It’s important to understand what the differences are between specific forms of sugars and sweeteners because not all sugars are created equal. Sugars and sweeteners are unavoidable, they’re in everything. And there’s one particular form of sugar that you’ve got to get out of your life. I’m talking about fructose.

What is fructose?

I bet you’ve heard of high-fructose corn syrup. But fructose comes in a lot of different forms and disguises. And it’s a big contributor to obesity in America. 

Back in the caveman days, our bodies were designed to store fat to protect us in times of famine and cold. We no longer need that protection, but our bodies are still trying to provide it. The manufactured fructose that we consume is tricking our caveman systems into preparing for hibernation and famine, and storing fat instead of burning it.

Why is fructose different than other sugars?

Not all sugar is the same. Glucose, for example, is a simple sugar (a monosaccharide) and burns up easily as energy. But fructose is more complex (a disaccharide) and needs to be broken down in your liver before your body can use it. Your body is more likely to store fructose, and fructose is also more likely to contribute to insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, obesity, fatty liver disease and metabolic syndrome. 

The frustrating thing is that fructose isn’t always called fructose. If you look at your food packaging, you might see fruit juice concentrate, corn syrup, or agave. But those are all fructose. Agave has been marketed as a healthy alternative because it doesn’t spike your glycemic index. But fructose doesn’t spike the glycemic index because it’s processed in the liver, not because it’s healthy.

Fructose restricts vasodilation. What does that mean? It means that your blood vessels aren’t able to open up and let your blood flow. It also means that your blood pressure will increase.

So why is fruit healthy?

Fructose comes from fruit. But fruit also contains fiber which helps to work the fructose through our system. There’s also Vitamin C which helps counter the uric acid in fructose. Fruit comes with a whole host of vitamins and minerals that helps your body process fructose the way it’s supposed to.

Compare that to drinking a soda. A whole bunch of fructose gets dumped into your cells all at once without anything to help your body process it. There’s a massive difference! So much of what we eat and drink contains fructose. I promise you that you’re eating or drinking it in some form. 

How to cut fructose out of your diet

Since I don’t think you’re aiming to live in a cave and hibernate, let’s talk about ways to cut fructose out of your diet!

1. Choose your sweeteners wisely! Opt for foods that are sweetened with stevia or even honey which contains less fructose than other sweeteners.
2. Get really good at reading labels and recognizing fructose. Avoid corn syrup, agave, and fruit juice concentrates.
3. Drink in moderation. I’m a fan of gin and tonic. But I drink in moderation because I know that the alcohol in my body is broken down into - you guessed it - fructose. 

The sugar you eat matters! If you need more help navigating the fructose minefield, set up a call with me and let's talk. You can also check out my line of supplements  and protein powders which are sweetened with stevia.