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Compare Fructose Vs. Sucrose

Fructose and sucrose are carbohydrates in the form of simple sugars. They occur naturally in foods, and both can also be processed for use in commercially prepared food items. Sucrose is a combination of glucose and fructose. Both sugars add texture and taste to foods, and they extend the shelf life of prepared foods.

  1. Natural Sources

    • Sugar cane field

      Fructose is found naturally in fruits and vegetables, their juices, and honey. It is what gives them their sweet taste. Sucrose is the main type of sugar found in high-grade 100 percent maple syrup (the other sugars are glucose and fructose), and is also found in beets and sugar cane.

    Processed Forms

    • Processed fructose is made from cornstarch in a process that turns glucose into crystalline fructose. Processed sucrose made from sugar cane comes in many forms, including raw, granulated, brown, turbinado and confectioner's sugar.

    Food Products

    • Fructose is used in dry drink mixes, low-calorie foods, frozen juices, flavored water and energy drinks, soda pop, flavored milks, cereals, bakery items, yogurt, and canned fruit and sweets. Sucrose is used in baked goods, jams, condensed milk, sauces, ice cream, preserved meats, and in the brewing and yeast-growing processes.

    Nutrition Concerns

    • Fructose and sucrose are both safe for human consumption and provide calories that convert to glucose in the body. They should not, however, be used as a replacement for natural foods that contain sugars, like fruits and vegetables, which also provide valuable nutrients and fiber.

    Sweetness

    • Fructose is approximately 1.2 to 1.8 times sweeter than sucrose.

    Additional Information

    • Fructose should not be confused with high-fructose corn syrup, which is a combination of glucose and fructose, and has different properties and effects upon the body.

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