Friday Food – Full-fat Yogurt Treats (and sugar rant)

Posted on by Prior...

Happy Friday everyone. 

Are you looking for a satisfying yogurt treat? I invite you to make your own treats – less plastic packaging (and all those little cups means our food has more contact with more plastic at factory and in the store). Also, most store-bought yogurt has way too much sugar added – or questionable chemical sweeteners. 

Today’s snack version is high-fat, flavor-packed and offers low natural sugar (just a little “ose” from the yogurt and blueberries). 

Recipe for Satisfying Yogurt Treat

1 cup Full-fat Greek Yogurt (plain) 

1/3 cup of Blueberries (fresh or frozen)

1/3 cup Chopped Walnuts 

Full-fat Greek yogurt (plain) – blueberries and chopped walnuts. Almost no sugar – packed with flavor – and makes you feel full and satisfied – while it also nourishes the body and feeds the brain the rich with oils and fats.

This next version of yogurt snacks are some I made for students. 

Full-fat plain yogurt (not Greek – just the regular full-fat plain), blueberries and I took some frozen raspberries and pure stevia to make a little puree. 

It was only “ok” but was nice to experiment (students ate it up). 

 

Back in the 1980’s I used to buy an 8 oz. container of Breyer’s yogurt with fruit on the bottom. I’d pull up in my little black car and buy them from a gas station – they sold the yogurt right there in the back cooler. 

Back then, the yogurt on top was plain and had lots of fat. The yogurt was also a bit sour and I used to dip spoonfuls of  the plain yogurt – ever so lightly  – into the bottom fruit puree.  When the plain yogurt was gone, I would toss the leftover puree – because I had enough sweetness with the little dips. 

Those days are long gone. Almost all of the “yogurt with fruit on the bottom” cups now have vanilla-sweetened yogurt on the top. And many have high-fructose puree. 

I am sure there are some brands that still use plain yogurt, and maybe cost three dollars a cup – but the yogurt aisle in most stores is a very deceptive place.  Most yogurt cups are just another source of way too much sugar.  This is sad too because I see folks smile when they grab a spoon to enjoy what they view as a healthy daily yogurt, but maybe it is not as healthy as they think. ((And don’t even get me started on how some yogurts offer  fiber and give the illusion of a healthy bulking agent in their brand – if you need fiber – don’t try to get it from your yogurt – try apple pectin powder and a little psyllium – or other things).

  And yes – maybe some of the yogurt cups have whisper hints of probiotics – but still way too much sugar – or worse – they have harmful (or at least questionable) sugar substitutes that wreak havoc at the cellular level. Or don’t taste good……

Part 2: Author Note

I did not mean to have a sugar rant today – but this is what happened when I sat down to post. 

Please feel free to skip this next section if you are not in the mood to read. Or perhaps come back later – 🙂  If not – I hope you enjoy your Friday. 

___

I seriously want to be careful before I talk too much about sugar.  It seems like the topic of sugar (and carbs) can make people defensive and it can be sensitive to talk about – like money, politics, or religion.

At least in my experience this has been the case.

Another problem I see is that people have a blind-eye with CHEMICALS they easily consume that are meant to replace sugars. The only sugar substitute that I think is healthy is pure Stevia.

But keep in mind that once you break free of daily sugar consumption, your taste buds come alive and you need less sweet.

When someone says they have a sweet tooth – well this usually means that they are saying they have a like for sweets.

But we all do – and it is not a sweet tooth – it is in the tongue.

You see, the human tongue has those things called taste buds – – we have sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami (savory and depth) – and yet most of our “everyday” foods today target the sweet taste buds.  

 

It is pretty amazing to see how different foods taste once we get off of refined sugar and carbs. Like these kale chips really did taste better when I tried them “after’ eating what I call “clean” – which means no industrial oils, no refined sugars, no chemicals from a lab. 

Kale Chips: Baked Kale with sea salt and olive oil

 

 

Remember that we were “conditioned” to accept refined sugars and various carbs in copious amounts as “okay” on a daily basis.  This means that we burn glucose as our fuel and not fats – and this also means we are usually feel less satisfied because glucose supplies need to be replenished often.

Many people do not fully understand the way the body processes sugars (fructose, sucrose, glucose, etc.) and even if you have stellar health, refined sugars and refined carbs are processed in the body as a minus food.  This gets worse if you have an illness!  Sugar suppresses the immune system. Period. And if you are serious about your restoring your health and rebuilding your bioterrain, your relationship with sugar is something you must examine. 

I know, I know it is hard to grasp.  There are some popular documentaries on Netflix right now propagating that refined sugar and carbs are dandy and fine for the human body – as they weakly argue the fat-free diet is also optimal.  (Well if a piece of cholesterol gets lodged in an body area it is likely because that area was corrupted – broken down – from leaky gut, ongoing inflammation, nutrient deficiency, pathogens, fungi, etc.)

