So what is fructose, and why do we care?
Most people enjoy sweet foods. A common source of that sweetness is fructose. It’s one of the body’s natural forms of sugar, also found in fruit and honey. But we eat much more fructose than our grandparents did for various reasons: food manufacturers often add large quantities to our foods and drinks, usually as high-fructose corn syrup.
So, whenever you eat an apple or an orange, it does contain a small amount of fructose, but it also includes other great things, including fiber, vitamins, and compounds healthy to some other plants. That’s not the problem, as such sources are natural. The trouble arises when this quantity of fructose gets carried from these added sweets through soda drinks and some foods.
How does our body react differently to fructose than to any other sugar?
Your body is brilliant, just like a super machine. It knows exactly what to do with most foods you eat, except for fructose. And this is not a good thing. When you consume regular sugar or starchy food, almost all cells in your body can use that food’s energy. Not so with fructose.
Only your liver knows how to handle fructose properly. You would have to think that your liver is like a processing plant that handles all the fructose you take in in food and beverages. The minute you pop open that can of soda and pour your body corn syrup into it, your liver works day and night to convert the fructose into something else, produce some of it into fat, and convert it into regular sugar and other compounds that can present dangers inside your body.
What do scientists know about fructose and cancer?
Over the last twenty years or so, scientists have indeed come a long way in investigating fructose as related to cancers, especially colon, that is, cancer in the large intestine, rectum, and others. Guess what they found pretty scary—it seems that for the cancer cell, fructose is like catnip. Essentially, it will be giving what it wants.
There are research findings on the mechanism of uptake of fructose by cancer cells:
- Direct interactions with cancer cells
- They consume fructose at an increased speed for proliferation:
- Fructose can help them survive longer when other cells would have been dead
- They can metabolize fructose into precursor materials to build more cancer cells
- Cancer cells can respire fructose for energy when they cannot effectively use other sugars
- The more the concentration of fructose available, the faster some cancers appear to grow
How does fructose change your body?
- It causes gut inflammation
- It can change the good bacteria in your gut
- It can make it harder for your body to regulate blood sugar
- Too much fructose can damage the lining of your intestines
- It can stress your liver, which can impact how your body fights cancer
What makes scientists interested in high-fructose corn syrup?
Overall, HFC is one of the most widespread sweeteners in the modern diet. It’s in sodas and candies, but also, mysteriously, in less obvious places: flour products such as bread, yogurt, and some types of snacks advertised as healthy and beneficial for the body. It is used for its low cost and because it makes things taste good.
It has silently made its way to our kitchen sinks and onto the dinner table as a liquid instead of its proper form. Think of this:
A 20-ounce soda has more fructose than if you were eating multiple pieces of fruit. And again, that glass of soda lacks fiber or nutrition to accompany this fructose as your body handles it.
In what way do these cancerous cells benefit from consuming fructose?
Scientists have an interesting topic in their laboratories: cancer cells. Cells that receive a lot of fructose start acting differently. They grow faster and are more difficult to kill, as if fructose gives them superpowers.
It’s complicated, but here’s a simple approach: Cancerous cells already differ from normal cells. They do not obey any regular rules; they don’t stop growing in a regular and expected manner when the time comes around. When all that fructose is fed in, it provides an extra supply of building materials plus energy for an uncontrollable buildup.
What should we do then?
We can do a lot to decrease our risk. First, we don’t have to avoid fructose altogether; we must consider where it comes from. Eating whole fruits is still good for you. The fiber in fruit helps slow down how quickly the fructose gets into your body.
Instead, cut down on processed foods and sugary drinks. These are the most important ways through which most people regularly get additional fructose. Instead of sweet drinks, drink beverages such as water, unsweetened tea, and sparkling water with a drop of juice.
Are we supposed to be concerned about consuming fruits?
No, don’t stop eating fruits! That’s important to understand. Fructose is not a problem with whole fruits. Nature packages fruit fructose with fiber, water, vitamins, minerals, and compounds that protect against cancer.
It means you’d need to consume an absurd quantity of fruit to ingest the fructose equivalent of what you’d get from processed foods and drinks. In addition, most people don’t over-consume fruit. You feel full due to the fiber content before you over consume enough.
What about artificial sweeteners? Are they better?
This is a tricky question. Though artificial sweeteners don’t contain fructose, they can bring problems. Some findings state that such substitutes could change your good bacteria flora and, because of this factor, might differ from cancer’s possible risks somehow.
The best tactic is to reduce your desire for intensely sweet foods gradually. It’s not hard, and several people don’t want high-calorie desserts and drinks several weeks later.
What do patients who currently have colorectal cancer need to know?
If you have colorectal cancer, inquire with your care team about the diet. You may be advised to decrease fructose levels, but you can do that through the treatment scheme.
Most hospitals with cancer treatments accredited specialized nutritionists who assist cancer patients. They can help the patient make such decisions, most notably regarding the diets that must supply adequate calorie and nutrient needs during this period. They can also advise patients which foods should be avoided because they feed cancerous cells directly.
How may we make the best choices daily?
Change isn’t something that needs to be done all at once or is necessarily complex.
Start small. Read food labels to find high-fructose corn syrup and other added sugars. Try to replace one sugary drink a day with water. Ditch fruit juices and fruit-flavored snacks and go for the whole fruit instead.
Remember, every little bit counts. It’s not a requirement to be perfect. Slowly cutting down on added fructose will still allow one to have food and a lifestyle that he can maintain over the long run.
The Bottom Line
We understand that the relationship between fructose and colorectal cancer is complex. But evidence suggests that excessive added fructose may fuel carcinoma cells, helping them grow. Of course, this does not mean you have reason to fear everything sweet that comes your way.
It depends on the source of your fructose and making good choices most of the time. So, continue enjoying whole fruits, cut back on processed foods and sugary drinks, and focus more on vegetables, whole grains, and other healthy foods.
Remember, then, that what you eat is just one piece of the puzzle for preventive measures against cancer. To change it, you have to be active, have an ideal weight, not smoke, and have check-ups regularly.