Having considering giving up sugar for a few years, but never getting around to it, in January 2011 Journalist Wilson Sarah was successful.

She wanted to see how it affected her life, physically, emotionally and for health reasons (she has an auto-immune disease 'Graves' to which she thinks her addiction to sugar may have contributed).

Sarah's addiction wasn't just to table sugar - it was to fruit, buns, sweet drinks, comfort foods.

Growing up in the country meant she'd had quite a healthy diet but during her Uni years she got 'hooked' due to concentration issues, boredom and junk food (she got on the blood-sugar highs and lows roller coaster).

Her reasons for giving up:

• She knew she was eating too much sugar (in all its forms)
• She couldn't maintain her aim of just 'cutting down'
• Health reasons
• Weight loss
• Boredom

After quitting, she:

• Got well
• Lost weight
• Became a much nicer person!

Her e-book explains how SHE quit sugar, it outlines her:

• 8-week quit plan
• Key philosophies for tackling addiction
• Explanation of why sugar makes you feel crap
• Recipes for new snacks and breakfast ideas
• A shopping list of new, better-than-sugar foods

According to Sarah, hidden sugars are the issue:

• 31g Special K = 1 tsp sugar,
• 17gr Ketchup = 1 tsp,
• 1 serve fruit 4 or 5 tsp, (bananas, apples & grapes)
• 42.5g Raisins = 7.5 tsp sugar
• 355ml glass of apple juice (also Coca Cola) is 10 tsp of sugar,
• low-fat yogurt 'no added sugar' but it can be 200ml can be 6-7 tsp,
• Cinnamon roll = 14 tsp sugar

Tell-tale signs you're eating too much sugar:

• Blood-sugar highs and lows which we've come to think is normal
• If you need to snack between meals
• 3 o'clock slump
• Moderation is impossible to achieve

Sarah's top tips to quit.. or even just cut down on the sugar habit.

• Allow eight weeks for equilibrium
• Replace sweet snacks with protein/good fat
• No fruit juice!
• Avoid sauces and condiments
• Avoid low-fat dairy

What are the physical pros and cons to kicking the sugar habit?
Initial withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, cravings etc but eventually you feel cleaner, sharper, fitter, lighter and altogether better.
Viewers can purchase her e-book "I quit Sugar" from her website www.sarahwilson.com.au