For ketogenic (low carb) dieters, the primary objective is to avoid foods which increase blood glucose & insulin levels, in other words, carbohydrate-rich foods. Doing so will ensure that glucose levels are kept low, thereby forcing the body to turn to stored fat for energy, burning it for fuel instead of ingested carbohydrates.

Many people have a sweet tooth. And most dieters find that artificial sweeteners make it possible for them to stick to an eating plan long-term without feeling deprived or tempted by foods that are carbohydrate-rich. Some sweetening agents will increase blood glucose & insulin levels. Others will not. This is an examination of the various options, their pros & cons, and many online resources with copious additional information for those who wish to learn more. (I have tried to be brief --- although that's not my strong suit ;-))

One important point: Your Mileage May Vary (YMMV).
Different people have different sensitivities to carbohydrates, artificial sweeteners, supplements, etc. People with diabetes, both type 1 & 2, are usually especially sensitive to spikes in their blood glucose and insulin levels, and for that reason should be especially cautious when using any artificial sweetener.


SUGAR BY OTHER NAMES

Sugar is as pure a carbohydrate as there is. It will raise blood glucose and insulin levels almost immediately upon consumption. (Flour has the same exact effect.) Therefore, on a ketogenic diet like the Atkins plan, it is essential to avoid sugar.

Although your primary concern should be avoiding foods that have sugar (by whatever name; see below) listed as an ingredient, you should also avoid those foods which have a high natural sugar content.
Read labels carefully. Avoid any products which have sugar listed as an ingredient. Also avoid those with molasses, corn syrup, fructose, honey, dextrose, sucrose --- all are sugar by other names. If none of the sugar names are listed in the ingredients, then the number of grams listed under "Sugars" on the nutrition label refers to naturally-occuring sugar. As long as it is no more than 2g per serving, it should be all right to use sparingly.

For food without labels, such as fruit, vegetables and fast food, always check a reliable food counter such as Corrine Netzer's "The Complete Book of Food Counts" or one of the online sites (See the Links page).


SUGAR SUBSTITUTES

There's a good, brief synopsis of sugar substitutes at this site listed below. And if you are in a foreign country, check out the International Sweetener Association (has names for sweeteners in other countries):

Good info about sweeteners

International Sweetener Assoc.

Saccharin
The oldest of the artificial sweeteners (AS), saccharin is a non-caloric sweetener found in many foods and beverages. The most well-known saccharin product is Sweet 'n Low, which is available in packets in supermarkets and most restaurants.
It is also available in bulk form as Sugar Twin & Brown Sugar Twin.

Some people do not like the taste, there have been mixed results with it in baking, and the bulk form is not available everywhere, so it's less versatile than some other artificial sweeteners.


Aspartame
This is widely available as EQUAL & NUTRASWEET, and used in many, many commercially-available products, including almost all soft drinks. It is available in both packets and in bulk. The manufacturer, Monsanto, has stated that all the EQUAL & NUTRASWEET they sell is the same chemically, whether in packets or bulk. Some people claim they have had success using aspartame in baking; most report disappointing results, noting a nasty taste in the baked product.

Although supposedly digested as a protein, aspartame stalls weight loss for many people, which is why Dr Atkins specifically warns against it in DANDR. More serious are the many concerns regarding aspartame's safety. Indeed, it is perhaps the most controversial food product on the market today.

Aspartame is composed of phenylalanine, aspartic acid and methanol. When heated or digested, it breaks down into these three components. Phenylalanine and aspartic acid are amino acids that are found in natural proteins and under normal circumstances are beneficial for health.
Methanol is wood alcohol and poisonous. The transition point for the degradation into methanol is about 86F. There is documented proof that in the human body aspartame releases into the bloodstream one molecule of methanol for each molecule of aspartame consumed. Methanol is considered a cumulative poison due to the low rate of excretion once it is absorbed. In the body, methanol is oxidized into formaldehyde and formic acid. Both are toxic.

It is almost impossible to find a reasoned, balanced examination of aspartame anywhere on the net. It has its proponents as well as those who warn vehemently against using it. Personally, I will not use it; I find too much of the 'evidence' be scary in the extreme, and I know people who have experienced some pretty serious side effects first hand. If you wish to pursue this further, here are some websites you might want to visit (Note: these are not direct links):

http://www.dorway.com
http://www.presidiotex.com/barcelona/
http://www.healthandmoneytips.com/aspartame/summary.html http://www.healthandmoneytips.com/aspartame/research.html http://www.dorway.com/gross.txt http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame/embalm.html http://www.awod.com/gallery/probono/dorway/offaspart.html http://www.awod.com/gallery/probono/dorway/enclosur.html
http://www.presidiotex.com/aspartame/facts/92_symptoms/92_symptoms.html
http://www.presidiotex.com/aspartame/Facts/facts.html
http://www.trufax.org/reports4/aspartam.html

Acesulfame K
Also known as Acesulfame Potassium & Ace-K, this artificial sweetener is used in quite a few food and non-food items. Available in package form as "Sweet One" (although availability seems to be limited). Also now used in the "new" Diet Pepsi.


