Maintaining a healthy digestive system isn’t only an important part of staying as comfortable as possible. It’s also crucial to your overall health. As it turns out, your gut microbiome plays a role in so many crucial functions, from your metabolism to nervous system regulation. For this reason, practicing healthy gut habits is always a good idea—and one of the best places to start is with your diet.
In addition to adding fermented foods and other gut-healthy ingredients to your plate, it’s also important to limit your intake of certain things, including a few especially digestion-wrecking beverages.
To discover a few of the worst drinks that could be taking a toll on your gut health, we spoke to experts Dr. Blen Tesfu and Lauren Harris-Pincus, MS, RDN. They told us that energy drinks, sugary soft drinks like soda, and alcohol are among the biggest culprits of digestive issues. Learn more below.
1. Energy drinks
While energy drinks may sound like a great way to get a boost of caffeine in the morning or as an afternoon pick-me-up, they unfortunately come with a wide range of risks. This is especially true when it comes to your gut. There are a few issues at play here: carbonation, sugar, and caffeine.
As it turns out, caffeine, in particular, can do a number on your gut. Pincus tells us that drinks with high amounts of this energizing ingredient, such as energy drinks, "can cause gastritis, inflammation, increased gut motility, and diarrhea," Yikes!
It's also worth noting that heavily caffeinated drinks can lead to anxiety and other issues with your mental health and nervous system, which is also likely to disrupt your gut. "It can cause jitters and increase anxiety which can exacerbate symptoms in people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)," she warns.
Plus, all that inflammatory sugar is no good for your digestive system, either (or your overall health). Guess we'll leave the Red Bull on the shelf!
2. Sugary soft drinks
Sorry, cola lovers. If you're regularly sipping on soft drinks like soda, fruit juice, and more, you're likely not treating your gut as well as you could be. Like we mentioned above, refined sugar is a major culprit of inflammation, which could put your gut in poor shape.
"Sugary soft drinks contain excessive amounts of added sugars, which can lead to an imbalance in gut bacteria and promote the growth of harmful microbes," Tesfu explains." The consumption of sugary beverages can trigger low-grade inflammation in the gut, contributing to gastrointestinal discomfort and other health issues. High sugar intake has also been linked to a decrease in gut microbial diversity, which is essential for a healthy digestive system." Say it ain't so!
Try out some of these low-sugar beverages, instead. Your gut will thank you!
3. Alcohol
As fun as it can be to unwind with a cocktail or two on a Friday night, it's important to remember that alcohol can do serious damage to your body in more ways than one. In fact, according to Tesfu, it's one of the worst things you can put into your body if you want a healthier gut.
"Excessive alcohol consumption can disrupt the balance of gut bacteria, leading to dysbiosis and impaired gut function," she warns. "Alcohol can damage the lining of the intestines, increasing intestinal permeability (leaky gut) and allowing harmful substances to enter the bloodstream. Chronic alcohol intake has been associated with an increased risk of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis."
And that's not even getting into all the other ways alcohol can impact your body—it may even lead to premature aging. Overall, it's best to limit your alcohol intake as much as possible in order to look out for your health.
The bottom line
Your gut health should be a priority, and one of the best things you can do in order to make it one is to switch up your diet. By cutting out (or at least limiting your intake of) these types of beverages, you'll be one step closer to a healthier digestive system—and, in turn, a healthier body overall.
