Dear Sugar, we're breaking up
Dear Sugar,
You’re sweet. (So, so sweet). And I love being around you - a bit too much, actually.
Dear Sugar,
You’re sweet. (So, so sweet). And I love being around you - a bit too much, actually.
In fact, I love being around you so much that I never stopped to think whether you were actually good for me. I might have even been a bit addicted to your presence in my life.
But it’s time to be honest. I don’t think you’re doing me any favours when it comes to my health.
And, as much as I love you, I am going to have to put strict boundaries in place when it comes to you and I.
I can see you, but only very infrequently now. Because I’ve realised that I’m actually healthier without you.
What does this mean?
Sorry Sugar, it means we are breaking up.
I’ll miss you, this will be so hard, but I need to do it for myself. xx
If I could write a letter to Sugar, it would be something like this.
I recently saw this post on my Pinterest about sugar that made me laugh:
Why the vitriol against sugar, I hear you ask?
Well, for a number of reasons, really. Sugar has absolutely no nutritional value, and yet wreaks havoc on the body. Consuming a lot of sugar is your best route to an early grave, essentially.
Hidden in plain sight
The thing about sugar is that it is so delicately woven into the modern Western diet that extricating yourself from it is pretty challenging. Take our love of coffee shops, for example. Coffee is a great aid for the liver, but these shops are also like crack dens for sugar lovers.
So many are oblivious to exactly how much sugar goes into just one latte.
“The "venti" (a pint) Starbucks Signature Caramel Hot Chocolate made with oat milk but topped with whipped cream had the most.
It contains 23 teaspoons (93.7g) of sugar and 758 calories, which Action on Sugar says is as much as three cans of Coca-Cola or four white chocolate and strawberry muffins.”
Okay, so maybe this particular syrupy offender is pretty obvious. But the thing I find astonishing is that when you go round your local supermarket, you’d be hard pressed to find products that aren’t loaded with sugar. Even things that you think wouldn’t be sugary, or wouldn’t need sugar, have some sugar in them.
Because the sweeter the food is, the more it sells.
“in 1800, an average American would have lived and died never having encountered a single manufactured candy, let alone the array of sugar-sweetened yogurts, snacks, sauces, dressings, cereals, and drinks that now line supermarket shelves. Today, that average American ingests more than nineteen teaspoons of added sugar every day” - New Yorker
It’s addictive
The insidious nature of sugar is that once you’ve had it for a while, you start to crave it.
Check out this Ted talk, Sugar is not a Treat.
What does processed sugar do to the body?
Well, a lot actually. Whilst I’m not here to become an anti-sugar evangelist, there’s ample studies to suggest that too much sugar can contribute to:
poor liver health
diabetes
low mood
poor energy levels
insulin resistance
poor gut health
inflammatory conditions
acne
weight gain
If you take just one of these conditions listed above, we are talking millions of people whose symptoms may improve through reduced intake of sugar. Loading our body with sugar is like putting diesel in a petrol car - our bodies are just not made for it.
I’ve never been massively healthy until recent years. I was brought up on frozen foods and ready meals, and my family always have a stash of sugary treats somewhere in their house. I remember when my nan was ill once, she had a stash of cake bars by her sick bed for sustenance, as I gently tried to encourage her to replace them with fruit.
As with all these kinds of health topics, the proof is in the (sugar-free) pudding. Gradually reducing your intake and swopping with healthy alternatives (think cinnamon on top of porridge instead of honey), will help your body to transition.
One thing I’ve noticed is that when you start to consume less sugar, you notice more when things are really sweet - your palette can change as you gradually become accustomed to eating healthier (choosing an organic tomato soup, for example, instead of a tinned one with added sugar).
So Sugar, it’s time we created some serious distance between us - I’m afraid you do more harm than good.
This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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Eating vegan and healthy in Las Palmas
When travelling and working on the road, you want to be as healthy as you can when ‘nomading’, right? After watching What The Health on Netflix last year, I’ve attempted to go vegan. I use the word ‘attempted’ because I’ve not been entirely, 100% successful.
When travelling and working on the road, you want to be as healthy as you can when ‘nomading’, right? After watching What The Health on Netflix last year, I’ve attempted to go vegan. I use the word ‘attempted’ because I’ve not been entirely, 100% successful.
However I’m ok with that, and I’m aiming for a 80-90% plant based diet instead of being too strict with myself.
So when I travelled to Las Palmas in Gran Canaria to check out their thriving coliving and coworking scene, I naturally wanted to eat as healthily as I could during my two month 'digital nomad' stay.
