Don’t get me wrong, I have a lot of love for all things sweet and in the past I wouldn’t have thought twice about saying ‘HELL YES’ to a chocolate bar or a slice or cake or ten! In fact I have been named and shamed by many on numerous occasions as being a mega chocoholic.

I’m not claiming to be a super healthy, plant based diet, no refined sugar goddess; but I am trying really hard to reduce my sugar intake.

The problem is that hidden sugar is now in everything we eat; often disguised in foods that we wouldn’t expect to find it, behind names such as glucose or different syrups.

One of the reasons I want to reduce my sugar intake is because excessive sugar can promote inflammation in the body. I suffer from Eczema, a condition that causes inflammation of the skin which I’ve had since I was a baby. I’ve tried every cream and lotion under the sun and nothing has completely got rid of it. Around November time last year I started my ‘quest’ and managed to limit the amount of  sugar I was consuming a considerable amount. I noticed SUCH a big improvement of the skin on my hands and face which are often areas that usually get quite bad. I also noticed that my energy levels were so much better than they had been.

How to conquer the dreaded sugar cravings!

• Replace your treat with an alternative – so maybe go for a natural fix like a bowl of fruit and honey. There are tonnes of alternative sweeteners out there that can be enjoyed in place of refined sugar like Raw cocoa, coconut palm sugar (this has such a awesome rich caramel taste!), maple syrup, date syrup…
• Try to keep your blood sugar levels stable so you don’t feel like you need that pick me up. Make sure you are eating small regular meals daily. Try not to skip meals and try adding spices such as cinnamon to your breakfast or snacks; this has the opposite effect of sugar.
• Don’t give up after the first few days – they can be the hardest, but after you get past the initial struggle it is so worth it!

Here are a few ideas for some naughty but not so naughty sweet treats.

1) Sweet potato brownies. I have to say I did eat at least half the batch at once but at least I can say it was healthier… maybe.

2) Chocolate & nut snack bars – I kind of threw this recipe together, luckily it tasted amazing. Melted down some coconut oil and raw cocoa butter and then added raw cocoa powder to make a yummy chocolatty paste. Then chucked in loads of nuts, seeds and dried fruits and bobs your uncle. I also used coconut palm sugar as an alternative sweetener to give it a slightly caramel flavour.

Enjoy! x