Fructose is a natural simple sugar found in fruits, honey, and vegetables.
Contents
Uses
- In its pure form, fructose has been used as a sweetener.
- It could be used in foods such as desserts, dairy products, and preserves
Benefits
- Fructose is often recommended for diabetics because it does not trigger the production of insulin.
- Fructose has the lowest glycemic index (GI = 19) of all the natural sugars.
- Fructose is quicker to absorb moisture and slower to release it to the environment than sucrose, glucose, or other nutritive sweeteners.
Cautions
While considered relatively harmless in small quantities, fructose can pose a significant problem to individuals with allergies or intolerances to certain monosaccharides.
- Blood SugarDue to the speed at which it converts into fatty acids in the liver, fructose can have a negative effect on blood sugar stability if taken in excess doses. Excess fructose consumption can slow digestion while causing gas, bloating or diarrhea in addition to impairing the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar levels.
Other Names
fruit sugar, levulose, D-fructofuranose, fructose, D-arabino-hexulose
References
Source: The calorie Control Council, http://www.caloriecontrol.org/sweeteners-and-lite/fructose
Live Strong, http://www.livestrong.com/article/358579-side-effects-of-fructose/