Abstract
Fructose is a highly sweet simple sugar, which is widely added to food and beverages. It was originally considered an ideal sweetener for diabetic patients because of its inability to stimulate insulin secretion and very low glycemic index. However, the consumption of fructose has increased significantly in recent decades, and is paralleled by increased chronic metabolic diseases, including obesity, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, diabetes, and hypertension. In this review, we discuss the association between fructose and chronic metabolic diseases and other diseases and its possible mechanisms. Reducing fructose intake may have a beneficial impact on long-term health. (Am J Transl Med 2018. 2:19-34)