Food for Thought Healthy Cooking Club - Issue 2 – May 26, 2019 Page 1

Food For Thought Issue 2 May 26, 2019 Contact: Dany Raymond – 0417408736 Email: danyraymond@gmail.com

Certified Chip Facilitator & Certified Depression Recovery Program Director “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers”.3 John 1:2

elcome to our 2nd Food for Thought Healthy Cooking Club Meeting for 2019. Thank you for being part of our club for without you, the Food for Thought Cooking Club would not exist. We look forward to having you this year.

& some new recipes. Let’s

Please note that all recipes are free from animal products and refined sugar. Cost: $10 per person per session, unless otherwise mentioned. Please pay on attendance.

How to Beat Sugar Addiction, Stop

Cravings, & Feel Better April 16, 2019 / By Carrie Forrest, MPH in Nutrition

Before we get into tips to help beat sugar

addiction for good, let’s discuss the reasons

why it’s so easy to get addicted to sugar in the

first place.

Sugar is Everywhere

Sugar plays a huge role in our lives. It is

present in most processed foods and restaurant

meals, even ones that don’t seem sweet. If

you’re following a Standard American Diet or

eating a lot of packaged foods, you’re over-

consuming sugar. Even if you’re eating a

healthy diet, you can still have an issue with

sugar addiction.

Is Sugar Addictive?

There is no doubt that for the majority of

people, sugar can cause addiction-like

symptoms. Obsessing over sugar, being unable

to moderate your intake, and experiencing

withdrawal symptoms without it are all good

markers that you have an addictive pattern with

sugar consumption. Quitting sugar is more

than breaking a habit or a matter of willpower.

Sugar addiction is more comparable to that of

nicotine or caffeine addiction that that of a drug

addiction. Others think that sugar addiction is

a psychological addiction rather than a

physical addition. However, that doesn’t

decrease the significance of the addiction.

Sugar consumption, like that of all

hyperpalatable foods, triggers our brain’s

reward system. A release of dopamine and a

rise in serotonin associates these foods with

pleasure, and rewires our brain to crave more

of them to continue releasing dopamine.

Symptoms of Sugar Addiction

If you’re still unsure if you’re addicted to

sugar, consider the possible symptoms below:

W

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• Intense sugar cravings. If you need something sweet to finish off your meal or experience a need for sugary snacks in the afternoon or at night, you might be fighting a sugar addiction. Thinking about sugary treats between meals and obsessively searching for new dessert recipes can be a sign of sugar addiction.

• Carbohydrate cravings and loss of moderation control. A sugar addiction can also manifest as intense carb cravings, such as wanting a giant bowl of pasta. Carbohydrates convert to glucose (sugar) in our bodies and have a similar reward effect in our brains. With addiction, one slice of bread doesn’t suffice–you need at least half the loaf.

• Withdrawal symptoms. If you experience irritability, headaches, a racing heart, stomach issues, muscle tremors, or sweating in the absence of sugar, those are signs of withdrawal.

Ten Tips for How to Beat Sugar Addiction

Addiction is a serious issue that should be

treated with care and under the guidance of a

licensed healthcare professional. But, these ten

tips should help get you started on the right

path for addressing your sugar addiction,

stopping the cravings, and, ultimately, finding

freedom.

1. Consider a therapist to help break the

addictive cycle

Having support is an important part of

breaking a habit or addiction. A therapist can

provide strategies to manage stress and make

breaking your addiction a success. It’s also

important to make sure that you don’t just go

from one addiction to another. Working with a

professional therapist is really important to

help stay addiction-free.

2. Consider a sugar detox

Quitting cold turkey from sugar may be overly

stressful and even unsuccessful, depending on

your unique personality. Having a gameplan

with a sugar detox can help you be successful

in breaking your addiction, and support your

body as it rids itself of toxins. Learn more

about how to do a sugar detox.

3. Address past or current stressors that

might be causing dependency

As with most addictions, sugar addiction is

rarely about the sugar itself. There are likely

underlying stressors or traumas that sugar

consumption helps mitigate. Make it a point to

be present with yourself and tune into your

patterns. Do you always reach for sugar after a

stressful day? Do you experience a craving

after you encounter a trigger for a past trauma?

