When embarking on a ketogenic diet, one of the initial challenges is reducing sugar consumption. Since added sugar is clearly hazardous to our health, the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends Americans limit sugar intake to 6 to 9 teaspoons per day. This can be tough, especially for those with a sweet tooth. Fortunately, several low-carb sweeteners can be incorporated into a keto lifestyle. This article provides a detailed look into whether Splenda is keto-friendly, along with an overview of other sweeteners suitable (and unsuitable) for a ketogenic diet.
Understanding the Keto Diet and Sweeteners
Following a ketogenic diet involves cutting back on high-carb foods like starches, desserts, and processed snacks. This is essential to reaching a metabolic state called ketosis, which causes your body to begin breaking down fat stores instead of carbs to produce energy. Ketosis also requires reducing sugar consumption, which can make it challenging to sweeten beverages, baked goods, sauces, and dressings.
A keto sweetener should not only help you stay in ketosis but also taste and bake great. Keeping net carbs low is the number one rule of keto. (Net carbs are total carbs minus fiber and sugar alcohols, and they’re the only carbs that count on keto). Keeping net carbs low keeps blood sugar low, which in turn keeps the hormone insulin low. Conversely, eating sugar raises insulin levels and inhibits fat burning.
Sweeteners are sugars (a type of carbohydrate) that make food and drinks sweet. Just because foods or drinks contain low-carb sweeteners does not mean they are keto-friendly. You will need to avoid sweeteners that are high in carbohydrates on the keto diet. High-carb sweeteners can negatively affect weight loss.
What is Splenda?
Splenda is the commercial brand name for sucralose, an artificial sweetener made from table sugar. To make sucralose, chlorine is added to sugar (sucrose) molecules using a chemical process. Since sucralose cannot be metabolized by the body, Splenda is advertised as a zero-calorie sweetener.
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The sweetness in commercially available Splenda powder is attributed to sucralose. However, the bulk -literally - of commercial Splenda is actually made up of dextrose and maltodextrin. Dextrose is just another word for glucose. You may wonder why Splenda is able to say that their product has zero calories even if it’s not true.
The Keto Verdict on Splenda
Splenda is a highly controversial sweetener. Some keto dieters love it, while others stay away. So, is Splenda keto-friendly?
The verdict: You can technically consume Splenda in limited quantities, but it’s not recommended for a healthy keto diet. Although Splenda is a keto-friendly sweetener, it contains maltodextrin and other dangerous substances that raise blood sugar and insulin while triggering inflammation.
Potential Downsides of Splenda
Carb Content: One packet of Splenda has 1 gram of total carbs and three calories. You must limit your carb intake to under 50 grams to maintain ketosis. Splenda is neither a zero-calorie nor a keto-friendly sweetener. It’s able to cause an increase in blood glucose and insulin levels.
Gut Microbiome: Research proves that Splenda might harm your gut microbiome, which directly affects weight loss. In one study, 12 weeks of Splenda consumption lowered levels of lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria (both known to be beneficial) in the rodent gut.
Potential Harmful Compounds: Sucralose can also produce harmful byproducts if exposed to high temperatures. There still remain concerns about the safety of Splenda, especially when used in cooking. The FDA states that sucralose is heat stable up to temperatures of 450 0F or 232 0C.
Blood Glucose and Insulin Levels: A 2018 study showed that sucralose, although considered “metabolically inactive,” has an effect on blood glucose and insulin levels. Even if sucralose had no effect on your blood glucose and insulin levels, it’s not the only ingredient in Splenda.
Insulin Sensitivity: An often ignored but crucial effect of sucralose is its effect on insulin sensitivity. Agave nectar is about 80% fructose, which can decrease your body’s sensitivity to insulin and contribute to metabolic syndrome, making it difficult for your body to regulate blood sugar levels
Weight Gain: The relationship between artificial sweeteners and body weight is confusing, to say the least. The exact reason artificial sweeteners may cause weight gain is not understood. In one study, researchers fed rats sucralose for six months at a dose equal to the human acceptable daily intake.
