Giving Up Sugar.

[andy-hughes]

Rather than continuing to worry my wonderful wife, I have decided to give up sugar.

Advice varies, but rather than reduce gradually, which for me would be worse, I have gone cold turkey, and had no sugar in tea for a week now.

I keep being told i will get used to the taste, but it tastes as vile now as it did on day one - so i wonder, is it possible not to get used to the taste of tea without sugar?

I am giving it six weeks, and if there is no change, I will return to one of my major pleasures - a nice cup of tea.

Any experiences and / or advice welcome.

[anneasquith]

I stopped taking sugar in my tea many years ago for lent...........I couldn't have sugar added now. yuk,

[woofgang]

I did it cold turkey for a fairly silly reason. I used to visit people in their own homes for the NHS. They would offer me tea or coffee and ask if i took sugar. many ties when I said yes they would panic because they had none so i started saying no and drinking it without. I still can drink it that way and do about 30% of the time through choice. I still have sugar in my breakfast cup of coffee, but now only 1.5 teaspoons when it used to be 2.5.

How many cups do you drink a day? and why do you have to give it all up? if you make strong efforts to reduce sugar in other areas, and you don't drink a million cups of syrupy tea a day, do you really need to give it up?

[Sqad]

If you really WANT to give up sugar......for whatever reason, then do it...cold turkey.

I just have the feeling from your post that you want to give up sugar....but not that much.

Prognosis here seems poor.

[jomifl]

I gave up sugar in tea, coffee and custard in one fell swoop, it took about a week to get used to it, perhaps it takes longer the older you are?

[naomi24]

I did it years ago bit by bit - a little less each day. I can't drink tea or coffee with sugar now. It tastes vile.

[Prudie]

Is this just for the calorie content Andy? I think sugar gets undeserved bad press. Tea with sugar is one of life's great pleasures, giving it up is a drop in the ocean.

[AB Editor]

Hi Andy,

Are you giving it up in other forms?

You'll find it becomes easier the more you give up. Or that's my experience anyway.

[mccfluff]

i gave up sugar in tea years ago, i can't stand sweet tea now, stick with it. i did do it gradually though rather than cold turkey

[andy-hughes]

Hi Folks,

I am not at all keen to give up sugar but my wife is convinced it is really bad for me, and I hate to see her fretting about me, hence the giving up.

I have decided that i will give it six weeks, and if it's no better, I will return to sugar, but i have also cut out sweets and chocolate, and i am happy to continue without them, and i will reduce my tea consumption - little but pleasureable will be the way.

I don't drink or smoke, never have, so i figure a sweet cup of tea a couple of times a day is a risk worth taking.

[Sqad]

\\\\\\I don't drink or smoke, never have, so i figure a sweet cup of tea a couple of times a day is a risk worth taking.\\\

So you are not giving up taking sugar.

Forget the whole thing andy.

[craft1948]

I gave up sugar way back in the 70's when there was a sugar shortage.....I must admit the gardener winces when I give him tea with Hermesetas.

[pastafreak]

Sugar doesn't ' get a bad press'... Its been shown to have addictive properties,so the more the body gets...the more it needs/wants. Its also hidden in a lot of foods. But...if tea is the only place you have it....you don't consume huge amounts of cakes,biscuits or other processed foods....then cutting down may be more practical.

[andy-hughes]

sqad - perhaps a more accurate description of my current status would be that I am 'attempting to give up sugar'.

I used to eat a Toffe Crisp every single day, sometimes two, and often buscuits as well. I have stopped those, and will continue without them, but i am not willing to be miserable if i fail to get used to the taste of tea without sugar.

Six weeks is my limit - after that, if there is not improvement in the taste of tea, I will resume taking sugar.

I should stress that i am doing this simply to stop the present Mrs Hughes from worrying about me!

[jomifl]

the present Mrs Hughes....is there something you shoul(n't) be telling us?

[andy-hughes]

jomifl - I have referred to my wonderful wife as 'the present Mrs Hughes ...' for some years now - it is merely a term of affection, no hidden meaning!

[Baby_Sham]

Can you not use a substitute in your tea, like Truvia or stevia?
Completely natural.

[woofgang]

oh barf baby sham, tea unsweetened is better than either of those.

[andy-hughes]

Baby_Sham - no thanks, would prefer to have the real thing or nothing!

[pastafreak]

The trouble with substitutes is that you then still have the taste for sweet things...when its better to change your taste buds.

[B00]

Unless you have 15 sugars in each brew I fail to see the harm in a couple of teas a day with sugar in!

you're obviously nicer than me Andy, as I'd tell her to shut her gob and leave me with one of the few pleasures in life that I (you) have!