Difference Between Glucose and Fructose

Important carbohydrates required for the body are glucose, fructose, and sucrose. Glucose and fructose are simple sugars. Simple carbohydrates are classified into two types. They are monosaccharide and disaccharide.

Monosaccharides are made of one sugar unit and are the most basic form of sugar. Example of monosaccharide – glucose, and fructose. To make you understand how glucose and fructose are different from each other, here are some major differences between glucose and fructose:

Glucose

• Also known as grape sugar
• Six-membered ring
• The preferred energy source for the body
• Less lipogenic
• Less fat producing
• Relies on hexokinase/ glucokinase for initiating metabolism
• It is an aldohexose
• Forms a pyranose ring structure

Fructose

• Also known as fruit sugar
• Five-membered ring
• Not the preferred energy source for brain and muscles
• More lipogenic
• More fat producing
• Relies on fructokinase for initiating metabolism
• It is a ketohexose
• Forms a furan ring structure