Sweet indulgences make life much easier for many people. For those, however suffering from sugar intolerance though, it is but one solitary taste that makes the case of misery. If you often find yourself perhaps quite severely suffering from stomach cramps, nausea, or even bloating because of sugary foods you consume, you might be considering taking a sugar intolerance test.
What Is Sugar Intolerance? https://theivlounge.com/services/food-sensitivity-testing
Sugar intolerance is the inability of a certain sugar to be digested by the body, affecting digestion and later symptoms in the gastrointestinal tract. While an allergy to sugar relates to the allergy the gastrointestinal system has the ability to digest and absorb sugars.
These include:
Glucose: The sugar which is primarily found in the blood. It is a source of energy .
Fructose: Natural sugar found in fruits and several vegetables.
Lactose: This is the sugar contained in milk.
Maltose: Found in malted grains .
Sucrose: Also known as table sugar, widely used as additive in many processed foods.
Galactose: This is found naturally like in dairy products.
Xylose: This sugar substitute comes from wood or straw.
Common Symptoms of Sugar Intolerance
The symptoms of sugar intolerance can be periodic or consistent and may vary for everyone. Some common symptoms of sugar intolerance include:
Abdominal cramping pain.
Bloating and gas.
Nausea and vomiting.
Diarrhea.
Abdominal discomfort
Headaches or migraine.
Skin reactions, which may include hive, rash or swelling.
Respiratory symptoms, such as wheezing or nasal congestion.
If you constantly experience these symptoms after consuming sweet foods or drinks, it would be wise to undertake a test for sugar intolerance to understand what is causing your condition.
Why Take a Sugar Intolerance Test?
A sugar intolerance test is helpful in identifying the sugars that the body cannot break down. Knowing this information will enable you to make good diets and avoid symptoms associated with sugar intolerance. Besides, the test will enable you to distinguish between an allergy and an intolerance, which are different conditions that need different management strategies.
Distinguishing between Sugar Intolerance and Sugar Allergy
Though sugar intolerance and sugar allergies both present similar symptoms, their causation is substantially different. An allergic reaction from a sugar allergy is primarily due to an immune response of the body toward the perceived harmfulness of sugar. This may be more serious and often presents such symptoms as swelling in the lips, tongue, or throat, breathing difficulty, dizziness, or even anaphylaxis.
Although considered a digestive issue, intolerance to sugar is not like an immunity reaction but failure to digest particular sugars well, which results in cramps and gas instead of an allergic reaction. Thus, knowing this difference is important to better manage it, and a sugar intolerance test may be a good starting point in the management of such intolerance.
Dietary Changes For Handling Sugar Intolerance
Once a diagnosis is confirmed, treatment of sugar intolerance will consist of dietary changes that modify your consumption of offensive sugars. These include the following food items that you will want to avoid and replace with other choices:
Dietary Don’ts:
- Desserts: Cakes, cookies, candies, ice cream, and pastries have high sugar content.
- Sugary Drinks: Soft drinks, processed fruit juices, and sweetened beverages.
- Breakfast foods and Granola Bars: Many breakfast foods and granola bars are processed with added sugars.
- Breads and Processed Baked Goods: These often contain sugars hidden in them.
- Syrups and Sweeteners: Honey, molasses, jams, and jellies are to be avoided.
- Condiments: There are certain condiments like ketchup, barbecue sauce, etc., that contain far too much sugar.
Safe Alternatives to Sugar:
For those individuals who are suffering from sugar intolerance, finding alternatives that they can use will make it easy for such individuals to enjoy sweet foods minus the symptoms connected with sugar. Some of the alternatives are:
- Stevia: The sweetener which comes from the Stevia plant and, thus, may be used to sweeten beverages and bake.
- Splenda: Contains sucralose, which can either be added while cooking or to beverages.
The Elimination Diet and How it Helps Explain Sugar Intolerance
Elimination diets are also a useful technique in the identification of specific food intolerance, including sugar intolerance. One uses the elimination diet by temporarily removing certain foods from the diet and reintroducing them one by one to observe adverse reactions. This can pinpoint specific sugars causing symptoms and guide dietary adjustments.
This being said, elimination diets can be helpful, but one has to observe very keenly for changes in the symptoms while following a disciplined diet. This may be supplemented with the sugar intolerance test, which will give complete data on what kinds of sugars should be better kept away from.
Increasing Popularity of Sugar Replacements
With awareness of sugar intolerance growing, sugar-free and reduced-sugar products have been increasing with time. Bakeries and manufacturers offer alternatives to use natural sugar substitutes such as Stevia or artificial sweeteners like Splenda. These alternatives appeal to those who want to retain a sweet taste to diet but minimize the effects of the symptoms that intolerance may cause.
These products are useful, though you have to really read the labels very closely and make sure you don’t have any hidden sugars there. The fact is that in baking and cooking using sugar alternatives at home, many have found it helps them gain better control over what they put into their food.
Sugar Intolerance Testing
Besides sugar intolerance, there are also sugar sensitivities. In fact, this is much more widespread than most people would think. Sensitivities create similar symptoms to intolerances but aren’t as severe. A test to see how you react to sugar will determine if you have an intolerance, a sensitivity, or even an allergy, thus guiding you to the best possible diet.
Live Life Free from Discomfort
With sugar intolerance, it does not mean that you have to totally give up on the sweet foods. You understand just how your body reacts to sugar, as well as making smart dietary choices about eating, and you will be able to enjoy a whole range of food options without being bothered by those uncomfortable symptoms. A sugar intolerance test would, in most ways, be the stepping stone toward identifying sugars which have to be avoided, and should in turn be tailor-made for one’s particular requirements for daily life.
Explore IV Lounge’s Sugar Intolerance Test
IV Lounge offers all testing to check Food Sensitivity Testing hat includes sugar intolerance test services. With our latest testing techniques, you learn how your body reacts to different types of food so that you can make wiser dietary choices and take precautions against associated symptoms. Reach us today for a sugar intolerance test and take the first step toward better health.
