Giving up sugar- can it make your digestion worse for a while?

[TwentyTwentyTwo]

So I'm on day 4 of giving up sugar (having none bar 2 bits of lower sugar fruit a day at the mo, following the I quit sugar book. My digestion is usually ok but today I feel bloated and am v gassy (sorry tmi!). This has happened when I've tried before. I think it's linked to the higher fat content of a no sugar diet, all the nuts and avocados I'm eating! As well as the beans!

Has anyone else had this and it's passed? I don't think I can go low fat and low sugar!!

[CharlesRyder]

Maybe it's too drastic of a change all at once?

I did The Hormone Reset diet which basically takes you into 'clean eating' 3 days at a time and then guides you to reintroduce things gradually to see how they make you feel. I found the staging pretty useful.

[cherrytree63]

I've given up sugar, processed and junk foods. For some reason I'm now constipated on and off, which is triggering my diverticular disease.
My doctor says its unlikely to be the cause, but I can't think what else it can be.

[Mamab33]

I think I heard something about sugar being a mild laxative. Maybe your body was used to it?

[hippospot]

I've been sugar-free for six weeks, and for the first four weeks or so I definitely had some bloating and constipation. My skin also got worse initially.

Now however my skin is really clear (no spots). Constipation mostly gone, bloating has reduced, however I'm getting indigestion quite often. I think I need to reduce my dairy a bit.

BTW I am eating two small pieces of low-fructose fruit - I could not bring myself to give up fruit :)

Sugar itself brings no benefits at all, but I think it's normal that it takes a while to adjust to a diet richer in other things (protein, fat...)

[TwentyTwentyTwo]

Thanks all. hippospot- that's good to hear! And well done - 6 weeks is great! I managed to avoid the biscuits at a toddler group this morning so feeling good about that! Hopefully my digestion will sort itself out - I might try to go a bit lower fat (a few less nuts and whatnot) for a few days!

[Dowser]

I do agree with sugar being a laxative and inflammatory and also beans, lentils will cause gas.

When we start to heal we heal from the inside out and so the last place to heal is the skin. See the spots as a good sign of your body throwing off inflammation . While you've been consuming sugar your body has been going into overdrive trying to deal with the effects of this ie producing more insulin for a start and this was probably happening every time you had a biscuit with elevenses, afternoon choc bar whatever.

Know that if you are eating healthily your body can only thank you for it. It does take a while to adjust to the changed diet. Extra fibre from your increased veg may make you flatulent .

Constipation may increase without the laxative effect of sugar particularly if you haven't been having artificial sweeteners like xylitol, sorbitol, maltrodextrin or dare I say it glucose.- fructose syrup.

I take a ginger tea from Tiger that has lots of cleansing herbs in it. Look for nettle tea. I have it on an evening. Bio triphala from organic India is excellent. So are soft dried figs and flaxseed oil capsules.

Weve just had for lunch hubby's home made green soup with ham and lentils. Literally a meal in a bowl. He used celery , broccoli, kale, a carrot some ham and pease pudding ( aldi is just lentils and salt ). When veg is soft add ham and pease pudding and we have a Bamix that you can just liquidise in the pot or just put yours in a blender.

I believe you can buy soup makers too.

Delicious and very filling. Oh, and don't forget to chew your soup. The only place starch is broken down is in the mouth in salivary diastase ....so just don't neck it if you want your digestion to work efficiently ;-)

[Dowser]

8 weeks today for me and it's a breeze . Honestly. Not bothering me at all.