A legédesebb monoszacharid, 1,2–1,8-szor édesebb, mint aza asztali cukorszacharóz.<ref name=Hanover>{{cite journal|last1=Hanover|first1=L. M.|last2=White|first2=J. S.|title=Manufacturing, composition, and applications of fructose.|journal=The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition|date=1 November 1993|volume=58|issue=5|pages=724S–732S|url=http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/58/5/724S.abstract|accessdate=7 February 2017|language=en|issn=0002-9165|deadurl=no|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160414002156/http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/58/5/724S.abstract|archivedate=14 April 2016|df=}}</ref><ref name="Oregon State University">Oregon State University. "Sugar Sweetness". http://food.oregonstate.edu/sugar/sweet.html {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516050325/http://food.oregonstate.edu/sugar/sweet.html |date=May 16, 2008 |accessdate=7 February 2017}}</ref><ref name="Kirk-Othmer">{{cite book|last1=Lee|first1=Thomas D.|title=Sweeteners|journal=Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology|date=1 January 2000|doi=10.1002/0471238961.19230505120505.a01.pub2|language=en|df=|isbn=978-0471238966}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Jana|first1=A.H.|last2=Joshi|first2=N.S.S.|title=Sweeteners for frozen [desserts] success – a review|journal=Australian Journal of Dairy Technology|date=November 1994|volume=49|url=http://agris.fao.org/agris-search/search.do?recordID=AU9500465|accessdate=7 February 2017|deadurl=no|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170208033252/http://agris.fao.org/agris-search/search.do?recordID=AU9500465|archivedate=8 February 2017|df=}}</ref> Szabad formájában a gyümölcsök és a méz tartalmazzák legnagyobb mennyiségben. Habár a vékonybélen keresztül abszorbeálódik fruktóz a vérbe, a máj átalakítja glükózzá.
=== Diszacharidok (kettős szénhidrátok) és oligoszacharidok ===
