Sugar and fructose: what is what
Before you understand whether you should give preference to fructose instead of sugar and whether it can replace regular granulated sugar when losing weight, you need to understand what these substances are.
You don’t need to think that regular table sugar is something chemical and unnatural. It is obtained mainly from sugar beets and sugar cane (very exotic sources for residents of our country are also possible, such as maple, palm or sorghum). It consists of the simple carbohydrate sucrose, which in the body is broken down into glucose and the same fructose in a ratio of approximately 50 to 50.
Fructose is an equally natural substance found in sweet fruits and honey, but in industrial conditions it is most often extracted... from the same refined sugar. Therefore, a beautiful juicy apple or any other juicy ripe fruit drawn on a package of fructose is, in the vast majority of cases, nothing more than a marketing ploy, a selling picture (much like photographs of actresses or fashion models who become the face of a particular cosmetic brand).
Is it possible to consume fructose when losing weight: benefit or harm?
The safe dose for the body is 1 g per day. Sukrasite has one significant drawback - toxicity.
For this reason, it is better not to use it, so as not to harm your health.
Fructose is a six-atom monosaccharide; together with glucose it is part of sucrose. It has a sweet taste, twice as sweet as regular sugar.
No more than 0.6 g of this compound is allowed per day. Stevia is a natural sugar substitute used to make drinks. Due to its natural origin, the sweetener stevia is beneficial for the body. So, to the question of which substitute to choose during a diet, the answer is given in the description of the beneficial qualities or, conversely, in the contraindications, of each type of sweetener.
For people with diabetes, it is generally accepted that fructose is best suited as a sweetener. Now there are many products that are suitable for diabetics, since their main component is fructose.
This component is necessary for a diabetic diet, because fructose is easily absorbed by the body's cells, without requiring the additional participation of insulin. At the same time, many tests have been carried out indicating that fructose is not absorbed by organisms like glucose and can worsen the situation.
A little biochemistry
What happens to glucose and fructose in the body? Each of these substances is absorbed by him according to a strict scheme, and each has its own system.
Glucose absorbed by the digestive organs enters the liver. The body quickly recognizes this substance and decides in a short time what to do with it. If you have previously been actively involved in sports or performed physical work, and the level of glycogen in the muscles has noticeably decreased, then the liver will throw processed glucose to increase it.
If she herself needs support, she will save glucose for her own needs. But if you haven’t eaten anything for a long time and your blood sugar level has dropped noticeably, the liver will send glucose there. Another option is possible: when the body does not have any acute needs for glucose. In this case, the liver will send it to the fat depot, creating an energy reserve for future needs.
Fructose also ends up in the liver, but for it this substance is a dark horse. It’s unclear what to do with it, but it needs to be recycled somehow. And the liver sends it straight to fat stores, without consuming it even when the body really needs sugar replenishment.
This is why fructose is recommended for diabetics: being sweet, it does not end up in the blood, thereby not causing an increase in blood sugar levels and diabetic crises. But it immediately settles on the waist. This is why fruit sugar is not the best ally for losing weight.
Fructose in fruits. What is her insidiousness? And is it possible to have fruit while losing weight???
My favorite topic of conversation is fruit. I just adore fruits and berries, this is my weakness from which I sometimes suffer. Why am I suffering? But now you will find out everything. I will tell you about all the intricacies of fruit consumption; what is the insidiousness of fructose - the main component of all fruits; and are fruits really harmless when losing weight or is it worth thinking about when and what fruits to consume.
As I already said, I adore fruits, my favorites are pineapple, mango, tangerines, peaches, strawberries, apples and a couple of others. I remember the time when I lived and worked in Turkey, the variety of fruits simply made my eyes wide open (I worked in a 5-star hotel). We were allowed to eat in a restaurant and were absolutely not limited in the choice of products... This turned out to be a big problem for me =) I ate fruits for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late dinner... In general, then I just didn’t I knew the measures and consumed fruit in unrealistic quantities, thinking that I was eating healthy and low-calorie food. Yeah, no matter how it is! In general, by the end of the season, I gained a couple of extra pounds... The fruits turned out to be not so harmless. So now I remember that time, and on the one hand I envy myself that I could eat an unlimited amount of my favorite fruits, and on the other hand I understand how ignorant I was in matters of fruit addiction and proper nutrition.
But now the situation has changed radically, I not only understood what fruits can be eaten, but also in what quantity, at what time of day it is better to do it and why this way and not otherwise. And now I want to share this knowledge with you.
