Tag: Structural isomers

While both glucose and fructose are simple sugars with the same chemical formula, $C_6H_{12}O_6$, their distinct structural arrangements lead to significant differences in their properties and how the body metabolizes them. This isomeric relationship, where compounds share the same atoms but differ in their connectivity, is a fundamental concept in organic chemistry and biochemistry.

Although both glucose and fructose share the same chemical formula ($C_6H_{12}O_6$), the primary distinction lies in their molecular structure and how the body processes them. Glucose is an aldose sugar, while fructose is a ketose, a key difference that impacts everything from their sweetness to their metabolic fate in the human body.