Well, this one is obvious, unless you own a soft drink company. Interestingly, the popular idea of post-workout chocolate milk was meant to promote muscle protein synthesis and replenish glycogen stores because it's a fast acting carbohydrate and a protein source, but because it's more difficult to digest, it's probably not the best idea. Human breast milk is 80 percent whey and 20 percent casein while cow milk is 20 percent whey and 80 percent casein, making cow milk more difficult for us to digest (18).Īnd if the body isn't able to break down and assimilate what's ingested, then we can't put nutrients to work rebuilding our body after a great training session. You may be wondering, why were we brought up on human breast milk but now cow milk isn't agreeing with us? Well, they're composed of different percentages of whey and casein proteins. In just one cup of milk there can be 13 grams of sugar, which is one reason you may have a better time tolerating yogurt and kefir – the fermentation process breaks down these sugars into beneficial bacteria, making dairy much easier to digest (17).Įven though milk is a great source of whey and casein protein, if we aren't able to digest and absorb these proteins properly then they're of no use to us and can cause us more harm than good. Most people don't think of milk as being high in sugar, but it is. Research has linked excess dairy consumption to fat gain, insulin resistance, acne, osteoporosis, and diseases such as multiple sclerosis (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16). Unfermented dairy (regular milk for example) can also cause us a variety of problems due to the difficulty we have breaking down and digesting the sugar and protein, specifically lactose and casein (9,10).
![bacterial overgrowth from overconsumption of sugar bacterial overgrowth from overconsumption of sugar](https://www.guthealthproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Candida-Causes-Infographic.jpg)
This is likely a huge reason why so many people that are non-celiac are going gluten-free – because they feel and perform better without wheat and other gluten-containing foods (8). If we're able to keep a strong and intact intestinal lining then we can keep food where it's meant to be, optimizing digestion and limiting any adverse food reactions. Our bodies look at certain components of wheat as a harmful substances, like bad bacteria, and zonulin is released to open up the tight junctions in our intestinal lining (2). This is how our bodies are responding to the wheat we're eating today. It doesn't matter if you're celiac or not. If you think about our intestinal lining as a pipeline, zonulin puts big holes in it, allowing substances into parts of our body they don't belong, causing hosts of problems such as allergic reactions. These spaces are indeed supposed to open up naturally, but zonulin basically causes them to open up too much. Researchers are finding that zonulin opens up the spaces between the cells of the intestinal lining, a problem associated with autoimmune diseases and cancer (2, 4, 5, 6, 7). More and more studies are showing how both contribute to the release of something called "zonulin," a protein that modulates the permeability of tight junctions between cells of the wall of the digestive tract. However, wheat pasta contains gluten and gliadin. Both have about 130 calories, 25 grams of carbohydrates, a gram of fat, and very little in the way of vitamins. If you just look at the numbers, there isn't much of a difference between pasta and rice. But recent research has shown that most of us would be better off avoiding gluten and its wheat-protein cousin, gliadin. Many believe that unless you have celiac disease, it's nothing to worry about, and avoiding it is just a fad. Here are the four biggest irritants and how your body may be reacting to them.
![bacterial overgrowth from overconsumption of sugar bacterial overgrowth from overconsumption of sugar](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.eatthis.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2017/07/cheese-cracker-snack.jpg)
As a result, the food that enters our body can either be stored as fat or treated as an allergen, leading to low-grade inflammation and a host of metabolic issues (1). If these things prevent your gut from functioning properly, then you won't be able to completely digest and absorb what you're consuming. These substances can be an issue – a big one – and possibly the reason you're not achieving the results you want or are suffering constant digestive issues. Sure, their nutrition labels might tell you that whole grain pasta is a great source of fiber that standard milk is a great source of calcium and a complete protein that sugar can replenish your glycogen stores and that soy is a complete source of protein.īut their nutrition labels don't tell the whole story. Just consume them in the right amounts, right? Well, not so fast. If you just focus on macros or calories, these foods don't seem like a big problem.