Fructose is a type of sugar, but it isn't the only variety. In fact, there are even differences between the fructose found naturally in foods and that which is refined and added to foods as a sweetener. The consumption of fructose rose by about 26 percent between 1970 and 1997, according to Dr. Jeremey Kaslow. Understanding the differences between fructose and other types of sugar can help you make smart choices about the sweeteners in your diet.
Sugar
Sugars are a type of carbohydrate made from a chain of carbon atoms. There are many different types of sugar, each with a slightly different chemical structure. Fructose is the kind of sugar in fruit and some vegetables. Common table sugar is sucrose, a type of sugar that comes from sugar cane or sugar beets. Other types of sugar include lactose, maltose and galactose. In the body, all sugars are eventually broken down into glucose, which is the type of sugar that the body uses for energy. Glucose is also called dextrose when added to foods.
Fructose
Fructose is one of the simplest forms of sugar. In fact, sucrose breaks down into fructose and glucose in the body. Fructose tastes sweeter than many other forms of sugar, including sucrose. Because the fructose in fruit occurs in conjunction with fiber, the blood glucose response is not as high when you eat fruit as when consuming pure table sugar or foods with added sugars, such as candy or sodas. Fructose also breaks down differently in the body than other sugars. Some individuals have a hereditary disorder that causes them to be unable to properly metabolize fructose.
HFCS
Although high-fructose corn syrup, or HFCS, has fructose in the name, it isn't the same as the fructose you find in fruit. High-fructose corn syrup is closer to sucrose, dextrose or complex carbohydrates in the way that your body reacts to it. The jury is still out on the full effects of HFCS, but you should probably consume it in moderation just like all added sugars.
Health Impact
Because fruit contains fiber, nutrients, antioxidants and other healthy components along with the fructose and because the levels of fructose in fruit tend to be fairly low overall, consumption of fructose-rich fruit should not be a problem as part of an otherwise healthy diet. However, fructose that has been isolated, fructose that is part of sucrose and HFCS all can potentially contribute to obesity, rapid spikes in blood glucose, hypertension and high triglyceride levels. The bottom line about healthy fructose consumption is to limit your intake to that in whole fruits and vegetables and avoid added sugars whenever possible.
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