruit juice in these ways, and the most you’ll be taking in is ¼ cup, which has around 1 teaspoon of sugar.

By now, we hope, you’re in the swing of the plan and loving the many perks of a low-sugar lifestyle—weight loss, more restful sleep, glowing skin, and energy to burn. While you may have to manage the odd sugar craving, they should be fewer and farther between—and you should have plenty of ways to not only squelch them but head them off entirely. To help keep you moving along the path to sugar freedom, we’re offering some new ways to please your palate, rest up, slow down, and replace emotionally driven urges for sugar with healthy alternatives. Continue to use the Cravings Crushers, the Sweet Freedom strategies, and the other tips from earlier phases, too!

Now that you’re free to enjoy the natural sweetness of fruit, team it with water for a healthy replacement for diet sodas or sweetened teas and juices. You’ll never miss the sugar, because it’s already there—in small amounts and from nature. As you did with the flavored waters in
Chapter 7
(which, of course, you can keep drinking if you like), put the ingredients in a 2-quart jar, muddle with a wooden spoon or spatula, cover with 6 cups of ice, fill the jar with water, and stir. Pop it in the refrigerator for 2 hours to chill and let those luscious flavors mingle. Strain before drinking. Each recipe makes 2 quarts and will keep in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 days.

8 fresh basil leaves

3 cups strawberries, halved

Scrunch the basil leaves to release their flavor. Combine with the berries.

2 vanilla beans

6 peaches, pitted and sliced

Gently crush the beans and stir into the peaches.

10 slices fresh ginger

5 pears, cored and sliced

Stir the ginger and pears together.

When stress drains your last drop of strength, consider trying an herbal ally: rhodiola, prized for its ability to help people modulate the stress response. Rhodiola is an adaptogen, a compound that helps the body acclimate to stress. A study published in the
Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine
showed that taking rhodiola reduces feelings of anxiety, depression, and fatigue. If you choose to try it, start with 200 milligrams a day. One caveat: This herb can overstimulate some people and lead to insomnia and irritability, problems that you definitely don’t need when you’re already under stress. So use it only if you feel exhausted and need a lift, and check with your doctor first.

You’re a type-A desk jockey with a gym membership who just can’t break away from meetings. And you’ve tried eyes-closed meditation, thank you very much, but you find it hard to sit still long enough to reap its benefits. If this sounds familiar, take a different approach: Spend some time outdoors. Studies show that it confers some of the same benefits as meditation.

A review of 11 studies involving 833 people, published in the journal
Environmental Science and Technology,
found that exercising in natural environments was associated with feeling more revitalized and positive, and less stressed, angry, and depressed, compared to exercising indoors. There’s even evidence that exercising outside may feel easier (a definite perk!). Whether you’re running, walking, or biking outdoors, lift up your eyes and engage your senses, drinking in every sensation—the breeze on your face, the crunch of those leaves, the chirp of birds. That’s meditation, too!