Does Splenda really have calories?
 

I have seen it mentioned here and there on the forums about counting Splenda Packets. I know the rule about calling something zero calories if it has less than 5 per serving. I wonder if Splenda is actually a zero calorie product or if it does in fact have some calories. I see it written in big words across the bag "zero calorie sweetener" Is that false advertising :o When I use 1/2 a cup of the granular Splenda in recipes and I never count it as anything. Perhaps I should :?: Does anyone have any facts on the calorie content of this product? I saw it mentioned somewhere that a cup of the granular could have up to 94 calories. It wasn't a fact from the company though. I wish I could find the site.

Ha, I found a post on the internet from our own Tealeaf, who apparently contacted Splenda and got the straight skinny from the company:

http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-splenda-ft77948

Thank you for visiting the SPLENDA(R) Brand Sweetener website. We hope you became more familiar with SPLENDA(R) Brand Sweetener during your visit to the site.

We manufacture four forms of SPLENDA (R) Brand Sweetener: SPLENDA(R) No Calorie Sweetener Granular, SPLENDA(R) No Calorie Sweetener Packets, SPLENDA(R) Sugar Blend for Baking, and SPLENDA (R) Brown Sugar Blend for Baking.

The caloric and carbohydrate content for SPLENDA (R) No Calorie Sweetener Brand 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.

Note: The calories and carbohydrates in SPLENDA (R) No Calorie Sweetener comes 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)

Since you need to use only half the volume of sugar called for in your recipe, SPLENDA(R) Sugar Blend for Baking provides half the calories and carbohydrate that sugar would ordinarily provide.

SPLENDA(R) Sugar Blend for Baking (use ½ as much as sugar) Sugar

For recipe sweetening: 1/2 cup 1 cup Calories 384 768 Carbohydrate 96 grams 192 grams Per serving: 1/2 tsp. 1 tsp. Calories 10 16 Carbohydrate 2 grams 4 grams



1/2 cup of SPLENDA(R) Brown Sugar Blend contains 1/2 the calories and 1/2 the sugar of 1 cup of regular brown sugar, but has the same sweetness as a full cup of regular brown sugar. Half a packed cup of Splenda Brown Sugar Blend provides approximately 95-105 grams of carbohydrate.

The exact calorie count of 1 cup of regular brown sugar is a function of how firmly/densely the measuring cup is packed, yielding 500-850 calories. So, consumers can save ~250 calories or more by using 1/2 cup SPLENDA(R) Brown Sugar Blend in place of 1 cup regular brown sugar.

The measurement for 1 cup of regular brown sugar that is on the back panel of SPLENDA(R) Brown Sugar Blend packaging does not exactly match the USDA listing for 1 cup of regular brown sugar. Our back panel listing falls between the USDA listings for unpacked and packed brown sugar.

We value hearing from our consumers. Please feel free to call us with any additional comments or questions on our toll-free number 1-800-7-SPLENDA (1-800-777-5363), Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Eastern Time. You may also access our website at {www.splenda.com for answers to frequently asked questions, recipes, cooking and baking tips.

Thanks ;) I guess I better start adding up my Splenda intake for my tea and cocoa as well as modifying some calculations for my recipes. Darn.. I knew it was too good to be true LOL

I'll be honest, I used to use A LOT of splenda and never counted any of it and it didn't make a bit of difference. I don't really use it much anymore...I made the mistake of goggling the stuff and came across some pretty scary info, so I try to limit my use of artificial sugar in general.

i would try using honey i think its a better alter then splenda. plus it scared me about the whole cancer thing

Originally Posted by sweetnlow28:
Thanks ;) I guess I better start adding up my Splenda intake for my tea and cocoa as well as modifying some calculations for my recipes. Darn.. I knew it was too good to be true LOL

Not really, if you are happy with your rate of loss and if you eat the same amount every day, more or less.

Think about it this way: if you THOUGHT you were eating 1500 calories a day and losing a pound a week, then you must have thought you were burning 2000 calories a day. If it turns out you were really eating 1600 calories a day, then the only way you were losing that pound a week is if you were actually burning 2100 calories a day. If you are happy with your rate of loss, you really don't need to change anything.

Now, if you are not losing weight at the rate you want, this might be a place to cut calories. But nothing has really changed--just your perception.

Originally Posted by Shmead:
Not really, if you are happy with your rate of loss and if you eat the same amount every day, more or less.

Think about it this way: if you THOUGHT you were eating 1500 calories a day and losing a pound a week, then you must have thought you were burning 2000 calories a day. If it turns out you were really eating 1600 calories a day, then the only way you were losing that pound a week is if you were actually burning 2100 calories a day. If you are happy with your rate of loss, you really don't need to change anything.

Now, if you are not losing weight at the rate you want, this might be a place to cut calories. But nothing has really changed--just your perception.

I WISH I was still losing like I was before. Things have really slowed down. It could be because I am getting closer to my goal. I ended up cutting back 150 calories per day and now I am looking at some areas I may be making mistakes on like not weighing some foods. I was curious about the Splenda as well :^: I think I am just going to throw 50 extra calories on my log every day for random things like splenda or a taste here and there of my cooking.

Thanks everyone for the replies.

i used to use splenda and alll it did to me was give me a dodgy stomach :( lol