What is fructose? is fructose sugar harmful to the body?

What is fructose?

Fructose is a type of simple carbohydrate (sugar) found in table sugar. Apart from fructose, the table sugar that you use daily contains glucose, which is a source of energy in the body.

Apart from being found in table sugar that we use everyday, fructose is actually also contained in fruits. Yes, fructose sugar is a natural sugar from fruit which is not too much, so it is safe for health.

Fructose can also be found in various sweeteners such as high fructose corn syrup and agave syrup. If a product lists added sugar as one of its main ingredients, it usually contains high fructose.

Some people don't absorb all the fructose they eat. This condition is known as fructose malabsorption, which is characterized by excessive gas and indigestion.

Unlike glucose, fructose causes low blood sugar levels. Therefore, some health experts recommend fructose as a sweetener that can be said to be safe for type 2 diabetes patients.

However, many people are concerned that excessive fructose intake might increase the risk of several metabolic disorders. Is it true?

Why is fructose sugar dangerous for health?

Glucose and fructose are digested and absorbed in very different ways by the body. While every cell in the body can use glucose, this is not the case for fructose.

When you consume table sugar or other sweet foods, your body will easily digest the glucose contained in it to be used as energy. Meanwhile, fructose, which is also present in sweet foods, can only be broken down and digested by the liver. The end result of the digestion process is triglycerides, uric acid, and several free radicals.

If too much fructose sugar is consumed, triglycerides will accumulate in the liver and eventually damage the function of these organs. In addition, triglycerides can also trigger plaque in blood vessels which can cause heart disease.

Free radicals produced from the breakdown of fructose can also damage cell structures, enzymes, and even genes. Uric acid can kill the production of nitric oxide, a substance that helps protect artery walls from damage. Another effect of high fructose intake is insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes.

However, more research in humans is still needed. Researchers are still debating the extent to which fructose can affect some of these health problems.

Excess fructose sugar is harmful to health

Consuming excessive fructose is certainly unhealthy for your health, although its effects are still being debated.

Some of the possible effects of consuming excess fructose include:

Breaks down the lipid composition of your blood. Fructose can increase levels of bad cholesterol (LDL), causing fat accumulation around organs and potentially heart disease.
Increases uric acid levels in the blood, leading to gout and high blood pressure.
Causes fat deposition in the liver, potentially leading to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Causes insulin resistance, which can lead to obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Fructose does not suppress appetite like glucose does. So that maybe it can increase excessive appetite.
Excess fructose consumption can lead to leptin resistance, interfere with body fat regulation and increase the risk of obesity.