'Zero-Calorie' Sweeteners Aren't Actually Calorie-Free?

[Santi253]

https://www.foodbeast.com/news/zero-cal ... -calories/

Given the calories of supposedly calorie-free sweeteners, are we better off just putting real sugar in our coffee?

The USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference shows that 10 grams, i.e., ten individual packets, of Splenda (NDB No: 19868) have 33 Calories. Ten grams of Splenda contain 9.00 g of carbohydrates consisting of 8.03 g of sugars (dextrose) and 0.96 grams of starch (maltodextrin).

For comparison, 10 grams of granulated sugar (NDB No: 19335) have 39 Calories. This is only 6 calories more than the equivalent weight of Splenda. Anybody who uses Splenda instead of sugar is saving an insignificant number of calories.
http://www.scientificpsychic.com/blogen ... ories.html

[retrofuturist]

Greetings,

The calorie or kilojoule content of beverages should be on the nutritional information panel, and this panel will not differentiate the natural from the artificial.

If calorie count is your consideration, look there instead of to the ingredients or marketing verbiage.

Metta,
Paul.

[Santi253]

Greetings,

The calorie or kilojoule content of beverages should be on the nutritional information panel, and this panel will not differentiate the natural from the artificial.

If calorie count is your consideration, look there instead of to the ingredients or marketing verbiage.

Metta,
Paul.

The problem is that, in the United States, if an Equal or Splenda packet has less than five calories per packet, the government allows it to be listed as zero calories per serving on the nutrition facts label.

[Santi253]

I just went to the grocery store and bought some packets of Sugar in the Raw. Given that artificial sweeteners like Equal and Splenda have just as much calories per gram as table sugar, I no longer think that artificial sweeteners are worth buying. Perhaps food companies mislabel these products as zero calories in order to make money off people who don't know any better.

[Idappaccayata]

While I'm not recommending artificial sweeteners, your concern with sugar should be it's negative health effects, not the calorie content. That isn't why it causes weight gain, necessarily.

[Santi253]

While I'm not recommending artificial sweeteners, your concern with sugar should be it's negative health effects, not the calorie content. That isn't why it causes weight gain, necessarily.

Sugar consumption definitely needs to be kept in moderation. I usually only have sugar in my coffee, and avoid any other kind of sugar.

[Santi253]

The first two ingredients of artificial sweeteners are dextrose and maltodextrin, types of sugar. I feel like I've been deceived my entire life.

[Santi253]

This is the USDA's nutrition facts database:
https://ndb.nal.usda.gov

Per 100 grams, Splenda has 336 kcal and 80.33 grams of sugar:
https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show ... n=&q=&ing=

Per 100 grams, Equal has 365 kcal and 80.70 grams of sugar:
https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show ... n=&q=&ing=

Per 100 grams, granulated sugar has 375 kcal and 100 grams of sugar:
https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show ... n=&q=&ing=

Despite claiming to be calorie-free, the most popular zero-calorie sweeteners have almost the same amount of calories per gram as table sugar. This is because, if an individual packet has less than five calories, it's legally allowed in the United States to be labeled as zero calories.

[Idappaccayata]

The first two ingredients of artificial sweeteners are dextrose and maltodextrin, types of sugar. I feel like I've been deceived my entire life.

I agree. It's really alarming they get away this. Or it will say "zero sugar added" and have fructose as one of the first ingredients.

[DNS]

Not that I support artificial sweeteners, but if your read the rest of those articles, you can't compare gram for gram because artificial sweeteners are lighter and more potent in their sweetness. You don't need to use 10 splenda packets in a cup of coffee, one is more than enough, which apparently is just 3 calories. I occasionally use stevia which appears to be plant-based and no calories, but use just one tiny pinch per cup, the recommended amount.

[Santi253]

Not that I support artificial sweeteners, but if your read the rest of those articles, you can't compare gram for gram because artificial sweeteners are lighter and more potent in their sweetness. You don't need to use 10 splenda packets in a cup of coffee, one is more than enough, which apparently is just 3 calories. I occasionally use stevia which appears to be plant-based and no calories, but use just one tiny pinch per cup, the recommended amount.

Many people, including myself, are apt to take something for granted as calorie-free, without doing any research or even reading the ingredients on the product. For now on, I am going to be more likely to read the label, including the fine print, and do some research on the internet when something is in doubt.

Sucralose and aspartame, in their pure form, have zero calories. The calories come from the bulking agents that are added to the packets. The question then, for me, is whether these artificial sweeteners taste good enough to justify the calories. Is it just me, or does real sugar like Sugar in the Raw taste better in coffee than an artificial sweetener? Aside from fruit, the only real source of sugar in my diet is from two sugar packets in my coffee.

[Mkoll]

I occasionally use stevia which appears to be plant-based and no calories, but use just one tiny pinch per cup, the recommended amount.

Yeah stevia is plant-based. The extracts are compounds from a plant that has been used as a sweetener for a very long time. I use the liquid with a dropper. Has a bit of an aftertaste but it's not game-breaking.

[Santi253]

Has a bit of an aftertaste but it's not game-breaking.

What tastes better, stevia or cane sugar?

[Sujith Manoharan]

Many people, including myself, are apt to take something for granted as calorie-free, without doing any research or even reading the ingredients on the product. For now on, I am going to be more likely to read the label, including the fine print, and do some research on the internet when something is in doubt.

Sucralose and aspartame, in their pure form, have zero calories. The calories come from the bulking agents that are added to the packets. The question then, for me, is whether these artificial sweeteners taste good enough to justify the calories. Is it just me, or does real sugar like Sugar in the Raw taste better in coffee than an artificial sweetener? Aside from fruit, the only real source of sugar in my diet is from two sugar packets in my coffee.

A small pellet of sucralose-based sweetener gives the same sweetness of a full teaspoon of sugar, so the amount of calories will be much less. It may not be absolute zero, though. The other main thing to note is the Glycemic Index, which indicates how fast blood sugar rises when something is ingested. Sugar has a high GI value, which is why diabetics avoid it.

[Santi253]

Sugar has a high GI value, which is why diabetics avoid it.

Yes, I would rather have diabetics use an alternative to putting table sugar in their coffee. As for me, putting 5 to 10 grams of sugar in a cup of coffee seems like a small amount.