Mia Lane
Fructose (fruit sugar) is found in many foods. A completely fructose-free diet is therefore almost impossible. How much fructose can be absorbed without symptoms varies from person to person. The decisive factor here is the personal tolerance threshold.
Fructose-free diet
Fructose is often better tolerated when glucose (dextrose) is taken in at the same time. Foods that contain at least as much glucose as fructose usually cause hardly any symptoms. For many people who suffer from fructose intolerance, a complete renunciation of fructose is usually not necessary.
Fructose intolerance (fructose malabsorption) affects digestion, which can lead to abdominal cramps or flatulence. More people are affected by this intolerance than you think. Some studies speak of a third of Germans. However, intolerance to fructose can also occur temporarily and does not have to persist over the entire lifespan.
Low fructose foods
Foods that are generally suitable for a fructose intolerance diet are carbohydrate-containing plant products (such as potatoes, rice, couscous, or millet).
Grain products such as bread, rolls, muesli, and pasta usually do not cause any problems either. Dairy products that do not contain fruit additives can also be consumed without any problems.
Nuts, coconuts, seeds, or animal products such as meat, fish, and eggs, or drinks such as water, coffee, black tea, green tea, and herbal tea are good for fructose intolerance.
Vegetables such as frozen canned peas, cooked mushrooms, asparagus, spinach, zucchini, chard, carrots, fresh tomatoes, red and yellow peppers, olives, beetroot, parsnips, and kohlrabi should not be eaten in large quantities.
Sweet without fructose
Sweeteners such as glucose, malt, or malt syrup and certain artificial sweeteners such as acesulfame, aspartame, saccharin, and cyclamate are suitable for fructose intolerance diets. Aspartame in particular is popular because of its sugar-like taste. It is found in the sweetener “Canderel” and is labeled with the ingredient E 951. Stevia, which has been approved in the EU since 2012, also contains no fructose, although it is plant-based. The main ingredient in stevia leaves is stevioside, a substance that is 300 times sweeter than standard sugar. By the way: Stevia has zero calories and contains no carbohydrates. However, pay attention to the other ingredients in finished products with stevia. For example, stevia chocolate can be a hidden sugar trap.
Foods containing fructose
Foods with a rather high fructose content are particularly fruit types and products such as apples, pears, cherries or grapes, dried fruits, fruit juices, jams, or marmalade.
Vegetables such as peas, mushrooms, chicory, red cabbage, white cabbage, leeks, peppers, lentils, onions, or garlic also contain fructose. Although their fructose content is lower than that of fruit, they can still cause symptoms under certain circumstances.
Change in diet
First of all, all foods containing fructose and sorbitol should be avoided, and then slowly approach tolerable foods and quantities. It is often sufficient to limit the consumption of foods containing fructose and sorbitol. Sorbitol is also a sugar. Fructose intolerance and sorbitol intolerance often occur together.
