I also an a sugaraholic....things like eat sweetened condensed milk with a spoon...
The best thing I have found to stop a craving in mid frenzy is a big glass of some crystal lite beverage....lots of liquid...water...iced tea...helps the gotta have something sweet craving.

Fruit? I mean, it's natural sugar, and if you eat the fruit (not drink the juice) it's not only NOT bad for you but it's actually GOOD for you. It might be hard at first, when you want cake & brownies, to eat an apple. But if you do it enough times, you'll get to craving the fruit. Ok, yeah, you'll still want sugary bad-for-you sweets, but then you can eat less of those. I try to eat 2-3 servings of fruit every day and have found that I've gotten used to that level of sweetness.

Do you that if I quit eating sugar, I immediately lose 30-40 pounds? With one change. And I can breathe. And sleep. I can't help with foods (I do try to replace it with healthier stuff that is completely not related to sugar because it just reminds me I am doing without sugar), but I too am looking to end the sugar problem. I love fruits vegetable, healthy lean meats, and sugar, loads of sugar.

I'm sitting right next to you!

Not only sugar, but refined carbs can up your triglyceride levels, so whole grains can often help bring those levels down. We're supposed to be eating 7-9 servings of fruits and vegetables per day, and I eat a lot of vegetables but just don't care much for fruit plain.

I do find that if I want a true dessert just fruit isn't going to do it, but a fruit based dessert can often fill the bill with less sugar. Blueberry crisp doesn't have much sugar but is nicely sweet and kills that sugar craving for me. Same for peach cobbler or strawberry shortcake. Fresh local fruit is usually much sweeter than the imported stuff.

Watch those levels, though, sugar is also present in fruit, although a much healthier level, and my old doctor told me that people who eat a lot of fruit often have elevated levels of triglycerides too.

Amanda says fruit smoothies do that for her too, she takes frozen fruit (her favorite is a mix of strawberries and banana) a cup of my homemade yogurt (but any plain yogurt without sugar will do), a sprinkle of artificial sweetener or a squeeze of honey, blend it. The frozen fruit makes a thick smoothie without ice to water it down and it's creamy like ice cream.

Like LindaC, I can eat sweetened condensed milk with a spoon and I love it in coffee, but I read the calorie content in a tablespoon full, OMG! So, I stopped doing that. I have found, though, that I can make something like banana bread, add some canned pineapple and cut the sugar down by 1/3 and it's still plenty sweet. Dark brown sugar in the place of light brown sugar sometimes allows me to cut the sugar too and I make sugar free jam by just cooking fruit until it's thick. Not a true jam, of course, but thick and spreadable and sweet.

And, although you are not diabetic, a lot of diabetic recipes cut sugar as well as carbs, so you might look at some good diabetic recipes. Also, if you can, you might want to go consult with a nutritionist, I'm kind of surprised your doctor hasn't suggested that.

Fortunately for you, you live in the land of fresh fruit, lots of fresh veggies, lovely citrus. You can do this, and we'll all cheer you on.

annie

I understand where you're coming from, Cathy - my doctor had me listed as a "prediabetic" for a long time, because my blood sugar was so high. It went down for a few years, but I'm guessing that if I went back for a blood draw today, I'd be back in that level because of the sweets I've been craving (and indulging).

That said - fruit is the best thing I could come up with to satisfy the craving for sweetness. But I have successfully switched from sugar to either Equal or Splenda (depending on the usage). The Equal is for my coffee and the occasional cup of tea (both decaf, sigh), and in my daily bowl of oatmeal. Splenda is used in baking, though I've also used Fructose from the natural foods store.

Since I love applesauce in my oatmeal every morning, most of the natural applesauce is not only tolerable, now I cannot bear the sweetened applesauce! I buy Treetop or the store brand in jars, and use it to substitute for the butter when I make bread. (Hubby never notices the difference.) When I transport my oatmeal to work every morning, it goes with one of those individual flavored applesauce cups. These are also natural style, rather than highly sugared.

If you like chocolate syrup, I find that Hershey's Sugar Free syrup is a bit runny, but it tastes good. Hershey's Lite is a bit better (thicker) though I believe it's higher in the sugar grams.

