Fructose versus glucose?!

Posted , 3 users are following.

What can anybody tell me about fructose in the diet for type2 diabetes!?!

I've run across this by accident.  I bought what turned out to be a super-sweet variety of cantaloupe, and I thought OMG I shouldn't even be eating this, and then lo and behold, my BG *falls* ten points!  Say, what?

So through one thing and another I find there is some kind of issue about fructose in the diets for diabetes.  And I'm guessing these melons are full of fructose.

Fructose does NOT raise your BG reading, and in my case it seems to be doing the opposite!  However nothing could be that good, right?  So it turns out there are other drawbacks to too much fructose, it will raise your triglycerides.  Which may in part explain why high-fructose corn syrup is a bad thing - low-fructose corn syrup being bad enough.

So anyway, does anyone have anymore to add on or about this topic?

Thanks!

0 likes, 12 replies

12 Replies

  • Posted

    High fructose corn syrup is NOT the same as fructose found in fruits. Its basically a synthetic version, which is very unhealthy. You coukd argue that it is not synthetic, but is definately not natural!

    I did all the research years ago. I can’t remember the details, but I stopped buying products containing high fructose corn syrup.

    I just did a search on structure of HFCS. What I found is very misleading, as the actual structure and bond types are not mentioned.

    I recall from my organic chemistry days that sucrose is made of one fructose molecule and  one glucose molecule. And we figure, so what’s the big deal?

    The big deal is that there is a chemical bond that connects the fructorse and glucose molecules and that this particular type of bond does not break down easily in the body. So the body keeps producing insulin, trying to utilize the sugars in the sucrose mecule, but the breakdown and useability is delayed. All the while the body is being triggered to produce insulin. Eventually the sucrose breaks in half when the bond connecting the fructose and glucose molecule is broken. The surplus insulin binds up all the sugars, which causes the sugar crash.

    I suspect hfcs is metabolized in a similar fashion.

    On the other hand, natural fructose is easily metabolized and doesn't Cause sporatic insulin.

    • Posted

      Thanks, Catherine.  My question is really about natural fructose, I just threw in the HFCS as a side note.

      Is this a known thing then, that fructose carbs count differently than glucose carbs, or … something?

    • Posted

      There’s something called glycemic index. It rates foods based on how much they affect blood sugar levels. I'm not exactly sure how they determine the glycemic index of a food. Certain fruits are better than others. Berries of all types, kiwis are best fruits. Bananas should be avoided, for example.

      You can do a search for gkycemic index. 

      Sorry I font have an snswer for your original question, does natural fructose lower yourblood sugar? I’ll see what I can find.

    • Posted

      Ok, i did find a longterm large scale study that compared fruit consumption with various medical factors. One finding was that non diabetic persons were less likely to become diabetic, the higher their fresh fruit consumption. So fresh fruit appears to have a preventative effect. Higher fresh fruit consumption also correlated to lower heart related disease. Keep on mind heart disease is often correlated with diabetes.

      I also ran across an article stating that fresh fruit often provides vitamin C, which many diabetics are deficient in. This brings up the point that fresh fruit often contains necessary  vitamins and minerals.

      Your observation is important. I would encourage you to keep track of which foods work best for you and reach your own conclusion. It wouldn't be the first time medical advise is incorrect.

      The current accepted belief is that diabetics should limit fruit intake. My observation looking after my mother following diabetic ketoacidosis was that it was extremely important to limit fruit intake following an acute diabetic attack. However, once she became stable through proper diet and other natural approaches, she’s been able to consume fresh fruits without consequence.  

    • Posted

      All that I've seen so far is that honey is sometimes associated with benefits for diabetic diets, and one of the theories of why that might be is its fructose content, because fructose does not register as glucose.

      That seems a strange place to stop the story, but I see no more information.

      Apparently apples and watermelon are *high* in fructose, and purely by chance those are the ones I've been using more in my diet - which has overall been working well for me.  So maybe it's not entirely chance!

      But then I'd want to know more about how *much* fructose it takes before it starts raising your triglycerides.  That's an odd thing, as if eating fruit was a bad thing????  So maybe it takes quite a lot before it goes bad???

      And this seems like it could be so significant to so many people, yet after six months trying to learn about diabetes (because I've got it!) this is the first I've heard of it.

      Thanks for all your efforts.

    • Posted

      Catherine, thanks again.

      A relatively modest amount of this presumably fructose-sweet melon seems to take my BG readings down between 75 and 85 - American readings.  EXCELLENT American readings!

      But I have a couple of other variables to control for.

      I think I'll switch off to watermelon tomorrow morning, based on these new parameters, see how that goes.

      I've also emailed the melon company (it's a specialized farm) to see if they have fructose figures.

    • Posted

      I think melons are on the low glycemic end of things. 

      Is it possibke you’re not drinking enough water and the melon is helping hydrate you?

    • Posted

      It seems unlikely that hydration is an issue with my blood glucose.

      Cantaloupe is listed as low, watermelon is listed as high, and these special melons, trust me, are VERY high on sugars!  They are also juicier than normal cantaloupe. Seriously tasty stuff!  But I don't eat enough of them even so, that it would have any effect on hydration, now that you mention it.

    • Posted

      I know the site doesn't like links, but let's try it, if you're in the US:

      I'd guess the equivalent is also available in the UK, but no idea how you'd go about finding it.

      "Sugar Kiss is the sweetest member of the “Kiss” family of melons. This melon packs a punch of flavor. The soft meat melts in your mouth, dissolving like sugar on the tongue. An incredible enjoyable eating experience. With a texture reminiscent of a Crenshaw, the Sugar Kiss has unsurpassed flavor. A native of Taiwan, the Sugar Kiss is perfect for anyone trying to distinguish themselves from the competition. The Sugar Kiss’ flavor will change your notion of a great tasting melon. A true example of our mantra, “where flavor comes first.” Sugar Kiss Melon seeds are Non-GMO."

        

      Moderator comment: I have removed the link(s) directing to site(s) unsuitable for inclusion in the forums. If users want this information please use the Private Message service to request the details.

  • Posted

    I saw an Indian doctor online testing a blood sample for glucose then he added fructose to the sample and then tested it again and it had gone down. He said diabetics, type 2, can eat as much fruit as they like. Don't know how reliable his methods are, but when I clicked on the link to find out how to reverse type 2 by registering for a class and it was approximately £150 he wanted me to send. My son said not to do it. I will look for his name etc and put it on here for you to watch. It may answer your questions about fructose.

    • Posted

      The doctor's name is Biswaroop Roy Chowdary and you will find on YT.

    • Posted

      Hi Granny, I look after my mother and was told she’d likely never get off insulin and would need to take diabetes meds her entire life. Basically no hope of recovering quality of life and  expense of constantly testing and  medicating.

      I couldn’t believe the expense of diabetes: over $1,000/month for diabetes meds and supplies even after her two insurances paid up! Whatever the increased cost of food, herbs, acupuncture, they’re cheaper than the cost of diabetes meds! Certainly worthwhile when you consider the horrible side effects of the disease and the medications.

      I was fortunate because my mother had no way to cheat on her food plan... I kept her on a very strict diet for six months, along with herbs and acupuncture. I was SHOCKED at how easily diabetes was reversed! 

      Maybe it isn't possible for everyone, but if you don't try, you’ll never know. What’s a little ‘deprivation’ and inconvenient food preparation compared to the hassle and cost of treating diabetes with meds and monitoring?

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