Fructose is an indispensable product for people suffering from diabetes mellitus (both types I and II), as well as for those who monitor their diet and limit sugar intake.
Recently, popular culture has been placing sugar more and more on the list of forbidden foods and offering society all kinds of substitutes. More and more often, on the shelves of grocery stores, you can find products on which there is a large inscription "cooked with fructose". To determine whether it is worth overpaying for such novelties, you need to figure out what fructose is and how useful it is for the body.
Fructose
Fructose is a natural free-form sweetener found in all fruits and berries. The main difference between fructose and sugar is noticed by diabetics. This is because fructose does not raise blood glucose. After taking fructose, blood sugar rises gradually, which is in contrast to sugar intake, which causes an almost instant spike. Also, fructose is absorbed much more slowly than sugar. However, this is partly due to the fact that fructose is directly absorbed only by the liver and male reproductive cells - sperm.
Fructose is 3 times sweeter than usual granulated sugar or refined sugar. This is undoubtedly a plus, as total carbohydrate intake is reduced. Thanks to this statement, many believe that fructose is the best sugar substitute for people who are controlling or trying to lose weight. Unfortunately, this is a big myth. Due to the peculiarities of assimilation by the body, fructose, being broken down by liver cells, is converted into fatty acids, which are subsequently converted into fat. Therefore, losing weight on fructose will not work.
In addition, consuming large amounts of fructose (over 40 grams per day) can cause bloating, gas and diarrhea.
For diabetics
As a result, it should be noted that fructose can and should be consumed. However, first of all, it is necessary for people with diabetes. It is with the help of this product that cases of hyperclimia (when the blood sugar level becomes much higher than the permissible mark of 5.5 ml / mol) can be almost completely eliminated. In the fight against hypoglycemia, fructose is also an excellent helper, since it does not cause a rapid rise in sugar, therefore, the risk of taking a larger dose of insulin is eliminated. Otherwise, fructose does not have much of an advantage over sugar and should be used with caution.
In its natural form, fructose is found in large quantities in fruits and vegetables, mostly in sweet ones. For example, grapes, bananas, apricots, and plums are high fructose foods. That is why those who follow a diet and try to limit their sugar intake are recommended to exclude these fruits from their diet.
