Fructose is the sweetest sugar on the planet. It can be found in fruit and honey. Depending of the fruit type the amount of fructose can be different.
Remember! Even though the glycemic index of fructose is really low, it’s not recommended as a day sweetener as it turns into fat in our body. You may read more about the glycemic index here.
Here are just examples:
| Fructose content in g per 100 g of fruit | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fruit type | Fructose content | |
| Very high fructose content | Raisins Dried figs | 33.8 24.4 |
| High fructose content | Grapes Apples Pears Cherries | 7.6 7.6 6.4 6.2 |
| Medium fructose content | Blueberries Mango Banana Orange | 3.6 2.9 2.7 2.5 |
| Low fructose content | Plum Peach Grapefruit Apricot | 1.8 1.3 1.2 0.7 |
Source: http://thepaleodiet.com/fruits-and-sugars
Fructose is also present in sucrose (commonly known as table sugar, where together with glucose it creates disaccharide molecules), high-fructose corn syrup, agave nectar, and maple syrup.
While glucose is metabolized in every cell of your body and enters the bloodstream directly, fructose is processed exclusively in liver where it is changed into fat. This is why being the sweetest carbohydrate naturally occurring it has also the lowest glycemic index of all natural sugars.
Does that mean we can enjoying the sweet taste with no limits?
When fructose is consumed with glucose in sucrose (imagine a spoonful of table sugar sprinkled on your morning muesli) glucose is metabolized in every cell and will end up in bloodstream affecting our sugar blood and insulin level. The stimulation of insulin provokes the fat cells to prepare for fat storage. Fructose is metabolized in liver into fat which is what the fat cells are waiting for. The fat storage takes place in liver and in other parts of our body.
In long term, fructose affects both the glucose tolerance and insulin resistance contributing to high blood fats and hypertension.
Even though fructose has low glycemic index, it should not be overused, which often times happens nowadays. Remember that high fructose corn syrup is added to many types of processed food. Depending on its composition it can have as much as 90% of fructose (only 5% glucose and 5% other sugars; you can read more about HFCS here) and it is extremely difficult to control our intake of fructose.
What can we do?
Well, the best solution is to avoid all processed, sweetened products.
If you have to use it, choose the ones that are sweetened with sucrose, cane sugar or other natural sweeteners.
Is an apple a day a good option?
Fruits in limited amount are great. Choose the seasonal fruit, less ripe ones will have lower sugar content, avoid too much of dried fruit (read more about dried fruit here), eat with skin if possible (more fiber) and choose your regional fruit that has not been transported long way.