Contents:
- Medical Video: Sugar: The Bitter Truth
- What is fructose intolerance in children and what causes it?
- What are the characteristics and symptoms of fructose intolerance in children?
- What foods should be avoided by children with fructose intolerance?
Medical Video: Sugar: The Bitter Truth
Fructose is one type of simple sugar that is naturally found in fruits, vegetables, and honey. This type of sugar has a sweetness of 1.2 times greater than sugar sucrose or table sugar. So, many food or beverage producers add fructose sugar (in the form of corn syrup) to their products to add sweetness.
However, it turns out that some children cannot digest fructose sugar. This condition is commonly known as fructose intolerance. What caused it?
What is fructose intolerance in children and what causes it?
Fructose intolerance in children is a disorder in which children cannot digest fructose. This is because in the body there are no enzymes needed to break down and absorb fructose. The enzyme that the body needs to digest fructose is called aldolase B (or 1-phosphofructaldolase or fructose 1-phosphate aldolase).
Fructose intolerance can occur because it is passed down through the family. Thus, this disorder is more commonly known as hereditary fructose intolerance. If both parents carry a copy of the aldolase B gene that does not work, then each child will have a 25% (1 in 4) chance of being affected.
Children who have fructose intolerance if they eat foods that contain fructose or sucrose, then a complex chemical change will occur in their body. The child's body cannot digest fructose, resulting in a buildup of fructose in the liver, kidneys and small intestine. This can then cause damage to the liver and kidneys.
In addition, the body cannot change glycogen (a form of sugar stored in the body) into glucose because of the buildup of fructose that occurs in the body. As a result, blood sugar levels decrease (hypoglycemia).
What are the characteristics and symptoms of fructose intolerance in children?
Symptoms of fructose intolerance can be seen after the baby starts eating, consuming formula milk, given juices, fruits, or other baby foods containing fructose. The initial symptoms that can be caused by fructose intolerance are:
- Dizziness, weakness, fatigue, and drowsiness due to low blood sugar
- Tremor and seizures due to low blood sugar
- Swollen heart
- Yellow skin or yellow eyes (jaundice)
This condition can interfere with the growth and development of children. Also, if not handled properly can cause coma and even death.
What foods should be avoided by children with fructose intolerance?
The only way that fructose intolerance doesn't get worse is to avoid any foods that contain fructose, including high fructose corn syrup, sorbitol, and sucrose. Some foods that contain these ingredients and must be avoided by children are:
- Fruits
- Powdered sugar
- Soft drink
- Energy drink
- Sweetened milk
- Honey
It is important for you as a parent to keep an eye on every food that your child eats, especially packaged foods. Packaged foods usually contain hidden fructose sugar. Therefore, you should always read the packaging food label before buying it. Avoid food products that contain high fructose corn syrup as well as sugar derivatives. You may need to avoid any ingredients in the product which ends in –ose.
