Sugar Guidelines

I've started really trying to cut back on my sugar consumption. I find the more I educate myself on nutrition and the affects of sugar in particular, the less interested I am in consuming it. When I think about eating something sweet, I also consider how it often makes me feel (drowsy and unfocused) and the possible long-term consequences (increased susceptibility to illness, cancer, heart disease).
 

In general I try not to be legalistic about how I eat, but here are some general guidelines I try to follow.
 

• One sweet or dessert item per day, but still being conscientious about what I choose in most cases. Examples are a piece of dark chocolate, a small serving of homemade ice cream, or a naturally sweetened homemade cake or cookie. Desserts pre-made or prepared by others are only eaten occasionally, as the usually contain more sugar than things I make myself.
• Small amounts of natural sweetener can be added to foods where appropriate. For example, maple syrup on pancakes, honey in muffins, or rapadura-sweetened jam in oatmeal.
• Little to no juice, as it typically contains almost all of the sugar of more fruit then I would eat in one sitting, but none of the fiber and other nutrients.
• Avoid all added sugar in non-dessert dishes such as sauces and meats. Small quantities of natural sweetener added to homemade condiments such ketchup and chutneys.
• Fermented drinks such as Kombucha, made with white sugar, are fine, as the sugar is a necessary part of the fermentation process and does not result in a sugary beverage.

I'll be the first to admit I don't always follow my own guidelines, especially in social situations or when traveling. But this is a blog about the journey, and the above are a guide I've recently been working to follow.