Sucrose, glucose, and fructose are found naturally in many foods but are also added to processed products. On the other hand, your body must break down disaccharides like sucrose into simple sugars before absorbing them. Glucose is absorbed directly across the lining of the small intestine into your bloodstream, which delivers it to your cells 5 , 6.

It raises blood sugar more quickly than other sugars, which stimulates the release of insulin 7. Insulin is needed for glucose to enter your cells 8. Once inside your cells, glucose is either used immediately to create energy or turned into glycogen to be stored in your muscles or liver for future use 9 , Your body tightly controls your blood sugar levels.

When they get too low, glycogen is broken down into glucose and released into your blood to be used for energy If glucose is unavailable, your liver can make this type of sugar from other fuel sources Like glucose, fructose is absorbed directly into your bloodstream from the small intestine 5 , It raises blood sugar levels more gradually than glucose and does not appear to immediately affect insulin levels Eating large amounts of fructose on a high calorie diet can raise blood triglyceride levels Excessive fructose intake may also raise the risk of metabolic syndrome and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease Enzymes in your mouth partially break down sucrose into glucose and fructose.

However, the majority of sugar digestion happens in the small intestine 5. The enzyme sucrase, which is made by the lining of your small intestine, splits sucrose into glucose and fructose.

The glucose and fructose are then absorbed into your bloodstream as described above The presence of glucose increases the amount of fructose that is absorbed and also stimulates the release of insulin.

Excessive absorption of fructose can promote the increased creation of fat stores in the liver This means that eating fructose and glucose together may harm your health more than eating them separately It may explain why added sugars like high fructose corn syrup are linked to various health issues.

Glucose and fructose are absorbed directly into your bloodstream, while sucrose must be broken down first. Glucose is used for energy or stored as glycogen. Fructose is converted to glucose or stored as fat.

Your body converts fructose to glucose in the liver to use it for energy. Excess fructose from processed foods and beverages places a burden on your liver, which may lead to a series of metabolic problems Naturally derived fructose from fruit sources is not associated with the same negative health outcomes.

Fruit does not contain the same combination of glucose and fructose that the widely used artificial ingredient high fructose corn syrup does. Additionally, the health benefits of eating fruit outweigh any potential negative effects of its natural fructose, given the high fiber content and vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants found in fruit 18 , Fruit should be eaten as part of a balanced diet that also consists of whole grains, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats.

The — Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that adults eat 2—2. Several studies have demonstrated the harmful effects of high fructose corn syrup. These include insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, obesity, fatty liver disease, and metabolic syndrome 21 , 22 , In one week study, people who drank fructose-sweetened beverages had an 8.

Another study found that while all added sugars can increase your risk of type 2 diabetes and obesity, high fructose corn syrup may be the most harmful Since fructose is metabolized in your liver like alcohol, some evidence suggests that it may be similarly addictive.

One study found that it activates the reward pathway in your brain, which may lead to increased sugar cravings 27 , 28 , Fructose in processed foods and beverages has been linked to several negative health effects, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, and fatty liver disease.

Consuming fructose may also increase feelings of hunger and sugar cravings. There is no need to avoid sugars that are naturally found in whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. These foods also contain nutrients, fiber, and water, which counter any of their negative effects.

The harmful health effects associated with sugar consumption are due to the high amount of added sugar in the typical Western diet. To put that into perspective, one ounce ml can of soda contains nearly 40 grams of added sugar, which is enough to push you over your daily limit Sugars are not only added to foods that are obviously sweet like sodas, ice cream, and candy.

When buying processed foods, always read the ingredient list carefully to look for hidden sugars. Keep in mind that sugar can be listed by over 50 different names. The most effective way to reduce your sugar intake is to eat mostly whole and unprocessed foods. Added sugars should be limited, but there is no need to worry about those found naturally in foods.

Consuming a diet high in whole foods and low in processed foods is the best way to avoid added sugars. Your body can absorb them more easily than the disaccharide sucrose, which must be broken down first. Added fructose may have the most negative health effects, but experts agree that you should limit your intake of all types of added sugar.

To ensure a healthy diet, eat whole foods whenever possible and save added sugars for the occasional special treat. Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available. Both sugar and sugar alcohols are found naturally in food and added to processed items.

This article explains the important differences between sugar…. Both beet and cane sugar are found in many foods, including sweets and sodas.

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Muscovado sugar is one of the least refined sugars available. This article reviews muscovado sugar, including how it differs from other types of sugar,. To understand this, you can refer back to the analogy about the blocks. There are a total of 20 amino acids, and most of them are kept in their natural form and used where they're needed to build other proteins.

