What Is the Difference Between Sucrose, Glucose & Fructose?
Glucose and fructose are both monosaccharides -- simple sugar molecules. Sucrose is a disaccharide made up of two simple sugar molecules, a glucose molecule and a fructose molecule. Sucrose, glucose and fructose may taste similar in food sources such as fruit, honey and candy but are actually quite different.
All Sugars Are Not the Same
Sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup are major sources of fructose and glucose added to foods 2. Sucrose -- table sugar -- is equal parts fructose and glucose 2. HFCS is glucose and fructose mixed in different concentrations, the most common being 55 percent fructose and 45 percent glucose. HFCS is in soft drinks and pastries as well as many processed foods. Although too much of any sugar in your diet is not good, researchers of a review study published in 2013 in "Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism" suggest fructose is linked to metabolic syndrome, a combination of medical problems that increase your risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes when they occur together 5. HFCS is under scrutiny because manufacturers are not required to specify on food labels for general consumers how much fructose is in the concentration.
Glucose May Be a Lesser Evil
Fructose in Tomatoes
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Glucose did not increase triglycerides, which are fats or lipids in your blood, as much as the other sweeteners, which all contain fructose.
Fructose -- Not So Sweet
Fructose has been linked to more than one parameter associated with the metabolic syndrome. Researchers of the 2013 "Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism" review study found that fructose may increase uric acid in your blood, while researchers of a study published in 2011 in "Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences" stated fructose is associated with increased abdominal obesity, abnormal blood lipids and insulin resistance 57.
Reduce Your Risk for Metabolic Syndrome
Fructose-Free Diet
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A good way to decrease your risk of metabolic syndrome is to reduce added sugars in your diet. Added sugars are those not found naturally in fruits, vegetables, grains and milk, so eat mainly fresh foods and limit your intake of processed foods. If you do happen to eat processed food, read the ingredients list for added sugar, which may appear as a name other than just sugar.
Related Articles
References
- Colorado State University Extension: Sugar and Sweeteners
- The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: Endocrine and Metobolic Effects of Consuming Beverages Sweetened With Fructose, Glucose, Sucrose, or High-Fructose Corn Syrup
- The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism: Consumption of Fructose and High Fructose Corn Syrup Increase Postprandial Triglycerides, LDL-Cholesterol, and Apolipoprotein-B in Young Men and Women
- UC Davis Health System: Fructose Consumption May Impact Development of Metabolic Syndrome
- Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism: Fructose: A Key Factor in the Development of Metabolic Syndrome and Hypertension
- The Journal of Clinical Investigation: Consuming Fructose-Sweetened, Not Glucose-Sweetened Beverages Increases Visceral Adiposity and Lipids and Decreases Insulin Sensitivity in Overweight/Obese Humans
- Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences: Fructose Consumption: Recent Results and Their Potential Implications
- American Heart Association: Added Sugars
- Popkin BM, Hawkes C. Sweetening of the global diet, particularly beverages: patterns, trends, and policy responses. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2015;4(2):174-186. doi:10.1016/S2213-8587(15)00419-2
- Popkin BM, Hawkes C. Sweetening of the global diet, particularly beverages: patterns, trends, and policy responses. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2015;4(2):174-186. doi:10.1016/S2213-8587(15)00419-2
- New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services. How much sugar do you eat?. Updated August 2014.
- DeSilver D. How America's diet has changed over time. Pew Research Center. Updated December 13, 2016.
- Lakhan SE, Kirchgessner A. The emerging role of dietary fructose in obesity and cognitive decline. Nutr J. 2013;12:114. doi:10.1186/1475-2891-12-114
- Djiogue S, Nwabo Kamdje AH, Vecchio L, et al. Insulin resistance and cancer: the role of insulin and IGFs. Endocr Relat Cancer. 2013;20(1):R1-R17. doi:10.1530/ERC-12-0324
- Page KA, Chan O, Arora J, et al. Effects of fructose vs glucose on regional cerebral blood flow in brain regions involved with appetite and reward pathways. JAMA. 2013;309(1):63-70. doi:10.1001/jama.2012.116975
- Goran MI, Ulijaszek SJ, Ventura EE. High fructose corn syrup and diabetes prevalence: a global perspective. Glob Public Health. 2013;8(1):55-64. doi:10.1080/17441692.2012.736257
- Walker RW, Dumke KA, Goran MI. Fructose content in popular beverages made with and without high-fructose corn syrup. Nutrition. 2014;30(7-8):928-35. doi:10.1016/j.nut.2014.04.003
- American Heart Association. Added sugars. Updated April 17, 2018.
Writer Bio
Jamie Yacoub is a clinical outpatient Registered Dietitian, expert in nutrition and author of her cookbook "Modern Guide to Food and Eating: Low Glycemic Recipes". She obtained a Bachelor of Science in clinical nutrition from UC Davis and an MPH in nutrition from Loma Linda University. Yacoub then completed her dietetic internship as an intern for a Certified Specialist in sports nutrition and at a top-100 hospital.