Whether you simply want to reduce your sugar consumption or you have a diagnosed fructose malabsorption, it is essential to know the fructose content of commonly consumed foods. Fructose is the natural sugar found in fruits, but is found in increasing amounts in many other foods. Reading labels and understanding food composition can help you identify high fructose foods and avoid them.
High-fructose Corn Syrup
There are different type of high-fructose corn syrup, but the most commonly used varieties contain either 55 percent fructose or 90 percent fructose, which means that of the 14.4 g of sugar found in 1 tbsp., 7.9 to 13 g are fructose. High-fructose corn syrup is added to many processed foods, including soft drinks, breakfast cereals, candies, baked goods, granola bars, desserts and breads, and contribute to increasing your fructose intake. Look at the ingredient list of the food you buy to find out whether it contains high-fructose corn syrup.
Agave Syrup
Agave syrup is often marketed as a healthier sweetener alternative to sugar because of its lower glycemic index. A lower glycemic index means that your blood sugar levels do not rise as fast or as high following the consumption of agave syrup. However, low glycemic foods often have a higher fructose content, as is the case with agave syrup. Ninety percent of the sugar in agave corresponds to fructose, which means that of the 16 g of sugar found in 1 tbsp., 14.4 g are fructose.
Honey
About half of the sugar in honey is found as fructose. Although it is the same proportion as what is found in table sugar and raw sugar, the fructose in honey is not bound to glucose to form sucrose. Instead, the fructose in honey is present as free fructose, which contributes to lower honey's glycemic index. A tablespoon of honey contains 8.6 g of fructose.
High-fructose Fruits
Some fruits have a higher ratio of fructose to glucose than others. Foods with a higher fructose content include apples, cherries, mango, pears, watermelon, dates and peaches. A medium apple has 10.7 g of free fructose, in addition to 3.8 g of sucrose. Since sucrose is composed of 50 percent fructose and 50 percent glucose, the total amount of metabolic fructose contained in a medium apple totals 12.6 g out of 18.9 g of total sugars.
Tomato
A 6-oz. glass of tomato juice contains 2.8 g of fructose, 1 cup of cherry tomatoes has 2 g of fructose and a medium tomato contains 1.7 g of fructose. Tomato sauce has even more fructose because it is concentrated and often sweetened. As a result, 1 cup provides 4.1 g of fructose. A 6-oz. can of tomato paste provides 9.9 g of fructose.
References
- Shepherd Works: Fructose Malabsorption
- "Journal of the American Dietetic Association"; Fructose Malabsorption and Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Guidelines for Effective Dietary Management; Susan J. Shepherd and Peter R. Gibson; 2006
- MayoClinic.com: High-Fructose Corn Syrup
- USDA National Nutrient Database: Nutrient Data Laboratory
- Natural Diabetes Control: Agave Syrup for Diabetics -- Natural Sugar Substitute or Natural Fraud
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