Most people know that sugar has a negative effect on teeth and the circumference of the abdomen. However, it is not well known that increased consumption can be the cause of serious illnesses and digestive problems. Find out how sugar affects the intestines here!
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Sugar: This is how it causes flatulence, diarrhea and abdominal pain
Too much sugar can upset the delicate balance between bacteria and fungi in the gut and lead to altered digestion. Stomach pain, diarrhea and flatulence are the first symptoms when the “bad” bacteria and fungi in the intestines take over. White flour, as well as single and double sugars, should be reduced and instead you should focus on whole grains, vegetables and fruit. Foods rich in sugar often also have a high fat content, which can increase the symptoms. But it can also happen that too little fiber and liquid slows down the intestinal movement and causes constipation . Therefore, drink enough water, exercise and use natural laxatives such as prunes or flaxseed.
Here’s how each type of sugar affects your gut:
Glucose
If the pure glucose reaches the stomach, it no longer has to be broken down there. The sugar enters the small intestine, where it passes through the intestinal mucosa into the blood. Blood sugar rises and the pancreas releases insulin to get the sugar into the cells where it is used for energy. Too much pure glucose affects the gut and the body’s sugar metabolism. Too much sugar in the intestines can lead to flatulence and diarrhea. It also ensures that the mucous membranes are no longer adequately protected. If there is too much sugar in the blood, the pancreas is overwhelmed with the production of insulin, which leads to insulin resistance, the precursor to diabetes, can lead. In addition, the high only lasts for a short time after consumption, which is followed by a low in concentration and performance.
Galactose
This sugar behaves similarly to glucose, but is not broken down in the body with insulin. It is very well tolerated and does not have a negative effect on the intestines. However, if it is dosed too high in its pure form or if too many foods containing galactose are eaten, this can lead to diarrhea. In the case of a hereditary metabolic disease, those affected lack the enzyme alpha-galactosidase, so that the body cannot process galactose. Those affected can develop jaundice, apathy and liver dysfunction as early as infants.
Fructose
Fruit sugar is well tolerated by most people in normal amounts. In people with fructose intolerance, the absorption in the intestine is disturbed, so that the fructose can no longer be properly digested. Bloating and diarrhea are the result. Excessive fructose consumption can also lead to this in healthy people. It then makes sense to rely on low-sugar fruit and to avoid convenience foods that often contain cheap fructose. The latter also because too much fructose can lead to non-alcoholic fatty liver.
Household
sugar Since conventional household sugar consists of glucose and fructose, it also affects the intestines in large quantities, as already mentioned above for glucose and fructose. In the case of a sugar intolerance to table sugar or sucrose, however, abdominal pain, stomach cramps, diarrhea and vomiting occur. Those affected lack the enzyme sucrase-isomaltase, which breaks down sugar in the small intestine.
Lactose In its original form, lactose
cannot be absorbed by the intestinal mucosa. The lactose is broken down with the help of the enzyme lactase, which is produced by the mucous cells in the small intestine. This does not cause any problems in healthy people. It is different in the case of lactose intolerance : the enzyme can no longer be formed sufficiently, so that the lactose reaches the large intestine unchanged. There it serves as food for bacteria. The waste products trigger symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal pain and flatulence. A lactose-free diet or lactase tablets containing the enzyme help against sugar intolerance.
Malt sugar No metabolic disorders or effects on the intestines are known about maltose . The sugar is contained in a few foods and is also only produced in small amounts during the digestion of starch.
There’s sugar in it
In western cultures, refined sugar has become a habit in the diet. Sugared coffee, sweets as a snack and cola instead of water – this is what everyday life looks like for many people. Added to this are the hidden sugar bombs in dairy products, preserves and sauces. Salty ready-made products also increasingly contain industrial sugar. But sugar is often not written out as such in the list of ingredients of the food. Common designations are :
| type of sugar | sugar name | Consists… | Occurrence |
| Simple sugars (monosaccharides) | Grape sugar / Dextrose / Glucose / Glucose syrup | Dextrose is the best-known sugar and is referred to in science as glucose. | In almost all foods |
| Slime sugar / galactose | The difference to glucose is that galactose does not need insulin to be processed in the cell. Blood sugar stays low. | Milk and foods to which lactose has been added | |
| Fruit sugar / fructose | Fructose is a component of fruit and provides the natural sweetness. People with fructose intolerance cannot tolerate the sugar. | fruit, honey, processed foods | |
| Double sugars (disaccharides) | Table sugar / sucrose / beet sugar / cane sugar | White table sugar consists of one molecule of glucose and one molecule of fructose. The sugar is obtained from the sugar beet. | Sweets, convenience products, sweet drinks |
| milk sugar / lactose | Milk sugar consists of one molecule of glucose and one molecule of galactose. | milk and processed foods | |
| Malzzucker / Maltose | Malt sugar consists of two glucose molecules. | Beer, potatoes, pasta | |
| Multiple sugars (polysaccharides) | strength | Consists of ten glucose molecules and more. Tastes sweet only after splitting. | Potatoes, cereals, rice, corn, whole grains |
Other harmful effects of sugar
Insulin resistance from too much sugar
Eating carbohydrate-rich foods and even protein causes insulin to be produced in the pancreas and released into the blood. The insulin ensures that the sugar gets into the cells and is used there in the form of energy. Simple sugars get into the blood and cells faster than polysaccharides. If too much simple sugar is consumed regularly, for example in the form of white bread, chocolate or gummy bears , the insulin level remains constantly high, which can result in insulin resistance. This is the precursor to diabetes.
