Is fructose bad for you?

Is Fructose Bad For You?

For years we've heard that fructose is fruit sugar-a great natural sugar, but is that true? Well, yes and no. There are 2 kinds of fructose. One is a commercial, refined sugar produced on a large scale. It's a common ingredient in processed foods, beverages and even in health food products. When you read the labels, fructose also goes by names such as sucrose and HFCS.

In the U.S., we consume 16 billion pounds of HFCS each year! It's hidden in many foods and people don't realize they're eating it. (like bread!) Manufacturers love to use it because it is easy to handle during processing, has a longer shelf life than sucrose and costs less. The problem? It's not better for the consumer's health, and it makes following a fructose free diet a little more challenging that you'd first expect.

Where did it come from? (HFCS)

High-fructose corn syrup started replacing sugar around 1980 mainly because it's cheaper. It's almost half the price of sugar, partially because the United States, the world's largest grower of corn, subsidizes farmers who grow it, and that lowers its price. The United States also restricts the import of sugar, which hikes its price. High-fructose corn syrup also prolongs the shelf life and gives a moist and chewy consistency, while sugar is better for crispness.

A 2004 study linked soft drinks sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup to the obesity epidemic.

Overall, we still consume more sugar than high-fructose corn syrup. Experts say we should be the most concerned about something the two sugars share..

That's because it's the fructose in any sugar that goes directly to the liver, where it gets converted into fat, potentially leading to health problems like heart disease and diabetes.

But there is a question whether our bodies metabolize high-fructose corn syrup differently than table sugar. Scientists at UC Davis are conducting a long-term study to answer that. Results are expected by the end of this summer. Until then, call it high-fructose corn syrup or call it sugar, but don't call either one a healthy choice.

And for fructose intolerant people like my son it’s about label reading, cooking fresh and home-made!