We always talk about the importance of a balanced diet with minimal sugar. Some people try to remove all sugar from their diet, forgoing fruit and other natural forms of sugar in the name of health. But totally cutting out sugar may harm the gut.
An animal study found that mice who ate no sugar had inflammation and metabolic dysfunction. For the study, one group of mice had a sucrose-free, low-fat diet for 16 weeks. Another group has a low-fat diet with sucrose for 16 weeks.
Mice who had no sugar developed impaired glucose control, insulin resistance, gut microbial imbalance, intestinal inflammation and fatty livers. They had the same body weight as the mice who had been eating sugar.
“The findings suggest that complete removal of sucrose from a low-fat diet may negatively affect gut microbiota and metabolic health,” said Dr. Rasheed Ahmad, who led the research. “The study highlights the importance of maintaining balanced dietary carbohydrates to support gut and immune homeostasis.”
This research is not an endorsement of candy and desserts. But instead, it shows that cutting out sugar sources like fruit may be detrimental. The researchers pointed out that not much research has been done on the possible consequences of highly restrictive low-fat diets that completely remove sugar. The study doesn’t suggest that more sugar is good for you, just that no sugar at all might be harmful. Balance and eating foods in moderation.
“This research may influence future dietary recommendations by emphasizing the importance of maintaining a healthy gut microbiome rather than focusing only on sugar restriction,” said Dr. Ahmad. “In the long term, these findings could help improve strategies for preventing and managing metabolic disorders, fatty liver disease and chronic inflammatory conditions.”
While this is an animal study, it backs up previous human studies that have found that the gut microbiome requires a variety of carbohydrates to stay healthy and functional. It suggests that metabolic health is more about maintaining healthy choices rather than shunning an ingredient, as inflammation levels rose as dietary balance decreased.
You can remove excess sugar from your diet by cutting out candy, soda and baked treats. But you can still eat foods that contain sugar. This study was looking at sucrose. A few foods that are high in sucrose include oranges and other citrus fruits, onions, peas, and beans. Cutting out fruits and vegetables because you are concerned about sugar is not helpful to your blood sugar health. It’s about balancing carbs with fiber and fitting everything into a healthy eating pattern that fits your needs.
