Ever since starting the ketogenic diet, I wondered, is sugar-free jello keto-friendly? This is a common question from beginners starting the keto diet, so I created a mini-guide to finally answer this question.
Is sugar-free Jello is keto-friendly? Sugar-free jello is keto-friendly due to the aspartame found in the ingredient list. Aspartame has been proven to not have an effect on blood sugar levels according to the research cited on pubmed.gov.
Even though we can confidently say that sugar-free jello is keto-friendly, there is a difference between a Sugar-Free Jello Mix and a Sugar-Free Jello Snack Pack and one of them is NOT keto-friendly. I will go into this in more detail below, so be sure to read through which one of these you should avoid.
Can Sugar-Free Jello Kick You Out of Ketosis?
Sugar-free jello can kick you out of ketosis if you eat the type that uses Maltodextrin, but more on this later.
We will focus on the Sugar-Free Jello Packs that are sweetened with Aspartame, and the answer to whether or not this type of jello will kick you out of ketosis is no.
The ingredients do not have an effect on your blood sugar or insulin levels and for each pack of sugar-free jello you eat, it won’t add to your carb count since there are 0 carbs in each serving.
Sugar-Free Jello Nutrition Facts and the Affects on Keto
All of the below nutritional information for sugar-free jello snack packs was pulled from jello.com and is based on 1 pack of sugar-free jello.
| Calories | 10 |
| Total Fat | 0.0 grams |
| Total Carbohydrate | 0.0 grams |
| Protein | 1.0 grams |
What’s The Carb Count?
The first thing to check if a food is keto-approved or not is to check the carbs shown on the nutritional information. Sugar-Free Jello has zero grams of carbs.
This makes it easy to enough to calculate macros in this case since it has zero grams of carbs and there is no need to calculate net carbs for snack pack sugar-free jello.
What Ingredients Are in Sugar-Free Jello Snack Packs
You can find the ingredients below along with a notion of whether they have an effect on someone practicing the keto diet and if they are keto-friendly or now.
| Ingredient | Is It Keto Friendly? |
| Water | YES |
| Gelatin | YES |
| Adipic Acid (For Tartness) | YES |
| Sodium Citrate (Controls Acidity) | YES |
| Citric Acid (For Tartness) | YES |
| Aspartame (Sweetener) | YES |
| Acesulfame Potassium (Sweetener) | YES |
| Salt | YES |
| Red 40 | YES |
| Artificial Flavors | YES |
The total ingredients list includes Water, Gelatin, Adipic Acid (for Tartness), Sodium Citrate (Controls Acidity), Citric Acid (for Tartness), Aspartame*, and Acesulfame Potassium (Sweeteners), Salt, Artificial Flavor. *Phenylketonurics: Contains Phenylalanine.
Is Aspartame Keto Friendly? (Main Sugar Substitute in Sugar Free Jello Packs)
Aspartame is a sugar substitutes that has been proven to not have an affect on blood sugar or insulin levels unlike some of the other sugar substitutes out there like Maltodextrin, Maltitol, Dextrose among others.
You Can Read More About Aspartame Here
Are there different types of sugar-free jello?
Types of Sugar-Free Jello
There are two main types of sugar-free jello and this is very important to distinguish between because one is keto friendly and the other is not. Make sure you keep reading to know which one you should avoid.
Is Sugar-Free Jello Mix Keto Friendly? This type of sugar-free jello is NOT keto-friendly because of the sugar substitute they use in the ingredient list. In the mixes that allow you to make your own jello contain Maltodextrin which actually has an effect on your insulin and blood sugar levels. It has been proven in this study by ncbi.nlm.nih.gov that maltodextrin affects blood sugar levels.
Is Sugar-Free Jello Packs Keto Friendly? This type of sugar-free jello IS OK on the keto diet because it uses aspartame for the sugar substitute which has been proven to have little to no effect on insulin or blood sugar levels. You can read more about this in this study by WebMD.com.
What Flavors of Sugar Free Jello Are Available?
Her is a list of all flavors available for the keto friendly Sugar-free Jello Packs:
- Strawberry
- Strawberry-Kiwi
- Lemon-Lime
- Black Cherry
- Raspberry
Conclusion: Is Sugar-Free Jello Keto Friendly?
Sugar-Free Jello passes all the keto low carb diet tests. It is approved by most in the keto community as well. It comes with a guilt-free feeling even after you may haven’t eaten 2 packs in less than 2 minutes like me.
Keto Dessert Recipes That Use Sugar-Free Jello
Many people in the keto community like to use Sugar-Free Jello as an ingredient in their dessert recipes. It is commonly paired with heavy whipping cream. Most people are using the non-keto-friendly type of jello that has maltodextrin so try these at your own risk.
- Low Carb Sugar-Free Jello Meringue Cookies – View On PinterestSugar-Free Jello Packs
- Low Carb Keto Fat Bomb Mousse Recipe – View On Pinterest
- Yogurt Jello Bites – View On Pinterest (Add a little personal touch by adding some frozen berries to this recipe)
- Low Carb Jello Cream Cheese Balls AKA Keto Cherry Bombs – View On Pinterest
Related Questions
Is sugar-free jello pudding keto-friendly? No sugar-free jello pudding uses Maltitol as it’s a sugar substitute and Maltitol has been linked to affecting blood sugar and insulin levels. Consuming Maltitol would ultimately kick you out of any state of ketosis you may have reached or stop you from reaching it entirely.
Does sugar free jello break a fast? Yes eating sugar-free jello will break a fast. Consuming anything other than plain water or plain tea will break a fast, so I would suggest staying away from sugar-free jello if you are planning to fast for any given time.
Is sugar-free cool whip keto-friendly? Looking briefly at the ingredients, it looks like sugar-free cool whip is keto friendly, but I would urge you to not eat too much of this since it has a lot of ingredients that are not natural.
Nee something to fix your salty cravings?
Check out my 13 Best Beef Jerky For The Keto Diet here
