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The American Heart Association recommends limiting added sugars to no more than six teaspoons per day. The reality? Americans, children and adults alike, consume an average sugar intake of 17 teaspoons per day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Western diet is largely made up of processed foods, most of which contain added sugar. Fructose, specifically high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), is the most common type of sugar in processed foods.

Fructose 101

Fructose is naturally present in fruits, vegetables and honey. It makes up about 50% of table sugar (sucrose), along with glucose. It is also used to make HFCS, which contains similar amounts of fructose and glucose.

Glucose is broken down by the body to be used as the main energy source for our cells. Fructose must be made into glucose by the liver before it can provide energy to our cells.

Glucose causes the release of insulin, but fructose does not trigger insulin or the hormones that tell the brain that the body is not hungry. This may lead to overeating and potential weight gain and associated health problems.

Risks of added fructose

Excessive fructose, just like too much of any added sugars, is not healthy. Fructose is converted to glucose in the liver, but if there’s too much, the liver produces uric acid and fat in the form of triglycerides. This may increase the risk of fatty liver disease, gout and heart disease.

Too much added fructose has also been associated with insulin resistance, which can contribute to the development of obesity and Type 2 diabetes.

A recent study links fructose, but not glucose, as the component of added sugar driving metabolic complications including insulin resistance, diabetes, hypertension and premature heart disease.

Another study suggests it may be the interaction between fructose and glucose in HFCS that increases the risk for heart disease and diabetes.

Despite the many studies suggesting its ill effects, more research is needed for a definitive conclusion against fructose. Many foods with high fructose also contain other sugars, such as glucose, and they tend to be high in calories, which also contribute to obesity and related negative health effects.

Natural fructose is different

Fruits, vegetables, fruit juices and honey contain varying amounts of fructose and glucose. Amounts of each of these two natural sugars vary as well, but generally, it’s about half and half.

The difference between eating fructose in its natural form compared to fructose as an added sugar is that whole fruits and vegetables not only have less sugar than foods with added sugar, but they are also packed with filling dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, health-protecting phytochemicals and water.

Due to the overall balanced nutritional profile of these foods, it is highly improbable that one could consume too much fructose from fruit and vegetable sources.

In fact, studies have shown that eating whole fruits is unlikely to contribute to excess calories and weight gain, and may even play a role in its prevention and management.

The bottom line

Excess added sugars are not good for health, but it is unclear whether fructose alone is to blame. More research is needed.

Fructose in its natural form — in fruits and vegetables — remains a simple way to satisfy your sweet tooth and load up on health-promoting vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals.

Reprinted with permission from Environmental Nutrition, a monthly publication of Belvoir Media Group, LLC, 1-800-829-5384, EnvironmentalNutrition.com.