December 2, 2023 by Molly Patrick

Not the most popular opinion

Hello lovely ❤️ human,

If you’re hooked on sugar, take a load off because there’s nothing wrong with you. Sugar is delicious, it makes us feel good, and it’s addictive. It’s completely understandable that you’re hooked.

A lot of people talk about how sugar is bad and toxic and should be avoided by any means necessary. Yes, there are plenty of reasons to keep your sugar intake in check, but I don’t believe any food is “bad” or “good.”

Different foods impact our bodies differently. When you eat lots of whole plant foods, like lentils, kale, sweet potatoes, and apples, your body will have one experience. When you eat lots of processed foods, like cake, candy, potato chips, and pizza, your body will have a different experience.

One experience is typically more enjoyable and rewarding in the long term (eating whole plant foods), while the other experience is usually more enjoyable and rewarding in the moment (eating sugar and processed foods).

I don’t think sugar is the problem.
I think being unfulfilled is the problem. 

When we stay in our comfort zones and stop learning, growing, expanding, and having rich experiences, we look for things to give us a quick escape, a hit of pleasure, or a momentary sense of relief. Sugar fits the bill perfectly because it’s easily accessible, it’s socially acceptable to eat any time of day, and it feels damn good (in the moment). That moment of relief is powerful and addictive.

I don’t think eating minimally processed sugar from time to time is a problem in the grand scheme of things. And, more importantly, I think it's possible for most people to have some minimally processed sugar occasionally. The problem is, once you’re hooked on processed sugar, it’s a bitch of a habit to break. But it is possible. Check out Sherri Riddle, one of our incredible plant based Facebook group members, who quit eating processed sugar with the help of my coaching and has been processed-sugar free for almost two years!

Molly Patrick did a live coaching session where she helped me make some realization about sugar. I ate processed sugar that night, but the following day was my first day without it. While I do still eat other natural sugars, I have been processed sugar free [for almost two years]. Thank you, Molly!

Once you break the habit, you get to decide how to move forward. Do you want to have some maple syrup-sweetened desserts in your life from time to time, or do you want to find pleasure in other ways? Maybe you want both! It’s all possible.

The first step is breaking the addiction to processed sugar. After that, you can make an empowered choice that will help you live the life you want to live, awe, wonder, and fulfillment included.

If you need help quitting sugar, I can help. Check out the following resources.

Molly

Get the weekly Sweary Saturday Love Letter like what you've read above

Written by ex-boozer and ex-smoker, Molly Patrick that will help you eat more plants while throwing perfection down the garbage disposal.

Previous Sweary Saturday Newsletters

SIGN UP BELOW

Not for those offended by the F word.