Sigma Nutrition Radio

#570: Fructose: Metabolism, Claims & Context for Risk – Scott Harding, PhD

10 snips
Jul 22, 2025
Scott Harding, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Nutritional Biochemistry whose research explores dietary sugars and public health policies. He discusses the unique metabolism of fructose and its rumored link to obesity and diabetes. The conversation emphasizes that risks associated with fructose largely depend on context and quantity. Harding explains how public perceptions have shifted as newer studies provide clarity, urging a focus on overall dietary patterns rather than demonizing individual nutrients, even those found in fruits.
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INSIGHT

Unique Metabolism of Fructose

  • Fructose metabolism occurs mainly in the liver via unique pathways distinct from glucose.
  • This difference sparked concerns about fructose's role in metabolic diseases despite unclear causality.
INSIGHT

Fructose Spillover Threshold

  • There is a fructose intake threshold beyond which fructose spills over from gut metabolism to liver metabolism.
  • Exceeding this threshold, common in high sugar beverage consumption, may drive negative health effects.
INSIGHT

Processed Foods Promote Overeating

  • Current dietary patterns with ultra-processed, high sugar and fat foods thwart satiety signals.
  • This contributes fundamentally to overeating and obesity, exacerbating metabolic risks.
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