Fructose is a simple sugar found in many types of fruits, vegetables and honey. It is a monosaccharide, or basic carbohydrate, that supplies energy to your body. Fructose in naturally-occurring in food or can be made synthetically. The difference between various types of fructose is mainly on the molecular level. Fructose intolerance is a rare but potentially serious disorder that affects as many as 1 out of every 12,000 people, according to Diet.com.
Naturally-Occuring
Naturally-occurring fructose is found in certain types of food, giving it a sweet flavor. The food with the highest concentration of fructose is honey with 9 g of fructose per tbsp. Apples and grapes are also high in total fructose with 66.83 and 52.9 percent of their total sugar content coming from fructose.
High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a synthetic version of fructose found commonly in soda and other pre-packaged, sugary snacks. The most common versions of HFCS, according to The University of Arizona, include HFCS 90, HFCS 55 used in soft drinks and HFCS 42 used in food and baked goods. HFCS is made by wet milling corn and then going through several processing steps to get the final product. The University of Florida mentions the average person consumed about 56 lbs. of HFCS in foods and drinks in 2007 alone.
Heated Fructose
Heating HFCS has been found to create a potentially toxic effect. According to research site Science Daily, studies have shown that heating HFCS to at various temperatures as high as 20 degrees F produce a toxic chemical called hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF). This substance is linked to changes in human DNA when consumed. It can also trigger the production of other substances in the human body that are even more toxic. This research shows that you should be cautious when heating any type of food or beverage containing fructose, particularly HFCS.
Sucrose
Sucrose, or regular table sugar, is a disaccharide that consists of both glucose and fructose. Sucrose is derived from sugar beets or sugar cane. It is a 50/50 combination of glucose and fructose, meaning that anyone with fructose intolerance must avoid any food containing sucrose. Foods containing sucrose are extensive, including sweetened foods and drinks, brown sugar and maple syrup.
References
- Diet.com: Fructose intolerance
- University of Florida IFAS Extension: Facts about Fructose; Wendy Dahl, Lauren Foster, Russel Owen; May, 2010
- The University of Arizona: Is Fructose Dangerous?; Samia Osman; May 5, 2009
- ScienceDaily: Heat Forms Potentially Harmful Substance in High-Fructose Corn Syrup, Bee Study Finds; Aug. 27, 2009
- Princeton University: A Sweet Problem -- Princeton Researchers Find that High-Fructose Corn Syrup Prompts Considerably More Weight Gain; Hilary Parker; March 22, 2010
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