At Gluten Free 4 U, we’re happy to announce that many of our products are completely fructose free. Our fructose friendly products are listed here on our website and online product catalogue for your convenience.
But what exactly is fructose intolerance? It isn’t the same as gluten intolerance, that’s for sure. In brief, fructose intolerance just plain stinks – really. Fructose is in many common foods and common symptoms include bloat and flatulence, which can be uncomfortable or embarrassing, but more serious symptoms may present themselves. So, what’s fructose friendly all about?
What is Fructose Intolerance?
Fructose is a simple sugar found in many foods. There are two types of intolerance that one may suffer from:
- Dietary fructose intolerance (fructose malabsorption): this condition comes from the intestinal cells not absorbing fructose properly, which can lead to flatulence, bloat, diarrhoea, or stomach pain;
- Hereditary fructose intolerance: a much more serious form of fructose intolerance that is developed at birth. Babies will often show symptoms as soon as they move to solid foods. Hereditary fructose intolerance comes from a lack of the enzyme required to break down fructose, thus leading to an inability to digest the sugar. Symptoms range from nausea to bloat, diarrhoea, low blood sugar levels, and even growth or developmental problems.
Where is Fructose Found?
Like gluten, fructose is quite common in everyday foods both natural and processed. Some examples of foods containing fructose include:
- Fruit juice;
- Fruits: apples, watermelon, grapes;
- Vegetables: asparagus, courgettes, peas;
- Honey;
- Table sugar.
Moreover, processed food manufacturers often label their products with alternative ingredient names, which should be avoided. These include: high-fructose corn syrup, agave syrup, maple syrup, molasses, and sorghum.
Diagnosing Fructose Intolerance
Unfortunately, it can be rather difficult to diagnose fructose intolerance. If you believe you are suffering from symptoms of intolerance, it’s best to speak with your GP or a dietician to see if they can provide a professional medical opinion.
The problem is that many of the symptoms of fructose intolerance overlap with symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Some tests can be performed to establish a diagnosis, such as fructose breath tests, but generally, it’s best you go over your diet with a medical professional and follow up if you continue to experience symptoms.
How to Manage Fructose Intolerance
Since it can be difficult to diagnose fructose intolerance, most of the time your dietician will probably help you develop an ‘elimination diet,’ whereby you remove fructose from your diet and gradually introduce foods containing fructose. If you begin to experience symptoms, you may be suffering from fructose intolerance.
For mild cases, it might be possible to simply deal with the symptoms, but this isn’t really ideal. Perhaps a far better alternative is to consider low-fructose foods such as avocados, bananas, pineapple, and berries.
For more severe cases, your GP will most likely recommend a strict no-fructose diet. Since it’s so prevalent, it’s disheartening and you may feel like you’re missing out on many foods you may have previously loved.
The good news is that Gluten Free 4 U bakes fresh, tasty meals, savouries and sweets, to satisfy any craving you may have – without fructose!
Gluten Free 4 U
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