This weekend I am away on a trip with nine lovely ladies. We had planned a “family meal” last night where everyone had to bring a dish.

Surprisingly, the only fructose on the table was fruit for the dessert, which I had cut up to make sure the skin was still on. I also selected the lower fructose variety fruit as much as possible.

Like a family we got talking and laughing and the topic of living fructose free and what it involves was discussed.

No one was surprised about the sugar content in foods such as cakes, soft drink, biscuits, lollies etc. But shocked that foods, usually considered non-treats, can also be full of sugar. A few were really gobsmacked to learn that some tomato sauces have a massive amount of sugar.

This is what I share with others about my fructose free lifestyle. I need to say that many of these points are from Dr Robert Lustig and David Gillespie. Also these are my rules to live by, everyone will be different.

1. No soft drink or juice. Only full cream milk and water.
2. I always eat fibre with fructose. For example I eat the skin and flesh of the fruit. I normally only eat one piece a day, sometimes two, but no more than that.
3. I read the labels on all packaged food, even if I’m not buying it. I’m fascinated to see what has a high sugar content. I look at the ingredients list first and then the nutritional information. I’m looking for where sugar is placed, how much sugar and how many different names sugar is given.
4. I wait 20 minutes before going back for seconds. I’m trying to make sure that my body is registering that I’ve had enough food.
5. I avoid processed fructose wherever possible.
6. I cook meals, especially my treat food using The Sugar Breakup Dextrose. Then I know that no fructose has been added. Even better I eat my sister’s cooking! She is a thoughtful, yummy, and amazing fructose free cook.
7. I’m kind to myself. I try to do the best that I can.

There are many other things that I do but this is what we talked about over dinner. See the happy snaps on Facebook and Instagram. I really love sharing The Sugar Breakup story with others, but what about you?

What rules do you have for living sugar free?