Splenda's Real Nutritional Information: An Update to the Sweetener Post

Those tricky nutritional labels. I did the comparison of Sweet Perfection to Sugar and Splenda and used the nutritional information on the Splenda box. Well, I remember reading that Splenda did have some carbs, so I did a backup email to the company.  Turns out I was right. I have updated the Sweet Perfection post as well. (Those calories do add up, and Sweet Perfection compares much better than before.)

I am enclosing the email:

Dear Katherine,

Thank you for visiting the SPLENDA(R) No Calorie Sweetener website.  We hope you became more familiar with SPLENDA(R) No Calorie Sweetener during your visit to the site. 

The caloric and carbohydrate content for SPLENDA(R) Brand Sweetener is as follows:

SPLENDA(R) Granular
1 tsp =  0.5 gm carb = 2 calories
one half cup = 12 gm carb = 48 calories
1 cup = 24 gm carb = 96 calories

*1 tsp. = 1 serving

Packet of SPLENDA(R) 
1 packet = .9 gm of carb = 4 calories

*1 packet has the sweetness of 2 tsp of sugar

Note: Per U.S. labeling laws, anything with less than 5 calories per serving, is properly labeled as "zero" or no-calorie.

The caloric and carbohydrate content for sugar is as follows:

Sugar
1 tsp = 4 gm of carb= 16 calories
one half cup = 96 gm of carb= 385 calories
1 cup = 192 gm of carb = 770 calories

Note: The calories and carbohydrates in SPLENDA(R) No Calorie Sweetener come from dextrose and/or maltodextrin, which are added for bulk.  Sucralose, the sweetening ingredient in SPLENDA(R) Brand Sweetener, has no calories and is not a carbohydrate.

Granular - sucralose, maltodextrin (0.5 gram per serving)
Packets - sucralose, maltodextrin and dextrose (less than 1 gram per packet)

SPLENDA(R) No Calorie Sweetener (sucralose) has no known side effects.  Sucralose can be used by everyone; including people with diabetes, pregnant and nursing mothers, and children. The safety of SPLENDA(R) Brand Sweetener has been demonstrated as part of our clearance process with the FDA as well as other regulatory agencies around the world.  There are no warning labels on the product to exclude anyone from enjoying SPLENDA(R) No Calorie Sweetener.

Comments

[2dogZ]

My friend (a dentist)told me that consuming a sugar substitute really made no difference as far as weight loss was concerned b/c eventually the substitute turned into carbs. Wanting more info, I found your site, it was exactly what I was looking for as far as Splenda and its true nutritional value. Thanks for posting!!

Mariam, NYC

[Jason]

I wouldn't say that it's no difference -- 24g per cup is still a huge savings over 192g! But I'm still mad after having found this page and learning that Splenda's non-caloric, no-carbohydrate mumbo jumbo is BS.

[Matt Hale]

Just a point of interest here, if you do the math you will come to realise that in fact Splenda and sugar have nearly exactly the same amount of calories per weight. The only way in which Splenda has less calories than sugar is in the nature of their relative compositions. Sugar is in a more granular form, meaning that for weight it takes up less room. However Splenda has more of a flaky composition, meaning that it takes up far more room by itself. Regardless, when used in baking 100g of sugar will take up exactly the same amount of room at 100g of Splenda.

[Kevin]

But when using Splenda for baking you meaasure it out cup for cup with sugar not gram for gram. 9.7 oz of Splenda is equivalent to 5 lbs of sugar.

[mike]

I am pissed off that I bought splenda and then find out that it DOES have carbos - and the worst kind of carbos: simple carbos, or the same as refined sugar. It's back to nutrasweet or saccharin for me - noth of which have ZERO carbos!!
For your information, it is these simple carbos that turn right to fat.

[Kim]

Wow. Think about it. 1 packet of splenda is equal to 2 tsp of white sugar. 1 packet of Splenda is 4 calories and .9 carbs. 2 tsp of sugar is 32 calories and 8.3 carbs. That's quite a difference.

So why be "pissed off"? How much splenda could you possibly use in a day that less than one gram of carbs is going to matter in the long run. It comes down to taste and product safety.

[Sarah]

yes it is sad to see the nutritional aspects of Splenda. But you must consider, Splenda is a more concentrated sweetener than sugar, so instead of using 10cal from sugar to sweeten something you only need 2cal of Splenda. Unless you have an incredibly large sweet tooth. Splenda would be a good weight loss supplement.

[Lynn LeBolt]

This is exactly the information I was looking for. Together with the Mayo Clinic website, you have made it MUCH easier for me to monitor my (necessary) extremely low-calorie diet. Thank you.

[shanurple]

wooo 4 calories per packet :)
thats not bad at all in my opinion.

[Craig]

As a diabetic, I discovered early on that there was something wrong with Splenda. It shoots my blood sugar up, just like sugar.

There is a version of Splenda with fiber, in a green/yellow packet, that is truly calorie free. They use a fiber for the bulking agent, instead of the maltodextrin. It doesn't affect my blood sugar at all.

[Kay Tingler]

I am glad I found your artical. I am a diabetic. Every morning I check my blood. About 2 hours later I check it again. The reading is much higher than the morning reading. All I had in between the readings was 2 cups of coffee with splenda, no food. I always wondered what was causing my blood sugar to spike. Splenda has to be the reason. I don't think coffee has carbs. I am going to give up splenda for a day and sees what happens.