I haven't found any sugar free ice cream that I can tolerate, but I did find that one store brand fat-free frozen yogurt is rather low in sugar grams. It's also very creamy and tasty. This comes from Stater Bros, a Southern California grocery store chain. I'm not sure who makes their frozen yogurt for them, but it's sweet enough. Add a little Hershey's syrup and it definitely solves a sweet (and chocolate) craving.

Donna

First let me amaze you be sharing that my husband can open a can of frosting and actually frost a cake with it. Furthermore, he is not tempted to eat ANY of it. Not even finger licking. I normally buy two containers of canned frosting for a cake because you know, one might not be enough:) Ha ha.

One snack I frequently partake of is chocolate rice cakes with a powdered super low fat peanut butter called PB2. We have discussed this product here before and some people just find it to weird. Personally, I really love it. I can have something that really resembles peanut butter daily without the guilt. PB2 also comes in chocolate flavor.

Best of luck to you.

Kate

Cathy...you can do this. All of the above suggestions are good ones and I really don't have anything to add except that artifical sweetners are not the way to go. I find that they tricked my body into thinking that I was getting something sweet and it NEVER satisfied my craving anyway.

I expected the word "Gadgetaholic".
Another habit of mine. . . .

But to answer your question,
I haven't found any 'artificial' sugar that is tolerable.

I definitely have a sweet tooth to rival anyone's.
But I'd rather do without than eat sugar free sweets.
Reason 1. They don't taste good
2. They cause problems for my digestive tract
(and other body functions)
3. Their excessive sweetness only intensifies my desire for more sweet.

I buy Dannon no fat natural yogurt in the large tub,
Drain it overnight in the fridge.
Then use it on whatever fruit I am currently 'hooked' on.
(fresh, unsweetened pineapple at the moment,
Which also helps relieve arthritis pain)
When fresh fruits aren't available,
I look for unsweetened frozen,
And unsweetened canned.
We have found the Mott's natural, unsweetened applesauce
to be really good.
I haven't tried it in baking.
I haven't baked for public sale for over a year now,
So haven't baked for us, either.
When someone else here gets a craving,
I buy some small bag of cookies or such for them.
And keep them out of my sight. :>)

Good luck, I know you can do this!
(If I can, anyone can!)

Rusty

Hey Cathy I love sugar also and carbs. There are a couple of treats I fix that satisfies my sweet tooth. One is an old Weight Watcher's recipe. Sugar free, fat free jello mixed with a cup of fat free yogurt. Then I put a little Ready whip on top. I usually try to stay away from processed, packaged foods because of the chemicals and preservatives, but this works for me. Also, the sugar free, fat free chocolate pudding does the same thing.

Another is, a bowl of low fat cottage cheese sprinkled with cinnamon and stevia (which is a natural plant based sweetner) and then I add blueberries and strawberries and it usually satisfies the craving of the moment.

Now my carb cravings, I haven't found anything really that satisfies those. Maybe air popped pop corn with parmesan and dill weed sprinkled on it is as good as it gets.

Good luck! I've been trying to lose a little weight so I'm staying away from sugar and refined carbs at the moment too.

Karen

Rusty, you'll be glad to know Dole has switched to all fruit juice for their "canned" fruits and so that'll up your possibilities. I know because I try to keep my son on the straight and narrow for what will likely be a diabetic lifestyle later in life. Every person in his father's family was diagnosed later in life, and so, he has a chance of it later on. Yet another reason I need to quit sugar, set a good example. Why couldn't my hangup be brussel sprouts? They'd at least be harder to find as often. UGH!

First, let me start by saying, I LOVE sweets! I'm compulsive with them. I have a hard time stopping eating them once I start (yes a serving of Ben & Jerry's IS the pint! A serving of Fig Newtons IS the sleeve!)

I try and avoid them. I do like to eat fruit. In fact I keep berries (strawberries, blueberries & sometimes raspberries) in the freezer. This way I can get the taste sensations of cold, sweet and crunchy all in one healthy bite. Yogurt is also great - sweet and creamy in one bite.

Hope this helps.

Right now I'm wishing I could bottle and sell my dislike of anything sweet.

Teresa

I try to do some preventive eating... lots of protein and some fats. Keeping a natural level of sugar in my blood from real food help head off that craving. What hurts me is to go without food all day then drink a couple beers... after that I can't get enough to eat and sweets call my name out loud.

