Since I love sweets, you might have been wondering how I ended doing with my #GoodbyeSugar30 Challenge. I definitely learned a few things along the way and it was actually easier than I thought it would be.
First of all, I eat way more sugar than I thought I did. I knew that I tended to reach for sweets when I wanted a snack. It was obvious that I’d need to cut back on the cookies and ice cream that I love so much. But, when I started paying attention to labels, there was added sugar in so many of the products I usually buy. Remember that I wasn’t avoiding the sugar that is naturally occurring in foods like fruits and milk, just trying to stay away from added sugar. But so many every day products like sauces and even what I would consider savory snacks have added sugar.
Cooking and baking my own foods can be a big help. I can know exactly what’s in my food if I’m the one to make it. This isn’t always the most convenient, but it’s an option some of the time. And if I want to make something sweet, I can substitute SPLENDA® Naturals Stevia Sweetener instead of sugar in a recipe. It gets its unique sweetness from Rebaudioside D (Reb D), a better tasting stevia leaf extract. You can still get great sweet taste with no added flavors and no bitter aftertaste. And without the calories, too! There’s a convenient chart on the back of the package to guide you to the correct amounts, though I was also sent a chart as well.
I didn’t miss sugar as much as I thought I would. A cup of tea (sweetened with SPLENDA® Naturals Stevia Sweetener) or reaching for a piece of fruit can satisfy my craving for something sweet. And, I’m not sure if it’s just in my head, but I know I felt like I had more energy by not eating as much sugar.
If I cut back on sugar most days, it’s okay to indulge a little on a special occasion. Right now, there are three huge bags of Halloween candy in my kitchen from my boys going trick-or-treating. I don’t need to have the sugar that is in whatever candy my kids didn’t want. If they didn’t want it, it’s probably not all that good anyway, so why have the added sugar from that? But if I have been cutting down on the sugar I’ve been consuming, then I don’t feel bad if I indulge and have the chocolate baklava at a food and wine festival.
A treat made with SPLENDA can still feel like a treat. I’ve been making these raspberry banana smoothies in the morning and they taste amazing. I slightly modified it from the SplendaNaturals.com site. They have so many recipes over there so be sure to check it out.
Raspberry Banana Smoothie
- 1 small banana, peeled and sliced
- 1/3 cup frozen raspberries
- 2 packets of SPLENDA® Naturals Stevia Sweetener
- 1/3 cup low-fat milk
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Blend all ingredients until smooth. Makes 1 serving.
Overall, I’d say that I’m glad I took the #GoodbyeSugar30 challenge because it made me more aware of what I was eating: not just how much sugar, but what else was in my food as well. I plan to continue eliminating added sugars where I can and substitute SPLENDA® Naturals Stevia Sweetener in some recipes.
If you’re interested in the #GoodbyeSugar30 challenge, you can sign up here. For more information, visit SplendaNaturals.com.
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.