Is fructose healthy for diabetics?
Is fructose a good sweetener for a diabetic? Fructose is being promoted now because it is sweeter than table sugar and you can use less of it for the same amount of sweet taste. Therefore, you get fewer calories. Also, the body handles it in such a way that it does not cause the quick and high elevations of blood sugar that regular sugar does. This is why it is claimed to be especially useful for diabetics. Furthermore, it does not require insulin for use by the body. Sounds great, doesn't it? Wouldn't you know there's always a catch. Nobody has yet figured out how increasing the amount of fructose in your diet (it occurs naturally in fruits) affects you in the long run. And if you do use it, you can't just "ingest it freely" as dietitians like to put it. You have to count each tablespoon as one of your fruit exchanges. And don't forget that although fructose doesn't need insulin at the start of the digestion process, after it's been stored...