Saturday, April 6, 2013

The Nutrition Debate #97: Fructose in Foods


There is a dangerous misconception that fructose, commonly thought of as fruit sugar, is present primarily in fruit. And since fruit is generally thought of as a “healthy” food, since it is natural and has fiber, pectin, micronutrients and phytochemicals, all of whose mysteries we have yet to unwrap, we consider them beneficial.  And besides, the bottom line is: all fruit, especially the modern, hybridized varieties, contains “natural sugar” and therefore are okay to eat in moderation. Besides, who can eat a dozen apples? All true enough, except: watch out for apple sauce and apple juice. You can easily overdose on the liquefied sugars (and fructose), in these processed food products.

But fructose, the “natural fruit sugar,” is not just found in fruit. It is present naturally in many other whole foods. It is 49% to 82% of the sugar in sweeteners, both natural and manufactured, 40% to 67% of the sugar in fruits, and from 38% to 55% of the sugars in some vegetables.  It is 50% of the content of granulated sugar, made either from sugar cane or sugar beets. And it is 55% of the liquid form of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) used to sweeten soft drinks in the U.S. HFCS is used for a variety of reasons in solid food including “mouth feel.” In a loaf of bread, it is brushed on to brown the surface and to get a few whole grains to stick to it. HFCS used in baked goods and many more products is 42% fructose.

The recent ruckus over high fructose cane sugar is having some effect, though. On a recent inspection of bread loaves in my local supermarket, a number of the “better” brands (e.g. Arnold and Pepperidge Farm) now advertize that they have “No HFCS.” The Cane Sugar Refiners Association has fired back that there is really very little difference between sucrose (sugar, as in cane sugar) and HFCS, made from corn, and I’m afraid I have to agree with them. The difference between 55% fructose and 50% fructose is small, and they are both equally bad! Check out the ingredients listed on any loaf of bread. In the order of prevalence: Flour, water, sugar, unless it is flour, water, molasses or flour water, honey. The store brand is usually still: flour, water, HFCS, because HFCS is cheaper than sucrose (cane sugar) due to subsidies.

So, what’s all the fuss about fructose? Take a look at some earlier columns of mine, particularly #29, “Fructose, Formerly Known as Fruit Sugar,” #30, “Is Fructose a Liver Toxin?” and also #28, “Sugar in the Diet,” and #31, “Carbohydrates and Sugar.” Dr. Kurt Harris’s Archevore program (#19) is one of my favorites. His mantra is to avoid the three Neolithic Agents of Disease: Wheat, excess fructose and excess Omega 6s. Check it out at here.

Since this column is, “Fructose in Foods,” I have created, from USDA and Wiki sources, a table of common “foods,” including fruits, vegetables and sweeteners (including natural, refined and manufactured). Note the percent fructose.

Sugars in Foods
Sucrose
Free
Free
Other
Total
Total
Fructose/
as % of total sugars
50%F/50%G
Fructose
Glucose
Sugars
Fructose
Glucose
glucose ratio
Sweeteners
HFCS55 (beverages)
0%
55%
41%
4%
57%
43%
1.34
HFCS42 (solid foods)
0%
42%
53%
5%
44%
56%
0.79
Granulated sugar
100%
0%
0%
0%
50%
50%
1.00
beet sugar
100%
0%
0%
0%
50%
50%
1.00
brown sugar
97%
1%
1%
1%
50%
50%
1.00
maple syrup
96%
1%
3%
0
49%
51%
0.96
honey
1%
53%
46%
0
53%
47%
1.14
molasses
54%
24%
22%
0
51%
49%
1.03
agave nectar
0%
82%
18%
0
82%
18%
4.47
Fruits
apple
20%
57%
23%
0
67%
33%
2.01
apricot
64%
10%
26%
0
42%
58%
0.72
banana
20%
40%
41%
0
50%
50%
0.98
dried fig
0%
48%
52%
0
48%
52%
0.92
grapes
1%
52%
46%
0
53%
47%
1.12
peach
58%
18%
24%
0
47%
53%
0.89
pear
8%
63%
29%
0
67%
33%
2.06
pineapple
61%
21%
17%
0
52%
48%
1.09
plum
16%
32%
52%
0
40%
60%
0.66
water melon
20%
55%
26%
0
64%
36%
1.81
Vegetables
red beet
97%
1%
1%
0
50%
50%
1.00
carrot
75%
13%
13%
0
50%
50%
1.00
popcorn
69%
16%
16%
0
50%
50%
1.00
sweet corn
15%
31%
55%
0
38%
62%
0.61
sweet red pepper
0%
55%
45%
0
55%
45%
1.21
sweet onion
14%
40%
46%
0
47%
53%
0.89
sweet potato
60%
17%
24%
0
46%
54%
0.87

 

When this table is then sorted by total percent fructose, from highest to lowest, the results are an eye-popper:

