If you have a sensitive gut, you know that so many things can trigger digestive issues like gas, bloating, diarrhea, and more. We probably don’t have to tell you twice that your diet plays a major role in your gut health, and staying away from things like refined sugar and processed foods is essential if you want to feel your best. However, while you likely pay attention to the affect the food you eat has on your body, you may not think as much about the beverages you drink. As it turns out, certain ones can be detrimental to the health of your gut—especially when it comes to carbonated varieties.
To discover two of the worst carbonated beverages out there that could be taking a toll on your gut health, we spoke to health experts Kelsey Butler, MS, RDN, registered dietitian and nutritionist at Coastal Dream Life, Paula Doebrich, RDN, and dietitian Marie Murphy, CEO of MEM Nutrition and Wellness. They told us that carbonated energy drinks and diet soda are two you should avoid. Read on for all of their insight!
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Carbonated Energy Drinks
Energy drinks are bad enough for your health as it is—the high sugar and caffeine content can wreak havoc on your body, leading to inflammation, weight gain, and digestive issues. And when you add carbonation to the mix, that only makes matters worse for your gut. "Carbonated energy drinks can negatively affect gut health because they can cause gastric distress, interfere with nutrient absorption, and contribute to diarrhea," Butler warns. Yikes!
There are a few reasons for this. First of all, the combination of carbonation and caffeine can "stimulate the release of acid in your stomach," frequently leading to heartburn and indigestion. Additional, all that sugar pulls water into your intestine, which frequently lead to diarrhea, Butler explains. The caffeine will only worsen the risk of diarrhea. All in all, it's not worth the energy boost if you care about your gut health.
Diet Soda
It shouldn't be a surprise that sugary soda is bad for your overall health. Unfortunately, the artificial sweeteners in diet soda come with their own share of health risks, especially when it comes to your gut. Doebrich explains that "drinking excessive amounts of diet soda" causes "changes in the gut microbiome, which have negative health consequences" such as "gastrointestinal discomfort."
Murphy seconds this sentiment, referring to artificial sweeteners in your favorite diet soda as "gut disruptors, which decrease the good bacteria in our guts and increase the bad ones," leading to more gas and bloating. Guess we'll have to cut out sodas altogether, or just stick to unsweetened varieties.
