Today's parents give a lot of thought to how they can feed their children a healthy diet. That's a good thing! This also includes preventing young children from becoming overweight later on. However, this is not so easy. A good example of this is fructose, the fruit sugar contained in fruit, but above all in many processed food products. Did you know that this natural component of fresh fruit can favour the development of obesity?
As long as the baby still only receives milk meals via the mother's breast or a bottle, the matter is settled: breastfeeding promotes the child's health optimally anyway, but bottle-feeding is also strongly adapted to the needs of babies. Only with and after the introduction of complementary foods, when the little ones are increasingly eating solid food independently, does the question arise: What is best for my child?
In this context, hardly anyone would suspect that not everything that sounds like fresh fruit is automatically always safe.
The truth: Fructose (fruit sugar) is neither healthier nor better than white industrial sugar. On the contrary - a scientific study published in 2022 has just shown that fructose Overview article The European Commission has once again expressly warned via various studies of the health consequences that can be caused by excessive consumption of fructose during childhood - mainly through the consumption of industrially processed foods! - can be caused.
Where is fructose in it?
Before we clarify what fructose is and what it can "do", let's first look at which foods contain natural fructose:
With fruit a distinction is made between high-fructose and low-fructose varieties.
Lots of natural fructose is found, for example, in apples, pears, plums, apricots, peaches and dried fruit (sultanas, figs, dates).
Little natural fructose is contained in berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc.). Oranges, rhubarb, lemons and limes are also low in fructose.
Vegetables too contains natural fructose.
More abundant fructose is found in aubergines, beans, peas, fennel, cucumbers, carrots, leeks, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, tomatoes, white cabbage, courgettes, sweetcorn and onions, for example.
To a small extent potatoes, lettuce, spinach, mushrooms, broccoli, asparagus and radishes contain fructose.
In countless industrially produced food products is particularly high in fructose, which the industry usually adds as fructose syrup. Fruit yoghurt, mayonnaise and ready-made salad dressings, jam, jelly, honey, pre-marinated meat and fish, bread with additives (e.g. with soya, nuts) and, of course, fruit juices are rich in fructose.
What are the properties of fructose?
Fructose refers to fruit sugar, which is a carbohydrate. Like glucose (grape sugar), fructose also belongs to the so-called simple sugars (monosaccharins): They each consist of only one type of sugar molecule.
Fructose has many properties, and not all of them are always beneficial to humans:
It's totally cute! Fructose contains about the same number of calories as pure glucose or normal household sugar - but tastes much, much sweeter than the latter! So it's no wonder that children like fructose-containing foods such as "squeezies", ketchup or fruit juices. And that the industry is too fond of this powerful sweetener and adds fructose syrup to various foods during production. It is highly soluble, does not crystallise and enhances the flavour of both fruity and spicy dishes.
Makes you "hungry"! Although this is a little exaggerated, it is a step in the right direction. The problem with fructose is that it interferes with a certain hormone called leptin, which helps to regulate our feeling of fullness. As a result, this messenger substance cannot properly signal to the brain "I'm full" when we have eaten enough. However, if you don't feel full, you are still "hungry" and continue to eat more and more...
May cause discomfort! Another typical example is the famous "Quetschie", which is so popular with small children. This puree of mostly pure fruit, packed in soft plastic bags (which produce a lot of rubbish!), can be sucked up by the little ones themselves without choking. Such a "healthy" snack for in-between meals is quick and easy to have to hand when travelling or at home. Toddlers love "squeezies" - and parents have a clear conscience, as they are often reassured by manufacturers with the misleading label "no added sugar". However, this only refers to normal household sugar!
Incidentally, a "squeeze" often contains more sugar than lemonade or cola, just in the form of fructose. And the little ones will polish it off in no time because the pulp slides down so quickly and easily. The squeezed fruit then passes from the stomach to the intestines quite quickly. The bacteria living there are happy about this, as they immediately attack this feast and multiply rapidly. They produce lots of fermenting gases, which can lead to flatulence, stomach ache and diarrhoea. The small intestine of children is not yet able to absorb fructose as well as that of adults, as it is still developing.
There is also a risk of tooth decay if the fructose constantly coats the child's teeth due to frequent sucking on the "squeeze bottle" or the bottle of fruit juice.