SPLENDA
This is considered by many to be the best sugar substitute currently available.
Splenda is the brand name for sucralose, which is made from sugar by a patented process that replaces three of sugar's hydrogen-oxygen groups with chlorine atoms. This makes the resulting sucralose molecule extremely sweet (about 600 times sweeter than sugar) and extremely stable.

The manufacturer claims that unlike other artificial sweeteners, it will not break down or lose its sweetness when used in cooking or baking, or when used in beverages, like carbonated soft drinks, which typically have a high acidity. However, many Atkids have noted a decrease in the sweetness level during the baking process. The sweetness seems to 'fade' a bit, which is why some people also add a little stevia to their baked goods.

Also, sucralose cannot be metabolized (broken down) by the body's food-digesting enzymes, and therefore has no calories. More importantly, it has no effect on insulin or blood glucose levels.

The FDA granted approval for the use of Splenda as a general sweetener several years ago, and It has been in use since 1991 in hundreds of reduced-calorie and reduced-sugar products such as carbonated soft drinks, shelf-stable fruit drinks, jams, processed fruit products (e.g. apple sauce), yogurt, and baked goods.

Splenda is now widely available in the USA in most large supermarkets, as well as online.
You can purchase Splenda in packets, tablets or 'granular' form.

Be forewarned, however, that both the packets and granular have maltodextrin and / or dextrose as a 'filler' to increase the bulk of the sucralose, so that it can be measured the same as sugar (i.e., 1 cup granular Splenda = 1 cup sugar). And the maltodextrin filler has carbohydrates: .5g per teaspoon, 24g to a cup.

The packets of Splenda do not measure out the same as table sugar. Each packet is equivalent in sweetness to 2 tsp of sugar. The packets have 1g of dextrose per packet with a small amount of Maltodextrin; each packet = 1 carb.
This information was confirmed with the manufacturer.

To purchase the packets or granular Splenda, or to find out which products currentlly are available with Splenda, what kind of testing has been done, etc, go to the manufacturer's website (listed on the Links page),
Contact them via e-mail or phone:
Customer_Service@mspus.jnj.com
732-524-1900

The tablets do not contain any fillers or carbohydrates.
The tablets are available at Low Carb Nexus among other places. (see Links page)

For more information on maltodextrin, the filler used in Splenda packets and granular, check out the following websites:
http://www.healthychoice.com/FAQ/html/NFAQMaltodextrin.cfx
http://mbendi.co.za/nutfoods/data/sd_03_01.stm
http://www.point-and-click.com/corn/usage/malto.htm
http://www.healthnbeauty.com/wwwboard1/messages/28.html

STEVIA
This is a natural sweetener derived from the stevia plant, grown primarily in South America but used all over the world for it's powerful sweetening properties.
Here's the web address for the Cooking with Stevia site, which has a lot of very useful information:

Cooking with Stevia

There are two stevia forms of interest to us: powdered 'steviosides' (pure extract; comes in green or white --- get the white!) and liquid. The powder is far preferable because it is easier to measure and control than the liquid. Because this is a powerful sweetener, a little goes a long way; you might even need to invest in smaller fractional measuring spoons (such as 1/8 tsp). It can be used in baking without any degradation of taste or intensity. Some people like to combine it with other sweeteners such as Splenda or Isomalt to produce the best facsimile of true sugar taste possible. As always, this is largely a matter of personal (subjective) taste.

Some people think stevia has an herbal or licorice taste; others find the taste totally acceptable. It seems clear that quality and brand both play roles in the taste of stevia. Two brands given an A-OK rating: NOW and Wisdom of the Ancients. Stevia is available at most health food stores. Since it is only available currently as a dietary supplement, that's the section of your health food store to look in. It is also available online from most of the large low carb sites.

Sugar Alcohol
This family of compounds, also called polyols, which contain neither sugar or alcohol, is a boon to dieters. The reason: they affect blood glucose and insulin levels much less than real sugar or not at all.

There is some disagreement about whether sugar alcohols count as carbohydrates or not.
As you will note in the Sweetener Information Sheet provided by 1 Stop Sugarless Shop, some feel that although sugar alcohols are digested and absorbed much more slowly than regular sugar, and that little or no insulin is needed for metabolism of them, they still must be counted as a carbohydrate: they are not free foods.
However, others argue that the only reason to count carbohydrates while on a low carb diet is due to their effect on blood glucose and insulin. It's the insulin that shifts fat burning to glucose burning and sabotages the ketogenic diet. Since sugar alcohols do not effect the production of insulin, and only provide a few more calories (2cal/gram), there appears no reason to fear sugar alcohols or to count them against your carbohydrate limits. This point of view is supported by the following references:
http://www.nutritionnewsfocus.com/archive/al/SugarAlc.html
http://www.caloriecontrol.org/isomalt.html
http://www.caloriecontrol.org/lactitol.html

The true test will need to be individual: does ingestion of sugar alcohols throw you, personally, out of ketosis and therefore adversely affect your weight loss? If so, then avoid sugar alcohols or count the carbs against your daily limit. I can tell you that some of the sugar alcohols adversely affect me, dramatically so. Others have no effect at all. Other people react badly to different ones than I do. You MUST find out what works for you personally.

