If you’ve ever added Splenda to your keto bulletproof coffee or smoothie, you’ve eaten sucralose. Sucralose is an artificial sweetener that is commonly used as a sugar substitute. It is made from real sugar that has been modified with chlorine atoms.
When you’re on the keto diet or other low-carb meal plans, these sweeteners can seem to be a great way to freshen up your meals and drinks. Unfortunately, they may not be much healthier compared to the real thing.
Before reaching for a packet of Splenda, you should learn more about sucralose-based sweeteners.
What Is Sucralose?
Sucralose is made from sugar and found in a wide variety of food products. Along with packs of artificial sweeteners, sucralose is commonly found in candy bars, soft drinks, and canned fruits.
To make this sugar substitute, real sugar is put through a chlorination process to replace three molecules with chlorine atoms. The result is an undigestable ingredient that is over 600 times sweeter compared to real sugar.
Sucralose-based sweeteners mostly pass through your system without getting digested. Only about 15% of the sweetener gets absorbed by your body.
These sweeteners are listed as containing no carbohydrates or calories. However, each teaspoon contains a little under half a gram of carbs and a few calories.
If a food product contains fewer than five calories per serving, the FDA allows the manufacturer to market as a zero-calorie product.
How do you use these sweeteners?
You’ll mostly found them sold in powder form for use in coffee and smoothies. This includes the small packets of artificial sweetener that you’ll commonly find in restaurants and coffee shops.
Benefits of Replacing Real Sugar with Artificial Sweeteners
Sucralose offers a few benefits for keto dieters, especially those of you with a sweet tooth.
Splenda and other sucralose-based sweeteners may help curb your cravings. You can just add a teaspoon or two to your favorite keto-friendly drink.
People also love the taste of sucralose. It is about 600 times sweeter than table sugar and contains the closest taste profile to the real thing.
Sucralose also contains almost no calories or carbohydrates. When used in moderation, it can be keto-friendly. However, you do need to pay attention to how much of the sweetener you use.
Compared to natural sweeteners, it is affordable and has a long shelf life. It also lacks the bitter aftertaste that some sweeteners possess.
Why Should You Consider Avoiding These Sweeteners?
Artificial sweeteners do offer a low-carb alternative to table sugar. However, you should be aware of a couple of potential issues.
The first problem is the calorie and carb count. As mentioned, you may get a carbohydrate or two every time you use a packet of Splenda.
One or two carbs may not derail your keto diet. The problem comes when you use the sweetener throughout the day. If you constantly add packets of Splenda to your drinks and smoothies, you may add a dozen or more carbs.
Most Popular Artificial Sweeteners for Keto
Splenda is the most popular and well-known sucralose-based sweetener. It is found everywhere and you can even buy it in a large canister containing over 20 ounces of sweetener.
Along with sucralose, there are artificial sweeteners made from other compounds and ingredients. Saccharin, aspartame, and acesulfame potassium are also popular. You may know these sweeteners under the brand names Sweet’n Low, Equal, and Sweet One.
Keep in mind that these products may also possess negative side effects. These artificial sweeteners are FDA-approved. However, they have been linked to dizziness, headaches, and digestive problems.
Is There a Healthier Substitute for Sugar?
If you’re concerned about the possible side effects of consuming Splenda or other artificial sweeteners, there are a few alternatives. Stevia and monk fruit are both natural sweeteners made from plants instead of chlorinated sugar.
These natural sweeteners include about half a gram of carbs per teaspoon, which makes them okay for those on the ketogenic diet.
You’re also less likely to experience digestive distress when using Stevia or monk fruit. However, people occasionally report bloating when consuming Stevia.
Besides stevia and monk fruit, there is also Erythritol that may already have in your kitchen. Maple syrup, agave nectar, and honey are often used for sweetening meals and drinks, but not on a keto diet.
These ingredients are tasty but contain their own health drawbacks. In fact, many nutritionists believe that maple syrup and agave nectar are worse than table sugar.
Honey includes antioxidants that may help reduce the risk of certain types of cancer and heart disease. However, it contains just as many carbs as sugar.
Conclusion: What Is the Best Sweetener for Keto?
Sucralose may offer a suitable alternative to unhealthy sugar for your keto diet. It’s cheap and contains almost no calories or carbohydrates but it’s not your only option.
Natural sweeteners such as Stevia or monk fruit are made using natural ingredients and may not include the same risk of digestive distress. Unlike honey, maple syrup, and agave nectar, these natural sweeteners also contain fewer carbs.
While Stevia and monk fruit may offer a healthier substitute to sugar, Sucralose is more affordable. You can purchase a box of 100 Splenda packets for less than $5.
No matter which option you choose, use it in moderation.
Jeremy says
Have you tried allulose? That's in my pantry, along with erythritol, monksfruit, and stevia.
Teejay says
Great article, thank you! I was getting irritated bowl and went to a nutritionist and she said look for maltodextrin, which is very nasty to our insides. Splenda is now 50/50 using maltodextrin as it’s “50” filler. My niece who works for food research said “maltodextrin is a cheap filler, you’ll find it more and more in low calorie foods, frozen meals/desserts, snacks, etc.”…”it enhances the low amount of sweetness and missing fat flavors, so less money to create”, she said. So between the two folks advice I quit Splenda and became a label reader, no more irritable bowl, I was fearing colitis, it was that bad. So beware of maltodextrin, my opinion of course. Oh, btw, I just found it in liquid Sudafed capsules. Eeegads! Why?
