The gut-brain axis - Sugar
Part 1 of 4 - Sugar
The gut-brain axis is a channel by which the food we eat, after it is broken down by digestive enzymes and acted upon by the trillions of bacteria living in the gut, shapes our moods, our cognitive function, our reactivity to stress, our memory operations, how the brain ages, and much more.
The brain is dependent on sugar as its main fuel, but too much of this energy source as well as processed types can be a bad thing.
A high-sugar diet causes changes in gut bacteria that appear related to a loss of “cognitive flexibility and the power to adapt and adjust to changing situations.
Sugar in soda and other drinks A 12-ounce can of Coke contains 39 grams of sugar (about 10 teaspoons)
1 cup (240 ml) of chocolate milk provides 24 grams of sugar (about 6 teaspoons)
Vanilla ice cream regular per 1/2-cup (65–92-gram) 14 grams of sugar (about 3 1/2 teaspoons)
Participation question:
According to the NHS adults should have no more than 30g of free sugars a day.
What are you doing to cut down on sugars for a healthy balanced diet?
Helpful videos:
Helpful Resources
The gut-brain axis mediates sugar preference
If you have serious, long-term problems with sugar cravings and mood swings, please consider seeing your doctor or talking to a therapist if you suspect those symptoms are related to your mental health challenges.
7cups has online, certified therapists available to members with a paid option. For more information, click on the link https://www.7cups.com/online-therapy/?ob=1
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@amiablePeace77
Thank you so much ami for this enlightening site - and yes, our brains need sugar.
@amiablePeace77. I cut out cakes, cookies and ice cream to follow my prescribed heart healthy diet. I missed those things at first but I don’t have cravings anymore.
@adventurousBranch3786
It's not easy to cut out things we like, it really takes persistence so 👍!
@adventurousBranch3786 at first when I gave up those I felt deprived, but now they are too sweet if I have them and I bake my own cakes sweetened with just bananas and it is not super sweet but it satisfies my craving for sweet. My body and mind adjusted.
@soulsings
Soulsing - that's so nice to sweeten with bananas! Earlier - when I had the energy to bake - I did that too!
@Helgafy sorry you do not have energy to bake. Hopefully you can eat well anyway.
I make nut butter and banana sandwiches too !
@soulsings. I don’t bake either but I do enjoy a banana with a spoonful of almond butter for a nice treat. I learned about that one from you!
@amiablePeace77\
I am a diabetic and sweets can add bad results it. I began to use stuff like Splender, or artificial sweeteners only to find out they were worse than sugar. Sometimes my sugar is too low and I need to drink juice or eat something sweet. Now I am more careful with what I eat and how much I eat of it.
@amiablePeace77
I am a diabetic and sweets can add bad results it. I began to use stuff like Splender, or artificial sweeteners only to find out they were worse than sugar. Sometimes my sugar is too low and I need to drink juice or eat something sweet. Now I am more careful with what I eat and how much I eat of it.
@WorkingitThrough2 being a diabetic can be very challenging keeping the right balane. Hope you have found stability.
@soulsings
I think I am doing something right as my doctor took me off my insulin shot.😊
@WorkingitThrough2. That’s great that you don’t have to take insulin anymore!
@adventurousBranch3786
Thanks, I have to be very careful not to rock my boat😊with the junk cravings.
@WorkingitThrough2
Hi - when I backed I used Steviosa in stead of sugar. It comes from a plant.
@Helgafy
I tried that and it has a taste that I would have to get used to😊
@amiablePeace77
I have had a sugar craving ever since i stopped drinking in 2019. It makes sence since I was drinking over 12,000 calories of rum a week. Rum of course is made from sugar.
@Gettingbettertoday that does make sense that you might have a craving.
Any tips on how to cope with that type of craving?
@soulsings
I am not good at regulating my sweets intake. I am currently eating Lemon Sorbet at my desk at work.
@Gettingbettertoday I hear you. You are doing what you can. I understand that.
The lemon sorbet appears to not be high in sugar per one serving https://www.eatthismuch.com/food/nutrition/lemon-sorbet,533290/
There are no easy answers. For me my craving for sugar diminished as I transitioned over a long period of time to a moderate to high protein. It helped my mood swings level out. It has been a long road. Exercising helped my energy level as well.
Hope you are not beating yourself up. You are doing the best you can right now.
@Gettingbettertoday
That's nice - I'm eating lemon sorbet too!
