My Sugar-Free & Gluten-Free Philosophy | The Story of HealBaker: Letting Go of Flour and Sugar
The Beginning of a New Journey
When I ran my small bakery, “Sunday Morning Treats,” I was deeply in love with flour and sugar. My life back then was the complete opposite of my current Sugar-Free Philosophy. I was happiest standing in front of the oven, captivated by the rich aroma of melting butter. At that time, baking meant creating “tastier, better-selling treats.” I believed that was the only answer and pushed forward without looking back. I was satisfied as long as my menus sold well and my recipes received good feedback, thinking, “I must be doing great.” Taste and sales were everything; I never deeply considered the impact of ingredients on my body.
Overwhelmed by Flour and Sugar
Running the bakery meant handling flour and measuring sugar dozens of times a day. Baking was my work and my life, and perhaps because of that, my body was constantly in a state of overload. At first, I thought it was just simple fatigue. But my body felt increasingly heavy, and even after a long sleep, I didn’t feel recovered. Deciding to stop baking wasn’t easy. After repeatedly opening and closing my online store, I finally had to come to a full stop. That time made me realize for the first time: I had lived passionately, but I had no idea how to truly take care of my body.
Questioning the Norm
Only after I stopped working did I start asking myself fundamental questions:
- Do I really have to use these ingredients?
- How does the pleasure of “tasty” affect my body?
- Is baking really a choice between “giving it up” or “overindulging”?
I couldn’t let go of baking entirely, so I decided to change my direction. Instead of blindly removing sugar, I began to study the actual roles sugar and flour play in baking. I tried to look at the structure before the sweetness and understand the process before the result.
Building the Sugar-Free Philosophy
My sugar-Free Philosophy isn’t just about “not using sugar.” It is a process of figuring out how to replace the functions of sugar—retaining moisture, building structure, aiding browning, and maintaining texture—through different ingredients and careful design. I failed countless times, even when following popular sugar-free recipes. Through those failures, I realized the problem wasn’t the recipe itself; it was “imitating” without truly understanding the ingredients.
Why I Prioritize Structure Over Recipes
Today, I look at structure before measurements and standards before trends.
- How does this ingredient hold moisture?
- What is its function beyond sweetness?
- What can balance the absence of sugar?
As these questions piled up, the reasons for my failures became clear, and I was able to create my own adaptable standards.
HealBaker: Sustainable Baking
HealBaker is not a space that provides “perfect answers.” Rather, it is a record of my own trials and errors. It is a journey of documenting why recipes failed, experimenting with ways to maintain structure without sugar or flour, and creating standards for baking that doesn’t just please the palate but is kind to the body. To me, sustainable baking isn’t about a “one-time success”—it’s about baking that you can choose to enjoy for a lifetime.
To Those Who Visit This Space
I hope this space serves as an honest journal of the time I’ve spent, the questions I’ve asked, and the small answers I’ve found through intense contemplation. If you are like my past self—wondering “Why do I keep failing?” or “Is it really okay to eat this?”—I hope these records serve as a kind guide to reduce your own trial and error.
Even at this very moment, I am still learning and experimenting to make better choices.
— Sincerely, Hajung (HealBaker)