I know that with conflicting information out there it can feel overwhelming – or make us defensive and guarded – so all that I ask is that you please “chew” on the information and start to think about all angles.  Consider what might be related to “brainwashed-thinking” or “culture-shaping” and consider how the human body processes sugar and how it metabolizes nutrients. 

Sometimes we throw common sense out the window because of familiarity or a conditioned mindset.

Sometimes we cannot be objective because we have an iron hand up and we are defensive. 

Or we judge something that we know little about thinking we have it all figured out. This was me for years – I had some pretty firm opinions that were based on opinion and what I was exposed to in my culture – but that all flipped upside down when I restored my bioterrain and actually “tried” things and stayed open-minded.  And a strong immune system feels real good – just sayin’ – and sugar is an enemy to restoring immune function – especially if you have candidiasis (and it is estimated that almost 70% of Americans do – and they might not have symptoms typical of fungal infections – instead – candidiasis is a type of intestinal fungal hyphae that covers the intestines and stops absorption and also lets off toxic byproducts that make one feel ill).

And again, I am not trying to piss anyone off here. Just an invite to stay open-minded and teachable – because I was the type that was closed-minded for a long time. It took restoring my bioterrain to “see” the truth.

So if what you are doing is working – good for you – keep doing it. 

Seriously – if you are happy and thriving- then “get on with your bad self.”

But if you have weight you cannot drop- if you have sleep issues, mood problems, your organs are breaking down or arthritis robs you of enjoying your day – listen up! – it might be time you consider rebuilding your bio-terrain!!

Your immune system is likely suppressed and your body’s pathways are clogged and the metabolizing might be “off” – which is partly connected to sugar and carb consumption. Things like toast, chips, and crackers are metabolized like sugar in the body. A sugar is a carb but not all carbs are sugar – and so keep in mind that whole grains and pastas are turned into sugar when they get processed in the body.

Want an alternative to regular noodles, which are often made with corrupted wheat that turns into glue inside the gut?  Try zucchini noodles because the grains we use for most pasta are the same grains people had 120 years ago.

Zucchini noodles- – put a nice meat sauce on these and mmmmmm – good.

Get rid of the sugars (and chemical substitutes) and take a look at how many good fats you are taking in. 

Maybe your body is starved of fats and oils. I know mine was for years because I believed the LIE that fat-free was healthy and I did not know about hidden sugars in food.  When you take in a lot of good fats and oils – (and good oils are olive, macadamia nut, coconut, and avocado oils) it not only feeds the brain – but it also moisturizes your skin from the inside out and makes you feel satisfied and “well”.  So many perks – too many to mention now – but feeling a sense of wellness is a gift. And a sugar diet with almost no fat is dangerous to health.

My main point today is to JUST THINK ABOUT THE SUGARS THAT SNEAK INTO THE DIET. 

Maybe today is the day you vow to think about it more. 

Maybe today is the day you at least consider the lens you have been conditioned to look through. 

Can of do you really look at sugars objectively? 

When you brag about having your daily piece of chocolate (and I know dozens of people who say this with a smile) – most of the time you are also having daily refined sugar with it – and that is addictive. You might also be ingesting some dangerous oils (see footnote for MDA) and those industrial oils do PULL from health (the sum of the parts baby). And there can be stabilizers and emulsifiers – and again – all this stuff adds up – and less in food is more. 

  This is why we started making our own chocolate treats (here and here)- we use healthy fats, cocoa, and a dash of pure Stevia (not the corrupted Stevia that has additives to make it cheaper or thicker to feel more like granule-refined sugar). Trust me – I did not feel like making chocolates – I did it out of necessity and so glad I did.  We now have about 5 recipes – they are easy – and really satisfy. 

That is all for this post – thanks for reading – and some closing thoughts:

Please stay open as you explore these topics – and go slow – it takes a while to fully see things – and as Emily Dickinson said: 

“Truth must dazzle gradually. Or every man be blind”

__

Two Resources

1) If you want to think more about the bio-terrain, check out Mr. Common Sense’s old article “It’s All About the Terrain” here

Mr. CS wrote: “Everyone has heard of Louis Pasteur. He is considered the father of the “Germ Theory of Medicine” and he invented the process of pasteurization. Pasteur said that “germs cause illness” and we have to attack the microbes. Amidst a group of physicians and scientists, Claude Bernard made the statement: “The terrain is all; the germ is nothing,” and then drank down a glass of water filled with cholera and didn’t get sick at all. When Pasteur was on his death-bed he said “…the terrain is all” but no one listened, saying he’s a raving man, dying and this final statement of his was ignored”. For more information on this see this link called “The Lost History of Medicine” and you will find it to be a real eye opener, I cannot vouch that it is all true, but I tend to believe it and my current experiences are proving this out. The article also talks about Béchamp who has been expunged from medical history, too bad. Also, for a very, very fascinating read see this article titled simply “Terrain” (astounding read, honestly, if nothing else read this article).”

