The American Heart Association recommends limiting added sugars to no more than six teaspoons a day.
But Americans, children and adults alike, consume an average of 17 teaspoons a day, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Western diet is largely made up of processed foods, most of which contain added sugar. Fructose, specifically high-fructose corn syrup, is the most common type of sugar in processed foods.
Fructose 101
Fructose is naturally present in fruits, vegetables and honey. It makes up about 50% of table sugar (sucrose), along with glucose. It’s also used to make high-fructose corn syrup, which contains similar amounts of fructose and glucose.
As our main energy source, glucose is broken down in ours cells. Fructose must be made into glucose by the liver before it can provide energy to our cells. Glucose causes the release of insulin, but fructose does not trigger insulin nor the hormones that tell the brain that the body isn’t hungry. This can lead to overeating and possibly to weight gain and associated health problems.
Too much fructose
Excessive fructose, like too much of any added sugar, isn’t healthy. Fructose is converted to glucose in the liver. But, if there’s too much, the liver produces uric acid and fat in the form of triglycerides. This can increase the risk of fatty liver disease, gout and heart disease.
Too much added fructose also has been associated with insulin resistance, which can contribute to the development of obesity and Type 2 diabetes. A recent study links fructose, not glucose, as the component of added sugar driving metabolic complications including insulin resistance, diabetes, hypertension and premature heart disease.
Another study suggests it could be the interaction between fructose and glucose in high-fructose corn syrup that increases the risk for heart disease and diabetes.
Despite many studies suggesting its ill-effects, more research is needed for a definitive conclusion against fructose. Many foods with high fructose also contain other sugars and tend to be high in calories, which also contribute to obesity and related negative health effects.
Natural fructose
Fruits, vegetables, fruit juices and honey contain varying amounts of fructose and glucose. Amounts of each of these two natural sugars vary as well, but generally it’s about half and half.
The difference between eating fructose in its natural form compared to fructose as an added sugar is that whole fruits and vegetables not only have less sugar than foods with added sugar but also are packed with dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, health-protecting phytochemicals and water.
Consuming too much fructose from fruit and vegetable sources is highly improbable due to the balanced nutritional profile of these foods. Studies have shown that eating whole fruits is not only unlikely to contribute to excess calories and weight gain but might play a role in its prevention and management.
Fructose in its natural form — in fruits and vegetables — remains a simple way to satisfy your sweet tooth and load up on health-promoting vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals.
Environmental Nutrition is an independent newsletter written by nutrition experts.
