Una Carrow has always had a sweet tooth. “I grew up baking with my grandmother every Sunday,” she recalls. “Sugar was love. Sugar was tradition.” But after being diagnosed with insulin resistance in her mid-30s, she had to rethink that love.
“I thought giving up sugar meant giving up joy,” Una admits. “But I couldn’t keep living on that rollercoaster.”
What surprised her was how quickly her palate adapted. With time, her cravings shifted. She began experimenting in the kitchen, finding sweetness in unexpected places—ripe bananas, roasted apples, cinnamon, vanilla, and even carrots. “I stopped chasing the sugar high,” she says. “And started appreciating natural flavor again.”
Una now reimagines the desserts of her childhood with no sugar added. Banana “nice cream” with almond butter. Warm baked pears with a sprinkle of oats. Coconut milk puddings sweetened with dates.
The magic? These treats still feel indulgent. “I don’t feel like I’m missing anything,” she smiles. “I feel like I’m finally getting what I need.”
Her advice to fellow sweet-tooths? Don’t go cold turkey—just go deeper. “Let your taste buds rediscover what sweetness really means,” she says. “It’s still there. You just have to listen for it.”
