Glucose vs fructose: 6 differences that set the sugars apart

If you’re not residing with diabetes or attempting to drop extra pounds, sugar could also be an vital ingredient in your weight loss plan. It’s possible you’ll start your day with a cup of tea with sugar or honey lemon water. Sugar is not only an ingredient in white color that provides sweetness to dishes. It may be discovered even in fruits comparable to bananas and grapes. On the earth of sugar, glucose and fructose are generally consumed. Each are easy sugars present in quite a few meals, however they aren’t the identical. Learn on to know the variations between glucose and fructose.

What’s glucose?

Glucose is an easy sugar, also referred to as a monosaccharide, that serves as the first supply of power for residing organisms, says dietician Ekta Singhwal. It’s a key element of carbohydrates, and so, is present in varied carbohydrate-rich meals comparable to bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, fruits, and greens.

What’s fructose?

Fructose, additionally a easy sugar or monosaccharide, is present in fruits, honey, and a few root greens. Additionally it is used as a sweetener in processed meals and drinks.

What’s the distinction between glucose and fructose?

Apples, oranges, bananas, grapes, cherries, pineapples, blueberries, strawberries, kiwi and mangoes are among the fruits containing glucose and fructose. Carrots, candy potatoes, beets, peas, corn, bell peppers and tomatoes even have these sugars. Clearly, their sources are roughly the identical, however there are a couple of variations between glucose and fructose.

1. Chemical construction

Glucose and fructose have the identical chemical system (C6H12O6), however their atoms are organized in a different way. Glucose has a six-carbon ring construction, whereas fructose has a five-carbon ring construction, explains Singhwal. This structural distinction impacts how they’re metabolised within the physique.

Additionally Learn

2. Sweetness

Fructose is sweeter than glucose. This distinction in sweetness influences meals preferences and using these sugars in processed meals and drinks.

3. Metabolism

Glucose is metabolised within the physique by means of the method of glycolysis, the place it’s damaged down to supply power. Fructose is primarily metabolised within the liver, the place it may be transformed into glucose or saved as fats.

4. Results on blood sugar

Glucose has a major affect on blood sugar ranges as a result of it’s quickly absorbed into the bloodstream. Fructose has a decrease glycemic index and doesn’t trigger the identical spike in blood sugar ranges as glucose.

5. Absorption

Glucose is absorbed instantly into the bloodstream by means of the small gut, the place it may be used for power or saved as glycogen. Fructose is primarily absorbed within the liver, the place it undergoes processing earlier than getting into the bloodstream.

6. Well being results

A ten-week research, performed in 2009, had individuals consuming fructose and glucose-sweetened drinks. Those who drank the drinks with fructose had an 8.6 % enhance in stomach fats compared to 4.8 % in those that consumed glucose-sweetened drinks, in line with the research printed in The Journal Of Scientific Investigation.

Excessive consumption of fructose has additionally been related to metabolic syndrome, fatty liver illness, and elevated threat of heart problems, says Singhwal. As for consuming extreme quantities of glucose, it will possibly result in insulin resistance, and kind 2 diabetes.

Whereas each glucose and fructose are sugars present in varied meals, their extreme consumption can have detrimental results in your well being. So, devour these sugars moderately as a part of a balanced weight loss plan to minimise the chance of ailments. All it’s a must to do is just remember to don’t go overboard with sugar added to your meals or drinks, and sugars which can be present in honey, fruit and veggies, and juices.