Gluten Free AND Sugar Free?

By Lisa Sponsler
Gluten Free Living Now

I’ve always been interested in nutrition research, but until recently I’ve avoided reading about the potential harmful effects of sugar. I couldn’t bear the thought of giving up sweets. After a few decades of various diets and exercise programs I came to the conclusion that I had only two choices. I could choose to be fat or I could choose to be hungry. In April the article Is Sugar Toxic? finally inspired me to read up: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/magazine/mag-17Sugar-t.html

I watched Sugar the Bitter Truth on YouTube. I read David Gillespie’s Sweet Poison and Sweet Poison Quit Plan. I started following a few sugar free blogs. It turns out I was wrong. There is a third choice. I can choose to avoid sugar. Our bodies are perfectly designed to adjust our appetites and maintain a healthy weight. Sugar throws off this system and makes us hungry and fat. Worse, sugar is likely responsible for the epidemic of obesity, type II diabetes, metabolic syndrome, heart disease, and cancer. With a beach vacation on the horizon, I took the plunge and gave up sugar in April. I had a few early bumps in the road with my new diet. On day 3 of no sugar I filmed Shelia’s Gluten Free Apple Pie Demo. No one in their right mind would pass up homemade gluten free apple pie alamode – nor should they! In my second week of no sugar my Jewish friend gave me leftover Passover cakes. I intended to stash them in the freezer but mistakenly took a little taste…….followed by a big taste. A few days later it was time to assemble my son’s Easter basket using the stuff I’d bought and stashed prior to my sugar education. I decided to have one last sugar binge on Easter weekend. I polished off a bag of egg shaped Reese’s Pieces and an entire flock of Peeps. Since then avoiding sugar has gone surprisingly well.

The cravings slowly vanished and I developed a feeling of satiety that I haven’t experienced in the past. I eat when I’m hungry and stop when I’m full. I’ve lost 5 pounds without being hungry. When diagnosed with celiac I knew I had to eat gluten free for the rest of my life to protect my health. I now realize I may need to eat sugar free for the rest of my life too for the same reason.

**Have questions or want additional information? Feel free to send comments or questions to lisa@glutenfreelivingnow.org. You may also read Lisa’s bio at http://www.glutenfreelivingnow.org/Meet_Our_Bloggers.html. We’re sure you will find Lisa’s bio quite impressive.