Recently, there has been a new surge in ‘sugar-free’ diets. Whilst fat was once the sworn enemy of health-freaks and the body-beautiful, sugar is now under investigation. In an age when supposedly ‘scientific’ studies can be found at the touch of a button, who are we to believe?! Is low-fat bad and sugar-free good? Is there merit in the claims against sugar, or is this another vendetta without due cause?
According to Davina McCall’s new ‘5 Weeks to Sugar-Free’ recipe book, people who reduce their sugar intake reduce their chances of type 2 diabetes, spots, wrinkles, and obesity. I don’t know how true this is, but I do believe that sugar should constitute a minor part of our diet (not the bulk of my breaky, lunch and dinner!). Ella Woodward’s ‘Deliciously Ella’, based on her healthy food blog of the same name, is another sugar-free cookbook. Both books are great, both are sugarless –which one is best?
Cooked and Traditional vs Raw and Vegan
Ella Woodward has a very genuine reason for banning sugar from her diet. After her second year of university, she was diagnosed with a rare syndrome which effects the autonomic nervous system. When doctors couldn’t cure her condition, she took initiative and devised a healthy eating and lifestyle which eventually aided her body’s recovery. Whilst Davina recognises that sugar made her sluggish, gain weight and sapped her energy, Ella’s book is more radical in its approach to health – her recipes are mostly raw and vegan, whereas Davina’s are healthier twists on old favourites (like the yummy sweet potato shepherd’s pie with crème fraiche!) Ella bases her diet on seeds, pulses, lentils, oats and quinoa. She is also gluten free so uses rice flour and buckwheat flour. Both books often use maple syrup, honey and medjool dates as ‘natural’ sugar sources. It is the processed, refined white sugar which is banned from the pages of these cookbooks.
Student-friendly?
Davina’s book is definitely easier on a student budget and lifestyle. The recipes are cheaper to make because they container fewer ingredients. The ingredients are also easier to find in supermarkets and are more recognisable (I’ve heard of most of them!) Whereas Ella seems to shop in some exotic, mystical jungle where she can source raw cacoa powder, chai seeds, coconut oil and other fancy ingredients (Amazon stocks most of it…the website, not the rainforest). Also, if you’re not a great cook, Davina’s are mostly one-pot recipes whereas Ella’s may have you slaving in the kitchen for a good 48 hours.
Both books have lots of fantastic sugar-free alternatives to make sure we get a treat once in a while. Davina has a sizable section on ‘Puds & Bakes’, which has 20 yummy recipes. Her English classics, like Victoria sponge and fruit tea bread are amazing. Ella pushes the boat out with exotic treats such as double-layered hazelnut cake (with coconut palm sugar and banana) and brownies (with sweet potato). They are all worth a try, but Davina’s may be kinder to your purse and busy schedule!
images@dailymail.co.uk/deliciouslyella. Both Davina’s 5 Weeks to Sugar Free and Deliciously Ella: Awesome Ingredients, Incredible Food that You and Your Body Will Love are available now.