Snacks with No Added Sugar

I'm only on my fourth day of no added sugar. I haven't cheated, but I have upped my evening sweet treat to THREE dried apricots, along with about a tablespoon of peanut butter and a handful of pistachios. The apricots are ridiculously delicious and I am really holding myself back from demolishing several huge handfuls. I also have a 90% cocoa dark chocolate bar in the back of my fridge, just in case...

If you missed my last post, I am giving up all added sugar and sweeteners for the month of March. This is an experiment to see if eliminating added sugars reduces my level of inflammation enough to see a noticeable difference in joint pain. I have significant pain in my ankles upon waking, and I can feel and see the inflammation around the achilles tendons. This is due to very old injuries and lots of lumpy scar tissue combined with my refusal to give up Zumba classes. Dancing is so important to my mood and enjoyment of life that I'd prefer to limp a little first thing in the morning. But maybe if I eliminate added sugar, I will be pain-free?

Several friends have told me that this is the case for them. And local yoga teacher Cheryl Chaffee has also committed to this sugar-free month to discover if it works for her joint pain. So I am not alone in my quest. Have you ever tried to give up sugar? Did it work for you?

As I have already mentioned, I have substituted dried apricots (so delicious!) along with a spoonful of peanut butter and some pistachios for my after dinner sweet treat. I guess if I wanted to completely cure myself of my sugar cravings, I should really ditch the dried fruit. But that just seems so cruel. 

Here are some possibilities for snacks and/or treats:

* small handful of nuts (I like pistachios because they are high in fiber and take a long time to eat!)

* a few berries (Berries tend to be higher in fiber and antioxidants as well as lower in sugar.)

* a hard-boiled egg (High in protein, lots of nutrients!)

* naturally-cured jerky (High in protein, beware of hidden sugar...)

* homemade applesauce (No sugar added, but a pinch or cinnamon and some lemon zest is great!)

* baby carrots with hummus

* chopped ripe tomatoes with cottage cheese and fresh herbs 

* cheese sticks

Do you have any favorite snacks that do not contain any added sugar? Please share!