Fructose

[Entrop]

Is crystalline fructose the same as High Fructose Corn Syrup?

Should both be avoided PW?

I thought Vitamin water would be a good drink to include in my PW meal, but it contains CF, 13g of sugar a cup.

 

[kagenical]

The problem with HFCS and Fructose, for training, is it's low GI and insulin induction capabilities. Post training, you want to get the greatest physiological insulin spike you can, to force your PWO nutrients into muscle. The GI (although GI isn't a perfect indicator of insulinergic response) of pure fructose is so low that it fails to achieve this spike efficiently. HFCS is closer to sucrose in it's insulinergic activity, and is likely better for this purpose. You'd have to consume many more pure fructose calories to get the same insulin response as you would with dextrose, maltodextrin or glucose.

FWIW, the average athlete won't notice too much of a difference - but I would never advocate sugar water, errr, "vitamin" water as part of a healthy diet.