What added sugar does to your intestines

Whether it’s gummy bears, chocolates, candies, soft drinks, pastries… added sugars are on the daily menu, which can have a huge negative impact on health.

Sugar causes flatulence, diarrhea and abdominal pain

Too much sugar can upset the delicate balance between bacteria in the intestine and cause a series of disturbances in digestion.

Stomach pain, diarrhea or flatulence are only the first symptoms that something is wrong with the microbiota and that “bad” bacteria and fungi are taking over.

Ultra-processed products rich in sugar They are also often high in fat, which can increase the harmful consequences.

Excess added sugars are associated with increased risk of overweight and obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and inflammation, which in turn increases the risk of developing neurological diseases and cancer.

This is how each type of sugar affects your intestine

1. Glucose

If 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 lining into the blood.

Glucose reaches the blood, its concentration increases and the pancreas releases insulin to carry sugar into cells where it is used for energy.

Too much pure glucose affects the intestine and the metabolism of sugar in the body. In the intestines it can cause flatulence and diarrhea.

If there is too much sugar in the blood, the pancreas is overwhelmed with insulin production, which can cause resistance to this hormone, precursor disorder of diabetes.

In addition, the “energy rush” lasts for a short time after ingestion, followed by a drop in concentration and performance.

2. Galactose

This monosaccharide has to reach the liver to be converted into glucose and used as an energy source by cells. It is very well tolerated by the digestive system, so it does not produce negative effects in the intestines.

However, if you eat too many foods that contain galactose, can cause diarrhoea.

In the case of an inherited metabolic disease, those affected lack the enzyme alpha-galactosidase and the body cannot process galactose. Those affected can develop jaundice, apathy and liver dysfunction as infants.

3. Fructose

In normal amounts, most people tolerate fructose well.People with fructose intolerance they cannot digest it properly and suffer flatulence and diarrhoea.

But even in healthy people, excessive fructose consumption can lead to symptoms of this type. If this high consumption is habitual can promote non-alcoholic fatty liver.

It’s a good idea to stick to low-sugar fruit and avoid convenience foods that often contain added fructose.

4. Sucrose

It is conventional table sugar, which is made up of glucose and fructose, and like these, it can affect the intestine.

Intolerance to table sugar or sucrose it produces abdominal pain, stomach cramps, diarrhea and vomiting. Those affected lack the enzyme sucrase-isomaltase, which breaks down sugar in the small intestine.

5. Lactose

In its original form, lactose – the sugar in dairy products – cannot be absorbed by the intestinal mucosa. To absorb it, it is necessary for the lactose enzyme to act, It is produced by the mucosal cells of the small intestine.

However, a good number of people – in Spain, almost one in three – do not produce enough lactase, which makes them lactose intolerant. By not breaking it down, it serves as food for intestinal bacteria in the large intestine and its waste products trigger symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal pain and flatulence.

6. Maltose

There are no known metabolic disorders or effects on the intestines of maltose. This sugar is found in few foods and is only produced in small amounts. when starches are digested

Where is the sugar found?

In western cultures, refining sugar is ubiquitous in the diet. Sugary coffee, sweet snacks, and soft drinks instead of water are part of everyday life for many people. In many cases, sugar is hidden in sauces, dairy products, preserves and ultra-processed foods.

Even savory ready-made products contain more and more industrial sugar. This sugar appears in the list of ingredients with the sugar is often not written as such in the ingredient list of the food.

Common designations are:

(Monosaccharide) Glucose / Dextrose / Glucose / Glucose syrup. Glucose is the most common sugar and is in almost all ultra-processed foods.(Monosaccharide) Galactose. It is found in milk and foods to which lactose has been added.(Monosaccharide) Fruit sugar / fructose. Found in fruit, honey, processed foods(Disaccharide) Table sugar / sucrose / beet sugar / cane sugar. It’s in candy, convenience products, sweet drinks.(Disaccharide) Milk sugar / lactose. Found in milk and processed foods(Disaccharide) Malt sugar / maltose. It’s in beer, potatoes and pasta.(Polysaccharides) Starch. It is found in potatoes, cereals, rice, corn and whole grains.

Thus, between one thing and another, the average person consume the equivalent of 30 sugar cubes, that is, around 90 grams a day.

This amount is almost four times the recommended daily serving of 25 grams by the World Health Organization (WHO). These massive amounts quickly translate into a calorie surplus, which It leads to obesity and many other diseases.

Is sugar addictive?

Although sugar activates the pleasure center of the brain, like all things we like, pure sugar has not been shown to be as addictive as cocaine, for example.

But sugar, and above all the combination of sugar and fat, It is very attractive to most people. It has an evolutionary biological explanation: we are designed to take advantage of food sources of energy. This was not a problem thousands of years ago when these sources were scarce, but it is now when they fill supermarket shelves.

Alternatives to Added Sugar

Instead of products with added sugars we can consume:

Whole fruit, and especially those with the most concentrated nutrients, such as berries. Complex carbohydrates, such as those found in whole grains, chilled potatoes, and legumes. Vegetables of all shapes and colors.