Sugar.... from diabetes to hyper kids, weight gain and high fructose corn syrup...it's a hot topic. When Nathan first got diagnosed as being FRUCTOSE INTOLERANT we thought- oh no, that eliminates nearly everything sweet!! After weeks of research I have found countless articles about sugars in regards to diabetes and weight. Below is what I have found most useful in regards to my son. Can he have CANE SUGAR? I asked our Cleveland Clinic dietician and she said, after explaining what it contains that yes, Nathan can slowly add cane sugar to his diet as long as it doesn't effect him. I always have Nate eat food with cane sugar after he's had a few meals (seeing as how one of his symptoms is lack of appetite from feeling too full). Below is what we found in regards to white, cane sugar and fructose: How Sugars Break Down in Malabsorption Sorbitol breaks down into fructose and another sugar. So therefore it is a hidden source of Fructose in your diet. Sugar malabsorption is the inability (in some people) of the small intestine to break down sugars like fructose (most common), lactose or sorbitol into smaller molecular fragments for digestion. So the sugars progress down to the colon (large intestine) where bacteria break it down into short chain fatty acids and the gases carbon dioxide and hydrogen. These gases create enormous pressure in the intestine causing bloating, pain, diarrhea and flatulence. In these people, because fructose (or lactose or sorbitol) is not absorbed by the intestine the condition is known as malabsorption, or an inability to be absorbed. But the molecule gets up to other mischief: it arrives in the colon where it drives an "osmotic purge". This means it attracts fluids back into the colon, making bowel motions loose and watery. The main danger is that any other nutrients present can be lost from the body, like calcium and iron. Fructose malabsorption therefore is not only associated with gastro-intestinal distress but also the inability to absorb all kinds of nutrients which can lead to serious diseases like anaemia and osteoporosis. Fructose malabsorption is notoriously undiagnosed and misdiagnosed. Recent findings are that Fructose malabsorption is associated with the early stages of depression and mood disturbances. Table sugar(the white stuff!) from sugar beets or sugar cane is composed of 50 percent fructose and 50 percent glucose (It being a 50/50 mix means, at least for Nate, that cane sugar doesn't bother him, at least not enough to eliminate it) Yes, sugar is made up of glucose, which is easier to digest and metabolize. High fructose corn syrup has been altered to increase the fructose and decrease the glucose. The body doesn’t metabolize fructose as easily as glucose; it metabolizes it more like fat. The natural fructose in fruit is counterbalanced by the fiber but this is generally not present in foods with high fructose corn syrup. Don't you feel like a scientist or dietician now? :) Now when it comes to being hyperglycemic like my husband, or diabetic like my Dad, sugar is a different story. Fructose intolerance is serious, it is in my son at least. Good luck and always ask your dietitian any questions you may have regarding fructose! :) http://www.diet.com/g/fructose-intolerance