7 Days No Sugar Challenge – Day 1

    Yesterday was the start of the 7 Days No Added Sugar Challenge. For a self confessed dessert fanatic, this is a real big deal.  As a little trivia, it was my sweet tooth that motivated me to teach myself how to bake again after my children were diagnosed with food allergies. I remembered the day when I told my kids this “Just because you can’t have wheat, dairy, egg, soy, nut and peanuts, does not mean that you also can’t have a cupcake, doughnut or ice cream.  We will make our own!”  That was almost 4 years ago and up to now I haven’t stopped.  

     Anyway, when I was asked about the challenge.  I didn’t hesitate a bit.  For months now, I have been curious about the growing Sugar Free diet trend. While researching about food allergies and the importance of gut health, big importance was emphasized regarding the bad effects of both natural and artificial sweeteners.  

     Day 1 turned out fine.   Even though the challenge allowed the use of a little stevia, I opted to be a purist and have only the natural sugars in fruits and vegetables.  What did I ate?  

For breakfast, I had a protein packed one which consisted of:

       1/4 cup cooked quinoa

       3 Tbs. Oven baked breakfast potatoes

       1 pc. organic hotdog 

      Since I can’t have my favorite light and sweet coffee, I had a big mug of Double Green Matcha Tea.  

     The kids have their swimming lessons the whole week. So for lunch, we all had the stew which I cooked yesterday.  They usually eat theirs with steamed white rice.  For me, it was  

      1/4 cup cooked quinoa

     1/2 cup Pork Menudo (Pork chunks, potatoes and bell peppers slowly simmered in a seasoned tomato sauce)

     Since I started to crave for something sweet around 4pm, (the kids were having marshmallows dipped in melted chocolate for snack), I decided to make a smoothie with the fruits I have on hand. This one had strawberries, blueberries, banana, flax milk and some ice.   I had about 2 cups worth of smoothie so I’m still full.  Oh before, I forget, I also had a handful of low sodium potato chips. With four kids enjoying their food right in front of me, it is so hard to resist.

        For dinner, I had a bowl of Pork Spareribs Sinigang (pork and vegetables boiled in a tamarind based broth).   We had a late dinner because we went grocery shopping.  This probably helped because I never even thought of dessert afterwards.  Maybe the 2 liters of strawberry infused water which I kept drinking the whole day might have helped too.  What do you think?

         So far, so good.  Will it last?  Let’s see…

– Roz