food ways by tending to our recipes. If you still need extra sweetness, buffer it with sweet spices and flavorings (vanilla, cardamom, nutmeg...) or one of the alternative sweeteners listed below.

And fourth, start experimenting with alternative sweeteners:

• Stevia. If you’ve tasted stevia before and didn’t like it, I encourage you to try a different brand or form (liquid, extract, whole leaf...). Stevia’s taste, sweetness, and aftertaste varies greatly from brand to brand and method of processing.
• Luo han guo. This sweetener has been used in China for centuries. It’s claim to fame is that it doesn’t have a bitter aftertaste and retains its sweetness when heated.
• Xylitol and erythritol. These two alcohol sugars do not have an aftertaste, also retain their sweetness when heated, and are not associated with all the digestive issues that come with other alcohol sugars.

By simply reducing sugar you can improve your mood, help to slow down aging (fewer wrinkles over time!), improve cardiovascular health, increase your overall energy, lose weight, and sport clearer skin. I’ll say it again: don’t be duped into thinking a life without sugar (or flour) is misery. If that’s all you’re hearing from others, it’s time to get a second opinion!

About the Author

Brook Nicole

M2G,

I am one of them that can't deal with sugar and simple carbs. I just get SOOOOOO hungry when I eat ANY of them and am pretty well controlled with my eating without them.

SO, I am a believer in this article, and when all is said and done, I am fine with a very controlled carb/sugar life!

One year before surgery I gave up one thing it was a very very small thing but it was bigger than I could of imagined sugar real or fake of any kind.

It was really hard at first to find things that didn't have any sugars even bread even deli meats!!

I will say I was still fat after a year (I lost a little weight) BUT I felt great. I was no longer getting dizzy and the shakes..

Well as you know this surgery and the months after it's hard to stay away from artificial sugars so...

But I try to limit my intake now that I'm further and use liquid stevia in my teas and coffee if I need sweetness...

But even then I'm trying to cut down I have weaned myself of it in my Greek yogurt.

I love this article...thank you for sharing! I haven't tried the no-flour thing, but I have believed that sugar is the devil for many years now. I think I will look more into flour, as it makes sense since our bodies convert it to sugar.

since I am following a strict autoimmune protocol I do live life sugar and flour free and it is easy peasy! *white* sugar, and *white* flour are pure poison to my body and the effects are immediate and painful. Instead, it's all about the stevia, the coconut sugar, and ground flaxseed/hemp flour or almond meal or ground chia. Not only do I never have to give up my cakes, now I also don't have to deal with refined white food coma!

Globetrotter can you share links where to get good recipes using flour substitutes that you've mentioned?

http://www.foodiefiasco.com/

http://nouveauraw.com/

and of course, The World According to Eggface blog, I couldn't paste the link.

Globetrotter can you share links where to get good recipes using flour substitutes that you've mentioned?

just google "paleo recipes." there are tons and tons of resources out there.

Globetrotter can you share links where to get good recipes using flour substitutes that you've mentioned?

elenaspantry.com is also a great sourced of recipes for different food needs.

I'd highly recommend alldayidreamaboutfood.com for sugar free low-carb recipes too. She does some amazing things!

Ooh yes she does! A well meaning friend of mine sent me a care package with a lot of raw almond meal, nice except I have no access to cooking of any kind! But when life gives you almond flour, make almond milk and no-bake cookie balls!! I used a little agave, soaked my meal, then expressed the milk. Then I took the almond paste and mixed it with some Peanut Butter, some honey, some salt, some raw chocolate chia and crushed coconut flakes, rolled them into balls, and put them in the freezer - yuUM! Perfect little wholesome energy balls!