Tips to Curb Sugar for Gut Health

We’re all pretty on board with the idea that sugar isn’t the best for your body. (And just to be clear, this includes sugar and sweeteners in all of forms: white sugar, brown sugar, high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, etc.)

So, why is it so bad for your gut bacteria? It’s all about balance. Most of the bacteria in your gut help your body out, but about 15% of the bacteria in there can have some negative impacts on your overall health. Most of the time this isn’t a problem, because as long as the good bacteria outweigh the bad by about six times, things tend to work pretty well. But if the balance of bacteria shifts, then that undesirable bacteria can start to have more of an effect, leaving you feeling less than your best.

What does this have to do with sugar? Well, just like you, your bacteria have to eat. And they get their food from the food that you consume. While some foods are prebiotic, meaning that they break down into substances that feed the good bacteria in your body, others, including sugar, feed the sugar loving
opportunist bad guys. The more sugar or sweeteners you eat, the more they can grow, and eventually start reducing the number of good bacteria, which has all kinds of effects on your body.

If we really want to restore our gut health, we need to clean out the pantry and get all the gut degrading sugary foods out of the home.

Here are 10 Tips I share with my clients when dealing with too much sugar or sugar addiction:

1. Drink water. Sometimes sweet cravings are a sign of dehydration. Before you go for the sugar, have a glass of water and wait a few minutes.

2. Eat naturally-sweet vegetables and fruit to crowd out your sugar cravings.

3. Avoid chemicalized, artificial sweeteners and foods with added sugar. Use gentle sweeteners like maple syrup, brown rice syrup, dried fruit, stevia, and barley malt.

4. Reduce or eliminate caffeine. The ups and downs of caffeine include dehydration and blood sugar swings, and may cause sugar cravings.

5. Get more sleep, rest, and relaxation. Simple carbohydrates, such as sugar, are the most readily-available source of energy for an exhausted body and mind. If you’re in a state of chronic stress and/or sleep deprivation, your body will crave the quickest form of energy available – sugar.

6. Get physically active. Start with simple activities like walking and yoga. Start with 10 minutes a day and gradually increase. Being active helps balance blood sugar levels, boost energy, and reduce tension, decreasing the likelihood that you’ll want to self-medicate with sugar.

7. Eliminate fat-free or low-fat packaged snack foods. These foods contain high quantities of sugar to compensate for lack of flavor and fat, which will send you on a roller coaster ride of sugar highs and lows.

8. Experiment with spices. Coriander, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom will naturally sweeten your food and reduce cravings.

9. Evaluate the amount of animal food you eat. According to yin-yang principles of eating (such as in Macrobiotics and Traditional Chinese Medicine), eating too much animal food (yang) can lead to cravings for sweets (yin). Imbalances can also occur when you eat too little animal protein. Through experimentation and intuition, you can find which foods create balance for you as an individual.

10. Slow down and find sweetness in non-food ways! Cravings almost always have a psychological component. By identifying the underlying causes of food cravings and making lifestyle adjustments accordingly, you can find balance and take charge of your health. When life itself becomes sweet, excess sugar isn’t needed!

We all know it's not easy to quit sugar. Dr. Axe has a list of healthiest natural sweeteners to choose instead.

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