Sugar & Our Microbiome: Not as Sweet as it Seems
Ever since I was a kid, I have always been known for my sweet tooth. Whether it's chocolate chip cookies or my personal favorite -- anything with caramel, it was all I wanted and more. On the other hand, I was always known for my classic end-of-day incessant stomach aches as a kid. After seeing doctor after doctor, they always told me to maybe lay off the sweets -- I never fully understood why. I mean, everybody consumes sugar every day, why would a doctor tell me to do the opposite? It wasn't until I was taking MCRO 251 with Dr. Cramer that I fully understood the effect that sugar was implicating onto my microbiome.
In their 2022 article, 'Sugar disrupts microbiome and immune function, leading to metabolic disorders' Medical News Today reports that, "A high-sugar diet promoted the growth of a bacterial species that outcompetes commensal ‘good’ bacteria." (Gill, 2022) The commensal gut bacteria in question would include important bacteria that are responsible for our body's immune response. Issues involving this bacteria could result in a number of illnesses, such as diabetes or complications with the arteries in the heart. This article also includes that, "…according to research, that an estimated 70% of the immune system resides in the gut." (Gill, 2022) Therefore, if sugar results in a competitive environment for vital gut bacterial cells, this could lead to further issues along the line regarding our bodies response to certain metabolic diseases. Moreover, the New York Times reports that, sugars are prone to causing severe bloating and indigestion due to the fact that today's "sugars", which oftentimes include highly processed artificial sweeteners, are prone to eroding the mucous layer found in our gut, which aids in the protection and nourishment of our gut microbiome. With this erosion, comes a less diverse and agitated microbiome which often can leads to an Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) diagnosis. (Blum, 2022)
To further my research into the effects of sugar onto our microbiome, I chose to research the amount of sugars/carbs in everybody's favorite southern breakfast -- Chick-Fil-A's Chicken Minis. Ending at a prompt 10:30 in the morning, Chick-Fil-A is known around the south for having their famous warmed honey-buttered mini chicken biscuits. According to the official Chick-Fil-A's nutritional site, the 4-piece of these biscuits contain around 41 grams of carbs which translates to around 10 teaspoons of sugar. This is incredibly high considering that an average woman should consume only around 6 teaspoons daily -- meanwhile, one simple breakfast meal contains nearly twice the daily consumption. As an avid Chick-Fil-A fan, this is heartbreaking to hear. However, according to the New York Times article referenced earlier in the blog, our microbiomes are highly adaptive and can handle a small amout of sugar over-consumption every now and then (Blum, 2022). Therefore, don't fret -- you can still have your weekly Chick-Fil-A breakfast run! Just as long as Sunday isn't the only break in your otherwise daily Chick-Fil-A diet.
References:
Blum, Dani. “Why Is Gut Health Taking over TikTok?” The New York Times, The New York Times, 20 Apr. 2022, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/20/well/eat/tiktok-gut-health.html.
Chick-Fil-A. “Nutrition and Allergens.” Chick-Fil-A Nutrition, https://www.chick-fil-a.com/nutrition-allergens?gclid=CjwKCAiAuaKfBhBtEiwAht6H78JJc3Z6QQW-z2EPzxyCEkYknASqnACGtsq67sWV1E2Y4wh-5_E6VRoC6KwQAvD_BwE.
Gill, Paul. “Sugar Disrupts Microbiome, Leading to Metabolic Disease and Diabetes.” Medical News Today, MediLexicon International, 2 Apr. 2022, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/sugar-disrupts-microbiome-and-immune-function-leading-to-metabolic-disorders#The-perils-of-hidden-sugar.
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