By Nutrition Experts

Saturday, February 23, 2013.

It may very well be that enjoying a rice-based dish may be more beneficial for weight loss than chowing down on fruit.

That is because grains are filled with the sugar glucose, while fruit and vegetables are more closely associated with fructose.

Research published in the January 2nd issue of JAMA revealed that fructose may be behind spiralling obesity rates.

According to the study carried out at Yale University School of Medicine, fructose seems to promote hunger, while glucose helps with feelings of fullness.

Some 20 healthy adults were enlisted in the research, which featured two magnetic resonance imaging sessions to determine the effects of glucose and fructose on the brain.

It was discovered that glucose reduced activity in the hypothalamic region of brain that is responsible for regulating appetite, motivation and reward-processing.

Background information included in the article also explained that fructose has been linked to food-seeking behaviour and increases in food intake, suggesting this sugar promotes over-eating.

So while glucose may cause one to feel less hungry, fructose may very well make them think they are hungrier than they really are.

The study authors wrote: "Increases in fructose consumption have paralleled the increasing prevalence of obesity, and high-fructose diets are thought to promote weight gain and insulin resistance."

Eating a diet rich in complex carbohydrates like brown rice has been linked to better weight management as the digestive process involves a slower release of energy.

This slow release of energy allows individuals to feel fuller for longer so that they are less likely to overeat.

And as glucose also appears to help regulate appetite, it appears there is even more reason to choose a balanced diet rich in a variety of grains and cereals, although the sugar is also found in fruit and vegetables.

Rather than veering away from fruit for fear of fructose however, it is best to avoid artificially sweetened products that contain this sugar as fruit remains integral to a nutritious diet.