Can too much processed sugar make a sensitive gut worse?
Do you feel tired, unmotivated, sluggish, slightly nauseous, and bloated? Do you constantly have an upset tummy and all you can think about is eating something decadently sweet to help deal to the nausea and boost your mood? Are you frustrated because your trousers are getting tighter? And not just because of bloating, but also from the weight gain after all the sugar you just cannot seem to live without?
And could the answer to these sugar cravings be an unhealthy gut? The answer is yes!
It’s bit of a “what came first” dilemma. An unhealthy gut can cause the cravings, and the excess sugar can create an unhealthy gut.
To put it simply too much sugar (in the form of sweets, sugary drinks, sweet biscuits, cakes, ice cream, and other highly refined processed food) can be inflammatory and can make a sensitive gut worse. Sugar also alters our gut microbiome by contributing to an overgrowth of bad bacteria. This overgrowth of bad bacteria combined with a lack of good bacteria is called gut dysbiosis. The combination of weight gain and gut dysbiosis can also cause hormone havoc, which can also create cravings.
And there’s a final factor. Eating lots of junk food doesn’t leave much room for the healthier foods that heal and nourish our gut. It’s a melting pot of problems!
So, what can we do?
Limit carbohydrate foods to the healthier carbs that are high in vitamins, minerals and fibre such as vegetables and wholegrains. These foods act as prebiotics (the substrate or “food” the healthy bacteria need to feed on). They also help to create steady blood sugar and hormone levels. This too helps curb cravings.
Eat regularly and have protein at every meal. Again, this stabilises blood sugar and helps with healthy hormone levels.
Reduce stress. Stress alters our gut bacteria and contributes to cravings.
Be mindful of (and limit) other so called “healthy” sweeteners. Maple syrup, coconut sugar, brown sugar, honey……they are all sugars. While a little bit is fine, too much (even the sugar substitutes and artificial sweeteners) can alter our gut microbiome.
Most importantly, include a serving of a probiotic rich food at every meal Eg. yoghurt, sauerkraut, or kimchi. These foods are rich in healthy bacteria and are also full of other nutrients that support the gut. This is a super simple and very effective way to help heal the gut.
And finally, make sure to get essential life sweetness by connecting with friends and family, getting out in nature, and eating nourishing food.
Before long the bloating and sugar cravings will be gone, the waistline back to normal, and the mood stable and happy.
Jo Davies
Photographer/Nutritionist, Be Well Clinic Taupō
BCApSc, BSc | jodaviesphotography.shootproof.com
kyndwellness.com | 53 Gillies Ave, Taupō | PH: 0272740687
E: jodavies@xtra.co.nz