BBC随身英语:Sugar-free life 无糖生活

Not having treats can be good for your health. I've heard that a whole family in South East England lived sugar free for a whole year after they found out their daughter had diabetes.

It wasn't easy. I don't go to bakeries to avoid giving in to temptation, but the family of five actually owns one. Jason Burt's business makes up to 3,000 cakes a week.

They were in shock when the doctor said that their 16-year-old Lucy had to check her blood glucose levels regularly and take insulin. He advised her to eat a normal, balanced diet, but the Burts went further and got rid of sugar altogether.

And how does it feel to live without sugar for a while? Jason Burt said that for a month they felt groggy. But later on it all changed. He says he feels "more awake" and full of energy.

And what about the Burt family business? It had to keep using half a tonne of sugar a week and any cook worth his salt knows that you've got to taste a recipe to know if it's right.

No problem there, says Jason Burt's wife, Clare. She points out that she's got lots of people offering to taste the cakes for them. The family is also thinking about selling more savoury products.

I wonder what makes us have cravings for sweet food. Many scientists suggest that we instinctively want sugar because it plays an important role in our survival.

The British National Health Service advises that the sugar we add to the food and drink we have every day should not be more than 10% of our calorie intake. This is on average 70g for men and just 50g for women.

I've decided to forget about the sweet taste of sugar for a while. As British model Kate Moss says: "Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels."

Quiz 测验 1. What made it more difficult for the English family to give up sugar?

They own a bakery and it uses a lot of sugar.

2. Is this statement true or false? The whole family had to give up sugar because they had diabetes?

False. It was a choice. The only family member with diabetes was their daughter, Lucy.

3. How much sugar should a man eat a day?

According to the British National Health Service, no more than 70g a day.

4. Who would rather look very slim than eat treats?

British model Kate Moss.

5. Which expression means 'to completely stop having something'?

To get rid of something altogether.

Glossary 词汇表 a pastry油酥糕点 to have a sweet tooth喜欢甜食 a treat（常指能给人带来欢乐和满足感的食物）好吃的甜食 diabetes糖尿病 a bakery一家面包房 to give in to temptation屈服于诱惑 blood glucose levels血糖水平 insulin胰岛素 a balanced diet均衡的饮食 to get rid of (something) altogether完全抛弃 groggy虚弱无力的 to be worth (his) salt称职的 to point out指出 savoury咸味的 instinctively直觉地，本能地 survival存活 calorie intake卡路里（热量）摄入量 skinny骨瘦如柴的 （本文意思：吃什么也不如瘦的感觉好）