Fructose: food intolerance that goes unnoticed

Perhaps it has happened to you that you feel diarrhea, gas and various other symptoms that you have a hard time explaining. You ruled out dairy, gluten and checked the expiration dates of your products. The reason has to be elsewhere.

Fructose is the degree or amount of sugar found in fruits, honey, and certain vegetables. It is that food aversion that may be causing you problems. As it is less common to hear or read about it, today we wanted to bring it as a central topic, so that you inform yourself and you can discard it.

Especially because its symptoms are often confused with those of other stomach diseases and the reality is that between 40 and 60% of the population in Spain suffers from it, according to the Andalusian Association of Digestive Pathology (AAPD)

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Fructose intolerance: this is how your body lives it

When you suffer from this bad food, the body cannot absorb fructose properly and the intestine releases water, causing diarrhea and the fermentation it causes with stomach bacteria produces gas. In addition to that, the symptoms associated with this condition are:

1. Crampy pain between 30 minutes and 3-4 hours after meals.
2. Abdominal distension and swelling.
3. Flatulence.
4. Bowel movements and sounds.
5. Occasionally, gassy diarrhea (explosive diarrhea)

Fructose Intolerance Test medmesafe

We have a tool for you to rule out what food intolerance you suffer from. With a blood sample you can find out what you are intolerant to and treat it appropriately. By clicking on the banner below, you access a special discount offer on this test:

 

Diet when suffering from fructose intolerance

The way to treat this condition is by reducing the intake of foods that contain this sugar. Below we leave you a list of allowed and not allowed foods, by category, that we obtained with our friends at Alimmenta, experts on the subject.

 

Sugars, sweeteners and sweets

Allowed: Glucose syrup, glucose, maltose, maltodextrin Sweeteners: aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame K and cyclamate

Not allowed: Fructose, sucrose, sorbitol and candies and sweeteners that contain them such as candies, chocolates, chewing gum, etc.

 

fruits and fruits

Occasional: avocado, pumpkin or sunflower seeds (10 units/day), ripe olives (25g/day), lemon or lime juice (15 ml/day)

Not allowed: All others (including tomatoes), including their juices and all products that contain them.

 

Vegetables, vegetables:

Allowed: Chard, fresh broccoli, spinach, old potatoes, mushrooms, escarole and endives.

Limited consumption: celery, chard, watercress, collard greens, frozen broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce, cucumber and new potato.

Not allowed: All others.

 

Legumes:

Limited consumption: lentils, chickpeas, beans and peas (as a side dish).

Not allowed: All others.

 

Cereals and derivatives

Allowed: Flour and semolina of wheat, oats, corn, rye, potato starch, rice. White bread and pasta. Cereal porridge with no added sugar.

Not allowed: Cereals or wholemeal flours and soy flour.

 

Milk and derivatives

Allowed: Breastfeeding, milk, fructose-free powdered milk, natural cream, cured and fresh cheeses and yogurt (without fruit or sucrose)

Not allowed: Soy beverage, condensed milk, fruit yogurt, soy or sweetened with sucrose, milk-based preparations with sucrose (milkshakes, ice cream, etc.)

 

Oils and fats

Allowed: Vegetable oils, butter and margarine.

Not allowed: Commercial dressings or sauces with sucrose and fructose.

 

Beverages

Allowed: Water, mineral water, infusions (chamomile, linden, mint), cocoa and coffee.

Not allowed: Drinks containing fructose, sucrose or sorbitol or made from fruit.

 

condiments and sauces

Allowed: Spices, aromatic herbs, mustard, salt, vinegar and yeast.

Not allowed: Commercial dressings with fructose or any element that contains it.