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addicted to sweets-any suggestions?

Hi everyone I’m pretty new in this whole “raw-food” thing )about 2 months) and I have this big problems- I have sugar cravings which are awful! I try to overcome them eating fresh and dried fruit, but I end up eating quite lots of them which isn’t really healthy. Any suggestions on how I might overcome this addiction? Thanks Ori

Comments

  • Hello! well in my opinion, I think you should be able to eat all the fresh fruit you want! I don’t eat any dehydrated fruit, not for any reason, I’ve just never got into it. But fresh fruit is really good for you and requires the smallest amount of digestive energy than any other food. But you just wanna make sure you eat it alone! I mean, make sure you get in your veggies as well, but in my opinion I wouldn’t worry too much about it. I’m new to raw too, and when I first started, I craved nuts, (especially cashews!), like crazy. And they are WAY higher in calories and fat than your fruit is, so I wouldn’t stress too much!

  • elizabethhelizabethh Raw Newbie

    Although this is normal for transitioning, I would have to respectfully disagree with chelsey09, I don’t believe it’s alright or healthy to constantly be eating sweet fruit (fresh or dried), and to experience strong cravings for it. The only exception for what I’m about to say is if you are very active and are moving a lot all day. Essentially, constant cravings for sweet and dried fruit is a very good indicator that your blood sugar level are out of wack (i.e. going up with the eating of a high glucose load fruit…and down….and then up with another eating….and down), which is unhealthy for a number of reasons, ranging from insulin resistance to skin problems. I eat a great deal of fruit in the morning, because I exercise in the morning. Its also a healthy pick me up in the afternoon, although I tend to prefer a non-sweet veggie salad, or pair the fruit with some coconut oil or a small handful of sprouted nuts.

    I believe eating large amounts of sweet fruit, and perhaps only sweet fruit, may be natural. However, this would naturally be paired with constant physical activity, and most of us are studying or at desk jobs. Therefore I think it’s important to take this into consideration and modify our diets in order to keep blood sugar levels in check. This theory has prompted me to pair fruits with seeds and EFAs to slow the release of the sugar, and whenever I can, counteract intake of fruit with physical activity. Also, I incorporate a vegan, cooked meal in the evening, with nothing refined, fried, processed, baked, etc. (A small portion of cooked gluten free grain and lightly steamed veggies, maybe with some cooked beans). After a year of being 100% raw, and incorporating this into my evening meal, I have experienced only positive effects on my health (I take digestive enzymes and probiotics with this cooked meal). I feel much less unbalanced an jittery now.

    On a final note, of course sweet fruit contains innumerable benefits nutrition wise. I just think, taking into consideration all I’ve said above, they should be eaten in moderation.

    Of course, this is a personal choice, I’m sure there are people who disagree with me. Anyway, that’s my two cents, best of luck to you!

  • elizabethhelizabethh Raw Newbie

    Although this is normal for transitioning, I would have to respectfully disagree with chelsey09, I don’t believe it’s alright or healthy to constantly be eating sweet fruit (fresh or dried), and to experience strong cravings for it. The only exception for what I’m about to say is if you are very active and are moving a lot all day. Essentially, constant cravings for sweet and dried fruit is a very good indicator that your blood sugar level are out of wack (i.e. going up with the eating of a high glucose load fruit…and down….and then up with another eating….and down), which is unhealthy for a number of reasons, ranging from insulin resistance to skin problems. I eat a great deal of fruit in the morning, because I exercise in the morning. Its also a healthy pick me up in the afternoon, although I tend to prefer a non-sweet veggie salad, or pair the fruit with some coconut oil or a small handful of sprouted nuts.

    I believe eating large amounts of sweet fruit, and perhaps only sweet fruit, may be natural. However, this would naturally be paired with constant physical activity, and most of us are studying or at desk jobs. Therefore I think it’s important to take this into consideration and modify our diets in order to keep blood sugar levels in check. This theory has prompted me to pair fruits with seeds and EFAs to slow the release of the sugar, and whenever I can, counteract intake of fruit with physical activity. Also, I incorporate a vegan, cooked meal in the evening, with nothing refined, fried, processed, baked, etc. (A small portion of cooked gluten free grain and lightly steamed veggies, maybe with some cooked beans). After a year of being 100% raw, and incorporating this into my evening meal, I have experienced only positive effects on my health (I take digestive enzymes and probiotics with this cooked meal). I feel much less unbalanced an jittery now.

