Fructose is one of the most common sugar substitutes used by diabetics. Fructose is found in fruits, some nuts, cereals, vegetables, berries, and its content in these products meets the human need for this substance, which has many beneficial properties. But consuming large amounts of extra fructose on a regular basis can backfire.
Fructose: composition and properties
Diabetes and other diseases associated with impaired insulin production and low blood glucose levels are very common in the XNUMXst century. Doctors recommend diabetics to refrain from foods containing sugar in their composition, so people, without hesitation, take from the shelf packages with sweets and other products that say “do not contain sugar.” In them, sweeteners, as a rule, are sugar substitutes, including fructose. But this monosaccharide, which is naturally present in many fruits and berries, turns out to be not at all harmless, although it also has several beneficial properties.
Fructose is found in almost all fruits, honey, many berries and some vegetables. Regular consumption of these products, due to the content of fructose, promotes good nutrition of cells, stimulates the production of uric acid, which has antioxidant properties. The glycemic index of fructose is lower than that of sugar, starch and other high GI foods, so in small quantities it does not significantly raise blood sugar levels, does not provoke the development of diabetes and does not lead to obesity. Fructose does not contribute to the production of hormones that produce insulin, therefore it is recommended as a sweetener for diabetics.
Fructose is prescribed for people with glaucoma, acute alcohol poisoning, intracranial pressure, liver damage
Fructose is also lower in calories compared to sugar and other sugar substitutes. One hundred grams of this substance contains four hundred calories, given the fact that fructose is much sweeter than sugar, so less is required for making sweets and baking, then this figure no longer seems large. Adding fructose instead of sugar to your meals can help you lose weight.
Fructose has a tonic effect: after strong physical and mental exertion, it leads to rapid recovery, so drinks and foods with this substance are recommended for athletes.
Fructose, unlike sugar, does not lead to tooth decay. After drinking alcohol, it accelerates its breakdown in the blood. Also, fructose has no preservatives, which makes it one of the healthiest sweeteners.
Fructose is well stored, accentuates the sweet taste of many dishes and enhances their palatability. This is especially noticeable when using fructose with berries and fruits: jams, fruit salads, jams and juices with fructose have a more pronounced and bright taste.
Fructose gives baked goods a soft and fluffy texture and a beautiful brown color, which is why many chefs and housewives use it instead of sugar. But when cooking, you need to remember that you need to cook dishes with fructose at lower temperatures – at temperatures above one hundred degrees, this substance loses many useful properties. Fructose retains moisture in food, so confectionery and flour products are stored longer.
Most of the benefits of fructose listed above speak not so much about its benefits as about the absence of certain harmful effects. In addition, this sweetener has some properties harmful to humans, so you need to use it with caution.
Fructose is one of the common allergens that cause a very strong reaction
Despite the low calorie content compared to sugar, fructose can cause obesity if consumed in large quantities. The reason is that this substance makes a person feel hungry and makes him eat more. And since glucose is completely absorbed by liver cells (unlike glucose, some of which is converted into energy), its excess is always converted into fat. Due to the fact that fructose does not stimulate the production of insulin and leptin (which is a good effect for diabetics), energy expenditure decreases, food absorption slows down, which also leads to the accumulation of excess fat.
Scientists have experimented on rats and found that fructose contributes to premature aging
Benefits of using fructose
Frequent consumption of fructose can cause cardiovascular disease, fructose increases blood cholesterol levels and damages arteries.
Doctors do not recommend giving fructose to children, as it harms the internal organs of an immature organism. Fructose leads to decreased absorption of carbohydrates, which can cause babies to experience colic, sleep poorly and cry a lot.
Thus, the benefits of fructose are relative – only in small quantities this sweetener can be useful, for a person that dose of fructose, which is found in fruits and berries, is enough, and regular consumption of fructose in addition, as a sweetener, can be harmful. The norm of fructose for an adult is forty-five grams per day.
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