Often when starting out on keto people will want to know how they can still enjoy sweet foods without getting out of ketosis. Recently with the popularity of keto and low carb diets we are starting to see an increase of these carb and sugar free snacks in supermarkets and health shops.
Some of these low carb snacks and sugar alternatives are still best avoided at all costs whilst others are probably ok when consumed in moderation. This will of course be different depending on the individual, and some do not get on with sweeteners at all so it’s best to try a small amount and see how you feel and if you get any negative side affects.
If you are on a low carb diet for medical reasons or recommendation of your doctor, please consult a medical professional for advice on sugar alternatives.
Keto Friendly Sweeteners
Stevia
Stevia is a natural, calorie free and around 450 times sweeter than sugar. So if a recipe calls for 450g sugar, only 1g of pure stevia can be used to replace it. It has also been shown in trials that stevia can stabilise and even lower blood glucose levels.
It is usually available in both liquid form and powder form, these are both good for sweetening drinks, protein shakes, and anything else that might require a little extra sweetness.
- Recommended products: STEVIAGO Pure Stevia Extract Powder, NKD Living Pure Stevia Drops
Erythritol
Erythritol seems to be the miracle sweetener coming in at only 0.2 calories per gram and not affecting blood sugar. Since this sugar alcohol is harder for intestinal bacteria to digest the negative side effects such as bloating, stomach rumble sand laxative effects are massively reduced. Higher doses of 40-50g and above per day can lead to slight nauses and stomach rumbling, so it is still best to practice moderation.
- Perfect for use in baking and other recipes, or adding to tea or coffee.
- Recommended product: NKD Living Granulated Erythritol.
Sucralose
Our favourite sugar free syrups are both sweetened with sucralose, both great for sweetening coffee and drinks where you would use a small amount, but due to the consistancy we do not like them in big amount like on pancakes.
- Recommended products: MyProtein Zero Syrup, Monin Caramel sugar free syrup
Sweeteners to avoid
Just because a product says zero sugar or zero carb on the label it does not always mean it is keto friendly or healthy. For example this Sainsbury’s no added sugar chocolate bar contains less than 0.5g sugar per serving, and 5.4g polyols. If you go crazy and eat the whole bar, you are reaching 1.2g sugar and a massive 26.8g polyols. This particular bar is sweetened with Maltitol and Lactitol and we recommend avoiding these.
These levels of polyols are dangerously close to the 40-90g where you will start noticing side effects such as stomach rumbles, flatulence and the famous laxative effects, we recommend avoiding these sweeteners, your gut will thank you.