Awareness is the first step.

4. Consider complete avoidance

Depending on your personality type,

completely cutting sugar and sweet foods can

break your addiction successfully. Remove

any sugar and sweet foods from your home–

make it a family effort, if necessary. Cutting

out or reducing sugar can only benefit

everyone! Avoid sugary foods, limit natural

sugars including high-sugar fruits and

sweeteners, and eliminate non-caloric

sweeteners as well–even stevia, monkfruit, etc.

Sweeteners still activate your brain’s reward

centre. Learn more about what you can eat on

a no sugar diet.

5. Be gentle with yourself

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Remember that you are breaking an addiction

that is probably not even your choice–the

majority of Americans are raised on sugar.

You’re undoing years of programming. Be

proud that you are undergoing this and

improving your health. Celebrate the wins and

support yourself during missteps.

6. Replace the habit

You don’t want to trade one addiction for

another. Even if it’s an addiction to eating

healthy, it’s still an addiction and inherently

harmful. Instead, be mindful of the difference

between a habit and an addiction. If it serves

you, consider replacing dessert with an after-

meal walk or a cup of herbal tea.

7. Ensure micronutrient sufficiency

If you’re deficient in

micronutrients, that can

lead to sugar cravings. Eat

a variety of foods,

especially a rainbow of

vegetables.

Supplementation can also

be a huge help to ensure micronutrient

sufficiency.

8. Eat enough protein and healthy fats

Fat and protein satiate our bodies and keep

blood sugar levels stable. Eat a breakfast high

in protein, and choose snacks that have a nice

balance of protein and healthy fats. A balanced

diet should lead to a decrease in sugar cravings.

9. Conversely, eat enough carbs and

enough in general

Undereating carbohydrates for too long can

cause your body to crave starch and sugar to

produce glucose. Choose complex carbs like

sweet potatoes, brown rice, and lots of

vegetables.

If you’re undereating, your body reacts with

sugar cravings for two reasons. One, your body

believes it’s starving. Cortisol increases,

causing you to seek hyper-palatable foods to

quickly raise your blood sugar. Two, if you’re

not eating enough, you’re also not eating

enough micronutrients. Stress from cortisol

increases also robs your body of

micronutrients, specifically B vitamins and

magnesium.

10. Get enough sleep

Sleep deficiency reduces insulin sensitivity

and increases stress hormones, which both

contribute to imbalanced blood sugar and

subsequent sugar cravings. Aim for 8-9 hours

of uninterrupted sleep a night. If you are

having trouble getting quality sleep, check out

my helpful sleep hacks.

FAQs About Sugar Addiction

How do you break a sugar addiction?

The most important things when breaking a

sugar addiction include having a gameplan and

having a support system. This is an excellent

time to examine your thoughts and patterns and

how they contribute to your habits and any

other addictions. Learn about yourself and

your family’s history with addiction, and

determine if you have an addictive personality.

Following the tips listed can help you beat your

addiction.

What deficiency causes sugar cravings?

Often, sugar cravings are related to a

nutritional deficiency. Consider both

macronutrient and micronutrient deficiencies.

Undereating any macronutrient can lead to

sugar cravings. The same goes for

micronutrients, but there are some

micronutrient deficiencies that are closely

correlated with sugar cravings. These include:

• Magnesium. Found in leafy greens,

dark chocolate/cacao, and nuts/seeds.

• Vitamin C. Found in citrus fruits and

cruciferous veggies.

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• Trace minerals such as copper,

chromium, etc. Found in whole foods

and unrefined salts.

• B Vitamins. Found in animal products,

most veggies, and some fruits like

avocado and banana.

If you’re worried about what you can eat when

on a sugar-free diet, don’t worry! I’ll share tips

and meal ideas on a no sugar diet. First, let’s

talk about why going sugar-free can benefit

health.

Sugar in the American Diet

Sugar consumption is at an all-time high. The

average American consumes at least 17

teaspoons of sugar a day, when the

recommended amount is ideally about 6

teaspoons for women and 9 teaspoons for men.

