Hi ! 

Recall that we’ve changed the format of our newsletter. Instead of briefly covering three distinct topics, each newsletter will focus on the same theme for one month. We’ll explore the who, what, where, when and why of topics dear to you so by the end of the month, you’ll have the information and confidence to make meaningful changes to eat and live better with IBD.

This month’s theme: Added sugar and IBD

Quick recap: Earlier this month we defined added sugar, gave examples of why too much sugar is bad for IBD, discussed why people with IBD eat lots of sugar, recommended a cap for daily sugar intake, showed you how to identify sources of hidden sugar, and provided actionable tips for eating less sugar. 

Too much sugar is bad for our health, so we hope that this information will help you instinctively eat less sugar without missing it! 

If you missed those emails, you can read them here:

• Week 1 - Added Sugar and IBD
• Week 2 - Sugar Hiding in Plain Site
• Week 3 - Becoming A Sugar Minimalist

Bertina's Weekend Project

Bertina says: Last week, Scott suggested reducing your sugar consumption by cutting the amount of sugar in a recipe by 50%. I felt like I was overdue for a kitchen experiment so I turned his recommendation into a weekend project. 

Since Kyla learned about Pancakes on an episode of Sesame Street, she’s constantly asked for “Pancakes?” As a result, Scott and I both have an itching for pancakes, so this felt like a perfect opportunity to experiment in sugar reduction. 

The first thing I did was to identify a starting point. Here, that meant a gluten-free pancake recipe without a huge amount of sugar. After a bit of searching, I found one I was happy with at Love & Lemons.

This recipe called for oat and almond flour, so that hit our gluten-free requirement. And while it suggested 2 tbsp of maple syrup, I followed the challenge and used 1 tbsp instead. My thinking was, if they’re not sweet enough, we can add a bit of syrup on top like we normally do. Plus, I dropped in some fresh blueberries and dairy-free chocolate chips to some of the pancakes while they were cooking.

What was the verdict? Well, it doesn't always work out this well on the first try, but these pancakes came out fluffy and delicious, hitting the sweet spot (pun intended) for everyone! 

These were Kyla’s first pancakes (we usually side with waffles in the eternal pancake vs waffle battle) and she couldn’t get enough of them. Personally, I could eat the pancakes without toppings, but we served them with a variety of condiments -- a drop of syrup or peanut butter and a touch of jam -- our very own pancake buffet! To be honest, if I could eat them plain, then we’re in good shape as I generally prefer a bit more sweetness than Scott does.   

All in all, my sugar experiment was a success! Next time, I will cut the sugar even further by using only 1/2 tbsp. My ultimate goal is to get to the ‘minimum viable sugar’ content in our favorite recipes. 

What did this project teach me?

My little food experiment taught me that we should play around with our recipes to see what works for us. Even though this recipe didn’t call for that much sugar (~6-8 grams per serving), our pancakes with nearly half the amount of syrup were still damn tasty, and less sugar is better for everyone. So a nice rule of thumb is to try out different sugar ratios to find the ‘minimum viable sugar’ for any recipe. 

Revised Pancakes Recipe

(with ½ the sugar content)

INGREDIENTS

• 2/3 cup gluten-free oat flour
• 2/3 cup almond flour
• 1/4 cup tapioca starch
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 cup whole milk or almond milk
• 1 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 eggs, separated
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• extra-virgin olive oil or coconut oil, for the pan
• maple syrup, fruit and/or yogurt, for serving
• blueberries (optional)
• dairy free chocolate chips (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, tapioca starch, baking powder, and salt. Whisk in the milk, maple syrup, egg yolks, and vanilla. Let the batter sit for 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a clean bowl, whip the egg whites to soft peaks. Fold them into the batter, being careful not to deflate it too much.
3. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Add a dab of butter or a drizzle of olive oil to the pan and pour in 1/3 cup of the batter. Cook until a few bubbles appear on the surface, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, then flip the pancakes over and continue cooking for another 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until set. Watch the pancakes closely to make sure they don't burn, adjusting the heat and the cooking time as needed. Repeat with the remaining batter, adding a dab of butter or more oil each time.
4. (optional) Before the pancakes set, drop in a handful of blueberries or chocolate chips so they sink a bit in to the uncooked batter
5. Serve the pancakes with maple syrup, fruit, and/or yogurt for serving.

Cooking tips:

No oatmeal flour on hand? No problem! Blend rolled oats in your processor/vitamix/ blender and you have yourself some oat flour. Easy peasy! 

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That wraps up this month’s newsletter series on added sugar and IBD, but there’s more to come on this topic on our blog. As promised, we’ll merge each week’s newsletter plus your terrific questions, product suggestions, and other feedback into one easy-to-read blog post! We’ll let you know when it’s live on the blog!

See you next week with a new theme for November!

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Remember, there’s no one perfect diet for everyone with IBD. If you or anyone you know struggles with what to eat with Crohn's or Ulcerative Colitis, then check out our ebook, Eating with IBD: The Essentials.

Check it out

Do you have a question about these topics, or something else? Just reply with your question to this email and it may appear in an upcoming newsletter.

In good health,

Colleen, Bertina & Scott

This newsletter is for informational purposes only and is in no way intended as medical counseling or medical advice. Results may vary