compound

Glucose

Glucose is a simple sugar used by cells and carried through the blood.

Educational draft · Human scientific and editorial review pending. About review status

It comes from digested carbohydrate and can also be made by the liver; insulin and other hormones help regulate its concentration in blood.

Food sources

Per 100 g

Food amounts per 100 g
Food	Per 100 g
Banana, ripe, raw	5.55 g
Blueberries, raw	4.42 g
Red Delicious apple, raw	3.09 g
Strawberries, raw	2.24 g
Navel orange, raw	2.02 g

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Food amounts per 100 g
Food	Per 100 g
Canned diced tomatoes	1.5 g
Pie pumpkin, raw	1.08 g
Orange sweet potato, peeled and raw	0.98 g
Carrots, frozen and unprepared	0.84 g
Oat milk, unsweetened and refrigerated	0.77 g
Russet potato, raw	0.16 g
Spinach, raw (SR Legacy 2018)	0.11 g

About these amounts

These values describe the named food and preparation. A 100 g comparison is not a suggested serving. Small amounts are rounded for display; an unreported amount is not zero.

Portions recorded by the source

Canned diced tomatoes: 1 cup (245 g) — 3.68 g.

The source records and EFSA guidance are linked in References below.

How it works

A circulating fuel molecule

Glucose is a simple sugar that can be absorbed directly from the small intestine and then used in metabolism. Cells handle it through tissue-specific transporters and pathways, while the liver can store or produce glucose under hormonal control.

Related topics

Insulin
Insulin helps regulate Glucose
Insulin is a hormone that helps regulate blood glucose. It is one part of a wider control system.
Evidence: Established · Source checked 2026-09-04 · Sources: NIH National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: Insulin Resistance & Prediabetes; World Health Organization: Diabetes fact sheet
Vitamin B1 (thiamin)
Vitamin B1 (thiamin) supports metabolism of Glucose
Thiamin-dependent enzymes help process carbohydrate-derived fuel, including glucose.
Evidence: Established · Source checked 2026-09-05 · Sources: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Thiamin: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals
Vitamin B7 (biotin)
Vitamin B7 (biotin) supports metabolism of Glucose
Biotin-dependent enzymes participate in gluconeogenesis and other glucose pathways.
Evidence: Established · Source checked 2026-09-05 · Sources: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Biotin: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals
Chromium
Chromium has uncertain supplemental effects on Glucose
EFSA found the basis for chromium essentiality uncertain, and NIH ODS describes chromium supplementation effects on glucose as uncertain or mixed.
Evidence: Not established · Source checked 2026-09-05 · Sources: European Food Safety Authority: Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for chromium; NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Chromium: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals
Vitamin B3 (niacin)
Vitamin B3 (niacin) supports energy metabolism involving Glucose
Niacin is used to make NAD, a helper molecule for reactions that release energy from carbohydrate and other fuels.
Evidence: Established · Source checked 2026-09-05 · Sources: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Niacin: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals

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Sucrose
Glucose is present in Sucrose.
Sucrose digestion releases glucose as one of its two component sugars.
Evidence: Established · Source checked 2026-09-05 · Sources: European Food Safety Authority: Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for carbohydrates and dietary fibre
Lactose
Lactose is digested to release Glucose
Lactose digestion releases glucose and galactose as separate monosaccharides.
Evidence: Established · Source checked 2026-09-05 · Sources: European Food Safety Authority: Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for carbohydrates and dietary fibre
Starch
Starch can be digested to Glucose
Digestible starch is broken down into glucose units that can be absorbed and used in metabolism.
Evidence: Established · Source checked 2026-09-05 · Sources: European Food Safety Authority: Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for carbohydrates and dietary fibre
Glucagon
Glucagon helps maintain availability of Glucose
Glucagon acts mainly on the liver to support glucose production and release between meals.
Evidence: Established · Source checked 2026-09-05 · Sources: NIH National Library of Medicine: Physiology, Endocrine Hormones

Worth knowing

Insulin is one regulator. NIDDK describes insulin as a hormone that helps cells use blood glucose and helps regulate blood glucose levels; it is part of a wider system.
The liver has a central role. The liver stores glucose after meals and can produce or release it when circulating availability falls.

A closer look

Tissue transport is specific

In muscle and fat, insulin signalling changes GLUT4 availability at the cell surface; hepatic glucose handling uses distinct transporters and pathways. Blood glucose and tissue uptake are related but not identical measurements.

References

Source-checked local draft.
Human editorial review pending.