Sometimes I take a shot of vinegar... seems to cut down hunger and acid reflux. A cold bottle of rice vinegar on my fridge door just for drinking. I strongly suspect acid levels have much to do with feeling hungry.

: )
lyra

Yogurt is also loaded with sugar. Reda the labels carefully.

Honestly, all the encouragement I can offer is to just try to wean yourself away from "sweet" whether from sugar or artificial. Yeah, yeah, I know. Save the cravings for special desserts, special dinners, special company. Resolve to not eat the sweets alone, and not unless you are in the company of others.

Yeah, yeah, and it's harder than it sounds. ;-o

I recommend the Atkins' brand of bars, usually next to the high-sugar bars in the diet section of the store. Not bad, and low sugar. And Murray's cookies, sugar free.

But seriously, it's like reducing sodium in your diet and retraining your taste buds away from salt. It can be done, and it's worth it, too.

Or at least it can be done to a degree.

Plain yogurt is not loaded with sugar. My go-to dessert or breakfast is fresh or thawed frozen berries (no sugar added) in a small bowl, add 1-2 packs of Splenda, top with a big dollop of plain yogurt and stir well to distribute the sweetener.

Now if I could just do something about this bread addiction of mine!

Teresa

Booberry mentioned "sweet" yogurt, so I was assuming she meant the flavored stuff, most of which (read labels carefully) is loaded with added sugar. Yeah. plain yogurt is great stuff. But just plain yogurt and fruit without the Splenda is my preference. Just like I learned to drink plain iced tea, no sweetener of any kind. It's retraining your taste buds.

HI, CATHY! I'm sitting three chairs down.

I'm a big fan of the 2% Greek yogurt. It seems to need less sweetener than regular plain yogurt because of the creaminess, and even has a lower carb content to start with.

For sweetener, you might try something like agave or Coconut Secret. No weird aftertaste and no crazy insulin response. Although, a word of caution, don't try to make brownies with agave or honey. They taste like poison.

Overall, just trying to make sure you eat every 3-5 hours might prove helpful. When you have low blood sugar, it's hard to say no to sugary stuff!

1. Check out the book "Get the Sugar Out" by Ann Louise Gittleman, M.S., C.N.S. (501 simple ways to cut the sugar out of any diet).

2. Choose foods on the lower half of the Glycemic Index of Foods. It's about all high-glycemic carbs, not just sugar.

3. New choices: whole grains, almond meal and coconut flour instead of refined bleached or unbleached flour, low-glycemic palm sugar and agave nectar, whole foods (which naturally tend to be low-glycemic, low-sugar, and high fiber)...

4. Avoid old choices (if you do what you've done, you'll get what you got), especially refined foods.

5. In an article I read recently, according to the USDA the average American consumes 156-pounds of sugar per year. That's up from 130-140 pounds in 1990. "Only about 29 pounds of it comes as traditional sugar, or sucrose, according to The Sugar Association, a trade group of sugar manufacturers. The rest comes from foods." The use of high-fructose corn syrup has increased 3.5% per year in the last decade. According to the article, that's at twice the rate at which refined sugar has grown.

6. Knowledge is power. If you know why you need to reduce sugar in your diet, and you understand how to make other choices, you have a much better chance of making this lifestyle change.

It's not going to be easy, but it may prevent any number of disease conditions. You will soon find there is an interesting concept to foods without all that sugar - it's TASTE - what a concept!!! Good luck!

-Grainlady

One trick I've found helpful is eating a *piece* of dark chocolate - the type that doesn't taste overly sweet. Current favorite is Lindt Excellence Chili - chocolate with a little bit of bite!

If it were a regular candy bar, I eat the whole thing. But this gives me a taste of something sweet without tempting me to go overindulge.

Sue

Well, I'm an Eataholic. I don't have a sweet tooth per se but I love, love, love anything bread. I just love food, am not a picky eater and have a very good appetite.

The only thing I'm tempted to eat out of a jar is peanut butter although I guess dulce leche could probably call my name. I'll admit I have eaten more sweets in the last 10 years than I ever did. Something you don't need as you get old....er. If I have chocolate I want dark.

I would imagine each of us has a craving for some sort of
food...maybe not.

jude

I sincerely thank all of you for the support, commiseration, and suggestions!!!

I know better-Raymond has had Type II diabetes for 20 years. I cook to meet his dietary needs, it's the me time where I run into trouble. Compounded by the fact that it's just the two of us now so all the desserts and sweets in the house are ALL MINE!! My DD won't even let me feed the kids sweets.

