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Fruit juice in place of stevia?


Mummy7

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I have been off sugar for several years, but use stevia quite a bit. I am just getting ready to start whole30 and I do understand why I need to quit the stevia completely. I am wondering about a few of the items I normally sweeten with stevia. Can I use a little fruit juice to sweeten my one daily grass drink? This is a powdered drink of only three grasses (wheat, barley and alfalfa), no sweetener or anything else. I have severe chronic fatigue and this is what keeps me upright in the afternoon.

Also, I use a powdered vitamin C complex from acerola berry (again, no sweetener or anything else illegal) to help absorb my iron and my thyroid meds. Can I use a little juice to sweeten that?

Third is my coconut water kefir. I normally sweeten with stevia (of course). No strange ingredients - plain coconut water and a water kefir berry. Can I use a little juice?

If anyone has any suggestions for something to use to help these drinks other than juice, I would be grateful. Normally I do not drink juice at all, but these are things I need to keep using and not sure I can handle them without something in them.

Thanks!

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You would need to give up your daily grass drink; wheat, barley and probably alfalfa would all be no on the whole30.

Isn't kefir a dairy based drink? You stated "water kefir berry" so I am not sure if I am thinking of the same thing.

I will let a moderator speak to the original question.

Best of luck!

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Why is the grass drink a 'no'? I know no juicing, but thought grass might be ok. I am severely fatigued (as in, using a wheelchair when out of the house, handicap sticker, etc). Not just, "I am really tired," but I cannot get out of the chair. Cannot stand long enough to fry an egg! That grass drink has been a real help. Is it an issue with inflammation?

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I think our posts must have overlapped. I have M.E. (British name for chronic fatigue syndrome) and i know exactly what you mean about not being able to stand to fry an egg. I don't have a wheelchair (live on 4th floor - no lift) but I'm frequently housebound and quite often bedbound as well. I used to grow wheatgrass and juice it but I've never tried it with barley grass. I take it you'd recommend trying it. i used to find some fresh lemon juice made the wheatgrass more bearable.

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Nice to find someone who can sympathize, although I am very sorry you are so ill. I love my grass drink. Only found it a month ago. I use Earth Circle Organics and buy each variety of grass separately. 1 tsp each for a quart of water. I also tried Amazing Grass Trio, which is a blend of the three, but found it to be 'chunkier.' Either one is not bad with stevia, but not sure I can get it down without. I will try the lemon juice tomorrow and see how that is.

Have you seen any improvement in your ME with whole30? How long have you been on it?

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I did a W60 and I'm about 15 days past that though still 99% W30 compliant. Yes I think I do see a bit of an improvement in the ME but made the classic mistake of feeling i could do more than I could, I've always been rubbish at pacing, and, of course, suffered a relapse, swollen glands, fluey feeling, flat on my back etc. I also have quite a few digestive issues and had breast cancer and just finished treatment for that last month. So my poor body's not great to start with :) and the chemo and other treatments obviously knocked it for six and made the ME so much worse so I'm not looking for any quick fixes but I do firmly believe that eating this way is really nourishing my body and giving it it's best chance. I think eating W30 has managed to get me back to where i was before the chemo (I've had ME for 6+ years) and I hope it'll just keep on slowly improving. :)

Meant to add, I'm also gluten intolerant so normal wheat, in any form is a complete no-no for me, but the actual wheatgrass was fine.

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Wow! You have been through so much! But what a great attitude, and you are not giving up. Congratulations!

If you have gut issues, are you using bone broth and fermented veggies? I did the GAPS diet strictly for about 5 months and it is really wonderful for healing the guy. I am still eating that way, but see that I need to pay more attention to the inflammation while not neglecting my gut.

So glad you are through your chemo and are continuing to work on nourishing your body. Keep up the good work!

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I would say this definitely falls into the "medication>W30" category. You aren't casually supplementing because you think it might have some benefit, you treat this as a medication for your CFS. Those grasses are highly unlikely to contain gluten, and if the benefit is that significant to you, I'd say continue on. Maybe, after a while of patiently giving your body the best foods you can, you can see what life is like without. For now, though, keep on :)

This is not, however, a free pass to anyone wanting to take grass supplements. I've got my eye on you... :ph34r:

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If you have gut issues, are you using bone broth and fermented veggies?

Yes, I've started making bone broth for the first time and I make my own kimchi when I can. I also, finally, found kombucha over here so I'm taking that as well. I meant to add, I've also lost over 15 lbs, while eating more food than normal so I'm also very happy about that. I really hope it works for you. I look forward to hearing how you're doing.

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Robin, Thanks for the pass. :) It doesn't taste all that great, to keep drinking it when I don't absolutely need it. Especially without the stevia. I am assuming a little fruit juice in that and other meds is ok?

Kirsteen, Glad you are doing bone broth and kimchi. And we love kombucha! My girls make it by the gallons, but I have limited how much I drink because it shoots my glucose so high. I have read that I can have it, so will check the sugar content on ours again. They have decreased the sugar used for brewing, so maybe it will be ok. Otherwise, GTs is very good and easy to take without added stevia. Just pricey. I am giving my scale to my daughter today (today is my day #1!) along with my stevia chocolate candy. I am ready to roll! Almost have hubby and one daughter convinced to try it with me.

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Thank you! I need to drink this, but I must say that without the stevia, I am choking it down. Really nasty! I tried it with a little apple juice, but that was gaggy too. I am afraid it would take too much aj to make it work. Any other suggestions? I have managed the vitamin C and the liquid minerals without any stevia, but the kefir and grass are really difficult. But I feel I need both, one for my gut (leftover from months on GAPS) and one for energy to survive.

Is stevia really a deal breaker on w30? I am totally behind the concept of total commitment to 30 days, and no 'cheating'. I am not a stranger to limited choices in eating - ie GAPS, candida diet, etc. I am just struggling with totally eliminating stevia for those items which are health needs.

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