In the western world today, however,
food is rarely limiting at any
time of the year, so the fat stored
from the consumption of fructose
remains unused. Moreover, many of
the foods that are available at low cost
year-round are those with the highest
fructose content (sugary drinks and
processed foods). That only about
half of the calories in sucrose and in highfructose
corn syrup are immediately available
as glucose for use by the muscles and brain
may also contribute to our tendency to overeat
these sugars in order to maintain blood
glucose levels. Thus, despite being calorically
equivalent, a basic biochemical understanding
of sugar metabolism clearly illustrates that
fructose and glucose are not equal.