2) Mark’s Daily Apple has some good info about how  refined oils are NOT GOOD for humans to consume – here

MDA wrote: “Many of the high-oleic seed oils, like corn, soy, canola, sunflower, and safflower, tend to be highly processed.” and are not good for humans. In contrast, “There is far more to olive, mac nut, and avocado oil than the superior fatty acid profiles. They come from internationally renown, time-tested whole foods with incredible health benefits. They’re rich in phytonutrients. They taste great. They’ve undergone extensive vetting in the scientific literature.”

Author Update 3/18/18

Cleaned up typos in this post and did a tad bit of editing for clarity

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58 thoughts on “Friday Food – Full-fat Yogurt Treats (and sugar rant)”

  1. I admit that I skimmed most of this, as I’m just getting ready for breakfast, work, etc. But I always choose sugar as my sweetener of choice (we do use real maple syrup for pancakes, etc.) because I know its effects and can control for that. I don’t use artificial sweeteners because I have my doubts that they’re safe and some haven’t been around long enough for us to really now the long-term effects. Stevia may be an exception.

    I had my first yogurt in Norway in the mid-seventies and it was a revelation–homemade with homemade jam in it! Of course, there was nothing like it at home and I went yogurt-less for years. There are some good yogurts out there (Stonyfield, for instance) and I usually get full-fat and plain, then add my own fruit, homemade granola, and a bit of honey.

    OK, off to have some breakfast. Have a wonderful Friday!

    janet

    Liked by 2 people

    1. thanks
      thanks
      thanks
      for your feedback.
      Especially on the artificial sweeteners – I know some very smart people who seem to get tunnel vision with the common sense safety around chemicals.
      And Janet – this is how I feel too:

      “I have my doubts that they’re safe and some haven’t been around long enough for us to really now the long-term effects.”

      and your yogurt set up sounds wholesome and satisfying – – also – I have never had the kind of homemade Norway yogurt you speak of – but have heard of it and heard it is sour and tangy – and hope your Friday finishes well.

      Liked by 1 person

  2. I try to stick to natural sugars as much as possible. Honey, agave syrup etc. I don’t use salt for seasoning unless I’m cooking for others. And I stay from diet and sugar free stuff because it’s loaded with stuff that is no bueno.
    I enjoy my beverages of choice and there is plenty nough sugar in that. A couple days a week is sufficient for me. If that. Fast food? Love it. But once a month…maybe. I make it a treat and not a habit.
    Very comprehensive post. And yes. . . I read it all. 😀

    Liked by 1 person

    1. you are right about the no beueno crap in the sugar-free stuff – and just something to think about – many times agave and other natural sources of “ose” or sugars can still stress the pancreas, strain the adrenals, and pull from immune function. Any type of sugar – even the wonderful fruit sugar – will put a demand on the body for hormone production process it – and
      if someone has problems (like candida in the fungal form – or pathogens that feed off of “ose” – or heavy metals in blood and fat – well then they need to fortify their body first and then – maybe then – go back to the healthier sources – do you know what I mean?
      —
      and thanks for reading my friend – and side note – I completely enjoyed your post about the arby’s cuban sandwich – but was not logged in at time and could not leave a comment – but I will be back to drop a few lines.
      And we still eat out at these places and just try to make good choices as a lifestyle –
      because one of my mottos lately is
      “enjoy your life”
      and well – just nice to discuss things as we are all on our journey – thanks again for your nice feedback.
      🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. I didn’t even think about it! But yes, you’re right. Thankfully, I abide in moderation. That’s really the key. The winter is when I veer off a tad, but not enough that a good solid weelk doesn’t set me straight again.
        With running and drinking lots of water plus having my snack alternatives- nuts, fruits, plain yogurt and honey- over the stuff that will get me in trouble, I maintain.
        Enjoy your life . . words to live by, indeed!

        Liked by 1 person

  3. That looks yummy but on principle I avoid sugar – it goes straight to my tummy! And it is tough to avoid sweets – some celebrations or the other is always on at home and office. And that involves sharing of sweets and people really take offense if you dont accept a sweet. And we have so many delicious varieties – I can forgo chocolates but not them. I guess I should rephrase my first sentence – I try to avoid sweets but am not very successful 😀 Have a good weekend Y

    Liked by 1 person

    1. thanks for your comment – and goodness – you raised a great point- people do feel offended if we turn down sweets – but this can happen with other things too – like when everyone is drinking alcohol and maybe we are refraining – it can get awkward. (and I have a cool wine story to share on that – maybe can share it soon).
      But one thing I vowed to stop doing was bringing sugar laden treats when we are asked to bring a snack.
      It is tough sometimes – but I feel so much better sending people off with sustenance.
      Like last week – I made some chicken salad with avo oil mayo – and rye crackers.
      anyhow, thanks for the nice comment and I will be “over” soon to check in better – 🙂

