KICK SUGAR

I think the Rewards Project is such an important charity. There is so much we can do for our children in this day and age, and it’s vital that their health comes first. Reducing their sugar intake can seem like a losing battle sometimes, but the Rewards Project is making it fun and inviting for everyone. I would definitely recommend trying the recipes from the Kick Sugar cookbook and the lunchbox ideas on the website if you get stuck. Make sure you check out the blog posts too, as they are always helping me make healthier lifestyle changes.

I have really enjoyed the sugar challenge and intend to keep on using the recipes and making new ones myself.

I also realised that my previous portion size was too large and now I make smaller quantities. I have lost weight which has been an added bonus. 

I work in oral health and have found this particularly interesting in respect to re-calibrating a sweet tooth to more savory preferences which helps with  controlling dental caries in the wider community programmes. 

I can honestly say I enjoyed taking part in the Rewards Project #kicksugar challenge and actually surprised myself how well I did. All the recipes I tried were delicious. I found the exclusive Facebook group helpful and I enjoyed seeing what everyone was making, as that would encourage me to try. I tried food I would normally avoid or have never had before which as given me confidence to try new things.

All in all the challenge for me was a success, I am still using the recipes regularly as well as others and making meals ‘sugar free’. I would encourage anyone to take part in the challenge and will be recommending it to patients and colleagues alike! 

As a Personal Trainer, I work with many clients who are overweight and obese and I see the damage sugar has done to them. Besides the obvious visual effects, most will suffer with one or more of the following issues; chronic pains, headaches, lack of sleep, depression, anxiety, mood swings, foggy brain, inflammatory skin conditions, weak immune system, high blood pressure, diabetes, the list goes on and on.

Are these the conditions we want to “treat” our kids to? Do we want to “treat” them to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke as they grow up? Increased risk of blindness and limb amputation? Increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease?

I think this project is fantastic, because it is addressing the psychological connection we have with food, from a young age and trying to redirect associations with reward away from sweet foods and towards healthier alternatives. If we can build great habits now, we might be able to avoid having to overcome emotional eating or poor relationships with food as adults. This in turn will most likely improve quality of life and longevity.

The project has been a complete inspiration to me. After many years of talking to our patients about the damaging affect of diabetes on vision and eye health and, how important reducing sugar is to controlling diabetes, I found the Rewards Project one of the first things that I have ever seen that works as a support tool. What you have created has the power to change attitudes towards sugar without ‘beating people up’ about it. And that is what is really needed here in the UK and I suspect, around the World.

I have personally thrown a teaspoon of sugar in my cups of tea for the past 40 years. I’m not overweight, I exercise regularly – I just like sweet tea. That’s how I justified it to myself! I deserved this ‘treat’ because I’d earnt it. The Rewards Project has made me realise that it isn’t a treat at all. I must have consumed over 200 kilos of sugar in my tea in that time – wow, I think I’ve just been lucky.

And so, from a personal perspective, you have changed my attitude and I’m just starting to enjoy a hot drink that tastes of tea and not sugar! Thank you.

John Edwards FBDO CL