Drinking black coffee is often thought of as an “acquired taste” that many coffee drinkers develop over time. For some, however, coffee needs a touch of sweetness to achieve the perfect the taste. According to recent statistics from Drive Research, most coffee drinkers who sweeten their coffee use three packets of sugar or stevia on average, suggesting a notable sweetness preference among coffee drinkers.
While sweetened coffee may taste great, some health professionals advise against sweetened coffee beverages as they may cause silent gut problems. We chatted with a few health experts to learn more about how coffee sweeteners can really impacting our gut health.
How common coffee sweeteners affect gut health
“Adding sweeteners to coffee will generally affect the gut by interacting with the microbes that live there,” says Kezia Joy, a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Medical Advisor at Welzo. “The more often you consume added sugars such as white sugar or flavored syrups, the less diverse your microbes will be, which may lead to a variety of problems over time for your digestive system, inflammation levels and overall gut health.”
While consuming a bit of coffee sweeteners each day is unlikely to harm you, consuming it daily will eventually add up (especially when combined with other sources of added sugar from other things you eat and drink throughout the day. “If you have a sensitive digestive tract, excessive consumption of sugar may further complicate symptoms such as bloating and changes in your bowel movements, says Joy.
During my conversation with Dr. Ekta Gupta, Chief, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Maryland Medical Center (Midtown Campus), her thoughts aligned similarly to Joy’s. Overall, she noted that the primary way that coffee sweeteners can affect gut health is through interactions with the gut microbiota. “Some sweeteners impair beneficial bacteria (e.g., Bifidobacteria, Lactobacillus) and promote a gut microbiome which can be pro-inflammatory,” says Dr. Gupta. Plus, certain sweeteners like sucralose and saccarin have also been linked to glucose intolerance.
Are artificial sweeteners worse than real sugar?
Though many people turn to artificial sweeteners in an effort to keep calories low (compared to regular sugar), Joy says some research suggests artificial sweeteners could disrupt the balance of an individual’s gut microbiota. However, “The significant variation in how consumers react to artificial sweeteners illustrates the need for understanding individual tolerance to artificial sweeteners rather than making blanket assumptions that all artificial sweeteners are detrimental to an individual’s health. Health experts recommend avoiding these types of artificial sweeteners whenever possible.
If you must have a sweetened coffee, Dr. Gupta says stevia could be a better option, especially whole-leaf extracts over highly processed versions. Some studies suggest it could also have some anti-inflammatory properties. Some people find Stevia to have a bitter after taste, though others are unaffected. Personally, I’ve been using stevia in my coffee for years with no gut issues at all. Another healthy sweetener option is Monk Fruit (limited data available on how it may affect the gut). Some people also turn to sugar alcohols, though these can also wreak havoc on the gut.
A gut-supportive approach to coffee
“From a gut health standpoint, it’s often more advantageous to use smaller quantities of any sweetener as opposed to continually switching from one type of sweetener to another,” says Joy. “Honey and maple syrup are considered natural sweeteners; therefore, they are generally better tolerated and cause less disruption in individuals when used in moderation. These options avoid the high intensity sweetness associated with other sweeteners, which may encourage excessive usage.”
“Another option would be to gradually decrease the amount of sweetness in coffee to allow the individual’s taste buds to adapt to their preference over time. The identification of whether a symptom of digestive issues is caused by the sweetener, the coffee itself, or the total consumption pattern can be identified based on the symptomatology after consuming the coffee.”
