Yesterday I baked some blondies for a friend. I have stopped eating sugar for a while so was trying not to succumb to their temptation. But their enticing aroma and chewy appearance were weakening my resolve.

“Just one” I told myself resolutely. All for the sake of taste testing to see if my baking experiment had worked.

I bit into the white-chocolate-chip-filled centre. I heard angels sing. Like the fire-breathing dragon in The Hobbit, my dormant craving for sugar was awakened, now there was no stopping the beast.

That ‘just one’ very quickly turned into 5+. If it weren’t for what was to happen next, I may still be in a sugar coma now.

Suddenly, I saw a bright yellow grapefruit sitting in the fruit bowl smiling at me. “Pick me”, she sang, in her goody two shoes tone.

I’ve never been a fan of grapefruits but my super healthy mother had accidentally left one in our kitchen, for decoration I presume.

Just one look at the grapefruit sent shivers down my spine. Grapefruits are known for their strong astringent flavor and what I would call “taste-bud numbing” properties. So why would I eat one over my gourmet blondies?

That was my uh-huh moment.

Reluctantly, I plucked it from the bowl, peeled it with all my might and bit into its bitter centre. This time, the angels sang again, but in a different tune. A goody two shoes tune. A few chews and my craving for any edible was extinguished. What blondies?!

Once again, I’m amazed by the healing properties of nature. I’ll be forever grateful for that grapefruit.