If you’re following a standard American diet,

chances are that you’ll find sugar in nearly

everything you eat. Sugar is sneaky, making its

way into even savory foods–you likely have no

idea how much you’re actually consuming.

This is particularly true of processed foods,

which often make up the majority of some

Americans’ diets. Roughly 39% of Americans

are obese, and there’s evidence that sugar is a

major culprit.

The Problem With Refined Sugars

Overconsumption of sugar has a wide and

long-lasting array of consequences, many of

which we’re still uncovering. Over 50 years

ago, the sugar industry played a key role in the

demonization of fat as the cause of coronary

heart disease.

Even though we know that sugar is likely even

more of a risk factor for heart disease than fat

now, the “low fat” trend is still really popular.

Food manufacturers take out fat from

packaged foods, but then add in sugar to make

the food taste good.

The problem with replacing fat with sugar is

that healthy fat satiates and is crucial for the

majority of the body’s processes, while added

sugars have no health benefits, other than

contributing empty calories and likely adding

to inflammation and disease.

How Sugar is Harming Our Health

Sugar harms our health by sabotaging weight

management, increasing inflammation, and

leading to addiction.

1. Overweight & Obesity

When you consume sugar, whether natural or

refined, your body has to go through a variety

of metabolic processes. First, your blood sugar

levels raise. Your pancreas gets the signal to

produce insulin, whose job it is to send the

sugar to your cells for use or to be stored as fat.

The issue with sugar and weight management

primarily comes when we consume more sugar

than needed for cellular function. Insulin will

move the excess sugar to be stored as fat for a

rainy day (or, at least one when there’s no food

available!)

In addition, the constant stress of insulin

secretion in response to blood sugar swings

from simple sugars plays a key factor in the

body’s ability to maintain a healthy weight.

When you’re stressed, your body naturally

feels unsafe and is more likely to store food as

fat in the event that you need glycogen to fuel

your muscles (if you’re running from a tiger)

or if a famine is on the horizon (if there’s not

enough food to sustain health).

2. Inflammation

The dramatic blood sugar spike and drop from

consuming sugar can trigger your body’s stress

response, which includes an inflammatory

response. If your blood sugar is constantly

spiking and crashing, you’re experiencing

inflammation each time. You’re now in a state

of chronic inflammation, which can cause a

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multitude of issues like autoimmune diseases,

Type 2 diabetes, and mood disorders.

3. Addiction

Most of us try very hard to steer clear of

harmful addictive drugs. We know they’re bad

for us and that they hijack the body to make us

crave them. But if you’re not considering sugar

to be one of these addictive drugs–think again!

Sugar and sweeteners have a hyperpalatable

taste that trigger your brain’s reward centre,

eventually rewiring your brain to seek out

these substances to continue reaping the

dopamine rush. So, make no mistake, sugar

can be highly addictive.

What Sugar Free & No Sugar Means

Being sugar free can mean different things to

different people. For some, it may mean no

processed sugar, but natural sugar is allowed.

For others, it may mean cutting processed

sugar and limiting natural sugars as well. And

for a few, it may mean no processed sugar, no

natural sugar, and no natural sweeteners either

(i.e., stevia, monkfruit, yacon syrup). Read

more about doing a sugar detox if you want to

go cold turkey.

For this article, we’ll go with the moderate

approach of cutting processed sugar and

limiting natural sugars as well. This means

limiting fruit to several servings a day or less,

and reserving natural sweeteners like honey,

maple syrup, or coconut sugar to special

occasions.

No Sugar Diet Plan

If you’re concerned about what you can eat on

a no sugar diet, then rest assured that there are

tons of choices. In fact, if you decided to avoid

processed foods and just ate whole foods, then

you would naturally be close to a no sugar diet.

You can check out my clean eating food list for

a list of foods that I consider to be part of a real

food approach. You might also like my post

about how to eat clean without starving

yourself.

If you want more guidance on how to fill a

clean eating plate, then you can get my Clean

Eating Meal & Snack Guide.

Also, if you’re going sugar-free, you might

want to check out my tips for going sugar-free

without going crazy.

