Fructose intolerance is the difficulty of absorbing foods that contain this type of sugar in its composition, which can lead to the onset of certain symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, excessive sweating, diarrhea and swelling and, to improve symptoms, it is important to eliminate food. containing this sugar.
Fructose is found mainly in fruits, but vegetables, cereals, honey and some industrialized products in the form of corn syrup or sweeteners such as sucrose or sorbitol, substances found in foods such as soft drinks, fruit juices, tomato sauce and fast food.
- Fructose malabsorption can be inherited and therefore symptoms usually appear during the first 6 months of life.
- However.
- Intolerance can be acquired throughout life due to intestinal changes that can cause difficulty digesting this compound.
- Such as irritable bowel syndrome.
Fructose intolerance varies from person to person and has different degrees, may be mild, moderate to severe, the consumption restriction must be adjusted for each case. Therefore, it is important to seek the advice of a nutritionist to indicate a nutritional plan tailored to the needs of the person, as well as the monitoring and education of the person on the subject.
Além disso, também é importante que a pessoa realize um diário alimentar, em que devem ser anotados os alimentos consumidos e as reações que foram observados no organismo. Veja como fazer um diário alimentar.
It is important to give preference to home-prepared foods, as well as it is important to check the label of the products before consuming them, so that the foods do not contain in their composition high corn syrup in fructose, fructose, sucrose, sugar, sorbitol and molasses.
Foods that do not contain fructose and may be ingested include
A FODMAP diet could be helpful in solving the problem of fructose malabsorption. The principle of this diet is to eliminate foods that are not absorbed into the small intestine from the diet and fermented by bacteria belonging to the gut microbiota, such as fructose, lactose, galactooligosaccharides and sugar alcohols.
This diet should be performed for a period of 6 to 8 weeks and the person should be aware of any improvement in gastrointestinal symptoms. In case symptoms improve after 8 weeks, the meal should be reintroduced gradually, starting one group of foods at a time, as it is also possible to identify the causes of abdominal discomfort, and consumption or consumption in small amounts should be avoided. Learn more about the FODMAP diet.
There are foods that contain large amounts of fructose and other small amounts, and should be excluded from daily life or consumed according to the degree of tolerance of the person, namely:
Products such as fruit yogurt, ice cream, soft drinks, fruit juices, cereal bars, ketchup, mayonnaise, industrial sauces, artificial honey, dietary and light products, chocolates, cakes, puddings, fast food, candy, white sugar should also be avoided. . , honey, molasses, corn syrup, fructose, sucrose and sorbitol, as well as processed meats and sausages, such as sausages and ham, for example.
Certain foods such as peas, lentils, beans, chickpeas, white beans, corn and soy can produce gases and therefore their consumption depends on the person’s tolerance. While this can be a difficult task, people with this type of intolerance should avoid the use of fructose, as if their consumption is not controlled serious complications, such as kidney or liver failure.
An example of a healthy menu for fructose intolerant people may be
It is important to remember that the label of processed foods should always be checked to ensure that they do not contain prohibited ingredients in fructose intolerance, such as honey, molasses, corn syrup and sweeteners of saccharin and sorbitol. In general, dietary and light products, cookies, ready-to-use beverages, and baked goods generally provide these ingredients.
In people with hereditary intolerance or poor absorption of fructose from changes in intestinal flora or inflammatory diseases, such as irritable bowel syndrome, for example, consumption of fructose can cause symptoms such as:
Because breast milk does not contain fructose, the baby only begins to have symptoms when he or she begins to drink artificial milk, use formulas, or introduce foods such as porridge, juices, or fruits.
If the amount of this sugar consumed by the intolerant child is very important, there may be more severe symptoms such as apathy, seizures and even coma. However, it is important to remember that the presence of gas, diarrhea and a swollen stomach can also be symptoms of lactose intolerance, and it is important that the child be evaluated by the doctor.
The diagnosis of fructose intolerance is made by the gastroenterologist, endocrinologist or nutritionist, who evaluates the person’s medical history, and a fructose removal test is performed from the diet and observation of improved symptoms.
In case of doubt, urine and blood tests may also be performed to assess the effects of fructose on the body, in addition to the expired hydrogen test, which is a test that measures, when breathing, the ability to absorb fructose by the body.