Tag: abdominal

10 facts : Impact of Industrial starches 😵‍💫

by drjurisharma, posted in Blood sugar levels, diabetes, exercise insulin levels, insulin sensitivity, constipation, bowels, colon, bowel movements, bowel disease, Food, Food, eating habits, eating disorders, eating preferences, choices, culture, traditions, travels, family, healing, health, Health, education, rewards, goals, lifestyle,choice choices, weight loss, diet , exercise,habits, happiness, Industrial starches, sugars, artificial sweetener, hidden risk, health concerns, fake starches, stabilizers, fillers, synthetic fibers, Infection,inflammation, Science, stomach, abdomen, intestines, wellness, Wholesome grains, brown rice, whole wheat bread, flour, millet, oats, buckwheat, steel cut oats, corn, starch, sugar, carbohydrate, glycemic index, low GI, foods, fruits, vegetables

1.Industrial starches, or can be termed as “fake starches”, are carbohydrate additives made in industries and factories and are added to packaged food to give the required taste, texture, stability and increase the shelf life. Most consumers are unaware of these starches in modern food packages, which remain a hidden risk to long-term health. These starches are used in almost all packaged food as thickeners, stabilisers, sweeteners and filler ingredients. Packaged foods are loaded with them, which makes the food tastier, flavourful and addictive.

2.Why industrial starches? Packaged food manufacturers uses industrial starches for many benefits and as cheaper alternatives but on the contrary can become the hidden risk for the consumers. Some of the common reasons:

• As mentioned, adding glucose syrup, dextrose, sucralose, and sweeteners makes it taste delicious and satisfying, fulfilling the sugar craving.

• Adding carbohydrate can help increase the shelf life, preserve moisture, acts as a stabilisers.

• Many modified starches are added to soups, sauces, syrups, and desserts to give a creamy texture.

• Industrial and modified starches are much cheaper than whole grains, fruit pulp, puree and honey.

• Sugar alcohols are used commonly and termed as “sugar free” and “low calorie”.

3. Common daily items where industrial starches are used are snacks, energy/ protein bars, yoghurt, desserts, breads, cakes, pastries, sweets like candies, toffees, biscuits, soups, sauces. In fact, the list is very long. A normal individual can crave certain products and eat frequently in large quantities, sometimes on a day-to-day basis, which may increase the sugar spike and result in loading calories. This is one of the commonest reason, a hidden risk of many chronic lifestyle disease, chronic inflammation, autoimmune diseases and non alcoholic liver diseases.

4. Unlike whole foods, industrial carbs lack natural fibres; that’s why the impact on health is grievous. It is important to read the Nutritional labels and look for ingredients like :

• Glucose syrup, corn syrup, fructose syrup, Malt syrup, Invert syrup.

• Sweeteners like Aspartame, sucralose, Saccharin, Erythritol.

• Dextrin, Maltodextrin, Polydextrose, Resistant Maltodextrin.

• Stabilisers, Thickeners.

• Inulin, artificial fibres, fillers.

• Hydrolysed starch, modified starch.

5. Packaged food: Common processed food packages contain industrial starches and fillers which should be generally avoided, such as:

• Breakfast cereals contain sugar, artificial sweeteners, thickeners and even instant oatmeal packets.

• Fast foods like instant noodles, chicken nuggets (breaded), frozen pizzas, canned juice, soups.

• Bakery (commercial ): packaged cakes, cookies, pastries, which mostly contain refined sugar, refined flour and synthetic binders.

• Canned sauces like ketchup, cheese dressings, salad dressings, ready-to-use gravies.

• Ultra-processed foods like chips, nachos, tortillas, crackers.

6. Potential health risks depends on the type of industrial starch used, quantity and how frequently being consumed by an individual and many more factors. Common hidden risks are :

• Blood sugar levels, insulin sensitivity: Sugar items can lead to blood sugar spikes and insulin spikes. Chronic usage can lead to a risk of weight gain, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular risk.

• Gut health issues as industrial starches are synthetic substances can lead to gut irritation, inflammations on long term use.

• Allergy: Modified starches, synthetic fibres, fillers and sugars can create allergic issues and immune reactions in individuals with autoimmune diseases and celiac disease.

