“Fructose is a simple sugar with a bad rap,” said registered nutritionist Carrie Dennett, MPH, in a recent review of this sometimes confusing subject. Here are some facts about fructose.
Fructose is a component of table sugar (also known as sucrose). In fact, half of the sugar we use in most sweetened foods – including those known as “pure cane sugar” – is half fructose and half glucose. Fructose is also the main sugar that occurs naturally in fruits. And it’s especially concentrated in agave syrup and honey, which are even more fructose than high-fructose corn syrup.
Fructose is used slightly differently in the body than other sugars, which some refer to as plus and others as minus. For example, it doesn’t increase blood sugar as quickly as other types of sugar, which is good news for people with diabetes. However, because fructose (unlike other sugars) is broken down in the liver, it is viewed by some as a major health damage.
Scientific research on the health effects of fructose is all over the world map. Several studies over the past few years have reported that replacing normal sugar (half made up of fructose) with pure fructose resulted in lower blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. A recent analysis found that consuming too much fructose from sugar-sweetened beverages increased your risk of metabolic syndrome, a condition that can lead to diabetes and heart disease. On the other hand, researchers report that eating whole fruits or drinking no more than 8 ounces of 100 percent fruit juice per day can actually protect against the same metabolic syndrome.
So here is some advice.
“While fructose seems fine for most people in moderation, there are two groups who must avoid this particular sweetener,” Dennett said.
Some people with irritable bowel syndrome may experience unpleasant digestive disorders after consuming foods rich in fructose (honey, agave syrup, and many types of fruit). Another rare group of people is born with a genetic intolerance to fructose. These people need to completely avoid all fructose – including those found in regular table sugar – to avoid liver damage.
Dennett concludes that we don’t need to fear fructose or demonize high fructose corn syrup while adopting “pure cane sugar” (which is 50 percent fructose). At the same time, we don’t need to give a healthy halo to “natural” sweeteners like honey and agave, both of which contain more fructose than high-fructose corn syrup.
Bottom line: we can eat small amounts of sweetened foods and still be healthy. Excessive amounts of added sugar are not good for us. Experts say we need to reduce or limit all added sugars, including fructose. Most of us could do better.
Barbara Quinn-Intermill is a Registered Nutritionist and Certified Diabetes Educator at the Monterey Peninsula Community Hospital. Email them at [email protected]
