Sugar-free jello makes a great snack, dessert, or treat. Claiming to have only 10 calories per serving and 0 net carbohydrates, it seems to be a game-changer for those craving some delicious dessert but trying to lose some weight.
However, is sugar free jello keto? Can it knock you out of ketosis? Is it really sugar free? Grab your coffee and sit back as we are about to unfold all the secrets this delicious snack holds.
Before exploring further into the depths of this delicious snack, it is essential to understand is regular jello keto-friendly and whether it will kick you out of ketosis or not.
Table of Content
Can Sugar Free Jello Kick You Out Of Ketosis?
Judging by the sugar free jello nutritional facts table alone, one can easily be tricked into believing that sugar free jello is harmless. A peep into the list of ingredients would reveal that it is full of artificial additives. From sweeteners to flavoring and thickeners, most of its ingredients are highly processed. Highly processed foods are always avoided on the strict keto diet.
Related: How Many Eggs Per Day Can Someone Eat on Keto Diet?
Apart from that, most sugar free jello varieties have maltodextrin, a sugar substitute that raises blood glucose, causing insulin spikes. This contradicts what the keto diet aims for and thus is unsuitable for anyone on the keto diet. Some people also face a rise in blood sugar levels by consuming aspartame.
Anything that affects blood sugar and increases insulin levels can affect ketosis. Hence, it is safe to say sugar free jello will kick you out of ketosis. If you’re on a keto diet, it is best to avoid this snack pack sugar free jello keto option.
However, suppose you are not following a strict keto diet and are not worried about consuming processed food and artificial sweeteners. In that case, sugar-free jello can be easily fitted into your daily menu. The fact that it is low on carbs does make it a healthy alternative to other high-calorie snacks.
Related: How Much Sugar Will Kick You out of Ketosis?
Jello Ingredients
Imagine their relief at finding a snack where you get to fulfill your sweet tooth without worrying about all the extra calories! It seems too good to be true, right? It may help you lose weight but is sugar free jello keto? For this, we will have to look at the ingredients of this snack.
This gelatin-based snack has 29 flavors, of which only 9 are sugar-free or low in calories. This includes Black Cherry, Cherry, Lemon, Lime, Orange, Peach, Raspberry, Strawberry, and Strawberry-Banana. Let’s dig deeper into the ingredients used for this exciting dessert.
All sugar-free jellos are made of the same essential ingredients. The only differences are the coloring and the flavors. The fundamental elements include:
- Gelatin
- Adipic acid
- Maltodextrin
- Disodium phosphate
- Fumaric acid
- Aspartame (sweetener)
- Artificial flavor
- Acesulfame potassium (sweetener)
- Salt (in some flavors)
- Coloring
Right off the bat are ingredients we have never even heard of before. Most of it is harmless, but some ingredients raise caution. Maltodextrin is one such ingredient.
Related: Are You Losing too Much Weight on Keto? There Are Ways to Stop It.
What Is Maltodextrin?
Maltodextrin is a highly processed white powder made from corn, rice, potato starch, or wheat. This sugar substitute contains short chains of sugars. Athletes commonly use it to fuel up on carbs without feeling full.
Your body digests maltodextrin quickly, and this means your blood sugar level also increases quickly. This is especially beneficial for those who need a quick boost in energy. The downside is, it can be fatal for diabetics or those with insulin resistance. This is also where the danger lies if you’re on a keto diet.
Anything that causes an increase in blood sugar is not allowed in the keto diet. Maltodextrin does precisely this, and its presence in sugar free jello brings about the highly debated topic: is sugar free jello keto?
To answer this, we have to explore the sugar content of this dessert. A common worry among people is whether sugar free jello is really sugar free. This snack or dessert contains a total of 0g of carbs, 0g of fiber, and 0g of sugar. Seeing this may convince you that it is indeed free from sugar and carbs. But how does it still taste sweet with 0 sugar content?
What Is Keto Diet and Why Do People Practice It?
For those still in the dark on this, a ketogenic diet (or keto diet for short) is a low-carb, high-fat diet. It is an eating plan that drives your body into a state where fat is a primary fuel source instead of carbohydrates. It involves significantly reducing your carbohydrate intake, thus limiting your body’s primary energy source, glucose.
Your carbs consumption is reduced while you load up on fats such as meat, fish, eggs, nuts, and healthy oils. Protein consumption is also reduced to prevent its conversion into glucose. This puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis. Most calories you consume while on this diet come from fat, with a bit of protein and minimal carbohydrates.
Related: Gaining Weight in the First Week of Keto Is Quiet Normal
When this happens, your body becomes highly efficient at burning fat which helps you lose weight quickly. Excess fat and lack of carbohydrates produce a high level of ketones in your blood, thus its name- the ketogenic diet.
