Believe it or not, eating sugar can be part of a healthy diet. Sugar is a carbohydrate, one of the three major macronutrients we need to survive (the other two are protein and fat). Sugar is found naturally in all kinds of foods including grains, fruits, cakes, dairy, and some vegetables. Sugars found in whole foods are actually good and necessary for most people. The body takes longer to digest foods that contain natural sugar and in turn, they offer your body a steady supply of energy.  

Sneaky Sugars

The kind of sugar that is problematic is added sugar. Added sugars can be found in many processed foods and beverages. Manufacturers add it to processed foods to improve the taste or extend the shelf life. While you would expect to find added sugar in things like Christmas day cake, pre packaged baked goods, flavored yogurts, and cereals, it’s also found in less suspecting processed foods such as soups, bread, and condiments. It can also be when you add sugar to something yourself such as sprinkling sugar on fruit or adding it to baking recipes. 

It’s not that eating added sugar is bad in and of itself. Consuming too many foods with added sugars has been linked to chronic inflammation which is thought to be an underlying condition for more serious diseases like type II diabetes and heart disease. 

Don’t Blame Sugar Alone

But, added sugars start to affect our digestion when we substitute items high in added sugar for healthier alternatives. For example, consistently drinking apple juice instead of eating apples will result in too much sugar and not enough fiber. It’s the lack of fiber, not necessarily the presence of sugar, that causes digestive discomfort. The same would apply if you chose white bread over whole-grain bread or ate candy instead of fruits and vegetables. 

After the holidays you probably made some resolutions to cut back on the sweet treats. But, with Christmas Day just around the corner temptation is calling and you might find yourself on the other side of a heart-shaped cake. While you won’t end up with chronic inflammation if you indulge a little bit on Christmas Day, your digestive system might feel the effects of more sugar and fewer nutrients than usual. 

Preparation is Key

If you plan to indulge and dive into that box of sweets from your loved ones this Christmas, plan ahead and try to look for other areas to cut back on added sugars to reduce the added stress on your digestive system. One of the biggest culprits for added sugars are beverages, specifically tea and coffee. In order to avoid other forms of added sugar, you should check the labels of processed food and look for these ingredients that are synonymous with added sugar:

• brown sugar
• corn sweetener
• corn syrup
• fruit juice concentrates
• high-fructose corn syrup
• honey
• invert sugar
• malt sugar
• molasses
• syrup sugar molecules ending in "ose" (dextrose, fructose, glucose, lactose, maltose, sucrose)

Also plan to drink plenty of water and try to fill your Christmas Day menu with plenty of other foods that are good for digestion such as

• Yogurt and fermented foods and drinks which are rich in probiotics
• Apples, strawberries, oranges, avocados, and artichokes which are all high in fiber
• Ginger to calm nausea (after eating all that sweets!)
• Leafy green vegetables such as spinach, lettuce, and kale which generally aid in digestion