Cancer Risk: One small study found that people who used four packets (4 grams) per day of an artificial sweetener for an average of 5 years have a significantly increased risk of thyroid cancer compared to those who don’t. While that study included sucralose, it didn’t distinguish between sucralose and other common artificial sweeteners. In a 2016 Swiss study, relatively high doses of Splenda resulted in elevated cancer risk when administered to male mice.
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Keto-Friendly Sweetener Alternatives to Splenda
Fortunately, there are several keto-friendly alternatives to Splenda that can satisfy your sweet tooth without derailing your diet. Stevia, monk fruit, and erythritol are some of the best low-carb sweeteners for the keto diet. Here’s a closer look at each:
1. Stevia
Stevia is a natural sweetener derived from the Stevia rebaudiana plant. It’s considered a nonnutritive sweetener, which means that it contains little to no calories or carbs. Stevia is a natural sweetener obtained from a plant of the same name. Unlike regular sugar, animal and human studies have shown that stevia may help lower blood sugar levels. The compounds that lend stevia its sweetness (steviol glycosides) are also the compounds that drive stevia’s health benefits.
Stevia is available in both liquid and powdered form and can be used to sweeten everything from drinks to desserts. Stevia works well in coffee and tea. It is about 200-400 times sweeter than table sugar. However, because it’s much sweeter than regular sugar, recipes require less stevia to achieve the same flavor.
Baking tip: Use 1/2 cup of Splenda Stevia Sweetener Jar to replace one cup of sugar.
2. Monk Fruit
Monk fruit (Luo Han Guo) comes from a plant native to China and is sold under brand names like Monk Fruit in the Raw and PureLo. As its name implies, monk fruit sweetener is a natural sweetener extracted from the monk fruit, a plant native to southern China . It contains natural sugars and compounds called mogrosides, which are antioxidants that account for much of the sweetness of the fruit.
Monk fruit extract contains zero calories and is perfectly compatible with the keto diet. Depending on the concentration of mogrosides, monk fruit sweetener can be anywhere between 100-250 times sweeter than regular sugar. This sweetener is 100-250 times sweeter than table sugar, contains no calories, and has 0.5 grams of carbohydrates per teaspoon. One older study found that mogrosides may also stimulate the release of insulin, which can improve the transportation of sugar out of the bloodstream to help manage blood sugar levels.
Baking tip: Splenda Monk Fruit Sweetener works for all your baking needs. It has a subtle, brown sugar-like flavor that works well in banana, pumpkin bread and muffin recipes. You can use monk fruit anywhere you would use sugar.
3. Erythritol
Erythritol is a type of sugar alcohol - a class of naturally occurring compounds that stimulate the sweet taste receptors on your tongue to mimic the taste of sugar. Erythritol is a naturally occurring sugar alcohol found in fruits and fermented foods. It’s up to 80% as sweet as regular sugar, yet it contains only 5% of the calories at just 0.2 calories per g. It has 0 calories and is about 60-80% as sweet as table sugar.
Additionally, though erythritol has 4 g of carbs per tsp (4 g), studies show that it may help lower blood sugar levels in your body. Moreover, due to its smaller molecular weight, it typically doesn’t cause the digestive issues associated with other types of sugar alcohols . Erythritol does not raise blood sugar or cause tooth decay. It may lower sugar consumption, but more research is needed.
Baking and sweetening with erythritol are easy. You can use erythritol as a substitute for table sugar in beverages and several recipes.
4. Allulose
Allulose is all the buzz in the keto community. Why? Allulose is a naturally-occurring sweetener found in figs, raisins and jackfruit. Allulose is similar to sugar on a molecular level as both are monosaccharides. This gives table sugar and allulose a similar taste. Unlike sugar, most allulose isn’t absorbed by your body. Allulose has promising health benefits for the keto crowd. Allulose also feeds the good bacteria in your stomach and promotes insulin sensitivity.