I am rereading all your suggestions and will refer back daily for motivation.

GrainLady, I just order the book that you recommended.

(((Thank you)))

Cathy, I sense you will research this until you know exactly what to do! Since I had to change my life in this aspect, I can tell you about some of the things that helped me. One thing I didn't know initially, was how eating sugar begets wanting more sugar which is why it's such a vicious cycle. I don't like sugar substitutes, and don't think many of them are all that good for you. I think you can have real sugar in moderation, once you know how to manage living in a real world. Along with all the other great suggestions here, there are some real management techniques you can use, that are more about behavior modification which can really help.

The key to truly killing cravings is nutritional balance. That means I have to get my lean proteins, whole grains, fruit and vegetables first before anything else, which for me is bread or dessert. (I would happily eat a dinner roll for dessert, as carbs=sugar; it's all the same to me.) Eating real fruit started to give me a better sense of what is naturally sweet. (That means the whole fruit like an medium size orange, but no juice.)

Portion size is a real eye opener. Because I have the added advantage of having to check my blood sugar, the actual portion size of something with real sugar or any highly processed food is sadly small. Since I don't like to feel deprived, I made sure to pick a time to have a single portion of something every day...turning it into a ritual instead of an entitlement. I started eating my small portions with a baby fork to help make it last a little longer, and serving them on an appetizer plate. Taking the smallest of bites makes it seem bigger than it really is, and the key is to allow yourself to have it. We also changed our regular size dinner plates and bowls to a smaller breakfast/luncheon size to get a grip on what a real portion looks like. It's sad really that half a banana is one portion, but there you have it. That banana mashed up into my cereal is a naturally fine sugar substitute though.)

To help kick a sugar habit, adding something like cream for richness is actually a good idea and very satisfying too. Whipped cream with a hint of sugar and almond/vanilla flavoring on your fresh fruit is kind of decadent! I started seeking out recipes with less sugar I could portion control, like small cupcakes. Instead of frosting, whipped cream on a cupcake seem like a real treat and makes it seem more complete. Real maple syrup isn't as sweet as something processed, but I only use half a teaspoon with some real butter on my slice of whole wheat french toast or whole grain pancake. Once your sugar palate changes, you'll be able to taste the natural sweetness better.

Power to you in your new quest! I hope we hear from you soon about how it's going.

I'm not a candy/sugar type of gal but I definately have a serious weakness for sweet baked goods and carbs. I enjoy eating fruit so I get the same level of enjoyment from eating it as I do from eating sweets. However, it doesn't satisfy my cravings for baked goods, lol! Eating a piece of fresh fruit, as wonderful as that is, is NOT the same thing as eating a brownie! Both wonderful, but two very different experiences.

I haven't found an artificial sweetener that didn't give an off taste or have some negative impact on the finished product or my body/health. But it is very easy for me to lower the sugar in most recipes for baked goods. For every cup of sugar, you can use as little as 2/3 cup. If the recipe calls for 1/2 cup of sugar, use 1/3 cup, etc. Also I use half whole wheat flour in all my home baked goods. Get real whole wheat PASTRY flour for them, it makes a big difference.

I truly believe that sugar can be an addiction. And to loose the cravings you have to almost go "cold turkey" until your palette adjusts. It CAN adjust. You need to keep the desserts and baked goods out of the house and learn to like lower sugar treats and snacks. They are out there and they are not necessarily bad tasting, just different. Don't think of it as deprivation, just seek out and eat and enjoy what you like that you know is good for you. As for the rest, just tell yourself you'd rather feel good all the time than eat something bad for you that offers only momentary satisfaction. Keep your eye on the long term!

Cathy, I can second the dark chocolate suggestion too. In fact, The Boy Wonder (my new and very young doctor) tells me that ONE OUNCE, no more, is actually good for my blood pressure. The darker the chocolate, the less sugar, of course.

As for yogurt, I make my own with lowfat milk and nothing else, so there's no sugar. Add some fresh fruit and just a tiny drizzle of honey and it's good, sweet, creamy, low fat.

Oh, you want to stop the maple syrup on oatmeal? Try some chocolate oatmeal, Elery just sent me this recipe. I love chocolate and cinnamon so I'm going to try it. It's not tried and true yet, but it might be...

