Glucose vs. fructose: 6 key differences between these two sugars

Aug 30, 2024 By Madison Evans

If you don't have diabetes or are trying to lose weight, then you need to stay away from sugar. But you cannot do this ultimately, and this is why artificial sweeteners are produced. For a good start to the day, have some tea with honey or sugar and lemon water; this is a very healthy way to start your day.

Sugar does not just make food sweet; it comes with a lot of disadvantages for your health as well. You can also find it in foods like apples and oranges. Something you should know is that the major best sugar businesses are based on fructose and glucose. Different types of sugar are present in various foods, and to discover the differences between glucose and fructose, keep reading.

Glucose

Your body gets most of its energy from glycogen, and it uses it to power by sending it through your blood to your cells. Protein can be found in large amounts in carbs, such as sugar and wheat.

Patients with diabetes call their blood glucose "blood sugar." Insulin helps regulate blood sugar by transporting glucose, which is just like sugar, into cells for fuel. Impeding this procedure might cause issues. Moreover, diabetes may cause hyperglycemia or high blood sugar if the body cannot create or utilize insulin properly. Either way, high or low blood sugar might cause health issues.

Fructose

Fresh produce honey contains fructose, a monosaccharide. Most individuals can digest fructose, while others cannot. Mainly, fructose or sucrose digestion may vary from glucose digestion.

In contrast, the Western diet, or the American diet, is usually high in fructose, especially for regular people, because prepared foods contain high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Every type of sugar, including HFCS, can be harmful if eaten in large amounts.

In the long run, eating too much sugar in any form could hurt important organs like the liver and kidneys. Shortlisted natural fructose sources and a list of commonly processed foods that usually contain HFCS are as follows:

  1. Honey
  2. Tree sap
  3. Nectars
  4. Fruits and vegetables

Difference Between Glucose And Fructose

Chemical Structure

Glucose and fructose have different atom arrangements despite having the same chemical formula (C6H12O6). Glucose and fructose are just like sugars that are made up of six carbon atoms and five carbon atoms, respectively. Usually, structure changes mean that the body breaks down some sugars in different ways.

When sugar is broken down, cells in the body can easily use glucose as food since its spiral shape has six carbonsmeanwhile, the five-carbon ring of sugar changes differently, mostly in the liver. The substantial changes in their chemistry have an impact on the biological processes that assist the body in creating and storing energy.

Sweetness

Fucose is a lot sweeter than glucose. It is sweeter than other sugars, so most foods and other meals do contain and instead use a syrup without high fructose. Sugary foods may make you eat more foods that contain fructose.

Sugar, fructose, and glucose are used in different ways in different meals because they are sweet in various ways. Fructose can be used in too large of amounts to sweeten foods because it only takes a small amount to yield the desired flavor.

Metabolism

A person's body uses glucose and fructose in various ways. By breaking down glucose metabolically or through glycolysis, the body gets the energy it can use right away. Regardless, the liver is where most of the sugar is broken down.

Hepatocytes can turn fructose into glucose, which the body can use as food or store it as fat. The body utilizes these carbohydrates to create energy and store fat; thus, changing the metabolism is vital. Sugar reduction is easy when you understand how the body uses them.

Effects on Blood Sugar

Glucose is just like sugar, which is linked to blood sugar. Within seconds, it enters the body and raises blood sugar levels considerably. Glucose is a key sugar because it supplies quick energy. Unfortunately, the way it changes blood sugar balance is a bit worrying.

Due to its lower glycemic index than glucose, fructose raises blood sugar less. Diabetes patients should maintain stable blood sugar levels by eating food with syrup without high fructose since fructose raises blood sugar.

Absorption

A person's body absorbs glucose and fructose in different ways. Within seconds of entering the bloodstream from the small intestine, glucose is either used as energy right away or stored as glycogen in the muscles and liver.

Prior to entering the bloodstream, most of the fructose is taken in and broken down by the liver. Consequently, this variation in what you eat changes how quickly your body can absorb these carbs and how they impact your energy levels and fat stores. However, knowing these changes might help you pick healthier foods like syrup without high fructose.

Health Effects

Taking glucose and fructose together has fairly different effects on your health. Studies released in 2009 in The Journal of Clinical Investigation found that drinking drinks with fructose increased belly fat by 8.6% and drinking drinks with glucose increased belly fat by 4.8%.

Excessive sugar intake has been linked to fatty liver disease, metabolic syndrome, and a higher chance of heart disease. Conversely, eating too much glucose may lead to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. The fact that these health effects happened shows how important it is to limit both sugars to avoid bigger health issues in the future.

Final Verdict

Experts say sugar from whole foods like fruits and veggies with organic best sugars doesn't need to be limited for most people because they are healthy. Other than that, extra and free sugar intake can cause health issues in the future.

When sugar is eaten in large amounts, fructose may have the worst effects generally. There is still more benefit in focusing on the foods and drinks that contain sugar than on the different kinds of sugar and whether they are good or bad. Whole foods slow down the body's ability to absorb sugar. Also, remember checking the extra sugar content of the prepared foods you eat is another smart thing to do.