Fructose and High-Fructose Corn Syrup

Abstract

Fructose, a monosaccharide, is naturally present in fruits, vegetables, and honey, usually accompanied by other sugars including glucose and the disaccharide sucrose. It is also found as a component of sweeteners used in many processed food products, usually as sucrose or high-fructose corn syrup. This article reviews the properties and sources of fructose in the food supply, the estimated intake in Western diets, the absorption and metabolism of fructose, and its effect on lipid and glucose metabolism. The health implications of increased consumption of fructose are discussed, and inborn errors of fructose metabolism are described.