Can make you ill if consumed in excess! How is that possible? We know that eating fruit is very healthy, especially for children! Yes, that's true. And it stays that way - because this is mainly about processed foods and excessive consumption of fructose.
Let's take another look at the human metabolism for a better understanding:
The most important source of energy for our cells is the Glucose. Once ingested, it quickly finds its way from the intestine into the blood ("blood sugar") and from there feeds our cells via insulin. Excess glucose is "temporarily stored" in stores located in our liver and muscles for later use. Only when these stores overflow does our body convert the excess glucose into fat. This then settles on the stomach and hips and can lead to health problems.
With the Fructose the metabolism looks different: Firstly, our body is not dependent on them. And secondly, insulin is not needed to transport it into the cells. This is why fructose enters the bloodstream via other routes after ingestion, but only at a very leisurely pace and in much smaller quantities. Fructose is primarily converted into fat by the liver and then stored in fat depots.
This is not a problem if you consume fructose in moderation, especially fresh, unprocessed products.
However, the scientific review warns against excessive fructose: "Fructose consumption is particularly high in children because (...) especially their parents underestimate the dangers of high fructose intake. Although fructose is mistakenly considered a natural nutrient, excessive intake can cause adverse changes to the cardiovascular system and metabolism." And as mentioned: "By affecting hunger and satiety control (...) fructose can lead to increased calorie intake." Infants and young children in particular, who first have to learn how to deal with their feelings of hunger and satiety, are especially at risk if food influences these feelings. In the long term, regular and excessive consumption of fructose, especially in the form of industrially processed products, therefore threatens children with considerable obesity, high blood pressure, lipometabolic disorders, diabetes and fatty liver.
What does this mean for your child's diet?
It remains the same: vegetables and fruit are absolutely important components of your child's diet! As already mentioned, berries are particularly suitable here. Fruit is also filling, keeps the intestinal flora fit thanks to fibre, provides other important nutrients and generally prevents many later illnesses. All of this is scientifically proven - it just depends on the right amount and the right preparation and texture of the food containing fructose.
My tips:
- If possible, offer your children fruit as a whole or as finger food. They benefit most from this.
- Vegetable porridges generally do not need any additional sweetening. If they do, then you can refine the porridge with very little fruit. However, it is better if the child gets used to the flavour of pure vegetables. Your child and you will learn which vegetables are tasty by trying them out. Sometimes children only acquire a taste for vegetables after trying them several times. So give your child the chance to try vegetables that they have rejected.
- If your child's vegetable meal consisted of carrots, for example, which contain about as much fructose as raspberries, then other "sweets", sweet drinks and fruit should be reduced or eliminated completely on this day so that the total amount of fructose is not too much for the child. The same applies in reverse: if the child eats fruit in between meals and tolerates it well, their "main meals" should consist of low-fructose or fructose-free foods.
- Avoid industrially processed foods as often as possible. This also includes "squeezies"!
- Pay attention to how your children react to the intake of fructose. If they develop stomach ache, flatulence or diarrhoea, it was too much and has overloaded the intestines.
- When shopping, take the time to look at the additives in processed foods. As mentioned above, added sugar in particular causes problems and poses a risk to your children's future health. If the sugar is not itemised on the product, it is usually 50% glucose and 50% fructose.
- Offer your children mainly water or unsweetened tea as a drink. For the reasons explained above, fruit juices should be avoided.
You can find more tips on introducing complementary foods here on this blog.
Would you like to know more about infant nutrition? here find more information.
I have also compiled arguments as to why so-called Children's food are completely superfluous.
You can also find lots of exciting information about the important nutrients for children of complementary feeding age in the workshop "Introduction to complementary foods".
Incidentally, the Professional Association of Paediatricians also points out that around one child in 20,000 is affected by hereditary fructose intolerance. "When young children eat fruit purées or juices and sweet vegetables such as carrots, which contain fructose (Fructose) or normal household sugar (sucrose = fructose + glucose) this could indicate a fructose intolerance." Paediatric advice should be sought if there are any signs. The child will then be examined for this metabolic disorder. If a diagnosis is made, a special diet will be recommended.
