Image courtesy of http://uhaweb.hartford.edu/MNUNEZ/Vegetables.html
This website was constructed as a class project for Genetics 564, an undergraduate Genetics course at UW-Madison.
Personal Perspective on HFI
Creating this website gave me the pleasure of talking to Becky H. (pictured at the right), a woman who was recently diagnosed with HFI. Though Becky was formally diagnosed with HFI only five years ago, she grew up avoiding fruit and anything that tasted too sweet. These kinds of foods always made her sick, so she lost a taste for them altogether. Becky grew up with nine siblings, five of which also shared her fructose-induced symptoms. When Becky and her siblings were growing up, HFI was not yet identified as a genetic disorder. Some doctors told Becky's mother that her children were just being fussy when they rejected fruit. Convinced that this was not the whole story, Becky's mother started giving the "banana test," where she gave each baby a small amount of banana at weaning and watched them for any signs of illness. Six of her children, including Becky, had an intolerance for banana and other sweet things. Becky said that having siblings who shared her aversion to sweets and having a supportive family has made living with a fructose-restricted diet much easier. "It's such a part of my life, I don't think about it much anymore," she says. While her HFI has been inconvenient at times, such as eating out or accidentally eating something with fructose in it, it has not interfered with her living a rich life full of delicious food.
Living on a Fructose Restricted Diet
HFI is a disorder that only requires dietary modification to be symptom-free. However, because fructose is in many processed foods and fruit, adhering to a fructose-restricted diet can be inconvenient, especially in settings where food is prepared for you. For parents with children who have HFI, selecting appropriate foods to feed your children may be challenging at first, especially if you haven't had experience making significant dietary modifications for yourself or others. It is important to remember that there is still a delicious selection of foods individuals with HFI can eat, and knowing what foods are safe becomes easier over time. Below is a list of foods low in fructose, accompanied by a list of high-fructose foods to avoid:
Foods to eat:
Dairy
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Foods to avoid:
Dairy
|
Important points to remember:
- Check your food labels - even foods that seem okay to eat may use sugar as a preservative or in the manufacturing process
- Be creative! You might be limited, but you've still got options. There are plenty of delicious recipes for individuals with a fructose-restricted diet at the websites listed below.
More information:
The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD)
Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man
Genetics Home Reference
Counsyl: Hereditary Fructose Intolerance - This company also offers genetic testing
Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man
Genetics Home Reference
Counsyl: Hereditary Fructose Intolerance - This company also offers genetic testing
Recipes/Diet
References
1. HFI Laboratory at Boston University. (1991). HFI Diet #1. Retrieved on March 6, 2014 from http://www.bu.edu/aldolase/HFI/treatment/diet1.html
2. HFI Laboratory at Boston University. (1991). HFI Diet #3. Retrieved on May 18, 2014 from http://www.bu.edu/aldolase/HFI/treatment/diet1.html
Photo of Becky H. courtesy of Becky H.
2. HFI Laboratory at Boston University. (1991). HFI Diet #3. Retrieved on May 18, 2014 from http://www.bu.edu/aldolase/HFI/treatment/diet1.html
Photo of Becky H. courtesy of Becky H.