      Like

  4. A very comprehensive post 🙂 I do agree with your point. These days, I am never sure what I am buying, even though it says nutritious on top, I am not sure the extent it has processed. Regrading, I usually keep away from sweet things but I am nervous when I am having tea with lots of sugar daily. I wish I could somehow control it. But rest of time, I do try to substitute sugar. Thankfully I like my yogurt with salad and salt. and dark chocolate with less sugar have been my favorites for many year now. Have a great weekend 😀

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Oh Ady – thanks for sharing – and you brought up two really special points that I want to piggy back on.
      First – the uncertainty and confusion – ugh – sometimes it feels overwhelming – eh?
      There is ambiguity out there and so what I have learned (and trust me – years of process to come here and right a post like the one I shared today) – I have learned to go slow and wait for truth to emerge – cos it has a way of doing that – truth surfaces if we give it time – and learned to always aim to first “do no harm” as we listen to our body and try to stay teachable.
      Second, I know many folks that advocate the dark chocolate you mentioned – and our local store called Aldis has a delicious low sugar option – but for me – I try to make my own with stevia.
      so thanks again and also – curious about “yogurt with salad and salt” – sounds really interesting – and also like it fortifies cells.
      🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. I agree with you on the first point, understanding and adapting our body. Regarding chocolate, I never made one by myself. I just buy reading the contents, the bitter with over 60,70% cacao,the less sugary it feels I buy that one. I hope I have been doing it right ! What is stevia ? I saw it mentioned in post, I thought it was a fruit 😀 In Indian cuisines, we usually eat out yogurt with raw veggies like cucumber/carrots/tomatoes etc and a little salt and dash of roasted cumin seed powder(which also helps digestion) 😀

        Liked by 1 person

        1. mmm – I just started using cumin a few years ago and hope to use it more.
          —
          and thanks for your reply- the chocolate my hubs uses is 85% cocao- but I think once you are 60% or higher it is a nice place to be.
          I make my own little chocolate s- super easy – melt down butter an coconut oil – micro scoop of powdered stevia and then add 100% cocao powder. It is not “dark” tho – and I have no idea how to make it dark – lol – but then I add stuff to that base – like nuts, seeds, or maybe pieces of low sugar fruit.
          —
          and stevia is a plant.
          It makes a great sweetener as the sweet juices are extracted from the leaves of the plant species Stevia rebaudiana.

          I know some folks who say they eat stevia for the health benefits (potential) but I like it for the natural impact it has on my body.
          —
          I grew stevia for a few years – the stalks got long and it came back for about three years. Funny because the started plant was a dollar clearance plant I bought while grabbing some basil and parsley starters.
          Once in a while I would pinch a leaf to chew on – but never really used it – just grew it – ha!!
          anyhow, warning – not all stevia products are created equal.
          I almost gave up on it because I was using stevia with malodextrin and my body hated it!
          So we found pure stevia powder and a little goes a long way. Also, if I add almond flour to the chocolate mix it helps soften the stevia taste.
          They also sell pure stevia drops – and have some friends who have their preferred ones.
          I hope you get to try it sometime – and wish we were close enough to give you a sample of my homemade chocolates…
          🙂

          Liked by 1 person

        2. I have tried 85% cacao as well from Lindt , a bit too much for me 😀 But homemade chocolates will always be the purest and best ! I have cacao powder at home but I don’t like it’s favor, that’s why I never made anything out of it. May be I should try some other brand. I will check out if they have any product / plant of Stevia in Germany ! Thanks a million for the info 😀

          Liked by 1 person

        3. wellt hank you for generating some good comment chatting here too – really appreciate it –
          and forgot to mention that the chocolates we make also offer brain food and nutrients – like when we add chia seeds and walnuts – and oil – and almond flour – that is all nutrient dense – my hubs as coconut flakes and that Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs) – which are fats in coconut and palm kernel oil.
          “MCTs are more easily and rapidly digested than other types of fats, as they require lower amounts of enzymes and bile acids for intestinal absorption.”

          Liked by 1 person

  6. Such a thought-provoking, hard-hitting post. Love it. And I truly admire your reiteration that people should make their own judgment. But, so many takeaways here, particularly:

    1. Remember that we were “conditioned” to accept refined sugars and daily carbs in copious amounts as “okay” on a daily basis. This means that we burn glucose as our fuel and not fats – and this also means we are usually less satisfied because glucose supplies need to be replenished often.