• Nutrient loss: Using bulking substances and fillers can obviously reduce the natural nutrients like natural fibres, vitamins, and minerals.

7. Maize starch (corn starch): It is the most common industrial starch used in packaged food as a stabilizer, binding agent and thickening agent. Though it is not toxic, it has no nutritional value and provides only empty calories. It is made from the corn endosperm and has no protein, no fibre, and no fat. Some crucial points on maize starch and its impact on health:

• Common food products where maize starch is used are cakes, pastries, instant soups, ready-to-eat foods like nuggets, baby foods, and dairy products like ice cream.

• Modified maize starch undergo chemical treatment and modification which may be safety concern so Food Authority do provide safe limits. Organic or non-GMO food products, free from genetically modified additives, are a healthier version and have been very popular, labelled as “clean”.

• Health impact can be on weight issues if used in excess, as it provides empty calories. It can quickly spike blood sugar, so it can be a concern to individuals with diabetes. Some people may be allergic to maize starch though rare.

• Corn flour is finely ground cornmeal, whereas corn /maize starch is highly refined corn starch, which can differ nutritionally.

8. Industrial starch impact on children: Consumption of industrial starch by children results in a higher absorption of the starch as they are in the developing stage. As these starches have no nutritional value, they can result in weight gain, fat storage, rapid blood sugar spikes, insulin resistance, dental decay, and cavity formation. They can lead to gut health issues disrupting the healthy gut flora to growth of harmful pathogens, bloating, gas and malabsorption in some cases. These types of starches are mostly found in ultra-processed snacks, candies, pastries, and baby food items.

9. Label: Packaged foods are used widely in modern commercial foods, which often go unnoticed. The marketing jargon like “sugar free”, “ fresh”, “farm picked”, “organic”, “ Pure”,“ Low fat” is mostly used in labels to attract consumers, so the actual ingredients used in the products remain hidden. So, it is important to read the actual ingredient list and nutritional profile, which are usually at the back of the item. Common names of industrial sugars which should be avoided are syrups like glucose, fructose, corn, malt, sugars like maltodextrin, dextrin, poly dextrose, invert sugar, artificial sweeteners, synthetic fibres, fillers, stabilisers and thickening agents like maize starch. Products with wholesome grains like bread, pasta, unpolished rice, snacks with no syrups or fillers should be used. As for drinks, mostly plain water, herbal tea, and black coffee are preferred instead of carbonated drinks or sugary flavoured juices.

10. Takeaway: Industrial starches are indeed a dangerous risk to humans, as they are very widely used in modern times in many commercial items. These items are consumed widely by individuals within all age groups mainly because of taste, texture, easy accessibility, low cost and their addictive nature. People become dependent on them without even realising the serious health impact they have. Serious consequences can lead to weight gain, gut issues, inflammation, sugar spikes, insulin resistance and diabetes.

Thanks for reading.

Peace and love 🙏

10 facts to know about stomach bloating 🙌

by drjurisharma, posted in body, health, lifestyle, dietary, exercise, herbs, water, liver, stroke, cancer, hepatitis, deep fried food, detoxification, vegetable,, Food, gut health, gut bacteria, hormones, Gastrointestinal, GI tract, healing, health, life, physical therapy, pain, body aches, spinal,, Science, stomach, abdomen, intestines, Uncategorized, wellness
  1. Stomach bloating is usually feeling fullness, swelling or tightness around the abdominal region. The most common thought that comes to mind when you feel bloated is eaten too much, too heavy a meal or your stomach is filled with gas or air. Abdominal bloating is common both in adults, children and also in babies. The common symptoms of bloating can be pain, distention, belching, excessive gas causing flatulence and abdominal gurgles.
  2. Why do we feel bloated? Bloating commonly happens due to excessive gas or air. Sometimes, gas accumulates in the digestive tract due to the slow breaking down of the undigested food due to delayed emptying. This can give rise to bloating. Another common cause is air getting swallowed while eating or drinking too fast which gives the feeling of bloating.
Fizzy drinks

3.Gas is a very common cause of bloating. Drinking fizzy drinks or carbonated beverages causes swallowing of air which may give rise to bloating and disturb digestion causing pain and discomfort. Eating a heavy carbohydrate-rich meal causes difficulty in digesting tougher carbs like sugars such as fructose, lactose, sorbitol or wheat and beans. A considerable quantity of carbs remain undigested causing slow fermentation resulting in gas. The fermentation is caused by gut bacteria while digesting the carbohydrate.