You know that fruits are simple carbohydrates. Once in the body, they quickly break down into glucose and fructose, causing a very sharp release of the hormone insulin into the blood, which directly uses all its forces to lower blood sugar levels and transport glucose and fructose into the body's cells. So, glucose, entering the blood, can IMMEDIATELY participate in the body’s metabolic processes, for example, if you are actively moving, or you have recently finished training; it can also be stored as glycogen in the liver and muscles. The total mass of glycogen that can be stored in the liver of an adult varies from 100 to 120 g. In muscles, these reserves are much smaller, since muscle glycogen is converted into glucose only for local consumption, this is somewhere on average 1% of the total muscle mass body weight. It follows that the more muscle mass you have, the more you can afford to eat carbohydrates, including simple ones.
Let's move on. Glucose that remained “overboard”, “not used”, that is, that which was not used immediately, did not go to glycogen reserves for either the liver or muscles; insulin transports it to fat cells, as to the most secluded place in the body: “Let it lie there, and then MAYBE it will come in handy EVER.”
So, let's summarize with GLUCOSE:
Glucose goes through, at best, 3 stages before, roughly speaking, it turns into FAT, these are:
— immediate use to cover the body’s energy costs;
- storage in the form of glycogen in the liver;
- storage in the form of glycogen in muscles.
Now let's move on to our main “insidious” component - fructose . Unlike glucose, fructose is several times more harmful, and it can ignore all 3 previous stages and go straight to FAT! Yes, dear girls, she can do it! And this is where its insidiousness lies, as well as the danger of eating large quantities of fruit at one time/per day!
According to numerous scientific studies, the rate of fructose consumption ranges from 60 to 100 g per day without harm to the figure. Above this norm, all fructose eaten will definitely go into fat (unless, of course, you are a 120-kilogram athlete).
Therefore, dear girls, if you are in the process of losing weight or maintaining your normal weight, try not to cross the 100-gram limit of consuming simple carbohydrates per day. But you also need to understand that before you eat all 100 grams of carbohydrates from fruits, you must take into account your daily intake of all carbohydrates here. And if this figure is 80, 100 or 120 g, then you must understand that this must necessarily include complex carbohydrates obtained from cereals (oatmeal, buckwheat, brown rice) and vegetables, and not just from fruits. Therefore, we correctly calculate what percentage of 120 g of carbohydrates can be given to your favorite fruits.
In an article about fruits Do you know everything about fruits? Top fruits for weight loss and a slim figure I described the most preferred fruits for weight loss. You can, if you wish, familiarize yourself with this list.
If your goal is fat burning, remember that it is better for you to give preference to citrus fruits, apples and any sour berries.
Preferable fruits: grapefruit, kiwi, green apple.
Sweet berries: strawberries, blueberries, blueberries, wild strawberries, raspberries.
Sour berries: cranberries, lingonberries, blackberries, black currants.
The permissible threshold for consumption of sweet berries is 200 g per day; sour - 300 g, fruit - 1-2 pcs. No longer desirable. And it is important to remember that you need to consume all fruits and berries before 16-00, after that while losing weight !
So, today you found out what is the other side of the coin of such a tasty and healthy product as FRUIT! But this doesn’t mean that you can’t eat fruit now, quite the opposite! Armed with the necessary and useful knowledge, you can now avoid mistakes when consuming fruits and take the right steps towards achieving your goal - achieving the figure of your dreams!
With love, your online trainer, Yana Skripnik! =)
What's good about fructose?
Fructose undoubtedly has many beneficial properties:
- it is absorbed very slowly in the intestines and quickly consumed by the body. In other words, if, when losing weight, you are not only on a low-calorie diet, but also exercise, then this sweetness can serve as an excellent source of energy for you, which will not provoke a rapid release of carbohydrates into the blood;
- the body does not need insulin to absorb fructose, this is another undoubted advantage for diabetics;
- the risk of developing caries when consuming such sugar is 40% less than when consuming regular refined sugar. This is due to the fact that the substances contained in glucose and deposited on the teeth as a yellow coating are very hard and strong, and it is not at all easy to break them. But fructose contains only weak compounds that are easily destroyed during regular brushing of teeth.
Fructose instead of sugar
Fructose is added to dairy products, carbonated sweet drinks, desserts, preserves, candies, cookies, jams, juices, confitures, marmalade and jellies. What distinguishes these products from those containing sugar?