Jocelyn says
I'm now using Stevia and Erithrytol, sometimes Monk fruit (but the Lankato faux syrup tastes bad to me) and my A1C is now in the normal range. My endocrinologist said to discontinue all artificial sweeteners like Splenda, AceK, aspartame, saccharine, etc. After I eliminated them my A1 dropped to the normal range. Apparently the artificial sweeteners trigger something...
Tisa says
Hi, Jocelyn. I've heard from some users that Splenda might not be the best solution for certain patients. It's great that you have found a solution to your problem, hope all is well in the future, too!
libbyspinkvanity says
What do you use all those Splenda packets in? That, to me, is a lot since I use 1 packet for 2 cups of tea and that's it for the day.
Tisa says
Hi,
I, personally, don't use Splenda at all. Not because I'd have any trouble with it, I just enjoy monk fruit and monk fruit-erythritol blends way more.
GunP says
I have used liquid Sucralose for at least 15 years and have had no problems. I drink my coffee and tea unsweetened but use liquid Sucralose for sweetening desserts that do not need something to create volume. For baking I use an erythritol/stevia mix like Swerve.
Darian Paganelli says
I have been reading this message board about Splenda with interest. I have used Spenda for many years with out ill effects that I know of. Recently on the Ketosis diet and I use about 16 to 22 packets of Splenda in a day. I test for Ketosis about 3 times a day and I have no negative effects from using Splenda. Perhaps the effects (both negative and positive) are dependent on the individual using the sweetner? That is all I can gather from using the product. Happy Keto folks. I am a 73 year male who weighs about 206 pounds with a large frame ( I carry my weight well). I have diabetes but the symptoms and blood glucose level seem to be less severe on the Ketosis diet. I was using Insulin daily, but stopped because it seems stupid to use insulin and a Ketosis diet. Insulin stores fat in the cells and a low carbohydrate Ketosis diet burns fat for energy. That would be the equivalent of the Insulin defeating the purpose of doing a Ketosis diet? The Ketosis diet alone has lowered my blood glucose level.
Tisa says
Thank you for sharing your story with us, Darian! Us with so many things, different individuals have different reactions to sucralose.
Cathi says
I started using monk fruit (w/Erythritol) a few days ago & gained 2 pounds back! I’ve been in keto for 2 solid weeks & still am but I can’t believe my switch to monk fruit & my weight gain is pure coincidence. When I log it in my app it shows many 4 carbs per tsp, but zero net carbs. So since I like my coffee sweet-ish I have to put THREE tsp of monk fruit in it & I have at least 2 cups per day. So that’s 24 carbs & supposedly zero net. No thank you. Going back to my one Splenda per cup & counting the carbs. It never affected my ketosis at all & I love the taste.
Tisa says
Yeah, that sounds like a weird coincidence (and maybe it is really not). We don't know what else might have changed lately. Also, you are only beginning your keto journey, as I understand, so your body has been going through a lot of changes, I guess, and reacts in various ways through time. All of us need to experiment a little to find out what feels best for us.
In time, do give us a shout to tell us how your journey goes!
Nikki says
I was drinking coffee that contained Sucralose and using a Splenda based sweetener and they kicked me right out of ketosis. I discontinued both and began losing. I would never chance using Splenda or any Maltodextrin products again. Both are just as bad or possibly worse than actual sugar. Dr Berg has posted a lot of information about them and it’s sickening that Splenda is being passed off as a healthy alternative when it is not. It definitely raises my blood sugar!
I would recommend using stevia or monkfruit because they are much more in line with Keto and won’t kick you out of ketosis nor raise blood sugars
Tisa says
Thank you for your comment, Nikki. I don't want this post to come through as recommending splenda at all. I think there are many much better alternatives to sugar out there.
Wanda says
Sucralose and Splenda Sweeteners are an artificial poison. Yes Nikki, it does kick a person out of ketosis, it's so true and thank you for being so brave and writing about it. And this site is suppose to be a Keto friendly site? no I don't think so.
There's so many good natural sugar alternatives which are healthy and keep a person in ketosis.
Tisa says
This article is giving out information like every other post on here. It doesn't say people should use Splenda or anything else for that matter. Everyone chooses from themselves according to their experience, health issues and so on.
I can't help sucralose being on the market. I can only write about it, but I cannot ban it.
When I finally come to it, I will update the article with the users' experience I have received in the past days.
Wanda says
Nikki, great comment from you. I did reply to your comment yesterday but it looks like MY Sweet Keto deleted it, obviously they don't want to see negative comments on Sucralose.
It's an artificial sweetener so why use it when there's natural ones we can use.
Tisa says
We are on a trip with rare online connection opportunities, so moderating comment comes with a bit of delay. Please excuse us.
I have replied to your other comment just now.
Wanda says
Thank you
Jocelyn says
Artificial sugars produce different results in different people. If you want to know the real effect, ingest something and then test your blood sugar. After many years of using Spenda/suralose and thinking I was doing good things, I found it it made my blood sugar spike the same as regular table sugar. So don't believe everything the makers of Splenda say.
My Sweet Keto says
Thank you for the feedback, Jocelyn! Yeah, as we are all different, it would be quite beneficial for those who need to watch blood glucose levels (even if not diabetic) to own a blood glucose meter.
Tamara S Harden says
Splenda powder contains maltodextrin with the sucrolose, which has a glycemic index of 110, whereas table sugar is 65. Splenda liquid is just sucrolose.
Linda @ the Fitty says
I wonder if sucralose leads to weight gain?
My Sweet Keto says
Hi, Linda! Long time no see. 😉 We should look into what science says about insulin sensitivity to sucralose.