Fructose vs. Glucose

Fructose and glucose are two common dietary sugars that are found within foods.

Fructose is a simple sugar consisting of the chemical compound C₆H₁₂O₆ that occurs mainly in fruit and honey. It is the sweetest of the simple sugars. It is added to many foods to increase sweetness.

Glucose is a simple sugar consisting of the chemical compound C₆H₁₂O₆ through which animals mainly obtain carbohydrates. It is added to many foods in the form of corn syrup to increase sweetness. A person's blood sugar is referred to as and is affected by glucose.

The two sugars contain nearly the same amount of calories but are metabolized differently by the body. Fructose causes more cellular damage than glucose. Both are good sources of energy, but can lead to health problems if consumed in large quantities.