Did you know that...?
Many "low sugar" products use more fructose to maintain flavour. It is important to check labels carefully and look for low-fructose options.
Fructose
What is Fructose and How Does it Affect your Health?
Fructose, also known as fruit sugar, is a type of simple sugar (monosaccharide) that is part of the common household sugar sucrose. It is made up of two parts: glucose and fructose.
Although fructose is present in natural foods such as fruits and vegetables, it is also found in many processed products. Consumed in excess or by people with an intolerance, it can cause digestive discomfort or even more serious difficulties.
Where is Fructose Found?
Fructose is present in many foods, both naturally and in processed products. Here's where you can find it:
Fructose in Natural Foods
Fructose is naturally occurring in:
- Fruits (such as apples, pears and mangoes)
- Vegetables (including asparagus and artichokes)
- Honey
- Some grains
Important: although these foods contain fructose, the amounts are generally low compared to processed products.
Fructose in Processed Products
Most of the fructose consumed today comes from industrial products such as:
- Soft drinks
- Processed pastries
- Sauces
- Light yoghurts
Many of these foods use glucose-fructose syrup (or high fructose corn syrup or HFCS), which can be up to 90% fructose.
Beware of "low-sugar" products: They often contain extra fructose to maintain sweetness with less sweetener. They may also contain sugar substitutes such as maltitol or sorbitol.
Fructose Intolerance and Composition Tables
What is Fructose Intolerance?
Fructose intolerance occurs when the body cannot absorb fructose properly. There are two main forms:
- Fructose malabsorption: a very common condition that can cause bloating, gas or diarrhoea.
- Hereditary fructose intolerance (HFI): a rare and more severe genetic disorder, which requires a strict fructose-free diet.
Tolerance varies from person to person. Some people can ingest up to 50g of fructose per day without experiencing symptoms, while others react to less than 1g.
For those with fructose intolerance, food composition tables can be a useful tool to consult the fructose content of common foods (e.g. Souci, Fachmann, Kraut: "Food composition tables").
| Nutrition declaration | per 100g | per serving* (8,3g) |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 2408kJ / 575kcal | 200kJ / 48kcal |
| Fat | 39g | 3g |
| of which saturates | 25g | 2g |
| Carbohydrate | 48g | 4g |
| of which sugars | 34g | 3g |
| Fibre | 2,9g | 0,2g |
| Protein | 6,7g | 0,6g |
| Salt | 0,16g | 0,01g |
* Pack contains 10 portions.
Sorbitol free, no sweeteners according to law.
Organic certification: DE-ÖKO-013 EU/non-EU Agriculture
Source: Frusano Online Shop, Product Milk Chocolate
Alternatives and Low-fructose Products
At Frusano we develop specially formulated foods for those who must avoid fructose. This is how:
- We use fructose-free glucose syrup as a sweetener base.
- We select fruits with low fructose content, such as rhubarb or papaya.
- We clearly indicate the amount of fructose, sorbitol and sucrose in each product.
In addition, in the daily diet, we recommend:
- Substituting biscuits and cereals with natural fructose-free options.
- Choosing rhubarb jam, for example, instead of fruit spreads with high fructose content, such as cherry.
Looking for Low-fructose Products?
Discover our selection of products specially designed for people with fructose intolerance.