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Sugar-free does not necessarily mean calorie-free, and it’s important to read the labels to understand what is in the product. Some forms of artificial sweeteners have been linked to health concerns, such as cancer or weight gain, depending on usage. They are often used in foods and beverages that are labeled sugar-free, because they provide a sweet taste without the sugar or calories.Įven though sugar-free products don’t contain sugar, that doesn’t necessarily mean that they are healthy. Low-calorie sweeteners provide sweetness, but have much less or no calories compared to sugar. The amount of sugar and type of sweetener varies based on the product. The sugar may be replaced with artificial sweeteners, such as saccharin, aspartame, sucralose, advantame, or acesulfame potassium, or with sugar alcohols, such as sorbitol, mannitol, isomalt, and xylitol. Sugar-free products do not contain any sugar, or have had the sugar removed from them. Generally, sugar-free implies that a product does not contain sugar or sucrose as an ingredient, and that any sweetness that is present comes from either a form of artificial sweetener or natural alternatives such as stevia or monk fruit. The definition of “sugar-free” is not completely consistent across different regions and countries, but it typically applies to both natural and processed added sugar. This could refer to natural sweeteners such as honey, agave, or molasses, as well as processed sweeteners like corn syrup, sucralose, or aspartame. Yes, typically when something is labeled as “sugar-free” it means that no added sugar is included in the product. Ultimately, when it comes to choosing between the two, no sugar-added ice cream still contains naturally occurring sugars, while sugar-free ice cream is generally viewed as a better option for those seeking to cut down on added sugars.
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This means it is not considered calorie-free, while no sugar added ice cream can be. In addition, sugar-free ice cream may contain carbohydrates, often from corn syrup and maltodextrin.
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On the other hand, sugar-free ice cream has had all sugars removed or replaced with artificial sweeteners, meaning it lacks added sweetness or richness. This sugar occurs naturally in milk and dairy products, giving added sweetness and richness to the final ice cream product. No sugar added ice cream contains naturally occurring sugars from milk, yogurt, and other dairy ingredients, but no additional sugar has been added. No sugar added and sugar-free ice cream may sound like similar concepts, but there is a key difference between the two.
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