Fructose
Fructose is a simple sugar found mainly in fruit and honey. Table sugar is half fructose and half glucose.
Does fructose raise blood sugar less?
A meta-analysis found lower glucose and insulin responses after meals when fructose replaced glucose or sucrose calorie for calorie. That answers an immediate meal-response question, not whether adding fructose improves long-term health. 1
Does it cause weight gain?
A controlled-feeding review found no weight gain when fructose replaced other carbohydrates with calories held constant. Weight increased when high doses supplied extra calories. The trials were mostly small and short, and the excess energy could explain the difference. 2
Effects by health goal
Open an effect to see the studies behind its rating. Bars show the size of the effect; the letter grades the evidence.
Energy1 effect
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Adverse findings
Ratings where the reported effect was unfavourable.
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Sources
- Fructose replacement of glucose or sucrose in food or beverages lowers postprandial glucose and insulin without raising triglycerides: a systematic review and meta-analysis American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2017
- Effect of fructose on body weight in controlled feeding trials: a systematic review and meta-analysis Annals of Internal Medicine, 2012