But, according to a May report in Diabetes the journal of the American Diabetes Association , there's one amino acid — leucine — that can be converted to glucose if your body wants to use it for that.

However, the report mentioned that, in most cases, dietary protein doesn't get converted into sugar or raise your blood sugar after eating it. Dietary fat has an even more minimal or practically nonexistent effect on blood sugar, according to the Joslin Diabetes Center.

When you eat fat, it's broken down into fatty acids that move into the blood and carry out a variety of functions. If you eat more than your body needs, they group together and form triglycerides, which can circulate in your blood and get stored in your fat cells , increasing your body fat percentage.

Although fat isn't turned into sugar, carbohydrates or sugars can actually be converted into fat, which your body can store in unlimited amounts. This means that, if you eat more carbohydrates than your body needs, there's a potential that the carbohydrates get turned into fat and stored in your body's fat cells.

Read more: Protein What It Is, Why It's Important and How to Get More. Now that you know which groups of foods get converted to — or broken down into — sugar, you're probably looking for a list of foods that contain a lot of those carbohydrates. Keep in mind that, while all carbohydrates except fiber get broken down into sugar, the effect that a particular carbohydrate-rich food has on your blood sugar depends on the whole package.

For example, some carbohydrates, like white sugar, are processed and completely stripped of fiber. These types of carbohydrates, which are classified as simple carbohydrates , get converted to sugar more quickly and raise your blood sugar to a greater degree. Other carbohydrates might contain sugar and starch, but also a lot of fiber.

Carbohydrates that fall into this category, which is called complex carbohydrates, do get broken down into sugar, but the process is slower, so it doesn't affect your blood sugar levels as much.

Read more: A Complete Guide to Complex Carbohydrates. The Harvard T. Chan School of Public Health provides a list of high-carbohydrate foods that are converted to sugar to some degree:. Nutrition Nutrition Basics Carbs. Foods That Are Converted Into Sugars After Being Eaten By Lindsay Boyers Updated Sep 5, Reviewed by Sylvie Tremblay, MSc.

Breakfast cereals are converted to sugars after being eaten. Video of the Day. How Carbohydrate Digestion Works. The Role of Glucose. Uses what it needs for immediate energy Takes some of what's left over and converts it to glycogen the storage form of glucose in the liver and muscles until they reach capacity Takes any glucose that remains and converts it into fat, which is stored in unlimited amounts in the body.

What About Protein and Fat? Foods That Turn Into Sugar. Potatoes white and sweet Breakfast cereals Soda and fruit drinks White sugar Candy and desserts White and brown rice Fruit Other starchy vegetables carrots, squash, pumpkin Milk Yogurt Oatmeal Baked goods Bread Pasta Beans.

RELATED: Good vs. Bad Carbohydrates: How to Tell the Difference. She explains that, apart from containing heavy amounts of sugar, drinks like soda, sweetened iced tea, and even fruit juice contain virtually no protein, fat, or fiber. While for the most part the best course of action is to entirely avoid sweetened caloric drinks, a small serving of these beverages can be helpful in quickly raising blood sugar when people are struggling with acute hypoglycemia , Dr.

Kazlauskaite notes. Start with ½ cup and see how your blood sugar changes before having any more. Still, your main beverage of choice should be water. If you have trouble putting away water without the flavor, try adding pieces of freshly sliced fruit to your water bottle, Kazlauskaite says.

Sure, no one is calling fast food a health food, but we tend to think about hamburgers and french fries being high in calories and fat. The truth is, fast food items tend to also be high in sugar and refined carbohydrates, too, potentially causing blood sugar spikes.

Some popular drive-thru burgers actually contain as much as a candy bar. Department of Agriculture USDA. When fast food is the only option, remember that buns, breading, condiments, fries, and soda tend to all be very high in sugar and refined carbohydrates, so keep the number of these foods that you order to a minimum, Sheth says.

If you get a breaded chicken sandwich, try a small, light-on-the-dressing salad for your side. RELATED: 12 Foods to Limit or Avoid When You Have Type 2 Diabetes. After all, fruit is rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants , and fiber, all of which are great for your health and management of type 2 diabetes, Thomas says.

Your approach: Make sure that you count any fruit consumed as a carb, with one tennis-ball-sized piece of fruit counting as one serving, she says.

If you prefer canned, make sure the fruit is packed in water, not sugary syrup. For example, according to the USDA, while a whole apricot has just over 3 g of sugar, only 2 tablespoons tbsp of dried apricots has that same amount. Oh, the poor potato — and, along with it, other starchy vegetables like peas and corn.