4.Other causes can be constipation, heartburn, malabsorption of food, menstrual symptoms, impaired gut motility, and overgrowth of gut bacteria. There are many medical causes like irritable bowel disorder, parasitic infection, food intolerance, inflammatory bowel disorders like ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, Celiac disease, anorexia or bulimia nervosa, stress, anxiety, depression, hormonal imbalance in case of women.
Some life-threatening causes of abdominal bloating can be ascites in liver diseases, kidney failure, ovarian cancer, and perforation of the GI tract causing the gas to escape giving the symptom of bloating.

5.Bloating is a common symptom in a healthy individual every now and then. Usually, the symptoms of pain, fullness, and discomfort are moderate to severe. It can ease off within hours to 1-2 days normally. Mobility, mild exercise, and having water or herbal teas can slowly ease the symptom. In case of gas, flatulence and constipation, pooping can relieve the symptoms. But, if the condition worsens within days, medical attention is required for evaluation of underlying cause.

6.If the abdominal bloating has a specific cause like food intolerance or food sensitivity, avoiding the particular food or eliminating it from the diet is necessary. Certain food items like sugar food rich in high lactose, and fructose are difficult to digest and can result in intestinal gas and bloating. Food items like wheat, beans, dairy, cauliflower, cabbage, fatty food, fizzy drinks, processed food, beverages can lead to stomach bloating.

7.Bloating is a common problem in many women due to hormonal fluctuations. The female hormone estrogen can cause fluid retention in the body. During phases of estrogen high and progesterone drop, bloating is very common. Moreover, during menstruation, the uterus is already heavy due to fluid can cause stomach bloating. Therefore, in women, during perimenopausal phase and before or during monthly periods, stomach bloating is common. Hormonal birth control pills and oestrogen supplementation can relieve the symptoms with advice from medical experts.

8.Bloating is serious and requires medical attention when the symptoms worsen, continuous pain, bloody stools, fever, and vomiting occurs. Stomach bloating, when associated with physical injury, surgery, ascites in the liver or kidney failure requires medical help immediately. When the abdominal bloating and gas retention becomes chronic, the underlying cause needs to be investigated. As already mentioned before, when hollow organs like the stomach, intestines, gall bladder, uterus, and bladder are distended, they can be palpable and felt on physical examination. Causes like undigested items, fluid, intestinal gas, poop, urine, and internal bleeding in case of injury can be the probable reasons. Inflammation and bacterial overgrowth can also lead to enlargement of the hollow organs. The underlying problem needs to be thoroughly investigated.

9.However, prevention of abdominal bloating can be done if the individual does have this history of bloating quite often. In case of food sensitivity, or food intolerance, avoiding the particular food item is required. Taking long intervals between meals is helpful.
*Having fibres in diet to prevent constipation and easy passage of wastes.
*Drinking water to prevent dehydration,
*Reducing salt intake to prevent water retention,
*Regular exercise and walking.
*Taking probiotic supplements is also quite helpful.
*Some home remedies like apple cider vinegar and applying a warm pad on the stomach may sometimes work too.
*OTC medication like antacids to relieve gas, laxatives to relieve constipation or enema to have bowel motility can be useful too.

Carb rich foods
Beverages

10.Bloating is quite common in a normal individual. If you have an episode of bloating, it is wise to identify and avoid the particular food item that leads to bloating. Normally, avoiding certain situations like having…
*Salty food
*Fizzy drinks,
*Eating too fast should be avoided as it leads to swallowing air.
*Avoiding processed, carb-rich food,
*Fatty food,
*Avoiding alcohol, and smoking as they can create digestive issues .
Having a balanced meal with a bigger portion of fibre in the diet, intervals between meals, drinking plenty of water, and eating slowly can be helpful. Bloating is serious and needs medical attention when the symptom persists, accompanied by other symptoms like bloody stool, weight loss, loss of appetite and persistent pain abdomen. Once the cause is evaluated, treatment can be done accordingly.

Thanks for reading.

Peace and love 🙏