The term levulose refers to which sugar?

Levulose is an older name for fructose, which is a simple sugar commonly found in many plants, honey, and fruits. It is one of the most important monosaccharides and plays a critical role in carbohydrate metabolism. When discussing sugars, fructose is known for its sweetness, often sweeter than glucose, which is another common sugar.

Understanding the characteristics of levulose or fructose is essential, especially in fields like nutrition, biochemistry, and medicine, where different sugars' physiological effects are important. Fructose is absorbed by the body differently than glucose, and its metabolism can lead to various outcomes in terms of energy use and fat storage. The other sugars mentioned—such as glucose, sucrose (which is composed of glucose and fructose), and mannose—have distinct structures and metabolic pathways, marking them as separate entities in the context of carbohydrate classification. This clear distinction highlights why levulose specifically refers to fructose.