Sugar promotes obesity and disease
Refined sugar has no vitamins , minerals or fiber, which is why the body has to pull substances from its own stores. This can lead to a chronic mineral deficiency, which can promote obesity and thus a variety of diseases.
Sugar makes bad skin
Because sweets, for example, quickly raise blood sugar levels, the skin’s oil production is stimulated and small inflammations develop, which can lead to blemishes and acne. In addition, excessive sugar consumption causes tissue fibers to become saccharified, known as glycation, which results in increased wrinkling.
Is Sugar Addictive?
It has not been proven that pure sugar is as addictive as cocaine . Although the brain behaved similarly to the consumption of cocaine in tests on sugar utilization, there is no food that is as addictive as a drug. To put it bluntly, there will hardly be anyone who eats a bag of sugar, becomes addicted to it and thereby endangers their existence. The sugar just gets the person pumped up by the high energy content, severe blood sugar fluctuations, and headachesand gastrointestinal problems can occur. More interesting, however, is the combination of sugar and fat. Fat is a substance that ensured our survival thousands of years ago. There is an abundance of food these days, including high-fat foods. However, the brain is still wired to store as much body mass as possible for bad times. With this combination of fat as a flavor carrier and surer of survival and sugar, which signals to us that the food is edible and rich in energy, we often cannot stop eating after a piece of chocolate. The whole board is quickly plastered. Many describe this situation as sugar addiction and suspect that they can no longer take them off. However, this addiction often results from severe blood sugar fluctuations and a nutrient and vitamin deficiency.
Sugar consumption – the amount makes the difference
The German Society for Nutrition recommends around 50 g of free sugar per day for a daily calorie intake of 2000 kcal. These include mono- and disaccharides that manufacturers or consumers add to foods. This also includes honey , syrup, fruit juices and fruit juice concentrates.
In order to consume less sugar, it makes sense to limit high-sugar and highly processed foods. These include, among other things:
- sweets
- Fast food and junk food
- sweetened drinks
- pastries
- industrially processed foods
- instant sauces and dips
- fruit yoghurt
- low-sugar fruit such as berries, e.g. B. raspberries or strawberries
- complex carbohydrates such as B. in whole grain, oatmeal, potatoes and legumes
- vegetables
In addition, keeping a food diary can help you uncover potential sugar traps.
Pros and cons of alternative sweeteners
For many it is difficult to give up sweets completely. In order to be able to continue to enjoy coffee and co. with the desired sweetness, we have selected five alternative sweeteners that support your health and are less harmful to your body than table sugar.
Stevia: Even with small amounts, you can achieve the same sweetening power as with table sugar, which is why stevia is a popular plant-based sugar substitute. At the same time, the blood sugar level is not changed, which means that no insulin has to be released. In this way, chronic inflammatory diseases can be prevented.
Xylitol: Xylitol , or birch sugar, is made from a purely vegetable raw material. This sweetener also raises neither blood sugar nor insulin levels. In addition, xylitol has a particularly positive effect on dental health. However, large amounts of this substitute have a negative effect on digestion. Excessive consumption can have a laxative effect, which is why you have to slowly approach the individually tolerated amount.
Maple Syrup: Maple syrup does affect blood sugar levels, but much less than regular table sugar, making it a good substitute. However, the syrup has a malt-like taste of its own, which is why it cannot be used as a sugar substitute for all foods.
Honey : Approximately 80% of honey is a mixture of glucose and fructose. The rest is water and various minerals like potassium and magnesium, as well as B and C vitamins. For any health benefit, however, the honey would need to be consumed in large quantities. However, it is an advantage that honey has about 300 kcal per 100 g, whereas household sugar has 400 kcal.
Aspartame : Aspartame is about 200 times sweeter than sugar and is therefore virtually calorie-free. The fact that aspartame is harmful to health has been refuted, so it is suitable for everyone to sweeten food and drinks. With a balanced diet, it is practically impossible to exceed the maximum amount.
