This morning we were sitting at the breakfast table, eating eggs, talking about breakfast foods. The big boys remember how we used to eat: cereal, pancakes, waffles, German Pancakes, popovers, toast with cinnamon and sugar. Our morning meals look so different these days! Farm Princess 1 (4 years old) does not remember eating that way (she didn’t, much–I always made eggs for myself and only ate a little of what the kids’ had, and Farm Princess would have some of my eggs. The boys did not like eggs back in those days!). When the boys mentioned the kinds of “sugar breakfasts” that they used to eat, she blurted out,
“But sugar makes your teeth rot!”
She is totally aware of the effects that sugar can have on a person’s body. We have real life examples in our home right now. These are the teeth of our sweet foster children:
I’m not sure I’ll ever know the real story about how this happened. Going to bed with bottles every night? The red gatorade she gave them every day until a case worker told her to stop (several times)? Candy? The microwavable Chef Boyardee that they ate daily when they lived in the home of their birthmom? I’m not sure.
These beautiful children (I wish I could show you how beautiful their faces are) turned 3 and 2 after they entered our home. THAT much damage was done before the tender ages of 3 and 2!
So, why don’t we eat sugar in our home?? One of the reasons, simply put, is like my 4 year old said: “Sugar makes your teeth rot.”
When we were the Standard American Diet (SAD), I would always get sick this time of year. My mouth would be full of little canker sores, my ear would hurt, and I’d feel weak. Just before we went gluten free (a year before GAPS), my chin went numb around Thanksgiving time–and stayed numb for a MONTH! Diet has improved my health in ways I almost forget sometimes, because I feel SO good! 
 If you want to make holiday recipes that are free of sugar (and all of the other SAD junk), make sure to check out my e-book, A Whole Food Holiday. If you think that a little bit of sugar will be ok this holiday season and you’re eating like most Americans, please read my Myth of Moderation Part 1: Sugar article from last year. Also, make sure to read Reflections on the Myth of Moderation and A Little Bit of Sugar is Ok, Right?
Sugar is in EVERYTHING now days, not just the desserts that you eat on Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day, and all of the days of baking before that. 
It’s in your salad dressing, bread, tomato sauce, cereal, macaroni & cheese, hot dogs, bacon, ketchup, etc.! If you’re eating like most Americans and then you have 1 or 2 desserts on Christmas, you are not eating *a little bit of sugar,* you’re topping off the large quantities of sugar that you already consume with a super-sized extra dose.
Sugar makes your teeth rot. And so much more! Will you join us in avoiding it this holiday season?