[Lisa]

Kay, my husband has diabetes and he has no problems with Splenda raising his blood sugar levels. Since he switched to Splenda his A1C numbers have gone WAY down. I make brownies with Splenda and he loves them. His blood sugar does go up after drinking coffee though. Splenda carbs are not metabolized by the body like regular sugar. The Adkins Diet recommends Splenda for this reason. I lost 40 lbs on a low card diet and used Splenda all the time. If you are diabetic and drink coffee check out this web page. It may shed some light. http://www.mycaffeineaddiction.com/does-caffeine-raise-your-blood-glucose-levels/

good luck Kay

[Lisa]

I also found this from the Mayo clinic. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/artificial-sweeteners/AN00348

[Tamblyne]

Thanks for the post, but I don't understand the indignation. You would have to eat a *lot* of this stuff for the carbs, or calories, to be a significant factor in your daily food intake.

As for me, I'll continue to use my two or three packets in the mornings with my coffee without fear.

[Jade]

If I may ask a question of anyone who may have an answer....

Will eating and using Splenda kick me outta ketosis because of the structure of Splenda or will it kick me outta ketosis by eating enough Splenda (.5 gram per tablespoon)to go over the 30 grams of carbs a day?

Thank you so much. :)

[sarah morgan]

I have to say after reading the posts I am a bit confused. Yes splenda is bull and does have carbs and is not calorie free but still isn't it better then sugar?? it seems splenda still has allot less carbs and calories, am I wrong?
I am diabetic and yes my blood sugar does rise after drinking coffee with splenda and I am having a very hard time losing the last 35 lbs. I have lost 80 lbs so far. Is there a better sugar substitute? and why is the fiber only in the packets? I never use packets.

[Don]

Yes, I believe you haven't the correct figures. The FDA figures for Sucralose/Splenda are exactly what the calculations from K in 2005 stated.

Here are USDA figures as of Feb 2010.
Packet of SPLENDA(R)
1 packet = .9 gm of carb, 3.31 calories (1/4 teaspoon), sugars = .803

One cup Splenda = 172.7 g carbohydrates, 635. Kcalories, sugars = 154.s g

White granulated Sugar:
1/4 teaspoon (same as Splenda packet) = 1.05 Carbs, 4.063 K Cal, 1.049 Sugars

One-cup = 200 g carbs, 774 calories, Sugars =199.9 g

[Heather]

Just as a comment, if you do NOT eat yes your blood sugar will go UP! Believe it or not! Because your body takes that as "stress" and that you are starving and it will make it's own glucose. So your blood glucose rising 2 hours after you wake up when you haven't eaten is because you haven't eaten! Not because of Splenda.

[MSW Diet]

I count the calories and the carbs in Splenda because it matters if you're limited to Atkins induction level carbs or if you use a lot of it. A full cup in a pitcher of sweet tea can blow your day. To get into ketosis I must watch my intake. Since I like things sweet I'm switching to the liquid form which does not contain carbohydrate fillers. However, compared to the calorie/ carb count in sugar, granulated Splenda remains a winner for me. This is really good info.

[Dana]

I don't trust any information from the Mayo Clinic unless I can corroborate it from a trusted low-carb-friendly source because the MC makes lots of money from bariatric surgery.

I don't eat the same exact *mass* of Splenda that I would sugar for the equivalent amount of sweetness. If you use 100g Splenda in a recipe calling for 100g sugar you will gag from the sweetness. They are NOT the same thing.

If you're that worried about carb count then go zero carb and never eat anything with carbohydrate in it at all unless the carb is fiber. Otherwise, might as well come to terms with the fact that anything in the plant kingdom, or derived from it, is going to have carb count, and plan your intake accordingly. There is no substitute for personal responsibility, assuming no one in your life is force-feeding you.

[jessica]

AHHH im so upset about this! i eat around 40-50 packets of this stuff a day!!!!! THATS 160 TO 200 CALORIES I HAD NO IDEA I WAS INGESTING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Robert Hays]

Hello, I just found this site and have a question: Does anyone know why liquid splenda is not sold in this country? Is it illegal?

I ask because two years ago I was visiting my friend's family in South America, and they had bottles of it in the supermarket down there. He has since returned home, and had the idea that if he mailed a bunch up to me we could begin selling it. I have gone online to try and see if it is illegal here, and the only information I seem to be able to find is that it isn't sold here due to a lack of demand, which baffles me. It seems like everyone wants it??

It seems like it might be a good home business to start .... him shipping it up and me selling it here.

I just want to make sure I'm not going to break any laws or something if I begin selling it...???

Thanks,
Robert

[Steve]

You can buy liquid Splenda on amazon.com. It has no fillers (i.e., Dextrose) so there are zero carbs.

[William]

Jessica, what in God's name are you using 40-50 packets of a sweetener daily? Either you love overly sweet drinks or you are drinking too much. Try a little water every day. No calories, no carbs, and no taste (for the most part). However, you should be drinking on the order of 9 cups of water a day for women. If you sweat alot, then that number goes up. To drink 12 drinks with 2 packets would only be 24 packets. Probably more than you need. But I don't really know for sure. 24 times 4 calories is 96 calories, 12 g carbs. Make half of those drinks water, then it would be 48 cal and 6 grams of carbs. Now, were you serious about taking in 40-50 packets daily?!?

[magic man]

pickles have no calories!