Crystalline fructose is derived from GMO corn
Crystalline fructose, also improperly called “fruit sugar”, actually comes from a genetically modified variety of corn “Bt corn” , so it should be called “ genetically modified corn sugar”.
Don't be fooled by the name fructose
Many people are convinced that the sweetener called fructose or fruit sugar, as well as other artificial sweeteners , is better than common white table sugar (sucrose), as the name brings to mind fruits which are known to be healthy foods.
Despite its name, however, this sweetener has been thought for decades to be a precursor to uric acid , as well as having a strong link with the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and cardiometabolic diseases. 3.
Human and animal studies suggest that fructose ingestion produces deleterious effects on the cardiovascular system , such as increased blood pressure, and also has adverse metabolic effects, such as insulin resistance and hypertriglyceridemia. 4.
Ingesting fructose by eating fruit is a whole different matter.
However, the fructose we ingest by eating fruit develops better immuno-metabolic dynamics 1. , positively modulating glycometabolism, lipometabolism, oxidative stress, inflammation, the intestinal barrier and the intestinal microbiota, as the food matrix is composed of many substances that modify the main metabolic pathways in our favor, such as epicatechins, flavonoids, minerals, fibers, which would seem to be able to inhibit the increase in the blood of uric acid and gout, induced by fructose. 2.
Is fructose recommended in diets?
Until recently , it was recommended for its low glycemic index and for its greater sweetening power compared to sucrose (white table sugar), thinking that these were positive characteristics for people oriented towards wellness, athletes and diabetics.
In reality, the food industry has also taken full advantage of this , exploiting the reassuring name of “fruit sugar” and associating it with 'Crystalline Fructose', advertising some food products such as jams and yoghurt, declaring on the label for example “without sucrose, only fruit sugar”, with the aim of making the product appear to have a better qualification .
Naturally taking advantage of the consumer's lack of culture .
Crystalline fructose is highly refined
Almost all crystalline fructose comes from high fructose corn syrup extracted from the starch of a genetically modified variety of corn, it has little to do with the fructose you ingest when you eat a fruit , now I'll explain why: the production of high fructose corn sweetener requires the following production steps :
Also be careful with sports drinks and fruit drinks
Consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (based on crystalline fructose), which includes fruit-flavored drinks, sports drinks and energy drinks, is the main source of added sugars .
It accounts for approximately 15-17% of total daily energy intake in Western diets.
Therefore, it exceeds the recommended limit of 5% added sugar (2018 World Health Organization guidelines).
The maximum daily amount of fructose considered safe
A moderate consumption of fructose of ≤50 g per day has been considered safe, this daily dose does not appear to alter health risk markers.
However, it is necessary to consider the sum of the “fruit sugar” in sugary drinks, energy drinks, sports drinks, jams, baked goods, cereal bars and all pre-packaged foods, not just the deliberately added crystallized fructose .
Sources:
- Review Pak J Pharm Sci. 2013 Nov;26(6):1241-5.
- Review Biomed Pharmacother. 2020 Nov;131:110795. doi: 10.1016/j.biopha.2020.110795. Epub 2020 Sep 26.
- Review Rheumatology (Oxford). 2019 Jul 1;58(7):1133-1141. doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/kez128.
- J Agric Food Chem. 2019 Jul 10;67(27):7726–7737. doi:10.1021/acs.jafc.9b02523. Epub 2019 Jun 25.
- Nutrients 2019, 11 (9), 1987; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11091987
