fructose

Meanings

1. 1noununcountablechemistrybiology

   A simple sugar found in fruit, honey, and sweetened drinks, sweeter than ordinary table sugar.

   Grammar: Uncountable: you can say 'some fructose' or 'too much fructose', but not 'a fructose'.

   Patterns

   • fructose in something
   • contain fructose
   • high-fructose corn syrup

   Honey contains a lot of fructose, which is why it tastes so sweet.

   Fruit gives you fructose along with fiber and vitamins.

   Some doctors advise cutting down on drinks that are high in fructose.

2. 2noununcountablechemistrybiology

   A sugar that the body breaks down for energy; it is one of the two sugars that make up sucrose.

   Grammar: Used in scientific writing; usually appears with words like 'levels' or 'intake'.

   Patterns

   • fructose levels
   • fructose intake
   • break down fructose

   The liver processes most of the fructose we eat.

   Table sugar is split into glucose and fructose during digestion.

Common combinations

high-fructose corn syrup

Many soft drinks are sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup.

fructose intolerance

Fructose intolerance can cause stomach pain after eating fruit.

contain fructose

Pears and apples contain more fructose than berries do.

fructose levels

The test measures fructose levels in the blood.

Synonyms and how they differ

fruit sugar

An everyday name for the same substance; use it in ordinary conversation rather than in science writing.

sugar

Much broader: sugar covers sucrose, glucose, and many others, while fructose names one specific kind.

Word family

fructose noun

The only common form; related words like 'fructosan' are specialist.

fructosemia noun

A rare medical condition in which the body cannot process fructose properly.

Commonly confused: fructose or glucose? fructose or sucrose?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “fructose”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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