Sugars in Foods
Sucrose
Free
Free
Other
Total
Total
Fructose/
as % of total sugars
50%F/50%G
Fructose
Glucose
Sugars
Fructose
Glucose
glucose ratio
agave nectar
0%
82%
18%
0
82%
18%
4.47
pear
8%
63%
29%
0
67%
33%
2.06
apple
20%
57%
23%
0
67%
33%
2.01
water melon
20%
55%
26%
0.06
64%
36%
1.81
HFCS55 (beverages)
0%
55%
41%
4%
57%
43%
1.34
sweet red pepper
0%
55%
45%
0
55%
45%
1.21
honey
1%
53%
46%
4.54
53%
47%
1.14
grapes
1%
52%
46%
0
53%
47%
1.12
pineapple
61%
21%
17%
0
52%
48%
1.09
molasses
54%
24%
22%
0
51%
49%
1.03
Granulated sugar
100%
0%
0%
0%
50%
50%
1.00
beet sugar
100%
0%
0%
0%
50%
50%
1.00
brown sugar
97%
1%
1%
1%
50%
50%
1.00
red beet
97%
1%
1%
0
50%
50%
1.00
carrot
75%
13%
13%
0
50%
50%
1.00
popcorn
69%
16%
16%
0
50%
50%
1.00
banana
20%
40%
41%
0
50%
50%
0.98
maple syrup
96%
1%
3%
0
49%
51%
0.96
dried fig
0%
48%
52%
0
48%
52%
0.92
sweet onion
14%
40%
46%
0
47%
53%
0.89
peach
58%
18%
24%
0
47%
53%
0.89
sweet potato
60%
17%
24%
0
46%
54%
0.87
HFCS42 (solid foods)
0%
42%
53%
5%
44%
56%
0.79
apricot
64%
10%
26%
0
42%
58%
0.72
plum
16%
32%
52%
0
40%
60%
0.66
sweet corn
15%
31%
55%
0
38%
62%
0.61

Did it ever occur to you that the sugars in pears and apples were so high in fructose – the highest, in fact: two thirds fructose! And look at agave nectar. It is hands-down the absolute worst! And how about those high fructose veggies: red bell pepper, red beets and carrots, all at or above 50% fructose as a percent of sugars, with sweet onions and sweet potatoes not far behind. Only sweet corn is low in fructose, but correspondingly high in glucose.
And did you ever imagine that honey and maple syrup were so high in fructose? They’re not even fruit! So, fructose is not just the fruit sugar in fruit. I guess we can be glad that the USDA last June (2012) declined the request to rename HFCS as Corn Sugar. The Sugar Association sure was. They commended the government for their action. It would make it sound too much like Cane Sugar. But wait a minute, isn’t that what they are saying? That HFCS (ersatz “Corn Sugar”) is processed by the body exactly the same as cane sugar? Of course it is, and once again, I’d have to agree with them.

4 comments:

  1. Percentages are important but overall amounts are even more important. If the overall amount of fructose in apple for instance is small, what do I care if the percentage of fructose in it is 50%??

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Your point is well made, and taken. And if you are not carbohydrate intolerant, you could enjoy an apple a day on a regular basis. The fiber will interact with pro-biotics in the colon and pectin is good for you, etc. Remember, though, that fructose is shunted to the liver to be detoxified, and fruit in general was always a seasonal treat, so, considering all these things, I choose to eat fruit only on very rare occasions. I had an apple that I picked from a tree a few weeks ago and loved it. I would never drink apple or orane or any other fruit juice, though. It's too much concentrated glucose and fructose. Also, if you read my tabel carefully, you will see that the sugar in an apple is 67% fructose, not 50% as you state, when the 50% fructose from sucrose and the free fructose are combined.

      Delete
  2. Thanks for the useful info on the tables. What is your opinion on fructose being used in the liver as stored glycogen. And of the fact that in many many countries, fruit IS available year round? And what of dietary fructose helping to lower blood sugar levels by reducing the insulin response? So glad you have found what works best for you but interested in your opinions.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Gavin,
    You are obviously well informed and bring up all good points. Fructose can be stored as glycogen in the liver, but if it gets an overload of fructose, it is my understanding that it will convert it there to fat, creating what is known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). And, of course, in the tropics, fruit is available year round. And, to the extent that sucrose (which some readers donn't know is half fructose) is only half glucose, it is true that it will lower the insulin response. That's why some complex carbs (polysaccharides that are all glucose), i. e., starchy food, that has already been processed in manufacturing, will have a higher glycemic index than table sugar; example: slice of bread made with 'enriched flour' vs. a candy bar.

    That's why the best practice is to eat whole (unprocessed) foods and whole fruit (singular), not fruit juice (made from multiple fruits, without fiber, which overloads the liver).

    ReplyDelete