Fat that turns into ketones in the liver supplies energy for the brain. A keto diet also causes significant reductions in blood sugar and insulin levels. This, along with the increased ketones, has many health benefits, especially against diabetes, cancer, epilepsy, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Related: PCOS Keto Diet: 5 Things Every PCOS Woman Must Know
Phenylalanine On Keto
Aspartame, which is the primary sweetener for sugar free jello, contains phenylalanine. Phenylalanine is essential for the synthesis of proteins and catecholamines. Most people do not query about “is sugar free jello keto” or face any issues with this ingredient except for those with a disorder known as phenylketonuria (PKU).
Those with this genetic disorder need to avoid aspartame at all costs. Phenylketonuria causes a lack of phenylalanine hydroxylase, which is an enzyme that metabolizes phenylalanine. With this disease, unmetabolized phenylalanine builds up in the body and can cause brain damage, intellectual disabilities, and seizures. So unless you have phenylketonuria, phenylalanine is safe for you.
Is Sugar Free Jello Ingredients Healthy?
If you are just trying to lose weight and cut back on calories, sugar free jello is a perfect snack. It only has 10 calories per serving, and that comes from the very little protein it contains. It is also high in volume, which may help with satiety for always hungry while on a diet.
So, is sugar free jello good for you? Generally, it does seem like a healthy snack. Too much of anything is never healthy. It is essential to be mindful of how much you consume because it is still highly processed food.
Another point of concern is that every package of jello comes with a warning about it containing phenylalanine. So, what is phenylalanine, and is it safe for keto?
Potential Health Issues With Sugar Free Jello
Besides being a risk for those with phenylketonuria, aspartame has also been associated with Besideseffects such as headaches, dizziness, and seizures. It has also been associated with an increased risk of cancer, depression, neurological effects, and Alzheimer’s disease making people shy away from it. However, there isn’t any evidence to prove these claims to be true.
How Is Sugar Free Jello Sweet?
The answer is simple and can be found in the list of ingredients mentioned above. There were 2 ingredients listed as sweeteners in the list of ingredients. They are Aspartame and Acesulfame Potassium.
- Aspartame is an artificial sweetener that is a non-saccharide. As a common substitute for sucrose, this compound is often used as a food and drink additive. People opt for it because it is 200 times sweeter than sucrose, with only 4 calories per gram.
- Acesulfame potassium, also known as Ace-K or acesulfame K, is also an artificial sweetener. This, too, is a substitute for sucrose, and just like aspartame, it is 200 times sweeter than ordinary sugar.
Both sweeteners are approved in the United States by the FDA and the European Union by the EFSA. These sweeteners give the snack a sweet taste but add minimal calories to your diet.
Sugar Free Jello Alternatives
I have some good news for those who are on the keto diet and are craving this dessert but can’t have it for fear of losing their ketosis state. You can easily make this snack at home! The best part is that you do not have to worry about extra additives and artificial flavors!
Not only is it healthier, but it is also super easy to make. All you need are frozen fruits, allulose, gelatin, and water. With the right quantity and steps, you’ll have a yummy treat ready in no time.
FAQ
Is sugar free allowed in keto?
Sugar free dishes are generally allowed in the keto diet. Most of these dishes are sweetened with sugar substitutes and artificial sweeteners, containing few or no calories and sugar.
This means they won’t raise your blood sugar or impact ketosis and can be consumed safely. However, some sweeteners such as Maltodextrin can increase blood sugar and insulin levels and should be avoided in the keto diet.
How many carbs are in sugar free jello?
Sugar free jello contains 0% carbs.
Is sugar free jello really sugar free?
Sugar free jello is sugar free, but it contains artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and acesulfame potassium. It also contains maltodextrin, a sugar substitute that can increase your insulin level and blood sugar level. Hence, despite being sugar free, they still have the same effect as sugar.
Can you have a sugar free cool whip on keto?
1 serving (9 grams) of sugar free cool whip contains 3 grams of carbs, almost the same as the non sugar free variant.
A serving of cool whip is keto-friendly as long as you haven’t exhausted your carbs quota of the day. You should consider the amount of carbs in your meals before deciding if you can afford the extra 3 grams of carbs in a cool whip.
Final Words: Is Sugar Free Jello Keto?
At a glance, sugar free jello seems like the perfect snack for those trying to shed a few pounds. When further scrutinized, it is clear that this snack is highly processed and contains maltodextrin, which can raise your blood sugar levels and kick you out of ketosis.
Yes, it is zero-carb with only 10 calories, but the answer, “is sugar free jello keto?” is certainly no. It is not keto-friendly. The perfect alternative is to prepare your homemade keto jello without any of the harmful additives.