    It can’t get truer than this. When I took sugar completely off my diet for two days, I was a different person. Yes there was lethargy but I “felt” better as though my head was on some unclutter-mode. Yes, lack of glucose hit me badly and I had to go back to it on the third day. But it is something I will keep attempting. Yes, It takes a lot of character and willpower to kick sugar out, but if we can do it for at least a week, ‘health’ and ‘positivity’ might be our favorite words. Sugar, a multi-billion dollar industry, is slowly killing us, and has been a cruel blackmailer. It demands replenishment like a movie villain who after seizing all of hero’s properties wants more.

    2. When Pasteur was on his deathbed he said “…the terrain is all.”

    I understand that when it comes to the internal mechanisms of a human body no five people would react similarly to something. But as regards the consumption of sugar, there can’t be subjective interpretation. There might be a body type that consumed all kinds of sugar all their life and yet remained healthy. But “majority” are at risk, undoubtedly, and exceptions glitter only the periphery.

    Thanks for the post, amigo.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. well M – remember when you commented that I should write more opinion pieces?? – this is not quite the same thing – but sorta – and I seriously think your words were in my mind as the topic unfolded this morning. so thanks for that my friend.
      —
      and very good point about
      “There might be a body type that consumed all kinds of sugar all their life and yet remained healthy…”
      although I have yet to see it.
      ya know?

      and your comment also raised a very important part of the sugar conversation – how to get “off” of it –
      because it is addictive and withdraws are real.
      To go cold turkey might not work for everyone – and for me –
      I will tell you how I got off most sugar – I say most – because I still sorta dabbled without really realizing it.
      But years ago I did two rounds of Kroeger herb 30-day candida cleanses.
      Hannah Kroeger worked out of Boulder, CO and her products are affordable and potent.
      But I also kept doing some light cleansing and took supplements to restore by terrain.
      I was always a healthy eater- and never would put white sugar in anything. so I did not know that when I had toast for lunch – with spread and jam – well that was processed like sugar in my body.
      I also had antibiotic overuse (thanks to the dentists who gave me scripts routinely – glad we now know better)
      but my heavy metals were also up and so who knows how that happened? I have many ideas but then narrowed it down to just living in the world and many things added up.
      —
      so that 60 days with Kroeger herbs cleanse broke the major part for me – and the herbs are kind of satisfying – and I also ate eggs every day – had to get creative on how I made them – but they were a lifeline. I had “liver powder” for a while – yuck- but my body loved it and well my point is that
      I am not sure how anyone can break free of sugar without support –
      and vitamins, minerals and herbs made it happen for me.
      I still had a few things with regular sugar, but in the last 6 to 8 months I have gotten away from it almost completely.
      and guess what – it just happened that way.
      My whole approach to food has changed and the sweets do not call to me cos I am all satisfied from the food I do eat (and from my supplements – and I used to slam supplements as not needed – but they were and are key for me).

      Thanks again for the thoughtful post Mahesh!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. “…so that 60 days with Kroeger herbs cleanse broke the major part for me” – this indeed helped you and perhaps most of us should do something similar to contain the voluntary/involuntary sugar addiction. “…I did not know that when I had toast for lunch – with spread and jam – well that was processed like sugar in my body” – and we eat these all the time thinking we are doing fine without sugar 🙂 Thanks amigo for a great post.

        Liked by 1 person

  7. I once read somewhere a long time ago that sugar is sometimes as addictive as heroin. Don’t know how true that might be but it there sure are a lot of people craving sweets! If I stay away from sugar for a while, I don’t crave it. But one bite and it’s back! I also believe that sweeteners increase your appetite (and not just for sweets)!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. well I have heard that too and then also saw the many articles trying to debunk it.
      Sometimes we have to watch for “cofirmation bias” or just blatent misinformation. For example, in Forks over Kinives” doc there are so many OPINIONS and errors. But I digress.

      So here is what I heard
      ;

      “research supports the theory that high-sugar foods stimulate the brain in the same way that drugs do”

      but what people forget about “sugar” is that it is more than what it does in the brain – if you are feeding a candidiasis infection (of feeding pathogens) it can be difficult to stop because of the biological and physical connections.
      It is not mere will power.
      And I used to be in a bunch of healing groups – so informative and supportive
      and hearing testimony after testimony about how people got rid of fungal over growth and ate denser (fat/oil) foods and walked away from sugar without feeling left out.
      Further, many believe that overeating can be related to feeling starved – deprived or malnourished. Then they feel shame and bad for not having control – but their body lacked balance and nutrients and well – vicious cycle.
      __
      and I think artificial sweeteners are bad news all the way around – and did not know that “sweeteners increase your appetite” but I could see why – they are probably difficult to metabolize and then pull nutrients to process – or lead to a feeling of “unwellness.”
      and many of those chemicals do “not leave the body so they accumulate in tissues and fats – and so who knows how that plays a part in disease development.

