HomeLifestyleHealth & FitnessWhat you can and cannot eat if you have fructose intolerance

What you can and cannot eat if you have fructose intolerance

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Fructose is a simple sugar that occurs naturally in honey and many types of fruit. People with fructose intolerance mean that you can only process fructose to a limited extent or not at all because digestion in the small intestine is disturbed.

The fructose reaches the large intestine undigested and bacteria break it down there. As part of the bacterial metabolic processes gases such as carbon dioxide and methane, the uncomfortable caused bloating can cause. 

It is incurable, but with a change in diet, those affected can lead a largely symptom-free life.

Fructose Intolerance: Diet

The following general tips will help you to eat better if you are fructose intolerant:

  • Eat small amounts of food throughout the day rather than all at once.
  • Do not consume fruit on an empty stomach, but only after a meal.
  • Combine foods containing fructose with foods that contain protein or fat, such as fruit with natural yoghurt or radish with a cream dressing. This makes fructose easier to digest.
  • Also, baked fruit (eg cake) caused less discomfort than raw fruit. This also applies to vegetables: stew, boil or fry them instead of consuming them raw.
  • Some people tolerate food better if they contain equal proportions of fructose and glucose. Bananas are an example. Alternatively, you can add some glucose to the food. For example, put some glucose on tangerines or oranges.

Fructose Intolerance – What you can eat?

It can be a good guide when you are putting together your meal plan.

These foods are well tolerated

Cereal products: Rice (polished), wheat, semolina, millet

Dairy products: Cheese, milk, natural yoghurt

Eggs

Vegetables: Potatoes, salads, cucumber, spinach, green beans, Swiss chard, broccoli, Courgette, celery, pak choi

Fish and seafood: salmon, herring, mackerel, crabs, shrimp

Vegetable oils: olive, sunflower, safflower, flaxseed oil

Vinegar: table vinegar

Beverages: Mineral water, green and black tea, coffee

These foods are usually easily tolerated, so try them out in small quantities to be on the safe side:

Vegetables: avocado, peas, cauliflower, kohlrabi, asparagus, fennel, radish, radishes

Fruits: banana, honeydew melons, papaya, mandarins, oranges, apricots, coconuts, limes

Beverages: highly diluted fruit juices sweetened with glucose, wine (especially red wine, with white wine it should be a dry variety)

What you can not eat if you have fructose intolerance

Some foods almost always cause problems with fructose intolerance – a list of selected foods!

  • Fruit: apples, pears, cherries, plums, mango, grapes, raisins, kiwi, figs, dates, dried fruits, canned fruit
  • Vegetables: artichokes, green beans, lentils, white cabbage, carrots, peppers, tomatoes, onions, leeks
  • Cereals: Whole grain products, wheat bran, flaxseed, cereal flakes (e.g. oat flakes)
  • Drinks: fruit juices, wellness drinks, ready-made iced teas, cola, light drinks, lovely white wine, sparkling wine, beer, cocktails
  • Sweets: jam, jelly, ice cream, chocolate
  • Other: Ready meals, fruit muesli, muesli bars, light products, fruit yogurt, sugared cornflakes, shortbread biscuits, balsamic vinegar, ready-made sauces and salad dressings, ketchup

Image Credit: Getty

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