On the advice of my lovely friend Mary, I downloaded the free app Happy Cow, which showed me the best vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Las Palmas and the surrounding area. I tried out quite a few of them, and here's my thoughts:
Terra Incognita is a lovely little place at the end of Las Canteras, that specialises in healthy living and biofood. Their menu is in Spanish, but there’s a lovely waitress that is happy to translate if you like. Drinks are plentiful here, and include fresh juices, kombucha, matcha and chai lattes. The incredible food on offer included vegetarian burger, quinoa salad, zucchini noodles, and AMAZING vegan desserts. I highly recommend the chocolate muffins, which are also gluten-free and low sugar!
They’re open during the day, and not the evening, so a great spot for lunch. The average price for lunch is 7 EUR, and you can get their ‘Menu Del Dia’ for 12 EUR, which includes a starter and a main course. There’s no outside seating but they have wifi, so you can take your laptop and work in the beautiful surroundings.
During my two months in Las Palmas, I probably paid Bioloco a visit at least twice a week. It’s that good. Classed as a ‘cruelty free bar’, it sells an array of healthy salads, vegan burgers, tapas style foods, and lots of delicious drinks, including gluten free beer.
Bioloco is a few minutes walk from Las Canteras beach and has a pleasant but basic decor, as clearly the emphasis here is on the food. It’s also the place of many nomad socials and meetups, so expect to find yourself here at some point. The food is incredible value for money; a small protein power salad (pictured) set me back just 3.80 EUR.
Casa Ari is not specifically a vegetarian/vegan joint per say, but I had to include this place, because if you’re on a budget and love Indonesian food it’s worth giving this place a try. You can get a HUGE plate of Nasi Goreng for just 5.50 EUR, and you can also get takeout for just an extra 0.50 EUR.
It’s a small place that is popular with the locals, and ran by a husband and wife team. The lady is Indonesian and cooks up an array of mouthwatering dishes, from Bami Goreng to Coconut curries with tempeh or tofu. There’s also wifi available so you can stay connected. If you need this food but can't be bothered to leave your Airbnb/coliving space, try Canary Flash who will deliver to your door.
Coki is an unassuming but impressive eatery just off Mesa Y Lopez, which offers a large menu filled with burgers, burritos, noodles and salads. What’s great about this place is that it clearly marks allergies and vegan options on the menu, so you can see which meals are gluten, nut or lactose free.
I had the same thing every time I visited, which was three times! I had the pesto zoodles, which were zucchini ‘noodles’ covered in pesto and topped with walnuts, served cold. Expect to pay roughly 9 EUR for a main. Coki can get quite busy on the evenings and weekends so pre book if you are coming in a large group.
Come Mi Gira? Gelatario Naturale
On one of my first few days in Las Palmas, it was pretty hot and I fancied an icecream. I made my way to this tiny gelato shop near Mesa Y Lopez, and wasn’t disappointed.
The italian owner was super-passionate about his ice-creams which he made with almond milk, and proceeded to feed me with all manner of samples from pistachio to chocolate orange. I wasn’t complaining!
You can get cones or tubs of gelato, starting from 2 EUR. Yummy!
I was told by several people that this place was a vegan delight, and I wasn’t disapointed. I went there on a Thursday night, which is tapas or ‘pinchos’ night in Vegueta. I went all out with a few pinchos to start - caramelised aubergine being one of them (2 EUR), and then I went for a ‘tempeh tower’ (around 12 EUR), which was delicious, although not large in comparison to other meals I’d had around Las Palmas.
I finished off with the equally impressive vegan tiramisu - which made for a lovely, guilt free evening. We sat outside with blankets and this really is the best way to soak up the social atmosphere in Vegueta on a Thursday night. Prices at La Hierba Luisa are more expensive than others; expect to pay 20-25 EUR for a three course meal, which is still excellent.
Smoothie Galaxy is not a restaurant, but a cafe. Although this place isn’t primarily vegetarian or vegan, I had to include it because it’s so healthy. Choose from an array of smoothies, from carrot, ginger and lemon to mango, papaya and strawberry - all created before your eyes and handed to you in a HUGE carton holder, available to drink indoors or take away. There’s also a selection of small sandwiches to eat in their cafe, or granola bowls topped with fruit if you fancy a healthy breakfast.
Prices here are very reasonable; expect to pay 3.50 EUR for a medium smoothie.
Another few that I heard were very good but did not try personally were La Dulce Boutique (raw vegan food in Las Palmas) and Zoe (Vegueta).
So what did I make of the vegan and healthy living options in Las Palmas?
All in all, Las Palmas has a thriving vegan and health food scene, which is continuing to grow. There are plenty of gluten and dairy free options available if you look for them, and there are many events which focus on ethical living or veganism for digital nomads. You'll be spoilt for choice!