Atificial Sweetener Questions

GreatDepression
GreatDepression Posts: 347 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Most brand-name artificial sweeteners actually have 3-4 calories per packet due to the bulking fillers. I was quite upset when I found this out since I use Splenda and Equal. I'm looking into other sweeteners and want to know if they are truly calorie-free or not. Truvia's website says it is calorie free but is this accurate? Does Truvia have the nasty bitter aftertaste of stevia sweeteners?

I'm thinking of getting pure sucralose but it's kind of expensive and a bit too potent and thus, difficult to use.

Replies

  • psych101
    psych101 Posts: 1,842 Member
    3-4 calories per packet is a really tiny tiny amount in the grand scheme of things. How many packets are you having a day to be worried about these?
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,304 Member
    According to the data base, each tablet of Equal contains 0.045 calories.

    If my maths is correct one would have to use 100 tablets to get 4 calories.

    So even if you are having 10 cups of tea per day with 2 tablets in each, that is still less than an extra calorie per day.

    Not really cause for concern.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    Truvia's calorie free claim comes from using Erythritol as the bulking agent. That's a sugar alcohol that isn't absorbed and can be claimed as zero calories (at least in some jurisdictions)
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,304 Member
    use the artificial sweetener that you like best or is the cheapest or the one your workplace has or whatever.

    The difference between 0.045 calories and 0 calories is so miniscule as to be irrelevant.
  • Mrsfreedom41
    Mrsfreedom41 Posts: 330 Member
    I to was worried about the little bit of calories in one packet of Splenda which I use all the time. However, the amount of calories a day is so miniscule I don't worry about it at all. So enjoy your sweetner and don't worry about it.:drinker:
  • shapefitter
    shapefitter Posts: 900 Member
    I was told to avoid artificial sweeteners by my trainer, and as I have never been a great fan, I'm kind of glad. I use honey, whenever I need something sweet. Which, is generally only when I eat porridge oats.
  • _Ben
    _Ben Posts: 1,608 Member
    Anything <5 calories is considered "calorie free" by the FDA. The reason is this amount is so minimal, your body uses more calories trying to chew, swallow, and digest that food, than is actually contained in the food. Thats why you hear about "negative calorie foods" like Celery. Celery contains an extremely minimal amount of calories, but your body uses more energy digesting it than actually is within the celery.

    The amount of calories in something is determined via a system like a calometer, which does not factor in anything related to the difficulty or work involved in actually eating it. So as long as you arent using more than 10 or w/e splenda packs (which would only be 30 calories), its pretty minimal

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