Together with glucose, fructose makes up one of the two main components of added sugar. Some healthcare experts believe fructose is the worse of the two, at least when ingested in excess amounts.
Many people are confused by this term since fruit contains fructose, so how harmful can it really be? The fact is that fructose, which is added to modern meals and beverages as a sweetener, is fueling many conditions such as obesity, reduction of immune system function, ageing, and inhibiting the signal of satiety.
What is fructose?
A monosaccharide found in a wide range of foods, fructose is often called fruit sugar, and it is fructose that gives berries, fruits, honey, and other sweeteners their sweet taste.
Fructose is obtained from natural sources and can be beneficial when consumed as part of a well-balanced diet. Fructose is not inherently harmful. Fructose is progressively being extracted, crystallized, and marketed to the processed food industries as a sweetener that is nearly twice as sweet as regular sugar and much cheaper. This is when the problems begin.
Harmful effects of excess fructose
Research suggests that excessive fructose intake, whether it is in the form of high fructose corn syrup or simple fructose, is one of the main causes of obesity and diabetes. This can be explained in several ways:
Fructose increases body fat: Fructose digestion, absorption, as well as metabolism vary from that of glucose. Unlike glucose, which can be utilized by practically every cell of the body to produce energy, fructose could only be metabolized by the organ called the liver.
Furthermore, when fructose enters the liver, it enhances the body’s synthesis of triglycerides or fats.
Fructose inhibits the signal of satiety: Hormones regulate several roles in the human body, including appetite. Leptin is one of the hormones involved in appetite regulation, with greater leptin levels resulting in the sense of fullness. Ghrelin is another one of these hormones; ghrelin levels are most extraordinary before a meal and fall afterwards.
When humans ingest fructose, two critical hormonal signalling pathways are disrupted: leptin levels do not rise, and ghrelin levels do not fall, inhibiting the sense of fullness that is typically associated with eating. It, therefore, causes an increase in hunger, resulting in overeating in an attempt to feel satisfied.
Reduces immune system function: The immune system is our first line of defense against both internal and external diseases. A strong, functional immune system reduces the risk of being ill as well as the amount of time we are ill! The immune system is critical in removing the cell mutations that cause cancer. In experiments, the ingestion of fructose and other kinds of sugar severely reduced the ability of the immune system to fight pathogenic microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi.
Fructose promotes ageing: What about wrinkled skin and ageing? No way! According to recent studies, excessive, long-term intake of fructose reduced levels of collagen that prevent wrinkles from appearing in rats.