Logging Splenda

[cfgavin]

Hi! I'm about half way through the FLTS, and just read the "calorie free foods" nightmare.... I probably use about 8-10 packets a day, in everything from yogurt to tea to cereal. I dumped a packet on the scale this morning just to see roughly how many grams i am consuming, and a single packet didn't even register.

So.... how many packets make a gram, and once you reach a gram = 4 calories?

Thanks for any help you can offer, and P.S. I'm loving the book!

[strongchick]

i always estimated one packet is 4 cals.

[Aoife]

Might be an easier way to do it is measure enough to register, then split that up. Either dump out a whole bunch of packets, or just buy it by the larger box weigh out an amount you'd use in a day and then just use that up throughout the day.

[trhonda2000]

Yes I was very astonished at that section of the book as well. Glad to know how to convert splenda.

[cfgavin]

ah!! and one more thing! what about sugar free drink mixes (crystal light, etc). count those like splenda?

[Lost Dog]

Originally Posted by cfgavin

ah!! and one more thing! what about sugar free drink mixes (crystal light, etc). count those like splenda?

Yes, probably. Crystal light has 3-5 calories per serving (only 8oz). Even if they say zero on the label, it could be the 5 calorie loophole. They could have up to 5 calories per serving and still say zero on the label.

Soft drinks and liquid drinks don't necessarily have the maltodextrin that's the cause of the calories in those little packets and the boxes of artificial sweeteners.

They use malto in the packets and boxes so you have something to "carry" the sweetener particles, which are so small that they would be virtually unmeasurable. Also, you'd leave a alot of it behind in the packets. So, the filler/carrier is added to give it volume for measuring, and in the case of the packets, allow the majority to sucessfully leave the packet.

Unfortunately, maltodextrin is a carb source, and worth 4 cals per gram. Each packet is roughly a gram. A cup of boxed splenda contains 24g of carbs, of 96 calories.

With a liquid (diet coke, etc.), there's no need for the carrier. With a crystal light mix, there could be, especially with those little tubes that you dump into water bottles.

Oh, and a reminder to the new people. Brown Sugar Splenda or Brown Sugar Twin is still HALF brown sugar. So, it's HALF the cals of sugar, not sugar free. You didn't think it could really be that delicious AND really be sugar free, right?

[cfgavin]

that was a fantastic answer. thanks!

[PaulG]

Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks for the timely info!