    Of course, this is a personal choice, I’m sure there are people who disagree with me. Anyway, that’s my two cents, best of luck to you!

  • angie207angie207 Raw Master

    Dried fruits are generally not raw, & for me, any non-raw food fuels an addiction for more cooked food. But mangoes, dates, bananas, apples, oranges, pineapple…Yum! I have had type 1 diabetes, and I have been eating high raw for 3 years. My blood sugar is MORE balanced than ever, as long as I eat whatever appeals to me, as much as I want, and combined or not combined as I desire – as long as it’s all raw. Sometimes I combine my fruits with coconut oil &/or nuts, and sometimes I eat 5 mangoes for a meal, and then eat something else later. For me, the important thing is to eat raw & “listen to my body” – I find I’m drawn to what’s best for me. :)

  • iknikn

    Strong sugar cravings might indicate fungi in your system. Do you have any problems with candida, or nail fungi? If so, you need to cut out sweets fruits for a while. Fungi strives on sugar.

  • iknikn

    Strong sugar cravings might indicate fungi in your system. Do you have any problems with candida, or nail fungi? If so, you need to cut out sweets fruits for a while. Fungi strives on sugar.

  • chriscarltonchriscarlton Raw Newbie

    No one could possibly give you truly helpful advice because we know nothing about you, your diet now or your history. This is my biggest problem with forums. Even Doctors won’t diagnose and prescribe without knowing a lot more.

    As you can see from the first few posts you are going to get different advice about what you are doing and also on what you should do. You may choose to follow one of these opinions. It may help or it may exaggerate the problem. Who knows?

    You are also very new and didn’t mention what level you are at with raw or how much you have changed your diet. For all we know you were 30% raw in month one and are now 50% raw in month two. Or maybe you are Raw for breakfast and sometimes lunch, when you can be, which may only be 4 days a week.

    There is nothing wrong with being new, it’s just a bad time to ask for random advice. The best thing to do it first is to learn how to consistently eat raw foods. As much raw foods as you can. Every day will be different. Every week will be different. Month, Year etc. Reacting to one specific thing or another, especially early on, can cause you to Yo-Yo which is not pleasant.

    That being said… If you want some ‘general advice’ on cravings. Here is the best I’ve got… *more greens, more greens, more greens. Greens will bring you into balance the fastest. Greens are the craving killer! No matter what the craving. It doesn’t matter how you get more greens. Eat them however you like them. The more you like them the more you will eat them.

    I don’t mind if you make a 32 oz. Date and Kale smoothie and chug it down 15 minutes after getting out of bed. If it works for you and you don’t have an adverse reaction from it afterwards, then go for it. I used to eat 1 pound of ground beef, 6 eggs, 4 cheese slices and a half a bottle of ketchup for breakfast so for me at that point in my life a 64oz. Date and Kale smoothie would be like a water fast. It all relative!

    If you want some more detailed and useful advice please write me at my website. Emails are still free, so you’ve got nothing to loose. Be prepared to give me lots of details about you, where you are and where you have been. Or if you want you can lay all that out here in this public forum.

    Our bodies run on sugar. You will never and don’t need to “overcome this addiction” You only need to overcome the habit of using sugar to satisfy more than your bodies nutritional requirements. It’s very likely this isn’t even a physical problem, addictions usually are not.

    Get addicted to seriously taking care of yourself. It’s one addiction that truly satisfies!

    Lovebows, Chris

  • oriori

    Thank you very much everybody, the tips seem very helpful! I’m really in the beginning of the process and although I’ve been eating 90-100% raw these last couple of months, I feel like I’m still not balanced enough. Hopefully I’ll find my way

  • ZoeZoe Raw Newbie

    it takes time like everyone says. I just wanted to share that during my transition, when I was about 3 months 100% up until I was about 6 or 7 months in all I ate were puddings and sweets! I would have a whole apple pie and about a half of a strawberry pie and that would be it, all day. It didn’t do me any harm, here I am 3 1/2 years 100% raw and eating mainly greens, salad and green juice. It all balances out eventually, I say enjoy it while it lasts lol !;)

  • bittbitt Raw Newbie

    yeah I agree, i eat more sweet things some days than other. fruit, dates, etc. are great compared to cane sugar.

