Diarrhea can be the result of an infection, food poisoning or irritable bowel syndrome. Or, if you have food intolerances or sensitivities, you may suffer from diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms after eating problematic foods. Coke and other soft drinks could be one of the triggers for diarrhea. However, if the diarrhea does not improve after a few days, even after eliminating cola from your diet, consult your doctor.
Sugar in Soft Drinks
Cokes and most other soft drinks are full of high-fructose corn syrup. Compared to regular table sugar, which is half fructose and half glucose, high-fructose corn syrup contains more fructose than glucose, with a ratio of about 55 percent fructose and 45 percent glucose. Foods or beverages containing more fructose than glucose can overwhelm your ability to absorb fructose if you have fructose malabsorption, resulting in diarrhea. If you experience diarrhea after drinking Coke, it is very likely that you will have the same symptoms after eating any other foods sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup, honey or agave syrup as well as apples, pears and watermelon.
Fructose Malabsorption
Fructose malabsorption is an underdiagnosed condition in which your body is not able to absorb completely the fructose you drink or eat. As a result, the fructose that stays unabsorbed in your intestines, where it pulls water from your body into your intestines and causes osmotic diarrhea. If you suspect that you have fructose malabsorption, you can also experience flatulence, abdominal pain, cramping and bloating. You can confirm a diagnosis of fructose malabsorption by undergoing a simple noninvasive breath hydrogen test.
Avoid High-Fructose Corn Syrup
If cola is a problem for you, you will need to avoid all foods and beverages sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup as well as foods containing honey and agave syrup. All of these sweeteners contain more fructose than glucose and can trigger diarrhea. Read food labels carefully, because these sweeteners may be found in many foods you wouldn't suspect. For example, salad dressings, breads, baked goods, breakfast cereals, granola bars, potato chips, fruit cocktails and sauces often contain this problematic sweetener.
Better Tolerated Sweeteners
If you wish to include some sugar into your diet, choose sweetener that contains equal amounts of glucose and fructose. For example, fructose malabsorbers can usually tolerate regular table sugar, raw sugar and maple syrup better because the glucose these sweeteners contain helps stimulate the absorption of fructose. However, to avoid overwhelming your fructose absorption capacity, avoid consuming large amount of sugar at once.
References
- "Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology"; Evidence-Based Dietary Management of Functional Gastrointestinal Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach; Peter R. Gibson, et al.; 2010
- Shepherd Works: Fructose Malabsorption
- "IBS--Free at Last!: A Revolutionary, New Step-by-Step Method for Those Who Have Tried Everything. Control IBS Symptoms by Limiting FODMAPS Carbohydrates in Your Diet"; Patsy Catsos; 2009
- "The Low FODMAP Diet - Reducing Poorly Absorbed Sugars to Control Gastrointestinal Symptoms"; Eastern Health Clinical School - Monash University; 2010