Oatmeal Breakfast

42 oz. old fashioned oatmeal (not the one minute kind)
4 cups raisins or dried cranberries
16 oz. ground flaxseed
1/2 container Hershey's cocoa powder
2 oz. container cinnamon

Mix all ingredients and store for use.

For breakfast, mix 3 heaping tablespoons of oatmeal in a bowl with 1/2 cup of water, microwave 2 1/2 minutes. Add fresh fruit in season (strawberries or raspberries would be really nice) and a dollop of unsweetened or low sugar yogurt. Stir and enjoy. You can add a little sweetener if you must, but I think the chocolate and the fruit would make it good alone.

I think I'll make half a batch to start and see how it is, then decide on how sweet it needs to be, if it needs to be sweetened at all.

Annie

Wait a minute, did I read that YOU are the only one in the house who eats sweets? So stop buying sweets. Don't even bring such items into the house unless you are fixing a special dinner. No one needs dessert after dinner every night. No way, no how.

You are allowed to have dessert when you eat out at a real restaurant, special company, etc. But not at home.

Yeah, it's hard, but if it doesn't come into the house, then it won't be tempting.

A friend complained that her husband spends the evening munching on chips or crackers. Turns out that she serves dinner at six and he's munching by 7:30. When she made simple adjustments, he has been much better. She started serving dinner at 7, served an extra veggie or even potato or rice, and didn't buy the chips and crackers, her husband lost 25 pounds very quickly. Yeah, he complained, and probably sneaks the forbidden items at the office, but at least he isn't munching all evening long!

Oh yeah, I hear you! First off, I completely agree that sugar is insidious and makes you crave more and more. I do keep the maple syrup in the fridge for a quick hit (a spoonful or two) if it's dire, but honestly, the more sugar you can keep out, the better. I liked the stevia brand called Truvia, but alas I'm allergic. However it's a great taste substitute if DH wants to sprinkle sugar on something like grapefruit or berries that might need a bit of sweetener. I'm down to one or less diet sodas per day and trying to be good. There's lots of Perrier in my pantry and lemon wedges on hand to quench my thirst.

I'm sure if you cut your carbs your triglycerides will drop dramatically. A couple we know went on Dr. Steven Gundry's diet and changed the way that they eat. He (the husband) had extremely high triglycerides and some gallbladder issues and now he's a convert! The plan is restrictive, but comes with recipes to help you. Frankly I don't know if a foodie like us could adhere to it completely, but if it's for a reduced time, it's not so bad. Finally, I have sworn off of many sweetened jams and jellies. I enjoy the ones that are naturally sweetened and a spoonful of one of those helps to satisfiy my cravings. I especially like Cracker Barrel's apple butter---ordered six jars after tasting it on our trip to PA! Another arrow in my quiver is Barney Butter, a slightly sweetened almond butter that's delish! I buy the jars and the individual packets (online or at Whole Foods) and if I'm really craving sweets, the sweetened fat in a spoonful or packet can help beat the craving. I keep them in my purse, desk and nearby to help stave off the urge! Good luck girlfriend, it's tough!

Here is a link that might be useful: Gundry

"well there was that one time but I didn't inhale." LOLOL! Sorry, but that just made me LOL Cathy.

I can't offer any advice to you but I do wish you the best with taking on this challenge pal. I do know my Mom, sisters, and friends use a little piece of chocolate to take care of their cravings while dieting. A square of dark or one Hershey Kiss.

David

If I knew the answer, I would be an instant billionaire.

I do have a few thoughts for you to ponder:

I remember in General Psychology 101, there was an experiment with rats. The rats were given two diet choices, healthy food, vs. plain sugar water. The rats would pick sugar water until they all died of malnutrition.

That's the reality; sweet tooth seems to be biologically predetermined. It is not your fault or a lack of self-discipline to be ashamed of.

That said, there is also the other reality. As humans, we do have some degree of control over this detrimental primal craving and we all have the ability to condition ourselves to behave in various other ways.

I can't tell you exactly how. No one can. We are all the same, yet we are all different. What I can tell you is this; it is entirely possible to be totally ridding yourself of this insidious yearning for sweets without the least bit of feeling deprived. You can have a luscious cream topped chocolate cake in the refrigerator calling your name every time you visit the refrigerator and not tempted to take a bite, until finally the cake gets all dried up and you have to throw it out in the trash.