      Like

  8. I love Fage, which is sour af and has live cultures. I also like to make my own parfaits – Greek with berries and granola and nuts, sometimes preserves or honey. But I buy them too, at fast food or in the market. Yogurt and bananas are the things I eat the most, almost daily. Been that way for … more than 30 years. I like the vanilla or other flavors from time to time, but it sure doesn’t need more sugar added — not for me, anyway.
    I’m steering clear of your sugar rant 😉 We foodies don’t rant about sugar. lol Most of us prefer gravy over sugar, but ya gotta have some sugar, Sugar. Don’t like artificial sugars at all, cause they don’t like me!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. ahhh – gravy over sugar – yeah baby – another thing we have in common.
      and the Fage sounds really good – and I am wondering where you get it?

      Liked by 1 person

      1. I get singles (honey and cherry are my faves) at Meijer, but buy the larger containers of plain, I often get at Fresh Thyme. I’ll eat Chobani too, but Fage is better.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. oh nice….. but another thing that bugs me about the smaller containers – is not only the price – but all that packaging to the landfill – and I know there is a time to have these ready to take and eat convenience… but maybe there are other times we can use a glass bowl and regular spoon….

          And maybe this fall we can make some singles of gravy to sell – for those who want a little more at their holiday meal (kidding – but someone should do that)

          Liked by 1 person

        2. Haha! I don’t see why most of it can’t be glass, what with recycling and all. Some of it may be kids — can’t take glass to school.

          Liked by 1 person

        3. yes- good point – no glass at schools – and I actually have shattered some glass travel mugs forgot about that – you know those porcelain travel coffee mugs that were in for a while – broke a few! now I much prefer the stainless steel –

          Liked by 1 person

        4. Have you really? Just when I was writing about that, I wondered where our white ceramic travel mug got off too…
          Moo took a jar of pickle juice to school once when she was 6. They called immediately. I had no idea she took it! lol She wanted her friends to know how good it is, bless her.

          Liked by 1 person

        5. oh my goodness that is the sweetest story – and dang! I hope some kids got a pickle cos it could have infused them with some nice salts and healthy fermented juices (whatever they are called) and could have been a bigger gift then they know.
          But how cute that she likes the taste and wanted to pass that on – truly says something about her social side –

          Liked by 1 person

  9. I did read this earlier but had no time to comment. I love this post and learned a few new things from it. I don’t have much sugar in my diet but my husband does. He knows all about this but still snacks away. We both love home-made kale chips and spiral zucchini instead of pasta when we grow it in the garden.
    Looking forward to more of your posts!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. thanks — so VERY much
      and I still need to get to some thyroid talking – even tho it is not my strong area – but I promise to get to it soon.

      and also – remember that things take time.
      Humans can get set in our ways or change is a process so it really takes “thinking” and waiting it out.
      this process is part of our advanced thinking, ya know – what keeps us stable and not tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine.
      And we stay open – minded but also “reasonably skeptical” with a BS meter on.
      right?
      and so we just go slow and keep trying to learn and in time – truth has a way of resonating –
      there were things my friend (Dawn) told me about herbs in the 1990s and I thought she was a crack pot granola girl from Boulder.
      She named her baby River….
      and sadly, I did not have a lot of respect for her information – cos I was conditioned to think the white coat docs had the real info – but quickly saw they are good with certain info – but NOT with intestinal health and most cannot even tell you about the porcess of cancer (only oncologists know and even then they know how to treat and remove tumors with drugs – not prevent and not feed it with the “oses”)
      my point is that it took me 10 to 15 years to start to really “get” what she was saying –
      it is so against the grain and then once we know – it is another process to incorporate that change.
      and getting sick for me was may catalyst to really look hard at sugar – and actually I would not have recovered staying on sugar – and the only (I mean only) reason I aggressively gave it up was to “live”
      so i do not come down hard on sugar eaters – seriously – if they can get away with it – enjoy and do what you do.
      but some people can’t and I was one of them…

      🙂
      thanks for coming back to comment RG
      🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. No worries about the thyroid, I understand. You don’t have to answer but I am curious about what health issues you had that giving up the sugar helped.
        I know natural cures take time to do their thing. So many people think there is a quick fix for any illness and forget just how long it took to get sick.
        We were brought up with natural herbs so that aspect is just normal to me.
        I should leave a private comment with my cousins name for you to look up. He is a scientist who has written and done research on sugar.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. Hi – natural cures take a LONGGGGGGG time.
          But the good news is that by going slow there is less side effects and less shock to the system.
          If someone has toxins in their fats and tissues- going slow allows them to slowly rid things.

