Fructose is a sweetener that is naturally present in fruits, vegetables and their juices, and honey, according to the Fructose Information Center. It is the sweetest of the natural sweeteners and has a variety of nutritional properties. While foods such as cereal grains contain glucose, certain natural foods have the simple sugars, glucose and fructose.
Chemistry
Fructose is naturally sweeter than sucrose and is obtained by the hydrolysis of inulin, which is a polysaccharide found in dahlia bulbs and the Jerusalem artichoke, according to Encyclopedia. It is chemically defined as a monosaccharide and has the same formula as glucose but differs in structure. Both glucose and fructose are formed in equal amounts when sucrose is hydrolyzed heated with a dilute acid. Fructose differs from glucose in its reaction with lime water, as it forms calcium fructosate.
Effects on the Body
There are various effects of ingesting fructose. For example, according to Local Harvest, eating foods with high levels of fructose can increase appetite. Studies show that when fructose is consumed before or with a food containing fat, it is more likely that the body will store the fat, rather than burn it off. Even further, eating foods high in high fructose corn syrup, or HFCS, can ultimately lead to resistance to leptin, which is a hormone that tells your brain when you are full.
Fructose in Foods
While fructose is found in most fruits, some contain higher levels than others. According to Local Harvest, the fruits with high amounts of fructose include peaches, apricots, nectarines and plums. Fructose is also added to many other types of foods, such as juices, soda, sauces, breads, pasta and condiments. However, the form of fructose that is added to these products is HFCS, which is half fructose and half glucose.
Intolerance
Fructose is found in many foods, so people need to carefully monitor the foods they eat if they have an intolerance. Fructose metabolism, also known as fructolysis, has significant effects on glucose and lipid metabolism, according to Fructose News and Articles. A fructose intolerance can be the result of either hereditary fructose intolerance or simple malabsorption. Hereditary fructose intolerance is the body's inability to digest fructose because the liver enzymes are unable to break down fruit sugar. Fructose malabsorption occurs when there is a deficiency in the intestinal cells that need to absorb fructose.
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