All this to say, there's one pantry item you may want to avoid adding to your morning cup of coffee. Sauceda and three doctors reveal the kitchen staple that can secretly ruin your gut health, plus ideas for what to use instead.?SIGN UP for Parade’s health newsletter with expert-approved tips, healthy eats, exercises, news & more to help you stay healthy & feel your best self?
The 'Healthy' Pantry Staple That Could Harm Gut Health, According to Doctors
"Artificial sweeteners such as sucralose, aspartame and saccharin can change the mix of bacteria in your gut," says Dr. Raj Dasgupta, MD, the chief medical advisor for Sleepopolis. "They may reduce the good bacteria and let more harmful ones grow.. Even though these sweeteners don’t have calories, they can still send confusing signals to your gut and metabolism."
Sauceda echoes Dr. Dasgupta's sentiments, saying that artificial sweeteners can harm gut health. "Artificial sweeteners aren’t digested by the body," Sauceda explains. "The sweetener can pass through the digestive tract and gets excreted via your poop. It’s thought that artificial sweeteners like saccharin and sucralose can contribute to inflammation in the gut, along with changing the types of bacteria we see in the gut. These changes in the gut microbiome are a theory as to why artificial sweeteners may be problematic for blood sugar control."
"It is important to note that each artificial sweetener seems to have different properties, and more human studies are needed to draw real conclusions about their impact," notes Dr. Brintha Vasagar, MD, MPH, a family physician.
Gas, bloating, diarrhea and abdominal cramping are common signs that an artificial sweetener is affecting your gut, shares Dr. Pratima Dibba, MD, a board-certified gastroenterologist with Medical Offices of Manhattan and labfinder.com contributor.
And your gut isn't the only area where you might feel the impact of artificial sweeteners. "Artificial sweeteners may be found in foods that are highly processed," Sauceda says. "As a result, you might start to feel more sluggish because even though you’re getting calories, you might not be getting much else in the way of nutrients."
"See if you feel better," he says. "Eating more fiber-rich foods, fruits, veggies and fermented foods can help your gut recover."
Related:Here’s Exactly What Happens to Your Body When You Eat Honey Every Day
3 Tips for Sweetening Foods Without Artificial Sweeteners
Honey. Honey is Sauceda's go-to sweetener. "There are a lot of different varieties with varying flavor profiles. Honey is sweeter than regular sugar, so you don’t need to use as much to get a sweet flavor, and there are also small amounts of vitamins and minerals in honey."Fruit. Plot twist? Maybe not. "Banana bread is popular for a reason, and that’s because fruit, like brown bananas, is a great natural sweetener," she notes. "When I can, I try to opt for fruits to sweeten things because you’ll also get some fiber along with whatever nutrients that fruit has. Prunes have to be an underrated sweetener."Maple syrup. "While I love honey more than maple syrup, sometimes you need a deeper flavoring, and maple syrup fits the bill," Sauceda shares. Like honey, she explains, maple syrup is a liquid sweetener with vitamins and minerals that does a great job of sweetening baked goods.
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Sources:
Amanda Sauceda, MS, RD, the owner of The Mindful GutDr. Raj Dasgupta, MD, the chief medical advisor for Sleepopolis Aspartame and Other Sweeteners in Food. FDA.Sweeteners and the Gut Microbiome: Effects on Gastrointestinal Cancers. Nutrients.Chronic Use of Artificial Sweeteners: Pros and Cons. Nutrients. Dr. Brintha Vasagar, MD, MPH, a family physicianDr. Pratima Dibba, MD, a board-certified gastroenterologist with Medical Offices of Manhattan and labfinder.com contributorHence then, the article about the healthy kitchen staple that could be secretly wrecking your gut health was published today ( ) and is available on Parade ( Saudi Arabia ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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