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Many people wonder about sweets that are off-limits in the keto diet. 

The ketogenic diet stands out from other diets in that it doesn't entirely prohibit sweets. 

If sweets are prepared with specific ingredients and consumed in controlled portions, they won't negatively impact the diet. 

This means that the recipe's ingredients determine whether these sweets are forbidden in keto or not. 

In this article, we will discuss these ingredients that make sweets unsuitable for the keto diet.

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Types of Sweets Forbidden in the Keto Diet

Sugar

Sugar is the most common culprit in keto-forbidden sweets. 

Real sugar comes as a sweetener in many forms: white, brown, powdered, confectioners, syrup, and more. 

It's one of the most popular ingredients used in preparing sweets that are off-limits in keto.

Real sugar is a double molecule of glucose (50%) and fructose (50%). This makes sugar 100% carbohydrates, and all sugars have negative effects on weight gain, blood glucose levels, and cell response to the insulin hormone.

Fructose

Pure fructose is among the worst offenders in keto-forbidden sweets. 

It's a natural sweetener, and its negative impact on the diet is greater than sugar combined with glucose and fructose. 

This is because it goes directly to the liver and may promote fatty liver disease, insulin resistance, obesity, and unhealthy fat characteristics, especially when consumed in large quantities.

Fructose is much slower in raising blood sugar levels, meaning it has a lower glycemic index rating. 

However, both fructose and sugar are forbidden in the keto diet due to their harmful effects on the body, especially fructose.

Therefore, it's crucial to avoid sweeteners containing a lot of fructose, such as corn syrup, concentrated fruit juice, honey, and molasses. 

Fructose sweeteners are often marketed as a healthy alternative to white sugar but may be a worse option than white sugar regarding weight and overall body health.

Yacon Syrup

Yacon syrup comes from the root of the yacon plant, native to South America. 

It's a natural sweetener similar to maple syrup, and using both in preparing certain recipes makes them fall under keto-forbidden sweets. 

Yacon syrup has a lower glycemic index (GI) than most other sugars because part of the syrup is fiber.

Every 100 grams of yacon root contains about 9 to 13 grams of carbohydrates. 

If the yacon syrup is more concentrated, you will get the same amount of carbohydrates in about two tablespoons, making it unsuitable for the keto diet.

Artificial Sweeteners

These are created in laboratories from chemicals and other substances like sugar. 

Many types of these sweeteners do not align with the ketogenic diet, and recipes that rely on them are considered keto-forbidden sweets. 

Examples include:

Aspartame: This sweetener is used in making soft drinks and has been shown to raise insulin levels in the body, making it off-limits in the keto diet.

Saccharin: This is the oldest artificial sweetener, and the pure form does not contain calories or carbohydrates. 

The FDA attempted to ban it due to causing bladder cancer in rodents, and it's best to avoid it as it also causes many digestive problems.

White Honey

Foods made with honey are forbidden in the keto diet. 

One tablespoon of raw honey contains 17 grams of net carbohydrates, 16 of which are from sugar. 

See the following statement to understand the metabolism of honey.

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Nutritional Value of Honey in the Keto Diet (1 tablespoon):

• Carbohydrates: 17 grams
• Fat: 0 grams
• Protein: 1 gram
• Fiber: 0 grams

Due to the nutritional value honey provides to the body, it cannot be relied upon in preparing sweets as it will take the individual out of ketosis.

Black Honey (Molasses)

Black honey (molasses) also cannot be used in preparing keto diet sweets due to its high sugar content, negatively impacting blood insulin levels. 

It's a thick, dark brown liquid and a byproduct of the final crystallization process of sugar manufacturing. 

It's used in various industries, most notably alcohol, glycerin, fermentation, and feed industries.

To understand the nutritional value it provides to the body, see the following table.

Nutritional Value of Black Honey (Molasses) (100 grams):

• Calories: 289
• Fat: 1 gram
• Carbohydrates: 75 grams

Therefore, all recipes that use molasses are considered keto-forbidden sweets and should be avoided.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is brown sugar allowed in keto?

Brown sugar is similar to white cane sugar, but the manufacturing process is slightly different. 

It's created directly from boiled sugarcane juice, left to cool and crystallize. 

It contains between three and seven percent molasses, which gives it its brown color. 

It's rich in carbohydrates, with two tablespoons containing about 96 calories, 22 grams of carbohydrates, 22 grams of sugar, zero grams of fat, and zero grams of protein.

In the standard ketogenic diet, the average daily limit for carbohydrate consumption ranges from 20 to 50 grams, making brown sugar unsuitable for keto, and recipes that include it are considered keto-forbidden sweets.

Conclusion

And with that, we reach the end of our discussion about sweets forbidden in the keto diet. 

We hope, dear reader, that you have benefited from this guide to keto-incompatible sweets.