These foods pack a greater quantity of carbs compared with nonstarchy vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and lettuce. You can plan meals that contain starchy vegetables and prevent blood sugar spikes.

Just make sure to count that starchy food as a carb, and then pair it with low-GL foods such as lean proteins and healthy fats, she says. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC , a serving of winter squash is 1 cup.

Eat it topped with some shredded chicken and cheese. Easy peasy. RELATED: A Complete Guide to Building a Diabetes-Friendly Diet. In fact, according to Harvard, it comes with a GI of 86 — 86 percent as high as straight glucose. As far as milk substitutes go, unsweetened soy tends to be the least likely to spike your blood sugar, thanks to lower sugar levels and higher protein levels.

Nutrition information varies by brand, so be sure to read the label. As an example, 1 cup of Silk unsweetened soy milk contains 1 g of sugar no added sugar and 7 g of protein. Additional reporting by Beth W.

Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.

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Health Tools. Body Type Quiz Find a Doctor - EverydayHealth Care Hydration Calculator Menopause Age Calculator Symptom Checker Weight Loss Calculator. See All. DailyOM Courses. About DailyOM Most Popular Courses New Releases Trending Courses See All. Now consider 2 common breakfast foods — cornflakes and porridge made from wholegrain oats.

The rate at which porridge and cornflakes are broken down to glucose is different. Porridge is digested to simple sugars much more slowly than cornflakes, so the body has a chance to respond with production of insulin, and the rise in blood glucose levels is less.

For this reason, porridge is a better choice of breakfast cereal than cornflakes for people with type 2 diabetes. It will also provide more sustained energy for people without diabetes. On the other hand, high GI foods can be beneficial at replenishing glycogen in the muscles after strenuous exercise.

For example, eating 5 jellybeans will help to raise blood glucose levels quickly. This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:. Learn all about alcohol - includes standard drink size, health risks and effects, how to keep track of your drinking, binge drinking, how long it takes to leave the body, tips to lower intake.

A common misconception is that anorexia nervosa only affects young women, but it affects all genders of all ages. Antioxidants scavenge free radicals from the body's cells, and prevent or reduce the damage caused by oxidation. No special diet or 'miracle food' can cure arthritis, but some conditions may be helped by avoiding or including certain foods.

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The State of Victoria and the Department of Health shall not bear any liability for reliance by any user on the materials contained on this website. Skip to main content. Healthy eating. Home Healthy eating. Carbohydrates and the glycaemic index.

Actions for this page Listen Print. Summary Read the full fact sheet. On this page. About the glycaemic index GI Digesting and absorbing carbohydrates The glycaemic index GI Glycaemic load GL GI and exercise Using the GI as a guide to healthy eating Choosing between high and low GI foods Where to get help.

About the glycaemic index GI Foods and drinks provide our body with energy in the form of carbohydrates, fat , protein and alcohol. Digesting and absorbing carbohydrates The digestive system breaks down carbohydrates in foods and drinks into simple sugars, mainly glucose.

The glycaemic index GI The glycaemic index GI is a way of ranking carbohydrate-containing foods based on how slowly or quickly they are digested and increase blood glucose levels over a period of time — usually 2 hours.

These ranges, along with some example foods, include: low GI less than 55 — examples include soy products, beans, fruit, milk, pasta, grainy bread, porridge oats and lentils medium GI 55 to 70 — examples include orange juice, honey, basmati rice and wholemeal bread high GI greater than 70 — examples include potatoes, white bread and short-grain rice.

Glycaemic load GL The amount of the carbohydrate-containing food you eat affects your blood glucose levels. Calculating glycaemic load GL The GL calculation is: GI x the amount of carbohydrates in grams in a serving of food ÷ GI and exercise Eating low GI foods 2 hours before endurance events, such as long-distance running, may improve exercise capacity.

Using the GI as a guide to healthy eating The GI can be considered when choosing foods and drinks consistent with the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating External Link , but there are limitations.

Choosing between high and low GI foods The best carbohydrate food to eat varies depending on the person and situation. Where to get help Your GP doctor Dietitians Australia External Link Tel. Glycemic Index External Link , The University of Sydney. Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code — Standard 1.

Sacks FM, Carey VJ, Anderson CAM, et al. Burdon CA, Spronk I, Cheng HL, et al. Give feedback about this page. Was this page helpful? Yes No. View all healthy eating. Related information. From other websites External Link Eat for Health.

External Link Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute. External Link Glycemic Index Foundation. External Link Diabetes Victoria - Life Program. External Link Nutrition Australia. Content disclaimer Content on this website is provided for information purposes only.

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