Fructose is the sweet molecule found in nature. It is a carbohydrate like glucose (potatoes, rice) and lactose (milk).
Fructose is predominantly found in most fruits and vegetables but in high quantities in sweet things like apples, figs, honey and sugarcanes.
In its refined form, it is widely available in form of table sugar which is - one molecule of glucose and one molecule of fructose. Fructose is also the 50% ingredient of high fructose corn syrup.
Pratically any sugar syrup contains fructose. The difference in table sugar and HFCS are practically non-existent for the human biochemistry i.e. both are same for us.
In my view, fructose was ok to consume because it did not raise blood glucose or elicit an insulin response. However, this was found to be a misconception.
Fructose is unambiguously toxic.
Fatty liver and Diabetes
Fructose unlike glucose is metabolized ONLY in the liver exactly in the same pathway like alcohol is digested by the liver. Small amounts of fructose in food are ok to consume. Especially if it comes from small amount of whole fruit.
Soluble and insoluble fiber in a whole fruit prevent the absorption of fructose early in the digestive tract and no harmful effects are observed.
Per experts like Dr Lustig, if a fruit is pulped or crushed, the insoluble fiber that was supposed to be stopping the fructose uptake like a fish net stops fish, gets slashed into rags and is unable to stop rapid absorption of fructose.
In fruit smoothie or table sugar or syrup, the human body easily reaches its max capacity of fructose. Beyond this quantity, the fructose is converted directly into fat and stored as visceral fat in the liver and pancreas resulting in fatty liver (NAFLD) and fatty pancreas.
Fatty liver and fatty pancreas cause severe insulin resistance aka diabetes. Diabetes leads to dozens of other metabolic complications.
It is possible that a person does not look obese but has fatty marbling in his pancreas and liver and therefore suffers from severe diabetes and uncontrolled blood sugar levels.
Visceral Fat
Apart from this visceral fat is highly inflammatory and responsible for many more chronic diseases in the long term.
Arthritis
High fructose diet also results in too much uric acid production in the body that tends to accumulate in the joints. This results in painful joints and is called arthritis.
VDLD/Triglycerides
In the liver, fructose is converted into fatty molecules called VLDL and triglycerides to be shipped to other parts of the body like muscles. When this fat is deposited in the muscles, the muscles also get filled with visceral fat and become insulin resistant. This is why people who eat too much sugar have high LDL and triglycerides in their lipid profiles. Cutting sugar from diet is essential (necessary) for good lipid profile.
Addictive nature
Fructose acts on the dopamine center of the brain similar to alcohol. This is why sugar is highly addictive. The withdrawal effect of sugar includes desire to eat more sugar and carb rich foods.
People who eat sweets also feel more hunger and eat more food in general.
In that aspect, fructose (sugar) is a gateway drug for obesity. It easily overwhelms the human by controlling the brain and the body.
Bottomline
Fructose or sweets in excess can cause obesity and insulin resistance.
In simpler terms, excessive consumption of sweets causes diabetes.
Fructose is very toxic in large quantities.
This was common sense few decades back but the signal got obfuscated by the noise in the mainstream.
Fatty liver and fatty pancreas can be reversed by a low carb diet. This may take a few weeks to a few months.
Follow Dr Jason Fung for details how to reverse fatty liver, fatty pancrease and insulin resistance.
Once body reaches optimum health i.e. zero insulin resistance, small amount of whole fruits or honey may be consumed.
Raw honey has enzymes from the bees that prevent rapid absorption of fructose in the intestines. This is a developing area of research but multiple studies confirm that honey in its raw form contains the enzymes that prevent fructose toxicity.
The regular honey in the supermarkets is not raw honey and offers no such protection.
Any consumption of sugar needs to be carefully examined for dose, processing and source.
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