Does Sugar-free Mean Carb-free? (2024)

FAQs

Does Sugar-free Mean Carb-free? ›

Many foods containing low-calorie sweeteners will provide some calories and carbohydrate from other ingredients. That means foods that carry claims like "sugar-free," "reduced sugar" or "no sugar added" are not necessarily carbohydrate-free or lower in carbohydrate than the original version of the food.

Sugar-Free Doesn't Mean Carb-Free

While sugar-free foods can be part of your diabetes diet, you should think about carbs, too. Just because food is labeled sugar-free doesn't mean it has no carbs. If you're trying to choose between standard products and sugar-free options, look at the food label.

Sugar alcohols are still a form of carbohydrate.

Sugar alcohols may be found in products that are labeled “sugar-free” or “no sugar added.” This can include sugar-free candies, chocolate, and energy bars.

/ˌʃʊɡ.əˈfriː/ Sugar-free foods do not contain sugar and usually contain an artificial sweetener instead: sugar-free chewing gum. SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases.

Sugar-free does not automatically mean keto!

Now, that's not to say that sugar-free items can't be keto. You could have a keto chocolate chip cookie that's made with almond flour, coconut flour, a keto sweetener, and no-sugar-added chocolate chips. That cookie would be considered keto.

Table sugar or processed sugar is additional sugar consumption and can trigger serious health issues such as obesity or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Complex carbohydrates such as whole grains and fruits are good for health.

Eating processed carbohydrates such as white bread, white rice, potato products, and sugar can drive up insulin levels in the body and lead to weight gain.

Sugar substitutes taste sweet but don't contain sugar. They have fewer calories than sugar, and some have no calories at all. Foods labeled “sugar-free,” “keto,” “low carb” or “diet” often contain sugar substitutes, which fall into three categories: artificial sweeteners, sugar alcohols and novel sweeteners.

Including whole fruits in a no-sugar diet can still be healthful. However, if a person chooses to eat dried fruit, they should do so in moderation and look for varieties without added sugar. Eliminating sugar from the diet is not a complete solution for weight loss.

Do sugar-free drinks kick you out of ketosis? ›

The bottom line

Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, or co*ke Zero, recreates the Classic co*ke flavor without any of the sugar or carbs. It does so by substituting sugar with artificial sweeteners. This means you can drink it without knocking yourself out of ketosis.

All carbs aren't created equal. Healthy high carb foods to eat include potatoes, barley, and lentils and three foods to avoid include sugary drinks, syrups and candy, and refined starches.

In conclusion, sugar can kick you out of ketosis and prevent your body from burning fat for energy. If you're following a ketogenic diet, it's important to limit your intake of sugar and opt for keto-friendly sweeteners. This will help you to reach your weight loss or health goals and maintain optimal health.

Both diets also call for cutting back on processed foods. But ask a doctor or nutritionist which plan to follow, and it's a safe bet you'll be told that low sugar is best—specifically, low added sugar. The problem with low-carb diets is that most of us cut out complex carbs too.

What Is Sugar Free? "Sugar free, according to the FDA, means that one serving of food has less than a half a gram of added or naturally occurring sugar. Naturally occurring sugar could be something that's normally in the food. For instance, it could be fructose in fruit or lactose in milk," says Maples.

Total carbohydrate on the label includes all three types of carbohydrate: sugar, starch and fiber. It's important to use the total grams when counting carbs or choosing which foods to include. Below the Total Carbohydrate (carbs), you will find a breakdown of the types of carbohydrate in the food.

According to the FDA, when manufacturers claim a food has “no added sugars,” it cannot be processed with any sugar or sugar-containing ingredients, though it can have sugar alcohol or artificial sweeteners. Products without added sugar can contain naturally occurring sugar.