White Sugar: Keto-Friendly Or Not?

The keto diet is a very restrictive diet that requires slashing your daily carb intake to under 50 net grams a day. This means that sugar is a no-go, but there are keto-friendly sweeteners that can be used as substitutes. These include stevia, sucralose, erythritol, xylitol, monk fruit, and yacon syrup. These sweeteners are low-carb and can be used to sweeten beverages, baked goods, sauces, and dressings. However, it's important to note that some of these sweeteners may have side effects, such as gastrointestinal distress, and they can also be expensive. Ultimately, the decision to use sweeteners on a keto diet is a personal one, and it's important to consider the potential benefits and drawbacks before making a choice.

Natural Sweeteners: Stevia and Monk Fruit are popular natural sweeteners. They have no calories, are much sweeter than sugar, and have a glycemic index of 0

White sugar is not keto-friendly. The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, moderate-protein, high-fat diet, which means sugar is a no-go.

Natural Sweeteners: Stevia and Monk Fruit

Stevia and monk fruit are popular natural sweeteners. They are both plant-based and have no calories, are much sweeter than sugar, and have a glycemic index of 0. They are often used as sugar substitutes in baking and beverages.

Stevia

Stevia is a natural, plant-based sweetener extracted from the leaves of the stevia plant, which is part of the Asteraceae family. It is 200 to 300 times sweeter than sugar and has zero calories, fat, and carbs. It is a good choice for people trying to lose weight as it generally does not raise blood sugar levels. It is available in liquid, granule, and powder forms.

However, stevia can be more expensive than sugar and other artificial sweeteners. It may also cause side effects such as bloating, nausea, and gas, and some people may be allergic to it. It also has a licorice flavor and a bitter aftertaste.

Monk Fruit

Monk fruit, also called luo han guo, is a small, green gourd that resembles a melon and is native to Southeast Asia. It is grown and used by Buddhist monks in the 13th century, hence its name. Monk fruit extract is 150 to 200 times sweeter than sugar and contains zero calories, carbohydrates, sodium, and fat. It is a popular alternative for manufacturers of low-calorie products and consumers who are watching their weight.

Like stevia, monk fruit is available in liquid, granule, and powder forms. It is safe for children, pregnant women, and breastfeeding women. It does not impact blood sugar levels and has no known negative side effects.

However, monk fruit is difficult to grow and expensive to import, so it may be harder to find and more costly than other sweeteners. Some people may not like its fruity taste or find that it has an unpleasant aftertaste. It may also be blended with other sweeteners or ingredients, which can affect its nutritional profile.

Sugar Alcohols: Erythritol and Xylitol are common sugar alcohols. They have fewer calories and net carbs than sugar and don't affect blood sugar or insulin levels

Erythritol and xylitol are sugar alcohols commonly used as sugar substitutes in keto-friendly foods. They are found naturally in fruits and plants, and commercially, they are derived from corn and corn starch. Sugar alcohols are not fully absorbed by the body, passing through the small intestine without raising blood sugar or insulin levels, and are instead digested by bacteria in the lower intestine.

Erythritol is about 70% as sweet as sugar, with a negligible amount of calories and carbohydrates. It is generally recognised as safe by the FDA, and may even help prevent dental plaque and cavities. However, it may cause digestive issues such as bloating, gas, and diarrhoea in some people.

Xylitol is as sweet as table sugar but has 60% fewer calories. It barely affects blood glucose and insulin levels, as 10-20% of it is excreted in urine instead of being digested. It may also improve dental health by reducing tooth decay. However, it can cause digestive issues such as diarrhoea, and is toxic to dogs.

Sugar alcohols can be used in beverages like coffee, tea, and smoothies, as well as in baked goods and recipes that require sugar. However, they may have a cooling effect on the tongue, which may be unpleasant in large doses.

Artificial Sweeteners: Artificial sweeteners like aspartame are created in a lab and should be avoided. They are often labelled zero calories but can contain almost 4 calories per serving

Aspartame is an artificial sweetener that has been in use in the United States since the 1980s. It is much sweeter than sugar, so less is needed to achieve the same level of sweetness. Aspartame is commonly used as a tabletop sweetener and in prepared foods, beverages, and recipes that don't require much heating, as it breaks down when heated. It is also used as a flavouring in some medicines, chewing gums, and toothpastes.