- fructose is several times sweeter than sucrose, which means that much less is needed to saturate it. Thus, the calorie content of the product is reduced;
- it only has a small effect on blood sugar levels - this property follows from the previous one.
Fructose products are surrounded by various myths. For example, some consider them extremely useful, while others, on the contrary, refuse to use them. Let us examine these statements in detail.
What's harmful about fructose?
However, using fruit sweets also has its undeniable disadvantages:
- the first and most important thing is that fructose inevitably turns into fat, and in order to process it, the body must cope not with increased glucose levels, but with fat deposits, which is much more difficult to do;
- There is a downside to the fact that the body does not need insulin to metabolize fructose. Insulin serves as a kind of hunger indicator: the less it is in the blood, the stronger the desire for a snack. That is why you should not indulge in fruit sweetness beyond measure: in a healthy person it will more often cause attacks of hunger.
Why do I love fructose?
Well, for example, because it is a natural product. It is found in fruits, berries, honey. In addition, it is 2 times sweeter than sugar!
Do you like to drink coffee in the morning?
I love it very much! Hot, aromatic, invigorating! Do you want it with fructose or sugar? : )
I used to add 2 teaspoons of sugar to a mug of coffee (33 kcal). And now just half a spoon of fructose (8 kcal)! Try it! See for yourself that the sweetness will be the same :)
What else is fructose good for?
It, unlike sugar, does not provoke caries! I usually add fructose to my kids’ tea, compote, fruit juice, and other drinks and dishes.
And here we come to one of the main “fructose” advantages :)
The fact is that the glycemic index of fructose is 20, and sugar is 70.
Let me remind you that this index shows the speed at which the product is broken down in our body and converted into glucose, the main source of energy.
Do you see? 20 and 70!
Sugar becomes energy more than 3 times faster!
Such speeds may be good in some situations. For example, when a person is tired, but needs to make one more push.
And it's bad for children
Why?
Just imagine: your child ate something with sugar. Very soon the glucose level in his blood will rise sharply above normal! For about 30 minutes.
The baby suddenly receives a large portion of “fuel” and quickly begins to develop energy for movement.
Did you think the child would get a sweet and sit quietly contentedly? Don't even hope!
Neither he, nor you, nor those around you will have peace at this time!
Sugar makes children run, jump, jump and scream! And in this case it is almost impossible to stop them, to calm them down.
You've probably encountered this too? Unfortunately, many parents are not aware of this pattern. And every time they are surprised when the child becomes uncontrollable after dessert.
And after 30-40 minutes the glucose level will drop, and the baby will be unrecognizable. He will become lethargic, pale, sleepy, irritable and incomprehensible. All! All the energy received from sugar was burned.
The same thing can be seen in older children - for example, at school. At the beginning of the lesson, schoolchildren cannot sit still, they spin, jump up, and talk!
And towards the end of the lesson they sit with empty eyes and no longer hear or remember anything. What you were at school and what you weren’t is the same, right?
Fructose is absorbed slower than sugar
Therefore, the child will not have sudden mood swings and bouts of frantic activity. He will remain cheerful, cheerful, energetic for several hours in a row.
You can check it yourself! Give the children something with sugar one day and watch carefully how they behave.
And the next day, treat them to a fructose-based dessert. I assure you, you will be surprised! And easily decide which is better. : )
Replace sugar with fructose
Completely replacing sugar with fructose is not the best option unless you have specific health problems. However, if you are determined to replace sugar with fruit sugar at least occasionally, you will be interested in knowing something about it.
Just some 100 years ago, when there were simply no cereals, factory-made sweets, canned foods, or high-calorie baked goods on the daily menu, a person consumed no more than 15 grams of pure fructose per day. Today this figure is at least five times greater. This does not add health to modern man at all.
How much fructose is acceptable? Experts recommend consuming no more than 45 grams of pure fruit sugar per day - this way you won’t be able to harm your body. However, it is important to remember that this amount must certainly include fructose, found in ripe vegetables and fruits, berries and honey.
The caloric content of fructose is comparable to the caloric content of sugar: 399 versus 387 kilocalories. At the same time, it is twice as sweet as sugar, which means you need half as much of it.
Perhaps it is fructose that is preventing you from losing weight!
When we read articles about how to lose weight quickly and easily, we often come across many conflicting theories. Some suggest counting calories, while others blame fat for making us fat. There are also those who suggest giving up sugar and refined carbohydrates.
If none of the diets work for you, try eating less foods rich in fructose.
