Fructose is the natural sugar found in fruits, vegetables and honey. When consumed from a natural source it is not considered harmful to a person’s health as it comes with fibre, vitamins and minerals and is less likely to be overconsumed.
Yet when fructose is consumed as part of high-fructose corn syrup via processed foods like soft drinks and packaged baked goods, then it can become a health concern.
Past studies link the consumption of fructose or high-fructose corn syrup to an increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease, type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, kidney disease and cancer.
“Fructose occurs naturally in some fruits and vegetables – so humans have always been exposed to it,” says Professor Gary Patti.
“What has changed over the past four to five decades is that we started using it as an artificial sweetener in processed foods. Many people are exposed to much higher levels than ever before.”
Professor Patti is the senior author of a study published in Nature that has found dietary fructose may promote tumour growth in animal models of melanoma, breast cancer and cervical cancer.
“It has been well established for over a century that cancer cells are addicted to glucose,” Patti said.
Patti and his team found that the body’s liver converts fructose into a type of lipid, which are associated with inflammation. When cancer cells divide, they require a large amount of lipids. Having a larger amount of LPCs in the bloodstream aids cancer cell replication, helping tumours grow.
