Hi sugar levels and Crohn's Disease

[Rick62]

I remember reading somewhere that Crohn's sufferers often have high sugar levels. I must admit I have a sweet tooth and was wondering whether it actually is common. I've tried changing over to sweetners but some I think can have a laxative effect, so is it worth it? Are there benefits from consuming less sugar with regard to crohn's apart from the obvious losing weight (which I don't need ).

Thanks.

 

[Astra]

OH YES!!!

Sugar is one of the most toxic foods and quite intolerable with IBD sufferers, cos it strips the bowels of healthy bacteria and replaces it with an overgrowth of bad bacteria causing a condition called candida. And it causes gas, bloat and D.
Honey is ok, but sorbitol and nutrasweet can give you more D. And corn syrup.
Oh and alcohol too, that contains sugar.
Having said that, and knowing all this, I've got a sweet tooth too!! and don't practice wot I preach!! lol

 

[David in Seattle]

What Joan says is the basis of the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, which I am trying now. Many people report it has changed their lives, but of course, it's not a panacea. Honey is a monosaccharide, and therefore is fully absorbed & not present in the bowel to feed malevolent microbes. You might try switching to honey & see if it has any impact. Much more expensive than white sugar, unfortunately.

Here's a page on SCD, if you're interested http://www.breakingtheviciouscycle.info/index.htm

 

[CrohnsHobo]

I live off sugar, mostly in candy form. I can't remember the last day I went through without eating a piece of candy.

Mmmm candy.

 

[belle1999]

I live off sugar, mostly in candy form. I can't remember the last day I went through without eating a piece of candy.

Mmmm candy.

LOL!! :ylol: I have a sweet tooth, too! This was so funny!

 

[BLM]

Sugar

WOW...all too funny, I am a sugar junkie too!! I love my sugar but am finding its my worst enemy. If I eat too much I feel really bad for the next couple of days, with lotsa D, and severe fatigue. Im in the process of figuring out what amount is ok to consume without feeling absolutely terrible the next few days...:smile:

 

[Cat-a-Tonic]

I've been trying to avoid sugar too, but then I just read the ingredients label on my bottle of Ensure (okay, Target brand generic Ensure - not sure if real Ensure has the same ingredients or not). The first 3 ingredients are water, sugar, & corn syrup. Eek! Do they make sugar-free Ensure?

 

[Arin B]

Aside from coffee, sugar has been my biggest enemy. And I freakin' love sugar! Just lik,e CrohnsHobo- Cake, pie, candy... I love it and it hates me.

I've had to be pro-active about it: I cook things that are sweet (with honey) but have no sugar ahead of time and keep it available when I'm craving it. Vegan choc mousse, pie sweetened with honey, cookies and muffins with honey... yumm....

 

[crohnicaly stinky]

About 5 years ago in order to lose weight I went on a low glycemic load diet. Basically it looks at what portion of food consumed in one hour causes your blood sugar to spike to the point your body initiates an insulin response. So they tested foods like carrots, and found you needed to eat two pounds of carrots in an hour, so carrots are OK to eat. So on and so forth. It was great diet, I did lose weight and nothing was off the menu, just mattered how much you ate. Plus eating stuff on an empty stomach was different, so a small candy bar after a meal was different than one after you hadn't eaten.

OK long story long, the year I followed that diet, eating processed sugar very little, along with little in the way of processed grains, I did not have a flare, the only year in the past 17 years. So in my experience sugar, including carbs has an effect. Hope this helps!