          and my issue is hard to describe – at the core of it was mercury toxicity (and other heavy metals were in me body) I got sick a couple years after having a bunch of dental work done – and it is always many things that lead to disease or malaise or an immune system breakdown.
          People do not realize that cancer is a process and it is a result of weak immune system.
          And it makes me sick to my stomach that oncology treatment does not talk aboayt the way sugar, stress, and chemicals contronute to cancer processes. The worse is when they say it is genetic and to expect it.
          Um, know – we might have genetic predispositions but it comes down to the immune function.
          – anyhow, believe my metals’ exposures were ongoing since childhood – and have a few incidents that also stood out – which I will share more about soon – I promise…. it is long overdue
          and….
          I used EDTA and Niacin to chelate – and also vitamins, minerals, and herbs to rebuild my terrain

          Liked by 1 person

        2. I find it sad that so many things doctors KNOW about are never being relayed to the patient. A friend of my grandfathers wrote many books on health issues, decades ago, about metal toxins too! Yet they all say…we never knew. The FDA knows and knew all along.
          It makes me wonder why we even pay these people to use us a test subjects.
          I could rant forever.
          Thanks for sharing that with me and I do look forward to hearing more about how you treated yourself. More people need to be aware.

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    1. thanks my friend – and later I have a photo just for you!! well… with you in mind – and I will let you know when I get to posting it – ttys

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  11. Such an informative piece about taste, sugars, refined sugars and health. It is so true there is conflicting information out there about what’s good for us and what isn’t. Too much of anything is a good thing. Even too much natural sugar such as a whole bucket load of berries a day can be harmful to us. Personally I am more of a savoury than sweet person, and the stevias that I’ve tried with my drink and stevia-sweetened chococolate and cake have been just too sweet for my tastebuds lol. That said, every now and then I do get the craving for M&Ms and I go through an entire big bag…definitely not good there.

    I actually chanced upon kale chips the other day and it was a delight seeing them here on your post 🙂 Consumption of various forms of sugar has effects on our insulin levels and hormones, and science has proven that – and in so many instances we feel it physically. ‘A sugar is a carb but not all carbs are sugar’ A very insightful way to put it, and reminder that a sugar doesn’t necessarily always taste all that sweet.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Hi Mable – thanks so much for your comment – and I have heard others say that stevia – even the natural stuff -can be strong – and one thing that softens it (at least in the chocolates we make) is adding some almond flour – it carries the stevia in a way.
      and had to smile with your M&M’s indulgence – but if you think of the little bits of chocolates amounts it is easy to see how a whole bag is easy to polish off.
      Back in the day – I was never a candy bar girl – did like Heath bars if I had one – do you know those? BUt “if” i had M&M’s – I always went for peanut. And I think the health-minded side of me that was there since a youngens thought “nuts” made them more natural.
      Now a side note on M&M’s – or any candy with artificial colorings – – recently found out that those dyes need heavy metals to carry them and so it is another reason to try and watch the candy we eat – not just the sugars – but the other “agents” or ingredients that give it appeal, (colors) shelf life, etc.
      And it saddens me to see so many kids consume colored-candies on a daly basis – like here is an image from a children’s sports banquet – a sports meal where you think health would be top priority –
      —

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      1. Never heard of Heath bars. Are they on the healthier side or far from it? You are right on artificial dyes in food, and they are made out of horrible stuff that we normally would not think of eating. Anti-caking agents is a common ingredient in many foods…and I always wonder what goes into them. To be honest, these agents listed on food labels are vague. At most you just get like an agent or preservative number…and you are left wondering.

        Now that is a lot of candy at a children’s sports banquet! That does not condone healthy food choices at all. At the many places I’ve worked, my colleagues like putting fruit on the table as an alternative – which is encouraging but also, not too much fruit is always best too.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. Yes- they do leave us wondering and loike sheep, most of us accept it. Or we get accused of being alarmist if we speak up. Some people are so ignorant and they have been dumbed down to not question – and then to “slam” those that do.
          And I hread someone recently say that even if ingredients are listed – there is some legal room for the label to be incorrect – they can off by a certain percent??

          and at least fruit offers vitamins and is “alive” with some phytonutrients – but yes – you are so right – fruits are packed with sugars and the kind of fruits you ingest does matter –
          thanks for sharing your thoughts on this topic.

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        2. I think there is always room for ingredients to be off. Each tin or package or food weighs differently with different mass. Same goes with what is in fruit. Fruit varies by season and some fruits are more sour in some seasons, and so one quantity then may have less sugar but more acids – and too much acids aren’t good for us.

          A great topic you wrote on, Y. Thank you for being so honest.

          Liked by 1 person

    2. also M- thanks for noting how fruit sugar can be too much – that was a big lesson I learned – bananas and grapes and apples – all can overwhelm the body if eaten the way many of us are “taught” to –

      Liked by 1 person

  12. I am basically sugar and additive free and definitely do not agree with the chemical sweeteners. I also make my yoghurt from a package that contains no sugar. It is “easiyo” and is delicious, we have it with fruit every morning.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. right on – I will check to see if we have any products like that – but for now we have a local store (german chain) that sells the huge vats of Greek full fat plain for barely 3 bucks – such a gift

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  13. Your yogurts look so good! You are right the yogurts these days have some sweet in it unlike in the olden days. I think there might be few around now that I tried to think of it. In addition the sweetness that is added to the yogurts, the bottom fruit stuff still is very sweet – too sweet.

