What is Glucose-Fructose Syrup? (Q&A) (2024)

FAQs

What is glucose or fructose syrup? ›

While table sugar has a fixed proportion of 50% glucose and 50% fructose, the percentage of these molecules in syrups may vary. If a syrup contains more than 50% of fructose, it is called “fructose-glucose syrup” on the packaging. If there is less than 50% fructose in it, it is called “glucose-fructose syrup”.

Glucose-fructose syrup* is a plant-based sugar, made from grains. EU starch manufacturers only use conventional (non- GMO) wheat and maize which are almost exclusively domestically produced. Unlike glucose syrup which contains no fructose, glucose-fructose syrup is made up of two simple sugars: glucose and fructose.

What is GFS used for? The main reasons for using GFS in foods and drinks are its sweetness and the ability to blend nicely with other ingredients. Interestingly, it can be also used in place of additives for food preservation (an effect also observed with table sugar).

High-fructose corn syrup isn't necessarily worse for us than table sugar, but there is just too much of it in our food supply, says Harvard School of Public Health nutrition expert Frank Hu.

Fructose changes blood sugar levels much more gradually than glucose and doesn't seem to impact insulin levels. Unlike glucose, which is processed throughout the whole body, fructose is almost entirely metabolized by the liver. Over time, overconsumption can cause fatty liver and visceral fat around essential organs.

Carbohydrates are classified into two subtypes of sugar: monosaccharides, or "simple sugars" (consisting of one molecule) and disaccharides (two molecules). The monosaccharides include glucose, fructose, and galactose.

A study found no differences in the consumption of fructose versus high-fructose corn syrup versus glucose. Consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) has been associated with increased risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.

High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), also known as glucose–fructose, isoglucose and glucose–fructose syrup, is a sweetener made from corn starch. As in the production of conventional corn syrup, the starch is broken down into glucose by enzymes.

Glucose-fructose syrup is a natural sugar found in honey, fruits and some root vegetables.

Excessive fructose consumption, while not always affecting your blood glucose levels, has been linked to weight gain, increased risk of obesity, and insulin resistance. Because of these associations, consuming high amounts of fructose can contribute to impaired glucose and other risk factors of metabolic syndrome.

Is glucose-fructose syrup harmful? ›

Added sugars and high fructose corn syrup are considered primary causes of the overweighting of America. Weight gain abetted by high-calorie foods containing HFCS can also contribute to heart disease, diabetes, fatty liver disease and dyslipidemia, an abnormal level of cholesterol and other fats in the blood.

Ingestion of fructose chronically has contributed to multiple health consequences, such as insulin resistance, obesity, liver disorders, and diabetes. Fructose metabolism starts with fructose phosphorylation by fructose kinase in the liver, and this process is not feedback regulated.

Glucose and fructose are simple sugars, or monosaccharides. Your body can absorb them more easily than the disaccharide sucrose, which must be broken down first. Added fructose may have the most negative health effects, but experts agree that you should limit your intake of all types of added sugar.

Talking about sugar being good for health, then natural sugar or stevia is the best. They have many health benefits to offer apart from weight loss. It has all the essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that are essential for your body. While stevia is also known to be the best sugar for weight loss.

Glucose and fructose are natural sugars, and are found in fruits and vegetables. On the other hand, artificial sweeteners are sugars that are chemically modified in a lab and provide sweetening typically without calories.

Honey is approximately 40% fructose, 30% glucose and 17% water, with the remainder being other sugars, carbohydrates and a small amount of vitamins and minerals.

Fructose content of honey varies from 21 to 43% and the fructose/glucose ratio from 0.4 to 1.6 or even higher [31–34]. Although fructose is the sweetest naturally occurring sweetener, it has a glycemic index of 19, compared to glucose which has 100 or sucrose (refined sugar) with 60 [35].

Glucose is the preferred energy source for the body, especially the brain and muscles, whereas fructose is not the most preferred energy source. Glucose is less fat-producing as compared to fructose. Glucose metabolism in the body is much slower than fructose.

