People eating an average Western diet typically consume a lot of fructose. According to the book "Fructose Exposed," you will find fructose in most processed foods. Fructose makes up almost 50 percent of the calories in table sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, honey and many types of fruits. The fructose index is a theoretical scale that would determine the amount of fructose in a specific food item. Currently, however, an official fructose index does not exist.
What Is Fructose?
Fructose is fruit sugar, a simple monosaccharide found in in many foods. A monosaccharide is a type of carbohydrate and the simplest form of sugar. You will find the majority of fructose available commercially in two forms: crystalline fructose and high-fructose corn syrup. Crystalline fructose is a purified monosaccharide produced from a fructose-enriched corn syrup. High-fructose corn syrup is a mixture of fructose and glucose. According to the book "Suicide by Sugar," even though fructose has a low glycemic index, most medical professionals no longer recommended fructose as a substitute for sucrose or table sugar.
Fructose Index
Although some medical professionals have suggested the implementation of a fructose index, currently, there is not a medically established index that measures the fructose found in foods. The glycemic index of fructose is 19, one of the lowest of all the natural sugars. This reading, however, does not account for the many dangers that crystalline fructose poses to your health. A 2005 study conducted at the University of Kansas Medical Center showed that consuming more than 25 g of fructose per day can cause gastrointestinal distress, including stomach pain and diarrhea. According to the "Los Angeles Times," however, the average American consumes more than 50 g of fructose per day.
The Glycemic Index
The glycemic index measures the effect carbohydrates have on your blood-sugar level. The rate at which a carbohydrate breaks down in your system dictates the food's glycemic index level. Foods that break down quickly are high on the glycemic index. Foods that break down slowly are low on the glycemic scale. Although fructose has a low score on the glycemic index, medical professionals have recognized other possible dangers associated with the absorption of fructose by your body.
Danger of Too Much Fructose?
Many of the carbohydrates we consume consist of glucose. Your body regulates glucose by releasing insulin. On the other hand, your body processes fructose directly in your liver. When the amount of fructose in your system overwhelms your liver, your body sends the excess fructose into your bloodstream as triglycerides. High levels of triglycerides can lead to several health problems, including coronary arterial disease, obesity and high cholesterol.
References
- "Los Angeles Times"; Is Crystalline Fructose a Better Choice of Sweetener?; Elena Conis; February 2009
- "Suicide by Sugar: A Startling Look at Our #1 National Addiction"; Nancy Appleton and G.N. Jacobs; 2009
- "The Glucose Revolution Pocket Guide to the Top 100 Low Glycemic Foods"; Kaye Foster-Powell and Thomas M.S. Wolever; 2000
- "The Sugar Fix: The High-Fructose Fallout That Is Making You Fat and Sick"; Richard Johnson M.D. and Timothy Gower; 2008
- "Fructose Exposed"; M. Frank Lyons II, M.D.; 2010
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