Fructose

Definition

A type of sugar that makes up roughly 50% of table sugar and high fructose corn syrup. It's sweeter than glucose, so commonly used in processed foods.

Also Known As

Fructose Syrup, Crystalline Fructose

Health Impact

Eating too much added fructose can be harmful to metabolic health and may increase risk of insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. Fructose that is not labeled as organic or non-GMO is likely sourced from GMO or bioengineered corn. Check for the warning "Contains a bioengineered ingredient" in the ingredients list to confirm. Fructose be more dangerous than sucrose or other sugars. Virtually every cell in the body can use glucose for energy. In contrast, only liver cells break down fructose. What happens to fructose inside liver cells is complicated. One of the end products is triglyceride, a form of fat. Uric acid and free radicals are also formed. Excessive added sugar intake is associated with adverse health conditions, including obesity, metabolic syndrome, and inflammatory diseases. Excessive sugar consumption may trigger neuroadaptations in the brain that decouple eating behavior from caloric needs and leads to compulsive overeating. The American Heart Association suggests an added-sugar limit of no more than 24 grams of sugar for most women and no more than 36 grams of sugar for most men each day.