Going no-sugar-added: take that, eyeabetes!

A few weeks ago, my middle school friend Miriam, aka Amazon Genki Girl, and I were at home for her dad’s (crazy adorable, super fun) third wedding when she broke the following news to me:

Mir: “Em, did I tell you? I have eyeabetes.”
Me: “Oh no! DubTeeEff is eyeabetes?”
Mir: “It’s when the optometrist says I have the eyes of a diabetic because I’ve been literally eating, like, a whole bag of Dove chocolates in one sitting. Every day.”

Oh. Yeah, apparently that’ll do it. So now my eyeabetic friend Miriam is on a slightly modifEYED (oh, snap!) diet that involves avoiding products with added sugar five days a week. With some exceptions. Monday through Friday, baked goods, candy, chocolate, and pretty much all processed convenience foods are OUT. Sauces, dressings and condiments are IN, in moderation (ketchup and hoisin are biggies in Mir’s household, as they are in most Chinese-American kitchens). And of course, foods containing natural sugars, like fruits and veggies, are allowed in abundance. On the weekend, it’s back to normal. Easy, right?

Actually, as far as modified diets go, it IS pretty easy.

Inspired by Mir’s commitment to eyesight, I hopped on the bandwagon four weeks ago, and it’s not a bad way to go. Aside from sounding like that chick in the office who’s on a stupid, self-prescribed no-added-sugar diet (oh wait, that’s me), this No Added Sugar thing has more pros than cons. During the week, it prevents me from chowing down on the cereal bars, jelly beans and ice cream that our office stocks in the kitchen — and on the weekend, I can wisely treat myself to deereeshus sugary splurges like Fat Apples cheese puffs (similar recipe), Love at First Bite cupcakes and The Mix’s fancy Strauss Family Creamery frozen yogurt.

Now, there’s no telling just how long I’ll be able to stay off the (sugar)cane. But as we roll toward the sugariest seasons of all, it can’t hurt to purge a little of the excess glucose from my system. I’m feeling good. I’m even — dare I say — gradually losing a smidge o’ pudge. Best of all, my empty-calorie snacks have been almost completely replaced by tastier, more nutrient-dense whole foods like fresh fruit, almonds and years-old Gouda.

As Ina Garten would say, how bad can that be?

Obsession: Cray for J. Crew + GDL love
Recipe: Braised meatballs with bacon & chard

9 Comments on “Going no-sugar-added: take that, eyeabetes!”

  1. Ohh YESSSH emho you can deez it!! I have da EYE betes! To hit my sugar choco sweet tooth during the week, I make vegan chocos: 2/3 cup coconut oil heated on the stove, remove and gradually whisk in 2/3 cup cocoa powder (unsweetened) and chopped dates to your sweet-liking ness! Or try to mix it up with cooked bananas… or stevia if you like that planty afterbirth.

  2. Pingback: Debut of the Pig and Quill « AMAZON GENKI GIRL

    1. @Jake – yes, there is a lot of naturally-occurring sugar in fruit. With this “diet” (for lack of better word), the point isn’t to completely avoid sugar or carbs but those foods containing added sugar. It mostly nixes quick-fix processed snacks and junky sweets. If someone were truly concerned with sugar intake, they’d definitely want to take a more scientific approach.

  3. I have eye-yi-yi-cholesterol — those white-ish rings that are tell tale signs (not dirty collar rings) of elevated cholesterol. And, even though I’m on Lipitor and my stats have decreased, those rings are (indelibly) there! I just found out that I have high triglycerides and am off desserts for several weeks to see if I can get those sugars down, or if it’s genetics that only meds can resolve. I need to try the diet route first and, hopefully, not get to the diabetic level. And, Jake, there are hidden sugars in almost everything — especially fruits and even veggies. But, it’s the processed sugars that are hardest for our bodies to process and the real culprits.

  4. Wow, that is really commendable that you are doing that. I admit that I love baking, so it would be hard to give up sugar full-bore like that. But I try to limit it with small tastes. Hopefully, my eyes don’t suffer for it, either. 😉

  5. Pingback: New Year’s Resolutions: Am I really taking a bacation? | the pig & quill

Leave a Reply