Here are my favourite ways to go sugar-

free without going crazy!

1. Increase Fat Intake to Improve

Satiation

One gram of fat contains 9 calories while one

gram of sugar contains 4 calories. Fat is more

satiating, making you feel more full for a

longer period of time. If you eat more fat you’ll

generally crave less sweet stuff.

Opt for healthy fats like avocados, nuts, seeds,

coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, and fattier

fish like salmon, mackerel and sardines. I find

that adding more healthy fat sources to my diet

definitely decreases my after-meal or snack

time cravings for sugary treats.

2. Get More Sleep to Balance Hunger

Hormones

Studies have shown that shorter sleep duration

is associated with an elevated body mass

index. The reason for this is because your

appetite regulating hormones (leptin and

ghrelin) are negatively impacted by sleep debt,

causing you to crave easy sources of energy

that often come from sugar.

If you make sleep a priority and aim to get at

least 7-9 hours per night your hunger hormones

balance out and your cravings for the sweet

stuff are reduced. Getting consistent solid sleep

is one of my biggest challenges, but it’s gotten

so much better using my healthy sleep hacks.

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3. Practise Stress Management

Techniques to Control Emotional

Eating

I often hear women (and men too) say that they

didn’t mean to eat whatever their sweet treat of

choice may have been, but stress made them do

it. I’ve been there, friend! Emotional eating is

common among those who are stressed out, but

there are ways to control it.

Adopt a meditation practice, go for a walk

outside, sip some calming tea, meet up with a

friend for yoga, or try some breathing

exercises. The 4-7-8 breathing exercise has

been known to work well in times of stress.

Finding something to take your mind off your

sugar cravings is necessary when you’ve been

involved in a stressful event and are prone to

emotional eating.

If you think you have a true sugar addiction,

then you might need professional help. See this

post about how to beat sugar addiction.

4. Use Fruit to Satisfy Your Sweet

Tooth

Low glycemic fruits such as berries, green

apples, and fruits from the citrus family are

good natural options to help you satisfy a sweet

craving. These fruits provide a hint of

sweetness while also providing you with a fair

amount of fiber and beneficial phytonutrients.

The fiber fills you up and the phytonutrients

provide your body with vitamins and minerals

that help you meet nutrient requirements so

you don’t try to seek them out somewhere else.

5. Drink More Water

Often times you may think you’re hungry

when in fact your body is in need of some

hydration. Drinking one to two glasses of

water when you get a sugar craving can help

quell that craving. Drinking plenty of water

throughout the day also helps keep cravings at

bay.

If you aren’t a fan of plain water, try adding

slices of fruits, cucumbers or mint to your

water to make it more pleasing to your palate.

I’m also a big fan of sparkling mineral water or

naturally flavoured carbonated water.

6. Boost Your Serotonin Levels

Serotonin is also known as the happiness

hormone. Serotonin levels can be raised

through exercise, a nutritious diet and plenty of

restorative sleep. People with higher serotonin

levels are less likely to crave sweets.

There are also supplements that can help boost

serotonin levels. I take 5-HTP for just that

purpose (be sure to check with your healthcare

provider to make sure it’s right for you).

6. Boost Your Serotonin Levels

Serotonin is also known as the happiness

hormone. Serotonin levels can be raised

through exercise, a nutritious diet and plenty of

restorative sleep. People with higher serotonin

levels are less likely to crave sweets.

There are also supplements that can help boost

serotonin levels. I take 5-HTP for just that

purpose (be sure to check with your healthcare

provider to make sure it’s right for you).

Here are some specific sweetener products

that I have tried and recommend (some

affiliate codes included):

• Lakanto Monkfruit sweetener

• Stir sweetener (contains coconut sugar

+ fibre)

8. Know Your Limits

Some people report that even just a tiny hint of

something sweet provokes intense sugar

cravings. For these people, it is recommended

that they quit all sweet stuff temporarily. This

includes fruit and safe zero-calorie sugar

alternatives. Read more about doing a sugar

detox here.

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If you fall into this category, as many people

with insulin resistance often do, you can add

back in sweet alternatives once your taste buds

have been reset. This can be anywhere from

two weeks to a full year. You’ll just have to

know what works for you through intuition and

trial and error.

