Many people are looking for fructose or sugar Fructose to be used as a substitute for natural sugar in diets, but does fructose Healthy or harmful? How does it affect the body? Follow this article with us.

What is fructose sugar?

It is a type of sugar that constitutes 50% of the components of table sugar (white sugar) in addition to glucose. Sucrose is naturally found in sugar cane, beets, and corn. It is also included in the ingredients of artificial sweeteners such as high-fructose corn syrup. Fruit sugar is also sometimes used as a substitute for sugar. Normal for diabetics because it takes longer to raise blood sugar.

However, there are also many warnings about consuming fructose in large quantities because, according to many researches and studies, it has damages and side effects that you should beware of, which we will present to you later.

Where is fructose found?

There are many natural sources of it, which include:

• apple.
• Dried figs.
• Honey.
• licorice.
• pear.
• peach.
• Maize.

Fructose can also be found in some vegetables, but in smaller quantities, such as:

• asparagus
• leeks.
• onions.
• artichoke.

Difference between fructose and glucose

Fruit sugar and glucose sugar both enter equally in the formation of sucrose (table sugar), but the way the body deals with them differs. Glucose sugar is absorbed in the small intestine and converted in the cells into energy that the body uses to carry out its vital functions. When glucose is consumed, the pancreas is stimulated to secrete Insulin, which in turn helps convert glucose into energy.

Fructose sugar is also absorbed from the small intestine and is also important for providing the body with energy, but the liver must convert it first to glucose so that the body can use it to generate energy, but eating large amounts of fruit sugar helps increase the percentage of triglycerides in the blood, and the formation of uric acid and some radicals Free radicals that cause diseases in the body.

Damage to fructose or fruit sugar

Because of the way it is absorbed and dealt with in the body, excessive consumption of fruit sugar helps to increase the production of some harmful substances in the body, which contribute to many diseases. We present them to you as follows:

• It may help increase harmful cholesterol in the body and increase triglycerides, which leads to the formation of fat around some parts of the body, which leads to diseases such as heart disease.
• Increased uric acid in the blood, which leads to gout and high blood pressure.
• It leads to insulin resistance, which causes obesity and type 2 diabetes.
• Contrary to what is commonly believed, fructose does not help suppress appetite, on the contrary, it can lead to an increase in hunger and the need to eat more.
• Excessive consumption of it may lead to the body not controlling the distribution of fats, which leads to weight gain Eat fructose sugar for diet It may backfire if you want to lose weight.
• Some people have a condition called Fructose intolerance It is a rare genetic disease that occurs due to the lack of the enzyme needed to break down this sugar, which leads to kidney and liver failure.
• There is also another disease called fructose malabsorption, which is not a serious condition but can lead to other symptoms such as abdominal cramps, diarrhea and nausea.

Is the sugar in fruits harmful?

This question cannot be answered with just a yes or no, but there are several facts that you should know first. Some fruits are very rich in sugar, such as mangoes and watermelons, but despite that, their sugar content is much lower than many sweetened food products.

Therefore, as we have already mentioned, eating any kind of natural fruits is much better than eating industrial products rich in sugar. As for people who suffer from special health problems such as diabetes, obesity, or any other problems, it is necessary that they consult a doctor regarding the permissible amount of fruits per day because Eating them excessively can also help increase blood sugar, which leads to other health problems.

Fructose-free foods

If you’re particularly looking for fructose-free foods for one reason or another, here are our top picks:

• Unsweetened natural dairy products.
• Unprocessed natural meat and fish.
• eggs.
• Nuts.
• Natural, unprocessed whole grains.

We hope that we have offered you everything that interests you about fructose sugar or fruit sugar, how the body benefits from it and the difference between it and glucose, as well as the cases in which it should be avoided, and if you have another inquiry, you can consult one of our doctors from here.