Ahhh... a popular topic in my household; lots of digestive issues here.
Collectively these chemicals (the ones that cause digestive issues like the author's) are known as FODMAPs, and cause issues for a lot of people. Monash University is the authority here, having identified them in the first place and produced a ton of dietary information about them: https://www.monashfodmap.com/about-fodmap-and-ibs/
The author says she doesn't have any trouble with lactose, fructose, and gluten, but cutting out sugar alcohols (polyols, the "P" in FODMAP) helped a ton. This is pretty common; people with FODMAP intolerance can typically digest some but not all of them.
The process is basically (1) go on a very restrictive elimination diet that cuts out all FODMAPs, then (2) gradually test each one at different quantities to find out if you can handle it and at what quantity.
A low-FODMAP diet was one of the things that I credit to helping me recover from 20+ years of undiagnosed, unmanaged celiac disease, including the IBS and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) that I developed as a consequence.
I eventually transitioned to a similar protocol called the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, which has some amount of controversy around it (and the closely-related GAPS diet), but ultimately was the right thing for me at that time.
If you have GI issues and see a gastroenterologist, you might have access to a nutritionist who is affiliated with their practice. If you have that option, take it. I never would have come across any of this on my own, and the gastroenterologist himself was not well-versed in the details of elimination diets, food sensitivities, or anything else "sub-clinical" along those lines.
I still don't understand why stevia isn't more widely-used. I suspect that it's a combination of 1) its reputation being stymied by grocery store "stevia" that actually consists largely of garbage bulking agents and sugar alcohols and 2) the fact that it can taste bitter at higher concentrations, because it's otherwise a fantastic sugar substitute. I primarily use it to sweeten juices, coffee, tea, and cocktails but have also used it while baking to decent success (if you qualify turning high-protein pancake mix into a tray of brownies "baking"). Throwing it in non-fat yogurt with some cocoa powder makes a fantastic dessert as well.
*EDIT: For those asking I use Now Foods Stevia Extract. It comes in liquid form in a bottle. A dab will do you - add a few drops to whatever you're sweetening and see how you like it. It goes from imperceptible to moderately sweet to bitter tasting _very_ quickly. You'll need to develop a feel for using it.
I'm not being paid by Big Stevia - I just find its negative reputation unfortunate and undeserved.
Although Stevia is considered a replacement for many, it wasn't suitable for me. Quitting it helped reduce insulin spikes, which led to hormonal imbalances. This, in turn, resulted in low-level inflammation that primarily triggered pimples on my face. I can't provide scientific data to support this, but I systematically eliminated all sugar and artificial sweeteners, observing the effects of each over a 20-day period.
That said, I come from a family where sugar is deemed public enemy number one. We used to heavily rely on artificial sweeteners, which I believe led to my low tolerance after 20 years
> I systematically eliminated all sugar and artificial sweeteners, observing the effects of each over a 20-day period.
> That said, I come from a family where sugar is deemed public enemy number one. We used to heavily rely on artificial sweeteners, which I believe led to my low tolerance after 20 years
I don't react well to artificial sweeteners either. Stevia, thankfully, is a natural product (depending upon how you qualify the alcohol-based extraction process). My buddy's wife actually grew some, dehydrated it, and gave it to me in powdered form. I wouldn't recommend using it in this fashion as it was particularly herbal-tasting and studies have primarily been conducted on purified, extracted forms but it was reassuring to learn firsthand that the product I'd been using for years was only one step away from a plant that I could grow in my own backyard.
If you had a bad experience I would check to see whether what you used was real stevia extract or mass-market adulterated "stevia".
>grocery store "stevia" that actually consists largely of garbage bulking agents
Most sugar substitutes are so many times sweeter than table sugar that they're pretty much always distributed to consumers in a form consisting mostly of bulking agent so that you don't need an analytical balance. Nobody has 1/100 tsp measures.
Stevia and many of these other sugar substitutes (like monk fruit sweetener) often come with erythritol (sometimes as the first ingredient!), which has been linked to heart problems.
Not sure how valid the article is, but I'll take it as something I just don't need in my diet...
Interesting to see Xylitol on the list. I exclusively chew Xylitol gum because I understood it to be healthier in the sense it kills bacteria that consume it, since it's not actually a sugar and bacteria cannot live on it. My favorite is Spry gum.
Healthline [0] includes this piece right in the headline though, so I appreciate the transparency:
> It may have health benefits but could cause digestive issues and other side effects.
Fortunately I don't experience any adverse symptoms and have consumed it for years, but I may be a bit more mindful now.
Only issue with Xylitol is that it is deadly poison to most dogs. That particular gum has cost me around $900 in vet bills. And yes, I did learn that my mini golden doodle can unzip jacket pockets. He's ok.
>but some people experience digestive side effects when they consume too much.
The too much is the important bit. Take too much xylitol (you'd have to intentionally eat a lot of it at once) and it tends to all come out of you in a hurry.
Sugar Alcohols destroy me, but xylitol gum, or sorbitol, has never been a problem. I think the amount is tiny and I don't eat the gum. I chew it a lot, normally Trident.
This is my experience as well. Sugar alcohols make me feel horrible (cramps, nausea, bloating, debilitating fatigue, etc.) but I only get that effect from sugar-free gum specifically if I'm ripping through several pieces in a day. One stick of gum isn't enough to do it.
It's wild how so utterly addicted people are to sweet sugary foods, that they are willing to use junk like this to replace it. Keep the normal sugar, just eat less of it!! It really is possible to stop with sugar.
I have experienced some of these issues myself. I find that it becomes more tolerable (and also more palatable) when I use a blend of natural sugar and artificial sweetener like erythritol or stevia.
Collectively these chemicals (the ones that cause digestive issues like the author's) are known as FODMAPs, and cause issues for a lot of people. Monash University is the authority here, having identified them in the first place and produced a ton of dietary information about them: https://www.monashfodmap.com/about-fodmap-and-ibs/
The author says she doesn't have any trouble with lactose, fructose, and gluten, but cutting out sugar alcohols (polyols, the "P" in FODMAP) helped a ton. This is pretty common; people with FODMAP intolerance can typically digest some but not all of them.
The process is basically (1) go on a very restrictive elimination diet that cuts out all FODMAPs, then (2) gradually test each one at different quantities to find out if you can handle it and at what quantity.