Fructose as a Sugar Substitute

Fructose comes in two forms: high-fructose corn syrup and crystalline. Although the two forms have a couple similarities, crystalline works better in cooking and the body. Crystalline fructose is pure fructose, whereas high-fructose corn syrup consists of equal parts fructose and glucose, which the body treats similarly to table sugar. Fructose has twice as much sweetness as sucrose, so you can use half as much, and it absorbs liquid, which makes foods moister.

Fructose Fundamentals

Fructose outperforms sugar in more areas than sweetness. Ice crystals won't form in fruits if you macerate them with fructose instead of sugar before freezing them, and honey, simple syrup and baked goods won't crystallize if you add fructose to them. Although you need about one-third less fructose than you do granulated sugar in recipes, you don't have to compensate for the reduced volume because fructose increases the height of baked goods. Fructose caramelizes faster than sucrose, so bake up to 25 degrees Fahrenheit lower than the recipe instructs when substituting with it.

Baking With Fructose

You only need a measuring cup to substitute crystalline fructose for granulated sugar. When substituting fructose for sugar in baked goods that rise, measure two-thirds cup of fructose for every cup of sugar called for in the recipe and make the recipe as usual. When substituting fructose in no-rise baked goods, use two-thirds as much crystalline fructose as sugar as called for by the recipe and set the oven 10 to 15 degrees lower than instructed. The baked goods will stay moister longer with fructose than they do sucrose.

Substituting Fructose in Glazes and Dairy

Crystalline fructose increases the viscosity of glazes and dairy products and adds more creaminess than sugar does. The substitution rate in yogurt and glazes made with fructose is the same as in baked goods -- 2 parts fructose per 3 parts sucrose -- so use 2 teaspoons for every tablespoon of sugar called for in the recipe. If you're not using a recipe, add fructose a teaspoon at a time and add more to taste. Use medium-low heat on the stove when substituting crystalline fructose for sugar in a glaze or sauce.

Preventing Crystallization with Fructose

Crystalline fructose prevents crystallization in honey by increasing the fructose-to-glucose ratio. Crystalline fructose doesn't recrystallize readily after it dissolves, so foods that contain it won't either. Heat 1 teaspoon of fructose with every cup of honey to prevent crystallization. To prevent ice crystals from forming in frozen fruits, sprinkle crystalline fructose over them instead of sugar and let them sit in the refrigerator overnight.

Nutritional Differences Between Fructose and Sugar

Fructose has a lower glycemic index than sucrose, with fructose prompting a 65-percent-lower rise in blood sugar. Fructose doesn't raise insulin levels, and regular consumers of fructose usually have lower concentrations of blood glucose than regular consumers of sucrose. Fructose, however, has about the same nutritional value as sucrose -- 15 and 15.5 calories, respectively, and no vitamins or minerals -- so it contributes to fat storage the same way sugar does when consumed in excess. Article reference:

1. http://www.foodsubs.com/Sweeten.html

2. http://articles.latimes.com/2009/feb/02/health/he-nutrition2