We look at fructose, glucose, lactose and sucrose. You've probably heard the terms fructose, glucose, lactose and sucrose before, and you may know that they're all types of sugar.

People who have fructose intolerance should limit high-fructose foods, such as juices, apples, grapes, watermelon, asparagus, peas and zucchini. Some lower fructose foods — such as bananas, blueberries, strawberries, carrots, avocados, green beans and lettuce — may be tolerated in limited quantities with meals.

Is there a healthy sugar? ›

Sweeteners like fruit juice, honey, molasses and maple syrup contain natural sugar and have some nutritional benefits. Fruit has fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. Even raw honey and maple syrup can contain antioxidants and minerals like iron, zinc, calcium and potassium.

So, the corn syrup you see in bottles in the grocery store is just plain, glucose syrup, sold most often by Karo, the largest national brand.

Glucose is used to treat very low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), most often in people with diabetes mellitus. glucose works by quickly increasing the amount of glucose in your blood. Glucose is also used to provide carbohydrate calories to a person who cannot eat because of illness, trauma, or other medical condition.

There is currently no evidence to suggest that HFCS is any worse than sugar. Both high fructose corn syrup and sugar are essentially the same; the difference between them is too small to matter in moderate consumption, and in excess both are harmful to health.

One tablespoon (15 ml) is loaded with 62 calories and 17 grams of carbs — nearly 4 times more than the amounts found in table sugar ( 8 , 9 ). Consuming glucose syrup regularly may increase your risk of obesity, high blood sugar, poor dental health, high blood pressure, and heart disease ( 10 , 11 ).

Glucose syrup is a refined and concentrated solution of dextrose, maltose and higher saccharides, obtained by hydrolysis of starch. It is more distinct than sugar, partly because it is a syrup, which means that the solution is a thick, sweetish liquid.

Glucose syrups are typically made from a non-gluten source such as maize (corn) and less commonly from rice and potato. A Gluten Free label on a product overrides the ingredient list – it contains no-detectable gluten.

Glucose and fructose are linked in sugar as a disaccharide, whereas HFCS consists of a mixture of free glucose and fructose molecules. Since sugar is broken down into glucose and fructose by enzymes in the small intestine, HFCS and sugar are essentially equivalent after being absorbed by the body.

The countries where no HFCS at all is used include India, Ireland, Sweden, Austria, Uruguay, and Lithuania. France, China, Australia, and the UK all use less than one pound per capita.

Well, the Corn Refiners Association (CRA) argue that they have simply changed a form of HFCS called HFCS-90 (90% pure fructose) to be called fructose or fructose syrup. Manufacturers argue that fructose isn't as bad because fructose makes up the sugar content in fruits.

Who should avoid fructose? ›

Why do I Need to Follow a Low-Fructose Diet? Fructose intolerance can occur in people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and other GI disorders. In some individuals, fructose is not digested or absorbed well in the body, causing bloating, abdominal pain, nausea, gas, and diarrhea.

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, in turn, may increase the risk of fatty liver disease, gout, and heart disease.

The researchers found that fructose causes the immune system to become inflamed. This process, in turn, produces more reactive molecules, which are associated with inflammation. Specifically, this sugar adjusts cellular metabolic pathways to promote the production of more reactive inflammatory cytokines.

Answer. Glucose syrup is considered safe even when derived from wheat, barley or rye. That is because the process used to produce glucose syrup renders the starting material to contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten, which is considered a safe concentration for those with celiac disease.

“According to analysis of clinical trials evaluating fructose intake, 25-40g of fructose per day is totally safe. “However if you have fructose malabsorption you need to keep your fructose intake to less than 25g a day.

How long does fructose stay in your system? Normally, fructose is metabolized within six hours after it's consumed. However, it could stay in your system for a few days or weeks if you have fructose intolerance.

A meta-analysis found that individuals had to consume >100 grams of fructose per day to see adverse effects on body fat or metabolic markers. To summarize this, it appears that for most of us, fructose intake between 0 and ~80-90 grams per day does not convey a substantial health risk.

