3 reasons you might feel sick after eating sugar

If you usually feel sick after eating sugary foods, chances are it's no coincidence. So how could sugar be affecting your body? And how might you counter the ill effects of the sweets you consume? Here's some helpful advice.

There are various health-related conditions and complaints often associated with high-sugar intake, among them:

• If you suffer bouts of vomiting, abdominal pain or bloating after eating high-sugar foods, your symptoms could potentially be attributed to how your body tolerates sugar.
• Should you experience a sudden drop in energy, headaches or dizziness, your symptoms may point to how you metabolize sugar after the body digests it.

There are a number of reasons you might feel yucky shortly after consuming sugary foods, including:

1. Indigestion
It could be you’re suffering from simple indigestion, especially if you eat lots of sugar in a short period of time.

• Although vomiting is most frequently associated with this type of indigestion, it’s also responsible for a wide array of symptoms including headaches, abdominal pain and bloating.
• Even if you believe it’s “just indigestion,” you should never ignore how you feel. Pain and discomfort is your body’s way of saying something’s amiss and there's a chance your indigestion could signify other serious health issues are brewing.

2. An intolerance to fructose
Fructose malabsorption is a condition where your body cannot absorb fructose properly, normally resulting in such symptoms as abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, constipation or flatulence.

• Fructose is a naturally occurring sugar found in fruits, fruit juices, some vegetables and honey.
• Lower-fructose foods (e.g., bananas, carrots and green beans) may be tolerated in smaller quantities during meals.
• The intensity and ill effects can vary between people and even on a day-to-day basis for individuals.

3. Diabetes mellitus
According to Diabetes Canada (formerly The Canadian Diabetes Association), diabetes is a disease in which the body is either unable to produce insulin or can't properly use what it produces. (Insulin is a hormone that helps to regulate blood sugar levels.)

• Constant binging on sugary foods can sometimes lead to a condition called insulin resistance in which the body’s cells don't respond to insulin in the blood stream. In turn, this affects blood sugar levels.
• Hyperglycemic conditions (abnormally high levels of sugar in the blood) may cause symptoms such as fatigue, increased thirst, blurred vision and weight gain.
• Hypoglycemia (lower than normal blood glucose levels) can trigger such things as sweating, nausea, trembling, dizziness, moodiness and confusion.

If you experience any of these symptoms whenever you consume high-sugar foods or beverages, don’t hesitate to consult a doctor.

• He or she should be able to diagnose the problem and prescribe an appropriate course of treatment.
• If you’re suspected of having an intolerance to fructose, your doctor may order an allergy test.
• Depending on your diagnosis, treatment may include consulting with a registered nutritionist or dietician, who will adjust your diet to suit your condition and lifestyle.

It goes without saying that adopting a balanced diet and a healthier lifestyle – which includes exercise, rest and limiting your sugar intake – can help to prevent diseases such as insulin resistance, which may ultimately lead to diabetes.

And although changing your eating habits may sound like a daunting task, take heart: there are many delicious foods with lower fructose levels to choose from including eggplant, carrot, spinach, blackberries, lemon, limes and avocado – so "low sugar" needn’t mean "low flavour."