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Fructose sugar is a natural fruit sugar found in many soft drinks and processed foods that has long been blamed for the spread of obesity worldwide. A new study has found that this concern is valid, and that fructose sugar should be avoided whenever possible, as it can lead to fat around the belly (increasing the risk of heart disease) and can cause insulin resistance, in turn a cause of type 2 diabetes.

The reasearch

Lead author of the study, Georgina Code, a PhD student at the UK’s University of Bristol, presented the results of the latest study on fructose at the Endocrine Society’s Annual Meeting in San Diego in the US.

Fructose sugar, she and fellow researchers found, has a different effect on fat cells to normal sugar (sucrose). It causes your body to form more fat cells, particularly around the stomach. Eating large amounts of fructose can lead to abdominal obesity – a surplus of fat around the stomach defined by a wide waist line – and this condition increases your risk of heart disease.

The research also showed that cells exposed to high amounts of fructose sugar are less sensitive to insulin, a symptom of type 2 diabetes. Insulin sensitivity hinders the body in taking up glucose (the body’s main source of energy) from the bloodstream and transporting it to the muscles.

What you can do

The best thing you can do to avoid the risks associated with fructose is to cut out refined food from your diet, and never use fructose as a sugar replacement. If you are looking for a healthy alternative to artificial sweeteners in your cooking, rather use stevia or xylitol. Finally, always read the labels on the food you buy. The ingredients list on any packaged food will let you know whether or not it contains fructose.

Tags: cooking, eating healthy