Fructose is a naturally occurring sugar found in honey, fruit, and some vegetables. Fructose is also added to foods in the form of corn syrup solids or high-fructose corn syrup, a commonly used sweetener found in processed foods such as confectionary, jams, baked goods, and sweetened beverages.
While most people can tolerate around 25g of fructose per day, individuals with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or fructose malabsorption may experience gastrointestinal symptoms even with lower amounts than this. In these cases, limiting high-fructose foods may help manage symptoms such as bloating, gas, and abdominal discomfort. Fructose is generally better tolerated when the food contains a similar or equal amount of glucose. Food tables with a fructose-to-glucose ratio are found here.
Fructose also increases purine metabolism, which increases blood uric acid levels. This can trigger or worsen gout attacks for individuals prone to it, or who have a family history of gout . Limiting foods and beverages high in fructose can help manage symptoms and reduce the frequency of gout flares.
To make it easier to identify foods containing fructose, we’ve put together a list of those with high, medium, and low fructose content.
Keep in mind that this summary is based on the amount of fructose per 100 grams of food. This means that even foods with a “low” or “medium” fructose content can contribute more to your total fructose intake if you eat large amounts. Portion size matters!
Foods with a high fructose content (contain more than 5 grams of fructose per 100g of the food)
- Honey**
- Corn syrup solids** and foods containing corn syrup (check nutrition labels)
- Golden syrup*
- Dried fruit* (dried apple, sultanas, dates, currants, figs, goji berries)
- Commercial sauces* (plum sauce)
- Bliss balls, snack balls* (date based)
- Sundried tomato*
- Some fruits: cherries, grapes, apples, pears, bananas, kiwi, fruit canned in syrup)
- Commercial sauces (BBQ sauce, tomato sauce, hoisin)
- Tomato paste
- Tomato chutney or relish
- Jams (particularly berry, plum, stone fruit)
- Cordials (40% fruit juice)
- Some breakfast cereals (e.g. Just Right, Sultana Bran, Fibre plus)
- Muesli (with dried fruit)
- Raisin toast or fruit toast
- Fruit juice
- Milk chocolate (with dried fruit and nuts)
- Black liquorice
** These foods have over 40g fructose per 100g
* These foods have over 20g fructose per 100g
A note on cherries: cherries have been found to reduce the risk of acute gout attacks, as they contain bioactive compounds that lower uric acid production in the liver, improve excretion via the kidneys and have anti-inflammatory properties.
Foods with a medium fructose content (contain 1-5 grams of fructose per 100g of the food)
- Most fruits: watermelon, nectarines, rockmelon, citrus fruits (orange, mandarin, lemon, lime), kiwi fruit, berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries), grapefruit, peaches, fruit salad/peaches/pineapple (canned in juice)
- Some vegetables: Onion, leeks, capsicum, tomato, cauliflower
- Soft drinks (Coke, Pepsi)
- Sweet biscuits
- Chocolate-coated fruit, fruit-filled snack bars
- Tomato-based pasta sauces
- Savoury crackers (e.g. Jatz)
- Jelly lollies
Foods with a low fructose content (contain less than 1 gram of fructose per 100 grams of the food)
- Most vegetables: Green leafy vegetables, avocado, celery, cucumber, carrot, zucchini, corn, eggplant, sweet potato, green peas, potatoes, pumpkin, broccoli, cabbage, fresh herbs
- Meat, eggs, and fish
- Dairy products: milk, cheese, yogurt (check nutrition labels for corn syrup)
- Nuts and seeds
- Legumes: lentils, chickpeas, baked beans, kidney beans
- Some breakfast cereals (Special K, puffed rice e.g. Rice bubbles, Cocoa pops, Vitabrits, Cornflakes, Weetbix)
- Breakfast cereal beverages (e.g. Up and Go)
- Breads
- Rice, pasta, quinoa
- Oats and muesli
- Savoury crackers (Vita-weat, SAO, Salada, rice crackers, Cruskits)
- Some soft drinks (Sprite, lemonade)
- Pure maple syrup
- Dark chocolate
Food Standards Australia New Zealand FULL food list can be found here
More on Gout and what foods to eat and avoid here
Check with your GP or dietitian before making big changes to your diet, especially if you’re managing a health condition.
