Blue Lotus Chai Latte- Is it SWYPO? Feeding Sugar Dragon?

[Katie R]

Hi everyone! 

First time poster, apologize for the long post, just wanted to give some background before asking my question.

I’m on Day 15 of my first Whole30. It’s going really well except for a few days when I was really grumpy and I’m experiencing lower than normal libido, but that’s for a different forum! ( I am chronically low in Vitamin D and suspect that partially is to blame, as I haven’t been taking as much of it lately because I’ve forgotten- since started back up a few days ago, but if anyone has any suggestions as to how to boost it, much appreciated!).

Anyway, I’m writing to ask if a chai latte is considered SWYPO or a form of feeding the Sugar Dragon.  I found a powdered black tea mix by Blue Lotus that I have been making- I love that it is simply just powdered black tea along with the spices and has no milk powders or sweeteners, and I add a bit of Original Nutpods to it that I froth in a milk frother.  I’m considering trying a sample of the Masala Rooibos for at night, too!

I have always loved the ritual of making tea, and find the whole process of making and drinking it very relaxing. While I have been experiencing times where I feel like a brownie or cookies look good when I see them (here’s looking at you, food bloggers on Insta, and you, grocery store aisles!), I haven’t had any urges where I HAVE to have them- I actually pick up the box of mix or the prepackaged bakery ones, stare at the ingredients, and ask myself “would I really want to put that in my body even if I wasn’t on this program?”, decide it’s a NO, and walk away.  I can have a small amount of fruit with breakfast and not feel the need to eat any more of it the rest of the day.  I grew up in a family where dessert was always around, so this is huge for me, as I have also always tended toward something sweet when stressed.

Since I have always made my tea with heavy cream or milk, and am replacing it with the Nutpods, is that SWYPO or simply making a healthier choice? And is including some fruit with my breakfast feeding my Sugar Dragon unknowingly? Am I committing adultery on my Whole30 and not aware? I don’t really feel like it is since the fruit doesn’t make me crave junk, it just makes me feel more full if I haven’t had enough (I always eat it last so I can determine if I really need it if I am still hungry), and the latte is more a comforting ritual I’ve tried to use to just start and end my day off right. But wanted opinions from you all since you’ve done this before!

Thanks!
Katie

Chai Ingredients for Traditional and Masala are noted here, in case anyone likes Chai and wants to try it.  The Traditional is very peppery, but I kind of like it, and it can be mellowed by using less mix. Traditional: Naturally brewed and flash-dried black tea powder; 100% Certified Organic powdered spices: ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, black pepper, cinnamon, cloves. Rooibos: Certified Organic hot water soluble rooibos powder; 100% Certified Organic powdered spices: ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, black pepper, cinnamon, cloves.

[ShannonM816]

If you're having the fruit and not craving sweets, it isn't feeding your sugar dragon. If you hit a point where you were having nothing but fruit for breakfast because nothing else sounded good, or you felt like your dinner wasn't complete unless you had the sweetness of some fruit, then that would be something you'd want to address, but having fruit with your breakfast isn't wrong. As long as you feel good, keep doing what you're doing. 

If you're having a cup or two of tea a day, not craving it all the time, not drinking it instead of water throughout the day, you're probably fine, that would be like people adding nutpods or coconut milk to make their coffee more like they like it. If you ran out of mix and had to skip a day before you could get to the store, or were out of nutpods and had to drink the tea plain or skip it, and you'd be okay with those options, you're good. If being unable to have a cup of tea made you irrationally angry or if you'd skip your morning shower to get to the store to get more tea or nutpods because you just couldn't function without it, then you might want to think about whether that's how you want your tea or any food to affect you.