If you are on a keto diet you will most likely have been told to stay clear of any kind of sweets or desserts.
But, if you are here you might have heard about the new Jell-O’s sugar-free gelatin dessert. It is the heavenly dessert that could change our lives forever.
Will we finally be able to enjoy the sweet deliciousness that is Jello puddings again while still staying true to the keto diet?
In this article, we are going to discuss whether you should eat this delicious treat and if you can eat it without ruining your keto diet. So, without further ado, let us get started!
Let’s Talk About Jello
Jello is trademarked by a company called Kraft Heinz. This company is based in Chicago, Illinois.
This company’s original jello dessert is one of the most popular products and who can argue with that, it is perfectly delicious.
The original sweet jello dessert got its start in life when Pearle Bixby and his wife May trademarked a product that was made from sugary granulated powers which contain flavors like lemon, strawberry raspberry, orange, and a ton of other flavors.
Thai flavored powder was then mixed with sugar and gelatin that is granulated.
The world capitalized on this remarkably delicious discovery and not what to make ready-to-eat packets of powder that you can use to make your own jello at home.
In fact, making this delicious treat at home is so easy that all you need is some hot water, a packet of jello of your chosen flavor, and a refrigerator.
Flavors
There are about twenty-nine flavors of jello altogether and more all the time. This includes seasonal flavors and sugar-free options that only come in a ready-made form as opposed to the packets.
Below is a list of the jello flavors that there are at this time:
Cherry Lemonade
Cherry
Berry Blue
Apricot
Black Cherry
Melon Fusion
Grape
Lime
Mango
Fruit Punch
Margarita
Lemon
Cranberry
Color-Changing
Mixchief Grape
MixchiefSoda Pop
Orange
Mixchief Juice
Strawberry Daiquiri
Piña colada
Strawberry
Pineapple
Peach
Raspberry
Jolly Ranch Sour Greed
Strawberry-Banana
Tropical Fusion
Watermelon
Apple
Wow, that’s a lot of flavors! But how many of these twenty-nine flavors actually contain zero sugar? Well, the number is actually quite small.
Of the flavors listed, there are only nine jello desserts that are sugar-free. Below is a list of those flavors:
Orange
Raspberry
Strawberry-Banana
Cherry
Strawberry
Peach
Lime
Black Cherry
Lemon
Is it no secret that jello desserts are delicious, but what nutritional value do they have? In the next section, we are going to talk about jello desserts that are sugar-free and what nutritional value they will hold. So, let’s take a look!
Let’s Talk Nutritional Value
The nutritional information we are going to explore will enter around five jello puddings that have sugar-free flavors and what nutrients they contain. Each value will be for a packet of jello that is roughly half a cup.
Let’s dive right in.
Raspberry – This flavor of jello contains ten calories, zero grams of fat, one gram of protein, zero grams of carbs, zero grams of fiber, and zero grams of net carbs
Cherry – This flavor of jello contains ten calories, zero grams of fat, one gram of protein, zero grams of carbs, zero grams of fiber, and zero grams of net carbs
Black Cherry – This flavor of jello contains ten calories, zero grams of fat, one gram of protein, zero grams of carbs, zero grams of fiber, and zero grams of net carbs
Strawberry – This flavor of jello contains ten calories, zero grams of fat, one gram of protein, zero grams of carbs, zero grams of fiber, and zero grams of net carbs
Peach – This flavor of jello contains ten calories, zero grams of fat, one gram of protein, zero grams of carbs, zero grams of fiber, and zero grams of net carbs
What Ingredients are in Jello?
Well, we now know the nutritional value of these jello desserts and we can safely say that there is not all that much in them other than a few calories. But what ingredients are in these jello flavors? Let’s take a look, shall we?
Gelatin
Adipic Acid
Maltodextrin
Disodium Phosphate
Fumaric Acid
Aspartame
Artificial Flavoring
Acesulfame Potassium
Salt
Coloring
Let’s Talk About the Sweeteners
As with most sugar-free products, there is still an element of sweetness that is not from sugar.
So, what do they use to achieve that effect? Well, in the case of these jello dessert products, there are two artificial sweeteners used that give this sweet treat a delightful taste: Aspartame and Acesulfame Potassium.
Let’s talk about these sweeteners and what exactly they are.
Aspartame – This sweetener is a non-saccharide that first came about in the late 1900s. It is extremely common in foods and drinks as a substitute for sugar. On top of that, this product is actually two hundred times more sweeter than regular sugar. Aspartame is a methyl ester of the aspartic acid and can be found with several trade names such as NutraSweet, Canderel, and Equal. This product has been tested and studied for many years to make sure that it is healthy and even today it is still undergoing tests. There are even some experts that think that there is a connection between aspartame and several health issues like headaches, neural effects, and even cancer. However, despite all the studies, there is no real evidence that this is the case.
Acesulfame Potassium – This sweetener is often referred to as Ace-K or acesulfame K and it is an artificial sweetener that is supposed to replace sugar and be healthier. There are also several trade names for this sweetener; the most common ones are Sweet One, E950, and Sunett. This product was also discovered in the late 1900s and is two hundred times more sweet than normal household sugar.
How Healthy Is Sugar-Free Gelatin Pudding?
With only ten calories and a minuscule amount of protein per serving, there is really not much to this sweet treat.
But, does this mean that it is an acceptable treat to have if you are attempting to lose that stubborn weight that refuses to budge.
If you eat a lot of any food it is most likely going to be bad for you and the same can be said for jello.
On top of that, this is an extremely processed food and is most likely not healthy for you despite the lack of calories and nutrition.
You may notice that there is a bit of text on each packet of jello that warns potential consumers that this product contains phenylalanine. What is this substance and is it really safe to consume?
Let’s talk about that.
What Is Phenylalanine?
In short, this product is an essential α-amino acid that you can naturally find in breast milk from various animals.
This substance is often used in analgesics and antidepressants as well as that it is also a supplement that you may find in various dieting products.
But that sounds good. Why would there be a warning on the packet?
That answer is easy, that warning is especially meant for people that might suffer from phenylketonuria, which is a condition that involves genetics.
It can cause a lack of an enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase which is used to help metabolize phenylalanine.
This essentially means that their body is incapable of metabolizing this ingredient.
So Should You Eat This Dessert If You Are Practicing The Keto Diet?
Based on the lack of nutrition and an extremely low-calorie count you might think that eating this dessert should be allowed in the keto diet.
But, when you look at the ingredients list you can see that this product is mostly artificial additives and this is something that has to be avoided in the keto diet.
There is a glimmer of hope, if you are not on a super strict keto diet you should be allowed to eat one of these jello puddings every so often.
It all depends on whether your keto diet prohibits the consumption of processed foods or not.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, whether you want to eat a sugar-free jello pudding or not is entirely dependent on how strict your diet is and what food items you are prohibiting.
Remember that your diet should be a lifestyle as opposed to a ‘diet’ so if you can’t fit something into your life that you enjoy then you should rethink what you are and are not allowed to eat at any one time.
We hope that you enjoyed reading all about sugar-free jello puddings and gelatin on the keto diet, there really was a lot to unpack about these delicious treats.
We wish you luck on your weight loss and health journey. Have a fantastic day and don’t forget to treat yourself to some good food every so often. You are worth it! Goodbye for now.
Hi, my name is Anna Kadance and I have been following a keto diet, on and off, for just over two years now. When I first started, I was in a deep depression due to my weight and the fact that I just couldn’t seem to get rid of it.
My body had given me two beautiful children, but now that our family was complete, I wanted to take it back as my own and get my pre-baby body back. I tried diet after diet, exercise program after program - nothing worked!
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