# fructose

/ˈfɹəkˌtoʊs/ (US) · /fɹˈʌktəʊz/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/fructose
Updated: 2026-05-11

## Definition

a type of natural sugar found in fruits and honey. It is often used as a sweetener in many processed foods and drinks.

For teachers: a simple ketonic monosaccharide found in many plants, where it is often bonded to glucose to form the disaccharide sucrose.

## Examples

- Fructose is the main sugar found in apples and pears.
- Many food manufacturers use high-fructose corn syrup because it is cheaper and sweeter than standard table sugar.
- While naturally occurring in fruit, the excessive consumption of refined fructose has been linked by some researchers to an increased risk of metabolic disorders in modern diets.

## Usage notes

- Uncountable when referring to the substance in general; can be countable when referring to different chemical types or varieties.

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