Endless inconclusive theories
People endlessly jump from one diet to another, but still cannot lose weight. Here are the most common methods:
Calorie counting
This trend is not so popular now because nutritionists around the world believe that calories affect our body differently depending on the food we eat.
That is, 100 calories contained in a cucumber and 100 calories contained in a store-bought bun are not the same thing at all.
Refusal of fat
Like the calorie counting theory, this theory is also questionable because our bodies require healthy fats to function properly.
Try not to give up nuts, cold-pressed oils (olive, coconut, sesame, flaxseed), avocado, seeds, egg yolk and other healthy natural fats.
Quitting sugar
All nutritionists and doctors agree that sugar is not healthy. However, giving up sugar alone may not be enough to help you lose weight.
Avoiding refined carbohydrates
Bread, store-bought baked goods, cookies, pizza and more. Most weight loss diets suggest eliminating these foods from our diet.
As a result, you will eat too much animal protein to compensate for the lack of carbohydrates, which will negatively affect your weight and health.
Why do we suggest you think about fructose?
A fructose-free diet may be right for you if you:
- I tried many diets, but they didn’t work, or the weight came back.
- It's hard for you to lose weight.
- You eat a lot of fruit.
- You want to lose weight the healthy way, without counting calories or eliminating fat from your diet.
What is fructose?
Fructose is a sugar found in fruits and honey, and in small amounts in some vegetables.
Fructose, like glucose, is also found in regular sugar, syrups, marmalade, baked goods, etc.
Some studies show the negative effects of fructose on metabolism.
There is a proven link between high blood triglyceride levels, belly fat accumulation and obesity in general, as well as a host of other health problems.
Many people try to give up sugar completely, but unknowingly eat huge amounts of fructose every day. This may be one of the reasons why we don't lose weight and often get sick.
High fructose foods
To maintain a healthy diet, try to reduce your intake of the following foods:
- Packaged juices and sweet drinks
- Sweetened coffee drinks and creamy coffees, such as Frappuccinos
- Sweet breakfast cereals
- Cakes, biscuits and cookies
- Ice cream and sweet yoghurts
- Marmalade, sauces and fruits in syrup
- Honey and syrups
- Alcoholic drinks
- Bread
On the other hand, we also advise you to reduce your consumption of fruits rich in fructose (in the list, fruits are listed from higher to lower fructose content):
- Raisins, dried dates and figs
- Mango and papaya
- Grape
- Pears and apples
- Watermelon
- Persimmon
- Blueberry
- Bananas
- Peaches
- A pineapple
Low fructose fruits
These fruits are rich in vitamins and minerals. If you want to lose weight but are having trouble, try a low fructose diet.
You can eat the following fruits (listed from low to high fructose):
- Lemon and lime
- Cranberry
- Apricot
- Guava
- Fresh dates
- Melon
- Kiwi
- Blackberry
- Cherries
Instead of drinking fruit juices, even homemade ones, it is better to make smoothies with the addition of green leafy vegetables and low fructose fruits. published
This might interest you:
3 effective treatments to combat cellulite
How to get rid of warts
PS And remember, just by changing your consumption, we are changing the world together! © econet
Baking with fructose: yes or no?
Fructose is often used to replace sugar when preparing desserts and baking, not only in home cooking, but also in industrial production. How much substance to put into the dough depends on the proportions of the recipe, the main rule is that you need half as much of it as regular sugar.
This substance feels great in cold desserts and yeast products. In hot delicacies, its sweetness decreases somewhat, so you may need a little more of it. But you need to get used to using fructose in yeast-free dough. The rolls and muffins will turn out to be a little smaller in size than usual, and the crust will form faster, while the products may not be baked from the inside, so it is better to keep them in the oven longer than usual on low heat.
However, there is one huge advantage to using fructose: it does not crystallize as quickly as sugar, so baked goods with it will remain fresh and soft for a longer time.
Fructose: benefits and harms
The positive properties of fructose have always been that when it is absorbed, there is no increase in insulin levels, and that is why fructose is recommended for diabetes as a substitute for regular sugar. Although today this recommendation is also questioned by scientists.
In addition, fructose is approximately 1.5 times sweeter than sugar with the same calorie content, which means, theoretically, by replacing regular sugar with it when preparing food, a person can reduce the calorie content of a dish. But in fact, the effect is often the opposite. If someone is accustomed to adding a spoonful of sugar to tea, then out of habit they will also add a spoonful of fructose, despite the fact that it is much sweeter. A person behaves in exactly the same way regarding fruits. We are accustomed to thinking that they are healthy and safe, and, as a rule, we do not seriously control the amount of fruits and berries that we eat and, as a result, we get much more sugar than our body needs.
