can't/won't eat sugar

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Originally Posted by soprano

If your colleague is sensitive to blood sugar lows, she is probably avoiding refined sugars because they can make the blood sugar spike and then crash.

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This is half the reason I avoid sugar. The other half is that it can trigger migraines for me. (I also avoid caffeine for the same reason.) I also don't eat much fruit for the same reasons. I seem to be OK with small amounts of blueberries and blackberries, but most of the sweeter fruits have too much sugar for me to handle.

I'm also allergic to wheat. Put those two things together, and most group food-sharing events are pretty much out for me. I recently started a new job, and on my first day the company hosted a "New Hire Bagel Breakfast" to provide a somewhat social time for me to meet people. It was an impressive spread of bagels, cream cheeses and various jams...and everyone seemed to like it a lot. I didn't have anything, which didn't bother me at all, but the HR person who coordinated it was bothered that everyone was eating but me.

Thanks for the input, all! I'll see if I can pick up some pretty fruit like cherries or something to drape around the muffins.

-signed,
wanna please everyone

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Originally Posted by lph

Thanks for the input, all! I'll see if I can pick up some pretty fruit like cherries or something to drape around the muffins.

-signed,
wanna please everyone

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Bring her a pickle.

<signed, grumpy at 3AM - stupid cat!>

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Originally Posted by ultraviolet

I'm also allergic to wheat. Put those two things together, and most group food-sharing events are pretty much out for me. I recently started a new job, and on my first day the company hosted a "New Hire Bagel Breakfast" to provide a somewhat social time for me to meet people.

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When I started my last job, they put together a pot luck lunch for me. There was an ice chest full of soda & one of the people said, "Sorry, no beer." I told her that was OK, I don't drink. Her reply: "Don't worry - you will.":D

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Originally Posted by Dogmama

Bring her a pickle.

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Heh. :rolleyes:

I bought a couple of kiwis and a packet of raspberries, sliced the kiwi into wedges and tossed the fruit artistically around my muffins and the chocolate cake my co-cake-bringer brought with him. It looked very pretty, and she went "ooh, something I can eat!"

Mission accomplished.

I really like your idea of putting fruit around the baked goods! Maybe I've seen that before but I never thought about how that gives an alternative to the other stuff.

At my son's preschool and now elementry, they like to take baked goods to the teachers as a token of appreciation. They seem to like it but sometimes I feel like we are not doing the great staff of our schools any favors. I have found making small (1/2 tbsp size dough instead of 1 tbsp) cookies are appreciated and cutting the brownies into 1" bite size. A little more portion control?

I don't know but surrounding the plate/platter with pretty fresh fruit gives the best of both worlds. Thanks!

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Originally Posted by lph

Heh. :rolleyes:

I bought a couple of kiwis and a packet of raspberries, sliced the kiwi into wedges and tossed the fruit artistically around my muffins and the chocolate cake my co-cake-bringer brought with him. It looked very pretty, and she went "ooh, something I can eat!"

Mission accomplished.

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Awesome!

I super avoid sugar and won't use agave because, while it has a lower glycemic index, it's still a form of sugar. It might be hard to cook a treat for someone who avoids sugar. I usually make/bring my own when the situation calls for it because I know the way I eat isn't easy to accommodate.

This recipe is one of my favorites- http://www.elanaspantry.com/ratio-rally-quick-breads/ I grate/finely chop apple and use a couple packets of stevia instead of agave. And I add some cinnamon.

I'm doing South Beach Diet so I know what it's like avoiding sugar (including cane evaporated juice and honey in addition to cane or beet sugar). On top of that I'm limited to the amount of certain good starches and fruit I can have in a day. So I generally cross off baked goods even if it were made with whole wheat flour and sugar substitutes. It's just not worth it. If I'm going to cheat, I'll cheat. Otherwise I'll bring something of my own or just get something later. Fruit is always a safe bet.

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Originally Posted by Desert Tortoise

At my son's preschool and now elementry, they like to take baked goods to the teachers as a token of appreciation. They seem to like it but sometimes I feel like we are not doing the great staff of our schools any favors. I have found making small (1/2 tbsp size dough instead of 1 tbsp) cookies are appreciated and cutting the brownies into 1" bite size. A little more portion control?

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Our schools they won't even allow baked goods. It has to be pre-wrapped from a store. I just don't get it because a lot of home baked stuff would be a lot healthier. On the other hand, I had a friend who let their animals roam around on top of the kitchen cabinet while cooking. If she allowed that who knows what others may be allowing.

I should add, the recipe I linked is grain-free as well so handy for people who are gluten/grain-free as well as sugar-free. :) I don't get to eat a whole lot of baked goods being gluten/grain/sugar-free but that recipe is a winner. :) Makes for a handy bike snack too!

LPH,
When I toss fruit "artistically around my muffins" it just keeps sliding off. How do you make it stick?:D

I also don't eat sugar, and it's a choice, not an allergy or diabetes. Like your friend, I just feel better when I don't eat sugar. (If I go into detail it involves descriptions of my bathroom habits and lady times.) My daughter has also reduced the amount of sugar she eats. Her clarinet section leader last year used to bring in treats to sectionals, and she'd bring an apple for my daughter, which we thought was so sweet! (sweet as in kind, not as in sugar!)

There is a huge difference between fruit sugars and refined sugar or HFCS. Fruit sugars are bound up in soluble & insoluble fibers, which creates a sort of time-release effect in the gut, so that the sugars aren't all released at once and you don't get that sugar high and sugar crash and the insulin surge. That insulin surge is pretty much toxic!

I realize your event is probably already past, but for anyone, go ahead and make your sugary treats, but if you know of someone who doesn't eat sugar, just bring fruit for that one. They'll really appreciate your kindness.

lph, I applaud your considerate solution!!! I'm so happy she was pleased!

As another one who doesn't eat sugar/low-carbs, I know how hard it is to have to sit and watch other people eat. Eating together with folks is supposed to remove barriers to socializatoin, and not being able to participate always makes me feel a bit alienated. I'm always super happy when there's fruit around and I can take part in an event.