  • GO FRUIT!! lOl Yeah, I mean, picture what we all used to eat. I think we’re pretty much better off with the fresh, natural fruit and veggies we eat now… Just take it slow and your body will adjust and you’ll figure it out. I mean, like I said earlier, I felt like a major pig when I was eating so many nuts. But now, the craving’s gone. Sooner or later, if it is just cravings, You’ll get sick of eating so much fresh fruit and start eating more veggies too. Don’t stress it too much! :)

  • Well the oldtime school say fiber and protien to balance blodsugar. Greensmoothies contains all that, so that is what I would surgest. Make a big portion and drink and take it with you doing the day. A little nuts specialy almonds can take the worse cravings in the moment. But the most important thing is to keep a stable blodsugar doing the day so you wont get thouse ups and downs. Many small meals (or cups of greensmoothies) can help with that. Oh and when I talk about greensmoothies im talking about the ones with LOTS of leafygreens in them ;-)

  • lzhptlzhpt Raw Newbie

    I’m with ikn on this one, having battled serious candida long before going raw. When I finally went raw, I detoxed a candida rash out my ears, down my neck and when it finally reached my chest, it disappeared. Never did I limit my fruit intake, but i did not eat dried fruit. It took about 2 weeks. I am once again battling the candida, which this time manifested as out of control cooked starch cravings that I really couldn’t manage, even with my greens. So it MAY not be you—but you may be feeding the fungus, especially if this is not your normal raw pattern of eating. You can have a blood test done to look at candida levels—a naturopath would be more open to this idea, if you are unsure. Are there other symptoms? Eye floaters, fogginess, bloating, muscle aches, insomnia, bumpy, very itchy skin rash, nasty mood, burning hands and feet, especially at night. More obvious of course would be frequent vaginal yeast infections.

  • iknikn

    Izhpt: drink many- many cups of Pau D’arco tea a day. that helps kill the fungi. It takes a very LOOONG time to get rid of it. I battled nail fungi and took 3-4 months to clear up my nails.

  • iknikn

    Izhpt: drink many- many cups of Pau D’arco tea a day. that helps kill the fungi. It takes a very LOOONG time to get rid of it. I battled nail fungi and took 3-4 months to clear up my nails.

  • WinonaWinona Raw Newbie

    Chris has excellent advice on this topic. He’s a long time raw fooder, while most of us are new to raw. His recommendations have been more helpful to me than anyone else on any forum. Eating greens is a very wise idea! Also, eat anything you want as long as it’s raw. This is the best advice you’ll ever hear: ”The best thing to do it first is to learn how to consistently eat raw foods. As much raw foods as you can.” Once you learn to consistently eat raw foods, everything else will fall into place.

  • lzhptlzhpt Raw Newbie

    So true, Winona, and I know if I just stayed 100% raw, things would clear up—eventually, but I don’t have the patience for that. When you have raging candida, the addition of a natural anti-fungal or several in rotation is a Godsend. A guy just wouldn’t get that unless they’ve walked in my shoes, even the most experienced raw guy in the world. ikn-the GSE works REALLY well for me. I have also had great success with oregano oil dropped into a capsule. Pau D’arco is another good one, which I will look into if the GSE stops working for me. This is the only flare-up I’ve had in more than 2 years. I hope I’m not misunderstood—100% raw IS the only way to keep it away, but when it is acute, I treat it along with 100% raw foods.

  • Ori -

    You might want to look into the IZO Cleanze, Matt Amsden is promoting on his Euphoria Loves RAWvolution site. There are claims that it curbs sweet cravings.

    I do not know anything about this product. I would be interested to know if anyone at GR has tried it. Anyway, when I saw this thread I thought I would share. Just received e-mail from Euphoria last night.

    Here is the site for the IZO Cleanze…

    http://izocleanze.com/index_html

    Here is the site for the Juice Feasting that is also mentioned…

    http://www.juicefeasting.com/

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