Is Natural Sugar From Fruit Bad?
Fructose, or fruit sugar, has received a lot of mainstream attention. Several studies suggest that high amounts of fructose can negatively affect your health. But if fruit is good for you, can a natural sugar from fruit be bad?
Although fructose is a natural sugar found in fruits, it's also a component of industrial high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), which is often made from corn starch. As well as sucrose (table sugar). Sucrose is a disaccharide made up of glucose and fructose. HFCS and sucrose are found in many processed food and soft drinks.
Studies show that only these industrial fructose (table sugar and high fructose corn syrup), not fruit fructose has been associated with health concerns such as liver fibrosis and hypertension. No real evidence suggest a negative effect of fruit fructose. Actually the opposite. Fruit can have a positive affect on health. Fruit contains powerful nutrients and antioxidants.
For example soluble fiber in fruit may be part of the reason fruit does not effect the body the same way industrial fructose does. Fiber has a gelling effect in our intestines that slows the release of sugars. Also there are phytonutrients in fruit that can cause an inhibition of intestinal update and transport of glucose. Studies have shown that polyphenols in apples and strawberries, can block some of the uptake of sugars by the cells lining our intestines. This means, less of an insulin spike.
Main takeaway: Eating whole fruits and avoiding foods and beverages with added fructose, can actually help prevent chronic health issues.
REFERENCES:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23933265
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24065788
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15757656
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23365108
- Maday Labrador