Knowing that the end result is absolutely attainable should give you the determination and encouragement to tryout the many ways that are being suggested here as well as many other resources.

I am here to assure you that it can be done, and has been done.

dcarch

Any changes in eating habits are a personal challenge and the path to good results will differ for everyone. What works for DH and me is to have a cup of tea and a sweet treat every night at 8 P.M. It's usually a slice of nut bread or a couple of homemade cookies or cake. We don't eat sweets at all throughout the day but know we'll be having something that evening.

I still bake but only keep enough for a couple of nights' teatimes and give the rest away to neighbors, co-workers, our local library staff, etc. That also eliminates any desire for us for evening snacking.

Good luck to you.

DCarch I think you are remembering wrong. I studied psycology at Mt Holyoke college and the experiment was giving rats access to a balanced diet AND a sugar solution. The rats choose enough of the balanced diet to maintain health but also enough of the sugar to gain weight.

That's what Cathy's doing...eating the good stuff...AND the sweets. Filling up on liquids does it for me....if I can force myself to drink a big glass of water instead of a piece of pie!
Linda C

Here is a link that might be useful: Rats choice of diet

Posted by lindac "DCarch I think you are remembering wrong. I studied psycology at Mt Holyoke college and the experiment was giving rats access to a balanced diet AND a sugar solution. The rats choose enough of the balanced diet to maintain health but also enough of the sugar to gain weight. ----"

Oh rats! My memory is failing me?! :-)

OTOH, realtive to the "sugarholic" topic, it is also possible that there may be other different stuies:

"-----"Recent behavioral tests in rats further back the idea of an overlap between sweets and drugs. Drug addiction often includes three steps. A person will increase his intake of the drug, experience withdrawal symptoms when access to the drug is cut off and then face an urge to relapse back into drug use. Rats on sugar have similar experiences. Researchers withheld food for 12 hours and then gave rats food plus sugar water. This created a cycle of binging where the animals increased their daily sugar intake until it doubled. When researchers either stopped the diet or administered an opioid blocker the rats showed signs common to drug withdrawal, such as teeth-chattering and the shakes. Early findings also indicate signs of relapse. Rats weaned off sugar repeatedly pressed a lever that previously dispensed the sweet solution.[7]
The sugar industry claims that similar effects have been reported for rats given solutions that tasted sweet, but contained no calories. [8] However, caloric value may not be the issue. Sugar and the taste of sweet stimulate the brain by activating beta endorphin receptor sites. These are the same chemicals activated by heroin and morphine.-------"

dcarch

I love you guys! Thanks again for the suggests and support.

I did have success yesterday--I passed those 5" in diameter, outrageously frosted cinnamon buns yesterday with only a glance; I love those suckers. I swear they winked as I went by.

I tried the Russell Stover sugar free candies that I bought for Ray aren't bad. So that's a quick fix.

I started making homemade yogurt thread a couple of months ago after following the thread here. Of course up till my health revelation, I was loading each cup up with honey or jam. I'll have to rethink that.

I find artificial sweetener works pretty good with yogurt and fresh fruit. Apparently the yogurt and fruit have enough of their own taste to mask any aftertaste from the sweetener and it does cut the tartness of the yogurt. Can add some vanilla too for flavor I guess.

Honestly, in my experience, the best way to get rid of sugar cravings is to go off sugar and anything like sugar completely for at least a month. Also limit your fruit intake to three servings tops. This will be difficult, but the end result might be that your sugar cravings die down. This is how you will retrain your tastebuds. For a good long while, just say no to that stuff. Eventually you will be able to say no to it much more easily. Once you don't CRAVE something but can just eat it because you would like to eat it instead of needing to eat it to satisfy some craving, then it is much easier to resist eating what you don't want to eat.

Also, when you do eat carbs or sweets, always pair them with protein of some form or another, including beans, soy, nuts and dairy This totally helps avoid that "crash and burn" effect of eating sugary foods. Apple and peanut butter or a piece of cheese, strawberries and yogurt, bananna and a handful of almonds, Carrots dipped in hummus, that kind of thing.

Oh, and stop drinking your sugars in the concentrated forms of soda pop, wine, mixed drinks and fruit juice. I drink plain or flavored soda water with a splash of fruit juice (about 1/8 cup).