Sharing is caring!
This year, I’m not giving up anything random during Lent.
I’m giving up added sugars and alcohol.
[I’ve done Lent-style challenges before, but this one feels different. This one is VERY gut-driven — because after everything I’ve learned about the microbiome, these two things are two of the biggest disruptors I still let linger in my own routine.]
I want to walk you right through it Why I do this, what the research says, and – because I know this question is coming – what “giving up sugars” actually means in my real life.
Because it’s not as simple as “stop eating sweets.” But it’s also not like a strict diet, “no sauces, fruit, ect.”
Click HERE to save this item information for later.
Why give up sugars
Let’s start with the basics: ALL sugar is not bad.
Natural sugars found in whole fruits, vegetables and dairy products behave very differently in the body than the sugars that manufacturers add to processed foods and drinks.
When you consume excess added sugars, it disrupts the balance of your gut microbiome in a way that quickly worsens.
A 2022 review published in Gastrointestinal disorders found that a diet high in added sugars is directly linked to gut dysbiosis – a condition in which harmful bacteria begin to outnumber others – along with abnormal short-chain fatty acid synthesis, altered intestinal barrier integrity and chronic inflammation. [source]
The latter is important for anyone dealing with leaky intestines, IBS, SIBO or another condition in which the intestinal wall has already been damaged.
Sugar fuels an already inflammatory environment.
Research published in the European Journal of Nutrition found associations between sugar-sweetened beverage intake and shifts in the composition of the gut microbiota, including a higher Firmicutes:Bacteroidetes ratio – an imbalance often linked to gut dysbiosis – suggesting that what you drink matters, not just what you eat. [source]
And if you think the damage is limited to the intestines themselves, think again.
A 2021 study published in Translational psychiatry found that excessive sugar consumption disrupts the gut microbiome in a way that impairs hippocampus-dependent memory function. The gut-brain axis runs in both directions. What you eat shapes your gut, and your gut shapes your brain. [source]
There is also the ignition angle.
A review from the University of Helsinki’s Human Microbiome Research Program highlighted how a Western diet rich in added sugars specifically disrupts the balance between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory gut bacteria, paving the way for chronic, low-grade inflammation. [source]
For women dealing with bloating, inconsistent digestion, rashes, or hormone disruption, this is the conversation about the cause we should be having.
Why give up alcohol
I want to be honest here: this one is much easier for me personally.
In fact, I haven’t had a sip of alcohol since before Christmas. So I figured it might as well continue.
However, I WILL tell you that this one may be a little more difficult as I travel a lot and have a gala coming up.
I’m giving up because the research is so clear that I can’t continue to ignore it and then turn around and say gut health is my top priority.
A large-scale population-based study of the 2002 FINRISK cohort – one of the largest of its kind, with more than 4,500 participants and more than 17 years of follow-up – found that alcohol consumption is associated with lower microbial diversity, a shift towards a pro-inflammatory gut microbiome profile and increased intestinal permeability. The researchers concluded that this shift toward endotoxemia (bacterial toxins leaking into the bloodstream) is a key mechanism through which alcohol contributes to liver disease and systemic inflammation. [source]
Here’s what that looks like in practical terms: Alcohol reduces the abundance of beneficial bacteria Lactobacillus And Bifidobacteriumwhile promoting the growth of potentially pathogenic bacteria Enterobacteriaceae And Proteobacteria.
Research published in Alcohol research: current reviews have consistently documented this pattern in human and animal studies. [source]
And it’s not just heavy drinking.
The microbiome is sensitive. Even moderate and regular consumption changes the intestinal environment in ways that counteract the healing you are trying to achieve.
If you’ve been doing everything “right”—the probiotics, the bone broth, the anti-inflammatory foods—and still aren’t seeing the results you expected, alcohol could be one of the things that’s quietly undoing your progress.
It increases intestinal hyperpermeability, contributes to endotoxemia and stimulates systemic inflammation.
For anyone trying to heal their gut, continuing to drink while pursuing recovery is a bit like mopping the floor while the tap is still running.
What it means to give up sugars
Okay. This is the part I know you really need.
Because “no sugar” sounds incredibly difficult… until you realize that I’m not doing this as an ultra-rigorous experiment.
Here’s the breakdown.
I do NOT give up things like:
- Honey
- fruit
- maple syrup
- even monk fruit
No, I am NOT giving up on these things.
I also don’t worry about the occasional sugar in a pasta sauce, if I have it.
Here’s what I am to report:
- Most processed foods that contain sugar
- Cookies (even my homemade ones)
- Cakes (even my mother’s delicious ones)
- Ice (that always belongs to the cake)
- Sweets (which sneak in here and there; yes, I’m even looking at you, Smart Sweets)
And because this falls during Expo West, THIS will be a HUGE challenge.
Recognizing sugar on a label:
Depending on the extent to which you want to take it, sugar is actually everywhere. HERE are 192 sources of sugar and alternative names for it.
I should note that in the depths of my gut healing journey, I avoided most of these for a long time.
What about natural sweeteners?
For this Lenten challenge, I’m not eliminating honey, maple syrup, or monk fruit from my routine. [Beside, look at all of these benefits to the Manukora honey I consume]
One more thing
I want to say something out loud: this is not about perfection.
I’m not going to fall apart when I’m at a dinner party and the only salad dressing available has a little sugar in it. For me, Lent is about intention. It’s about doing something consistently and with purpose, over a period of time.
If you want to join me in this, fine. If even just one piece of this gives you a framework to better understand your feelings, then that’s victory.
I’ll see you in 40 days.
PS My brother is a devout Catholic (I’m not), and he told me this: Technically, fasting and abstinence are not required, since every Sunday is a holiday on the church calendar. I think that’s why I wanted that cassava cookie so badSunday would be the day! 🙂
If you liked this article, you might also like:
- 2-Ingredients No Sugar Cinnamon Sugar
- Bloat-free meal plan
- Minimalist meal plan (simple meal ideas while the gut heals)
XXX,
S.K.H
Disclaimer: Some links in this post are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through them, at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products that I personally use and believe in.
💃ʜᴇᴀʟ ʏᴏᴜʀ ɢᴜᴛ. ʜᴇᴀʟ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʟɪfe.
🫶🏻 Founder gutbyome.com
#Give #Sugar #Alcohol #Lent #Means #Gut