Fructose Linked to Diabetes and obesity

Many of my diabetic and overweight patients often state that they drink “natural” juice without sugar or eat a lot of fruit during the day as a way to improve their health. Fructose is the type of sugar found in fruit, but the body metabolizes it differently than glucose. Research shows that due to the way we use fructose in the body, it is more strongly linked to diabetes and obesity than glucose.

Glucose is our main source of fuel and used by every cell in the body. Fructose, on the other hand, is only used and metabolized by the liver. Fructose is metabolized into glucose, lactose and glycogen (the storage form of glucose) and store the excess as liver fat. Fatty liver plays an important role in insulin resistance and research shows it only take one week of excess fructose to cause insulin resistance. Fructose does not cause an increase in glucose blood sugar levels, but it indirectly causes insulin resistance, which causes increased insulin production and the cycle begins.

As with most food, it about the amount you eat and moderation. The body can only handle small amounts of fructose, so don’t overindulge on your fruit or your fruit juice.