Aspartame is an artificial, non-saccharide sweetener composed of two amino acids, phenylalanine and aspartic acid. It is slightly soluble in water and unstable under prolonged heating, therefore it cannot be used in baking or cooking. It also decomposes in liquids during storage.

Aspartame has been the subject of controversy regarding its safety. Concerns about aspartame causing health problems, including cancer, have been around for many years. Some studies have suggested a possible link between aspartame and cancer, particularly blood-related cancers such as leukaemia and lymphoma. However, these studies have had limitations that make their results hard to interpret, and the American Cancer Society does not determine if something causes cancer.

The World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies aspartame as "possibly carcinogenic to humans" based on limited evidence. On the other hand, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has stated that "scientific evidence has continued to support the FDA's conclusion that aspartame is safe for the general population when made under good manufacturing practices and used under the approved conditions of use." The FDA has set an acceptable daily intake (ADI) of 50 milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day for aspartame.

While aspartame has not been conclusively linked to any specific health problems, people with phenylketonuria (PKU), a rare genetic disorder, should avoid it as they cannot break down phenylalanine. Products containing aspartame must carry the warning "PHENYLKETONURICS: CONTAINS PHENYLALANINE."

Sweeteners to Avoid: Maltodextrin, maltitol, sorbitol, and mannitol are sweeteners that can increase blood sugar levels and kick you out of ketosis

The keto diet is a low-carb, moderate-protein, high-fat diet. This means that sugar, a carbohydrate, is not keto-friendly.

Sugar alcohols are commonly used as sugar alternatives in sugar-free sweets. While they typically contain fewer calories than regular sugar, they are still considered carbohydrates.

Maltodextrin, maltitol, sorbitol, and mannitol are sugar alcohols that can increase blood sugar levels and kick you out of ketosis.

Maltodextrin is a highly-processed artificial sweetener and preservative often found in low-carb foods. It has a glycemic index (GI) of 100, which is higher than sugar's GI of 65. This means that consuming maltodextrin raises your blood sugar levels more than sugar. It also has the same amount of calories and carbohydrates as sugar.

Maltitol is a sugar alcohol commonly used as a low-calorie alternative to table sugar in candies and baked goods. It has a GI of 35, which is lower than that of regular sugar, but it still has an impact on blood sugar levels. It is also only partially absorbed in the small intestine, with absorption ranging from 5-80%.

Sorbitol and mannitol are sugar alcohols that are not fully digested by the body. They are often used in sugar-free products and can cause gastrointestinal distress in some individuals.

To maintain ketosis, it is best to avoid these sweeteners and choose keto-friendly alternatives such as stevia, monk fruit, and erythritol. These sweeteners have little to no impact on blood sugar levels and are suitable for a keto diet.

Keto-Approved Sweeteners: When choosing a keto-friendly sweetener, stevia or monk fruit are good options as they have zero net carbs and minimal to no side effects

The keto diet is a low-carb, moderate-protein, high-fat diet. This means that sugar is a no-go, and you must cut it out of your diet to stay within your daily carb limit. However, there are keto-friendly sweeteners that can replace table sugar. These include stevia and monk fruit, which are natural, zero-net-carb sweeteners with minimal to no side effects.

Stevia

Stevia is a sweetener derived from the leaves of the South American plant *Stevia rebaudiana*, which is part of the sunflower family. It is 200 to 300 times sweeter than table sugar and has zero calories, zero fat, and zero carbs. It is challenging to cook with, as it is hard to replicate the results of sugar, but it is often used in baked goods and coffee.

Stevia is generally safe, with a low potential for toxicity, but it may cause side effects such as bloating, nausea, and gas in some people. It also has a licorice flavor and a bitter aftertaste.

Monk Fruit

Monk fruit is a small, green gourd grown in Southeast Asia. It is also called luo han guo or swingle and is around 150 to 200 times sweeter than sugar. Monk fruit extract contains zero calories, zero carbohydrates, zero sodium, and zero fat, and it does not impact blood sugar levels. It is also safe for children, pregnant women, and breastfeeding women.

Monk fruit is harder to find and more expensive than other sweeteners because it is difficult to grow and expensive to import. It also has a fruity taste that some people may not like, and it may be blended with other sweeteners such as dextrose, which can change its nutritional profile.

Other Sweeteners

Other keto-friendly sweeteners include erythritol, a sugar alcohol that occurs naturally in small quantities in fruits and fungi, and allulose, a rare sugar that occurs naturally in wheat, raisins, and figs.

Frequently asked questions