Sugar alcohols have been used for many years in many products. They can be safely submitted to high heat. The only point of caution is that they can produce gastro-intestinal distress and a laxative effect for some people in "excessive amounts". The working definition of "excessive" varies by individual. Some have reported extreme GI distress and diarrhea after eating only a single piece of candy.
The website cited at the end of this section notes that symptoms seem to be affected not only by a person's sensitivity level, but by whatever else they might have consumed around the same time as the sugar alcohol item. More importantly, the site advises:
"Any gastrointestinal symptoms from consuming foods with polyols, if they occur at all, are usually mild and temporary. If a person believes they are sensitive to polyols, the amount eaten on a single occasion should be reduced. Most people will adapt to polyols after a few days, the same way they do to high fiber foods. Many people with diabetes, for example, have learned from their health professional to eat only a small amount of sugar-free products at first and then to gradually increase these foods in the diet."

SORBITOL occurs naturally in many edible fruits and berries. It is absorbed as readily as sugar by the body even though the body uses it in much the same way as sugar. Sorbitol has a mildly sweet taste, about 60% as intense as cane sugar.

MALTITOL is a disaccharide polyol produced from maltose, occurring widely in nature as in chicory and roasted malt and can be up to 95% as sweet as table sugar. It has a pleasant sweet taste with no after taste and has less of a laxative effect than sorbitol or mannitol. Excess consumption (over 15 grams (may be listed as sugar alcohols) may have a laxative effect.)

MANNITOL is a monosaccharide polyol with about 70% the sweetening power of table sugar. Excess consumption (over 10 grams ) can have a laxative effect.

XYLITOL is a monosaccaride polyol derived from fruits and vegetables (such as lettuce, carrots, strawberries) and from fibrous plants.

H S H ( Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate ) also called Lycasin, is from corn. The corn kernels are Steeped, ground and degerminated; the hull, fiber and gluten are removed, leaving the liquid starch. This starch is then partially "hydrolyzed" into thick syrup. The Syrup is then placed in a reaction vessel and hydrogen gas is pumped in. With the aid of a catalyst, these extra hydrogen atoms are fused into new molecules that change the syrup into HSH ( Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate ).

ISOMALT is a fairly new sugar substitute, it was discovered in the early 1950's by Sudzuker AG, the processor of sugar beets in Europe. Isomalt is 50% lower in calories than table sugar and only about 50% of it is metabolized by the body. For more information:
http://www.caloriecontrol.org/isomalt.html
http://www.isomaltusa.com/healthb.htm

Here's a site with excellent information on sugar alcohols:

About polyols

Although polyols have been used commercially for many years, they have not been available to individual consumers. Happily, that is no longer true: isomalt is now available.
Isomalt can be purchased as Grandma Kate's no sugar sweetener. It's granular just like sugar and has no aftertaste.
Nutrition facts state: serving size 1 tsp. 0g fat 0mg cholesterol 0mg sodium 0g carbohydrate 0g fiber, and 0g sugar, 0 calories.
Ingredients: A natural food made from sucrose. First, sugar (saccharose) is enzymatically transformed into isomaltulose. The isomaltulose is then hydrogenated to produce isomalt which is the registered trademark of Palatinit SB and imported into the USA by Palatinit of America.

According to the vendor, Grandma Kate's No-Sugar Sweetener is "great for cooking, baking, in coffee or tea, or in any food where sugar is used. GrandmaKate's No-Sugar Sweetener is derived from the sugar beet. Through the process of hydration the sugar is removed, the sweet remains and so does the bulk (granules). Use like sugar, cooks like sugar, tastes like sugar and isn't sugar. Great for diabetics, persons on special heart diets or weight loss programs, or just wanting good food without adding sugars to the body."
There's a link to their website on the Links page.
You can also call them:
1-800-549-3789.
Or write to:
GrandmaKate & Co., LLC
12365 S.E. Virginia Court
Sandy, Oregon 97055
Or e-mail them: chow@aloha.net
They will happily answer any questions you might have, and would be glad to send their newsletter and recipes.

Here's a Sweetener Conversion Grid:

(Sugar / Splenda to AS packet to stevia liquid)

2 tsp Splenda/Sugar = 1 packet = 1/4 tsp. liquid
1/4 cup Splenda/Sugar = 6 packets = 1/2 tsp. liquid
1/3 cup Splenda/Sugar = 8 packets = 3/4 tsp. liquid
1/2 cup Splenda/Sugar = 12 packets = 1 1/4 tsp. liquid
3/4 cup Splenda/Sugar = 18 packets = 1 3/4 tsp. liquid
1 cup Splenda/Sugar = 24 packets = 2 1/2 tsp. liquid
2 cups Splenda/Sugar = 48 packets = 5 1/4 tsp. liquid