Bottom line? If you’re looking for a keto-approved sugar substitute for all your favorite recipes, consider Splenda Allulose Sweetener.
Baking tip: Allulose browns even faster than sugar, so lower the oven temperature by 25º for your favorite recipes.
5. Xylitol
Xylitol is another type of sugar alcohol commonly found in products like sugar-free gum, candies, and mints. Xylitol is a sugar alcohol that is as sweet as table sugar but has fewer calories and carbohydrates. It’s as sweet as sugar but contains just 3 calories per g and 4 g of carbs per tsp (4 g) .
Yet, like other sugar alcohols, the carbs in xylitol don’t count as net carbs, as they don’t raise blood sugar or insulin levels to the extent that sugar does . Xylitol might cause cramps and diarrhea if you consume too much.
6. Yacon Syrup
Yacon syrup comes from the roots of the yacon plant, a tuber widely grown in South America. Yacon syrup is made from the roots of the yacon plant, commonly grown in South America. The sweet syrup of the yacon plant is rich in fructooligosaccharides (FOS), a type of soluble fiber that your body is unable to digest. Soluble fiber lowers cholesterol, which may protect against heart disease.
It also contains several simple sugars, including sucrose, fructose, and glucose . Since your body doesn’t digest a large portion of yacon syrup, it contains about half the calories of regular sugar, with just 7 calories per tsp, or 5 milliliters (mL) . Additionally, though it has about 4 g of carbs per tsp (5 mL), studies show that the carbs in yacon syrup don’t affect blood sugar the way regular sugar does.
Yacon syrup works well in coffee, tea, and salad dressing. However, cooking with yacon syrup is not recommended, as the fructooligosaccharides can break down when exposed to high temperatures, according to some older research .
Sweeteners to Avoid on Keto
While there are plenty of options for low carb sweeteners you can enjoy on a ketogenic diet, there are many others that aren’t ideal. Here are a few sweeteners that are high in carbs, can increase blood sugar levels, and interrupt ketosis:
Maltodextrin: This highly processed sweetener is produced from starchy plants like rice, corn, or wheat and contains the same amount of calories and carbs as regular sugar. Maltodextrin has a GI of 110, which is twice as much as sugar.
Honey: High quality honey contains antioxidants and nutrients, making it a better choice than refined sugar. It’s also calorie dense, containing 20 calories per teaspoon. However, it’s still high in calories and carbs and may not be suitable for a keto diet. Medical papers show that the fructose in honey goes to your liver faster than other sweeteners.
Coconut Sugar: Made from the sap of the coconut palm, coconut sugar is absorbed more slowly than regular sugar. Coconut sugar has been spiking in popularity recently as a healthy alternative to table sugar. It’s sweet and easy to cook with. However, it’s also high in fructose, which can contribute to impaired blood sugar control. Coconut sugar has a GI score similar to regular sugar and the calorie count is also high.
Maple Syrup: Each serving of maple syrup packs a good amount of micronutrients like manganese and zinc but is also high in sugar and carbs.
Agave Nectar: Agave nectar is about 80% fructose, which can decrease your body’s sensitivity to insulin and contribute to metabolic syndrome, making it difficult for your body to regulate blood sugar levels.
Dates: This dried fruit is often used to sweeten desserts naturally. Despite supplying a small amount of fiber, vitamins, and minerals, dates also contain a substantial amount of carbs.
Maltitol: You’ll find maltitol in many so-called “keto” snacks since it tastes like sugar and is cheap. For example, maltitol has a GI score of 52. Maltitol is a sugar alcohol that is about 75-90% as sweet as table sugar but has fewer calories. Maltitol can be helpful for weight loss because it is low in calories. It might also improve dental health, but the data is mixed.
Aspartame: Aspartame is another artificial sweetener in most sugar-free products like soda and chocolate.