Everyday Systems

Hi I have some flavored porridge sachets, they don't contain much sugar but are flavored to taste like Golden Syrup porridge. Obviously there is no actual Golden Syrup in the porridge but where do we stand on things that are flavored sweetly but contain no sugar. I really do like these porridge sachets.

I don't count porridge as a sweet, even if it's flavored. If it meets your needs for a breakfast (meaning you're not left ravenous before lunch), I think it's fine.

I'd say it's not a sweet, but I'd advise paying attention to whether it sets you up for cravings. Things like that sometimes do for me, and for that reason I might leave it for S days, because I'd eat more overall.

Or you may decide the cravings are worth the pleasure of the item.

What do you think makes it taste sweet? I'm not a purist, but I'd want to know if there was any artificial sweetening. I might still choose it; I just like to know.

Check the sugar content-not carbohydrate, but sugar specificallly. If it's just a few grams, it's much less than most fruit. A teaspoon of sugar is about 4 grams. An apple has 19 grams. Better the sugar in the apple because of everything else that comes with it, but the equivalent in some soup you have SOMEtimes is no big deal.

The rule is No Sweets, not No Sugar. In fact, I'm pretty sure Reinhard has said that a spoon of sugar in coffee or on porridge is fine if that's how you take it.

For myself, I'd rather make a bowl of plain oats, then add my own teaspoon of brown sugar or golden syrup, than have someone else decide for me what amount of sugar or other stuff should be in there.

No S doesn't micromanage your decisions and everyone will draw the line in a different place on what is a "sweet". I'm hard line - I won't put jam or honey on toast on an N day, won't drink a diet soft drink on an N day - but that's pretty unusual as far as I can gather.

All that aside, I'd concentrate on getting as many green days as possible under your belt. Three moderate plates, no desserts or snacks. Once you've been going a few months, you can decide if you want to tweak the marginal stuff, like honey on toast or sugar in tea. You may not need to.

I'm a porridge eater, I sweeten mine with fruit and dates. Yum! I think flavoured porridge sounds fine to me, but I'm another one who would rather make my own porridge and add the golden syrup myself.

Enjoy

Kit.