Benefits and harms of fructose

Fructose is one of the sweeteners found naturally in fruits, fruit juices, honey and even some vegetables. It is characterized by a much more sweetening than other sugar. Fructose is carbohydrates (or “sugar”) that are mostly found in fruits and honey in its natural form. There is also synthetic fructose made in the laboratory.

The sweetening force of fructose is higher than that of glucose, which means that fructose in equal dose has a sweeter taste. In addition, its use by the body is not the same. Thus this can be a significant advantage in some cases such as diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders … etc.

Fructose has been known for a very long time as a natural ingredient in fruit and honey, but in the 1970s, fructose began to attract American manufacturers’ interest in many of its properties. Thus, glucose and fructose syrup have been widely used to manufacture soft drinks, sweets and other sugary industrial products. And just in recent years, scientists have begun to question the massive consumption of fructose imposed by the food industry.

Sources of fructose
Natural foods rich in fructose include:

Cactus syrup
Apple juice
Apples
Caramel
Dry figs
Honey
Licorice
molasses
Pears
Peach
Maize
Some vegetables contain fructose, but this is usually with less fruits. These include:

asparagus
Dandelion root
Artichoke
Leek
Onions
Fruit sugar benefits
Let’s take a look below some of the health benefits of fructose:

Helpful for diabetics
Historically, in managing diabetes, it is recommended to swallow fructose as a sweetener for diabetics because it causes smaller increases in blood glucose after ingestion compared to similar amounts of glucose, sucrose, or starches.

In fact, fructose in small amounts increases the absorption of glucose into the liver and enhances glycogen storage, possibly by stimulating the activity of hepatic glucokin. Also, in individuals with type 2 diabetes, adding a small amount of fructose by mouth improves the blood sugar response, which indicates improved blood sugar control. However, it should be emphasized that the consumption of large amounts of fructose is not recommended, especially for diabetics at increased risk for cardiovascular disease, due to the potential adverse effects of fructose on lipid metabolism, regulating body weight and oxidative stress that may contribute to complications of diabetes.

Medicinal uses of fructose
Fructose is used by diabetics with diabetic ketoacidosis, a life threatening condition, caused by dangerously high levels of ketones and blood sugar. Early management of this type of diabetes may be beneficial.

Fructose solution, like a grape sugar solution, is also used orally from food or water to provide the calories needed for metabolism needs, to supply the body with water, and to spare body proteins, to reduce the production of excess ketones through the liver. It also has a medical use related to dental health, as eating fructose meals reduced the incidence of tooth decay by 30 percent.