Contents:
- Medical Video: What Is Sucrose Composed of? : Fit Food
- There are many types of sugar, what are they?
- Can all of this sugar produce energy?
- All three have different metabolic pathways in the body
- Glucose
- Fructose
- Sucrose
- Where are the three types of sugar from?
Medical Video: What Is Sucrose Composed of? : Fit Food
If you look at the composition or nutritional value of a packaged food, you might find sucrose, glucose, or fructose in it. Actually, these three substances are included in the type of sugar, or simple carbohydrates. Even though it's equally sugar, what's the difference between the three? Which is better for health?
There are many types of sugar, what are they?
Sugar is the simplest structure of carbohydrates. Yes, as you know, carbohydrate sources are rice, noodles, bread, potatoes, fruits, and so on.
If you eat foods that contain carbohydrates, the body will break it down first into the smallest part, namely sugar. Then the new body can absorb and process it further.
Well, glucose and fructose are the simplest types of sugar compared to sucrose. Glucose and fructose both belong to a group of sugars called monosaccharides. This is the smallest type of sugar and cannot be broken down again.
Unlike sucrose, sucrose is included in the type of disaccharide. That means sucrose is made from a combination of two monosaccharides. These two sucrose-forming monosaccharides are glucose and fructose which are fused. You could say sucrose is a combination of fructose and glucose.
If you often read or hear information about simple sugar words, what is included in simple sugars is this monosaccharide and disaccharide.
Can all of this sugar produce energy?
Sugar is famous for its function as the main energy producer in the body. However, can all sugar produce energy? Apparently not.
Although glucose and fructose are similar, the monosaccharide group, but they are still different. The most important sugar in the body is glucose.
Because, the body can only absorb glucose and make it as energy for muscles, and also the brain. The body cannot use fructose as energy because the metabolic pathways of the two sugars in the body will be different.
Sucrose also cannot produce energy. Sucrose must be destroyed first in the body to be the simplest form, namely glucose and fructose. Then the part of glucose can be processed again to produce energy.
All three have different metabolic pathways in the body
Glucose
Glucose can be distributed in the blood and then stored in muscle cells and liver cells. When you get glucose from food, glucose is absorbed through the small intestine, and then distributed in the blood.
The sugar in the blood is called blood sugar. The presence of blood sugar will then stimulate the insulin hormone. The insulin hormone will be released into the blood by an organ called the pancreas to become an introduction to blood sugar into muscle cells and liver cells to be stored.
Fructose
Fructose will not flow into the blood, making blood sugar levels stable. Instead of blood, fructose will enter the liver and be processed in the organ.
Fructose is also lipogenic, so it can stimulate fat cell production. The presence of fructose also does not stimulate the production of the hormone leptin which is in charge of regulating energy intake and expenditure.
Well, then, if people have excess fructose, it is feared that fat buildup will occur faster than if there is excess glucose. Excess fructose has the same effect as people who have excess fatty foods.
Sucrose
Then what about sucrose metabolism? Well, because sugar is not yet in its simplest form, sucrose will be broken down first by the help of an enzyme called beta-fructosidase.
After being broken down into glucose and fructose, then fructose and glucose will enter into their respective metabolic pathways.
Where are the three types of sugar from?
In a food it can actually contain glucose, fructose or disaccharide. For example in fruits and vegetables there are various types of sugar.
Fructose is naturally found in many fruits and vegetables. Unlike glucose, which can be found in other sources such as vegetables, fruit, seeds and processed products such as bread, rice, pasta. noodles, flour-tepungan. Glucose can also be found in yams, cassava, potatoes, vermicelli.
Fructose is also often used as a sweetener component in drinks such as soda, and sweet drinks.
The most common source of sucrose is table sugar. Table sugar contains sucrose with comparable fructose and glucos composition. Sucrose is also contained in corn syrup, usually with a concentration of 55% fructose and 45% glucose. This corn syrup is often added to soft drinks, pastries, and many processed foods.