    Although I start to wean off sugar (such as no sugar in my coffee anymore) but not completely, I agreed with you that once you started that path your taste comes alive in a different ways. I feel many things are too sweet now. I do not want to complain to much but I think cakes etc. from the local grocery stores are too sweet, very sweet. I am not sure you see the same or not.

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    1. I know exactly what you mean – it is like there is one level of sweet – and it is high sweet.
      and some yogurts use HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) and that has been known to scar the liver!
      bad news.

      thanks for chiming in and coffee without sugar is a nice step. I bet different coffees have different tastes without the sugar – or you can pick up on it more maybe?

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Yo are right different coffees have different tastes without the sugar. I am not sure this relates to taking no sugar in coffee or not. I never used to like dark roasted kind but now I do.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. well I wonder, YC. Because our taste buds change – or wait – they probably do not change but become alive and awake.
          I usually bring in Swedish bitters for students to try and people talk again and again about how food tastes different after the bitters.
          Bitter food is also supposed to stimulate the liver and help digestion more – another thing that sugar can pull from is the digestive juices –
          anyhow, how cool that your taste buds could tap into darker roasts and maybe other notes.
          Thanks for sharing that

          Liked by 1 person

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  16. Oh, I got sucked into this post by the photo that looked like my breakfast, except I have strawberries and oats with unsweetened yogurt – which I could barely find amid so many different yogurts on three huge shelves. Only ONE was without added sugar.

    Then I read it in full and realised that a very similar rant was in my mind almost exactly one month ago, after posting this post for the WordPress “Sweet” Photo Challenge:

    https://manjameximovie3.wordpress.com/2018/02/20/wpc-my-sweet-addiction/

    I must say that I had some sugar cravings in the first two weeks but now I’m happy with my fruit and don’t need sugar any more. However, as I live in Italy, I will never do without pasta (it’s just impossible). For now I’m only happy not to consume processed sugar in soft drinks, desserts, cereals and yogurts. I don’t like any substitutes either. I put a quarter of a spoonful of brown sugar in my big coffee in the morning. My chocolate is 70% and I don’t have it daily. My oil is only olive.

    I must add here that I have heaps of weight to shed and will do it slowly. I feel MUCH better already.

    Thank you for this post. I enjoyed reading The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan where he gives a history of American sugar and corn problem. Truly enlightening. Just like after the period when everybody drank corn alcohol came prohibition, we will need something like it after this sugar explosion. Thank you for tackling it.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Hey Mcubed.
      actually – thank you for your insightful comment.
      I will check out your post – and that book by Pollan.

      Let’s see – so much to chew on from your comment.
      So….
      first – good for you for “doing things” to improve your health.
      It is such a process and even if we know the info – applying it is a whole different topic. Then situations and life factors impact what we can do and how much we can do –
      further – there is confusion out there – and then everyone’s body is different.
      —
      and because you mention the weight loss goal – that is where I remind folks they need to watch fruit sugars. I know bananas and apples are packed with vitamins – but they are high sugar and so should be on the “not now” list if healing – or weight loss is the goal.
      and further, it all comes down to the intestines and what is going on with absorption and metabolism.
      —
      how many enzymes are available – we stop making enzymes and then certain conditions snuff out the ones that might be there – viruses hijack enzymes and so it is really important for overall wellness to consider taking some enzymes for support,. There are digestive ones, systemic ones, and healing ones….
      —
      and it sounds like you already in tune with the fact that we can change what our taste buds find delicious.
      You have made changes to your coffee and other things….
      and people often forget that they are “used to” something and the threshold can be changed.
      If my children had the TV on volume 10 and I turned it down to an 8 – it would not feel loud enough.
      But if I waited – turned it down to 0 for a couple minute s- let their ears adjust – the threshold changes and when I put the volume back on – a 6 sounds loud.
      Just an example – and we can change our sweetness needs – especially when we tap into sours, bitters, savory, etc.
      —
      lastly- my favorite part of your nice comment was how you feel MUCH better.
      This is the goal here.
      It is to get our energy back – to have a sense of balance and wellness and to have pants fit us in a way that feels great – and to also have physical health so we can enjoy the things we do.
      baby steps – do no harm – and at least think about what might not be working for us – 🙂
      have a great day

      Liked by 1 person

  17. The yogurt cups are beautiful, Yvette! I have low-fat Greek yogurt (no sugar added of course) regularly as a snack before bed; usually with a touch of applesauce (also unsweetened), or some homemade jam, or a few berries, and then a scatter of pumpkin seeds.

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