Natural sugars are safe to eat

Any sugar that is naturally occurring in a food gets the green light. That includes sugar in fruit and starchy vegetables, as well as whole or minimally processed carbohydrates like brown rice and whole grain pasta. Sugar in dairy products like milk and cheese is OK, too.

The worst sweeteners include artificial sweeteners like sucralose, saccharin, and aspartame, high fructose corn syrup, agave, and brown rice syrup. It's best to avoid these sweeteners, if possible.

When you consume sugar, your pancreas must produce insulin to normalize your blood sugar levels. Overconsumption of sugar will cause your pancreas to work overtime and get damaged.

Which is healthier sugar or honey? ›

From a calorie and sugar content perspective, the differences between sugar and honey are minimal, however, overall, honey contains slightly more health benefits than table sugar from its potential antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties.

Stevia, monk fruit, certain sugar alcohols, and allulose are much lower in calories than table sugar and do not significantly affect blood sugar levels, making them a smart alternative to refined sugar.

Because of its molasses content, brown sugar does contain certain minerals, most notably calcium, potassium, iron and magnesium (white sugar contains none of these). But since these minerals are present in only minuscule amounts, there is no real health benefit to using brown sugar.

One liter of Coca-Cola Zero Sugar contains 96 mg caffeine. Additionally, artificial sweeteners are used. In the U.S., this includes aspartame and acesulfame potassium. However, the exact combination of sweeteners and preservatives used varies from market to market.

Common artificial sweeteners include: Aspartame. Sucralose. Acesulfame K.

Aspartame Aspartame (also known as Equal) is one of the most popular artificial sweeteners, adding sweetness to diet sodas, desserts, cereals, and many other foods and beverages.

The new study — drawing on clinical trials, basic science, and animal studies — concludes that fructose is more damaging to health than glucose. Lucan and DiNicolantonio lay out a series of findings that show the digestive tract doesn't absorb fructose as well as other sugars. More fructose then goes into the liver.

Added sugars and high fructose corn syrup are considered primary causes of the overweighting of America. Weight gain abetted by high-calorie foods containing HFCS can also contribute to heart disease, diabetes, fatty liver disease and dyslipidemia, an abnormal level of cholesterol and other fats in the blood.

Glucose syrup is a liquid sweetener often used in commercial foods to improve taste and shelf life. However, eating this syrup regularly is unhealthy, as it's highly processed and loaded with calories and sugar. As such, it's best to avoid this ingredient. Instead, look for foods that contain healthier sweeteners.

A study found no differences in the consumption of fructose versus high-fructose corn syrup versus glucose. Consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) has been associated with increased risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.

Which is the healthiest sugar? ›

Talking about sugar being good for health, then natural sugar or stevia is the best. They have many health benefits to offer apart from weight loss. It has all the essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that are essential for your body. While stevia is also known to be the best sugar for weight loss.

High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is an artificial sugar made from corn syrup. Many experts believe that added sugar and HFCS are key factors in today's obesity epidemic ( 1 , 2 ). HFCS and added sugar are also linked to many other serious health issues, including diabetes and heart disease ( 3 , 4 ).

Glucose syrup is a refined and concentrated solution of dextrose, maltose and higher saccharides, obtained by hydrolysis of starch. It is more distinct than sugar, partly because it is a syrup, which means that the solution is a thick, sweetish liquid.

Glucose syrup is widely used because of its basic properties: its lack of a distinct taste, its transparency and its viscosity. Depending on which type is used, glucose syrups can provide texture, volume, taste, glossiness, improved stability and a longer shelf-life.

Our analyses of commercial products have shown wide use of fructose-containing glucose syrups. It is true that glucose syrup, rice syrup and wheat syrup may contain high levels of fructose.

Honey, corn syrup and agave nectar are all good substitutes for glucose syrup. Or you could try inverted sugar syrup, which is made from sucrose instead of glucose. Whatever you choose, make sure to use it in moderation – too much sugar can quickly ruin a dish.