Fructose

What Is Fructose?

Fructose is a type of sugar called a monosaccharide. It is found in many plants and pairs up with another sugar called glucose to make sucrose, the sugar we use at home. Fructose looks like a white solid and dissolves easily in water. Our bodies use it for energy, just like we use glucose and galactose.

Where Can We Find Fructose?

Fructose is in lots of tasty foods! You can find it in honey, fruits like apples and oranges, berries, flowers, and even root vegetables like sweet potatoes. Plants use fructose to attract animals for pollination, and it gives us energy from the food we eat.

Why Is Fructose Special?

Fructose is special because it has a unique shape, making it different from other sugars. This shape helps scientists learn more about plants and our food. Whether it comes from a fruit or a spoonful of honey, fructose adds sweetness and energy to many foods we enjoy. It was discovered by a French chemist named Augustin-Pierre Dubrunfaut in 1847 and later named by an English chemist named William Allen Miller in 1857. The name “fructose” comes from the Latin word for fruit, fructus.