Fructose Malabsorption & IBS - Sunshine Coast Naturopathy

​Fructose is the natural sugar in fruit & honey. People who have fructose malabsorption don’t have enough functional receptors in their small intestine to absorb much of it. This is a common problem in people with IBS, & can be caused initially by overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine or consumption of inflammatory foods that damage the small intestine wall. According to a meta-analysis of clinical trials evaluating fructose intake, the maximum amount of fructose a healthy digestive system can handle in one sitting is about 30 mg – the amount you would find in two apples.
 
The most reliable fructose malabsorption test is a breath test. The test involves eating fructose and then breathing into a tube. If hydrogen or methane levels are elevated in the breath, it indicates that the fructose was not digested and absorbed, being fermented by bacteria instead, resulting in lots of gas, bloating & discomfort.
 
High Fructose foods include:

• apples, cherries, grapes, mangoes, pears, & watermelon
• all dried fruit, canned fruit & fruit juice
• asparagus, artichoke,  sugar snap peas
• agave, honey & high-fructose corn syrup, maple-flavoured syrup, molasses
• Palm or coconut sugar
• Sorghum

 If you want to add a sweet touch to your diet, use lower-fructose alternatives, such as small amounts of real maple syrup, granulated sugar or stevia.

For assistance with improving your gut health call Sunshine Coast Nutritionist Karen Emans on 0408748532

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