Hidden Sugar

In case you missed my previous blogposts, I have been sugar-free since March 1st. This means no added sugar. No sweeteners of any kind. No honey, maple syrup, corn syrup, agave, or brown rice syrup. No artificial sweeteners, either. The only sweet stuff I've been eating this month is fruit. I have 3 dried apricots after dinner for my "treat" each evening. That's it.

Do I sound bitter? Angry? Depressed? All of the above?

I'd say I'm mildly annoyed. I miss chocolate. I do add unsweetened organic raw cacao to my coffee each morning, which is amazingly delicious. (I've posted recipes for my morning coffee drinks on this blog.) But I miss my evening desserts which used to include homemade cheesecake and/or chocolate chip cookies. Often both!!!

However, I have made a commitment to this plan. I will complete a full month of no added sugar. Then I will assess. 

I'm afraid I might be gaining weight, which would not thrill me. I've added more red wine, bread, and tortilla chips than I usually consume, as a way to make myself feel less deprived. I am also eating more salt than normal, which may be making me puffier and more bloated...Sounds attractive, right?

Anyway, if you're still with me, I wanted to mention some of the things I've given up due to hidden sugar. (I'm calling it "hidden" but the sugar is right there in the list of ingredients. You just have look.)

* Kombucha (Check the labels! All brands contain some sugar. The amount varies.)

* Ketchup (You can find sugar-free brands, but watch for artificial sweeteners.)

* Salad dressing (Read the labels! Some dressings contain none, but most contain some...)

* Teriyaki sauce (Most prepared sauces contain some kind of sweetener.)

* Pickled beets (Yes, there is sugar in many types of pickles. Not all, though...)

* Restaurant food (You never know what restaurants are putting in to make their food yummier.)

* White wine (Red wine is extremely low in sugar, so I'm sticking with red this month!)

If you have joined me on this quest, what have you given up? What have you added? Are you grumpy? Are you losing weight? Fill me in!