Fructose is also called fruit sugar. It is a natural sugar that is mainly found in fruit, vegetables and honey. But the image of the supposedly healthy fructose has been crumbling for some time. You can find out what’s going on here.
For a long time, fructose was considered a healthy alternative to conventional household sugar. Since fructose is metabolized independently of insulin, it was assumed that it is particularly suitable for diabetics. The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment has been warning against this widespread opinion for several years.
And otherwise, fructose has a better reputation than is actually appropriate. Here you can find out what fructose is, what effects it has on the body and what you should pay attention to when consuming it.
Fructose is not just fructose
Fruit, vegetables and honey naturally contain fructose. They also provide important vitamins
The situation is different with industrially produced fructose. Ordinary household sugar consists of 50% fructose and 50% glucose (i.e. grape sugar). While glucose is metabolized quickly, fructose takes a while to be used for energy production.
Fructose in finished products is often advertised as a “natural sweetness” and is therefore quickly considered “healthy”. In fact, fructose is particularly popular because it’s sweeter than regular sugar, cheaper, and works as a flavor enhancer. The simple sugar is often found in chocolate, pastries and lemonades. But also in pre-cooked pasta or pizza
The body does not depend on fructose. While he can metabolize the fructose from natural sources well, he is often overwhelmed with the amounts from finished products. The consumer center recommends no more than 25 grams of fructose per day
Fructose: This is how fructose affects our health
Exceeding the recommended daily allowance for fructose is a no-brainer. Already one
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Fructose enters the bloodstream via the small intestine. However, if you eat a large portion of fructose or suffer from fructose intolerance, larger amounts of fructose can reach the large intestine. There they ensure that more gases and acids are formed. This can cause bloating with diarrhea and abdominal pain
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The metabolic syndrome is mentioned in the same context. A study by the European Food Safety Authority from 2011 found that the consumption of fructose increases insulin resistance, lipid metabolism disorders, which in turn affect the liver
Because fructose doesn’t affect insulin levels that much, the brain doesn’t get the information that the body is full. This makes it easy for you to take in more food than you need. Sweets encourage us to “want more” and to reach for these foods more often. In addition, fructose should
It is also suspected that fructose has a negative effect on uric acid levels and can therefore promote diseases such as gout.
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Fructose: You should pay attention to this
The common wisdom also applies to fructose: “The dose makes the poison.” You should still eat a sufficient amount of seasonal fruit and vegetables every day
As a rule of thumb, five servings per day are recommended. Since vegetables generally contain less sugar than fruit, the DGE (German Society for Nutrition) recommends covering three of the portions with vegetables. A smoothie or a self-pressed juice would fully replace a portion. So that the drinks don’t get too sweet, it’s best to mix fruit and vegetables here too, for example in a green smoothie
It only becomes critical if you also consume a lot of fructose. This is particularly found in finished products, but also in supposedly healthy fitness bars or wellness drinks.
If you make sure you eat only fresh, unprocessed foods, you don’t need to worry about too much fructose.