With this, the “positive” aspects of this substance have come to an end, and then we will talk about what negative consequences an excess of fructose in the diet entails.
Fructose does not cause the production of the hormone leptin, which is responsible for the feeling of fullness. Accordingly, we, as a rule, eat all foods containing fructose in larger quantities than necessary, simply because we do not receive a signal that “it’s time to stop.” This can ultimately lead to eating disorders. I don’t know about you, but I feel this effect unmistakably. A couple of oranges evoke a feeling of a full stomach, but not the thought of overeating.
If a person receives fructose in unlimited quantities for a long time, he may develop metabolic syndrome. This is a disease in which insulin sensitivity is impaired and, as a result, various metabolic disorders in the body. However, it must be recognized that this requires constant use of fructose as a sugar substitute.
Well, as follows from what was written above, excessive consumption of fructose contributes to an increase in body weight and the amount of fat in the body, including in the liver.
What else can you replace sugar with?
If you are not worried about serious health problems, and you intend to replace sugar with fructose in order to get rid of extra pounds or cope with depression without harming your figure, then the tips below will be of great help to you:
- fructose contained in honey and ripe fruits and berries is much healthier than the refined packaged substance;
- Many people are accustomed to eating away at their problems and difficulties, the need for positive emotions. Meanwhile, an excellent source of pleasure can be... exercise in the gym. Experts are well aware of the term “muscle joy” - a feeling of euphoria that occurs with sufficient physical activity. Therefore, before you go to the store for another chocolate bar, try to sign up for a fitness center first.
Benefits of fructose
Benefits of fructose
Natural fructose is not harmful to health. The monosaccharide, which is found in berries, vegetables and fruits, has a beneficial effect on the body. The substance allows:
- extend the shelf life of products;
- reduce the risk of caries;
- reduce inflammatory processes occurring in the oral cavity.
Fructose is also a natural antioxidant that does not cause allergies. Fruit sugar is easily absorbed by the body and absorbed by its tissues. Allows you to relieve physical tension and has a tonic effect. The compound prevents the accumulation of excess carbohydrates in the body. Accelerates recovery after serious mental activity. It also allows you to reduce the caloric content of food. It is not surprising that the natural monosaccharide is useful for athletes and people leading an active lifestyle.
Harm and danger of fructose
Harm from fructose
How can fructose be dangerous? And does the connection cause any harm in general? Let's figure it out. Products that contain fruit sugar differ from glucose in having a low glycemic index. But this is only true for a natural substance that does not provoke sudden fluctuations and surges in blood sugar.
But a monosaccharide cannot be called harmless either. After all, fructose is not only natural, but also industrial. The second option is presented in a sweet powder format. Its taste is richer and brighter.
The industrial analogue, entering the body with food, is not immediately absorbed into the blood. First it goes to the liver. There it is converted into glycogen or fat. This depends on the quantity of the item received. The more it is, the higher the likelihood of getting fat as a result. Therefore, you should not mindlessly consume such products.
Foods containing industrial fructose are often mistakenly considered dietary.
What is the industrial version made of? This crystalline version is extracted from Jerusalem artichoke tubers and sulfuric acid. Ethyl alcohol is also used to produce sweetness. Using the oxidation method in laboratory conditions, it is possible to achieve a high-quality reaction. As a result, a sweet powder is obtained.
The monosaccharide has a direct effect on the production of peptin. This is a satiety hormone. Large consumption of fruit sugar leads to the fact that the brain stops receiving signals about satiety. And the person begins to actively overeat, which leads to weight gain. Therefore, it is so important to be wary of foods with such sweetness for people prone to obesity and suffering from type 2 diabetes.
Yes, fructose has a low glycemic index. This figure is 20 GI. But ¼ of the substance, when it enters the body, is transformed into glucose, and this is a different glycemic index. It reaches 100 GI. This involves a rapid release of insulin into the blood. The rest passes through the intestinal wall.
Metabolic metabolism of fruit sugar is completed in the liver. It is there that part of it participates in glycolysis and gluconeogenesis, and these isomers are broken down. But a significant part of the substance is converted into fats. That is why patients with diabetes, fructosemia and those on a diet should use the component with caution.
WHO categorically does not recommend the use of this substance as a sweetener for diabetics.