Sugar is Often A Comfort Food

Not kidding, going sugar-free wasn’t an option

for me most of my life. I used sugar and sweets

as my comfort and way of staying sane, so

cutting it out would have just added more

stress to my life. A lot.

In fact, it wasn’t until I got serious about

managing my stress and learning how to get in

touch with my feelings that I was able to stop

using sugar as my coping mechanism. Once

this happened, I felt so. much freedom. I can’t

even tell you how freeing it is to eat dessert but

because I want to, not because I have to.

I know not everyone eats sugar for emotional

reasons, some people eat a lot of sugar simply

because it tastes so darned good. Our brains

and bodies have evolved for us to seek out

pleasurable foods. But, the truth remains that

many of us go overboard with sugars,

especially refined sugars. That’s what it’s not

a bad idea to think about going sugar-free or

simply cutting back on sugars from your diet.

That’s where this post comes in!

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Recipes

SMOOTHIE

POWER BREAKFAST SMOOTHIE

Ingredients

1 cup (250 ml) unsweetened almond milk.

1 ripe banana, frozen.

½ cup (125 ml) chopped mango, frozen.

1-2 large handfuls of baby spinach.

¼ cup (60 ml) pumpkin seeds (pepita seeds)

2 Tbsp (30 ml) hemp hearts (hulled hemp seeds)

2 dates

¼ cup water or sparkling water

Preparation:

1. Place all ingredients in the blender and blend at high speed until pulverised.

MUFFIN BLUEBERRY APPLESAUCE MUFFIN

Ingredients

1 cup unsweetened apple puree

¼ cup melted coconut oil

¼ cup coconut sugar

1 flax egg (1 Tbs ground flax + 3 Tbs water)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients

1 ½ cup oat flour

¾ cup almond meal

¾ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

Add-ins

¾ cup fresh blueberries

Optional for topping

2 tablespoons blueberries

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Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together all the wet ingredients: apple puree, coconut oil, coconut sugar,

flax egg, and vanilla. Whisk until well incorporated.

3. Add oat flour, almond meal, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk together making sure

no flour patches remain. Gently fold in blueberries.

4. Using an ice-cream scoop, scoop and drop batter evenly into paper muffin cups. Smooth batter

into an even layer and press blueberries gently into the tops of the muffins.

5. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Insert a toothpick in the centre. If it comes out clean, the muffins are

ready. Allow to cool on a cooling rack.

DATE PASTE

Ingredients

12 cups dates (pitted)

1½ cups water

Preparation:

1. Place the dates in a bowl and cover with enough water to just cover the dates and let soak for about an hour.

2. After an hour, drain the dates and reserve the soaking liquid. 3. Place the dates in a blender, preferably a smaller blender jar for this amount. Process

the dates, adding the soaking liquid, 1 tablespoon at a time until the mixture is smooth, but still thick. This will require 1/4 to 1/2 cup of soaking liquid depending on the type of dates, freshness of the dates and the length of time they soaked.

4. Serve on toasts.

MAIN COURSE

MUSHROOM STROGONOFF

Ingredients

3 cups fresh portobello mushrooms, sliced 1 small brown onion, peeled and diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 Tbs dairy-free margarine

2 cups vegetable broth/stock 1 cup raw cashews 1Tbs fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried) 1 Tbs fresh rosemary (or 1 tsp dried) 1Tbs fresh oregano (or 1 tsp dried)

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Preparation:

1. Place cashews and half a cup of water in a blender or food processor and

leave to soak.

2. In a large pot, sauté the mushrooms, onion and garlic in vegan margarine for

3 – 5 minutes, until onions are translucent.

3. Reduce heat to medium low and add vegetable broth. Cover and allow to

simmer for 30 minutes.

4. Blend cashews until smooth and creamy.

5. Add the cashew cream and herbs to the pot, stirring well to combine. Allow to

simmer for another 20 minutes. If the stew looks too thick, add a little water.

6. Serve on brown rice or pasta.

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own.” 1 Corinthians 6:19