Allulose Keto: Is This Sweetener Really Safe for Ketosis?

Is Allulose, the new trending ‘natural’ sweetener really safe for Keto diet? Will it not kick you out of Ketosis? Here’s what you need to know.

Allulose is a naturally occurring sugar that was first discovered in Wheat more than 70 years ago. It’s also found in small quantities in Jackfruit, figs, and raisins.

It actually looks and tastes like normal sugar but boasts of having only 1/10th the calories of sugar.

If it’s been around for that long, how come we never knew about it?

Most likely because Allulose is still not available as a tabletop sweetener. That’s been predicted to change in the near future.

However, Allulose does have the Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) approval from the FDA. It’s available for food & beverages manufacturers to use in their food products.

Allulose Keto: What’s the deal here?

People on the Keto diet are familiar with low carb sweeteners like Stevia and Erythritol. But ever since Quest Nutrition introduced their quest bars with Allulose, everyone wants to know what it is and if it’s really keto friendly.

What really got everyone’s attention is the total net carbs listed on quest bars nutritional facts.

For example, this Waffle flavor Quest bar has the following information on its Nutritional facts:

Total Carbohydrates: 17g
Dietary Fiber: 6g
Sugars: 8g

Net Carbs: 3g

What the? Where did all those carbs go? Why does it only have 3 net carbs when it has over 17g total Carbohydrates?

Those are the questions that would pop up in your head if you have a look at the quest bar nutritional labels.

Quest Bar Net Carbs Mystery

Total net carbs on food labels are calculated by subtracting any listed fiber and half the sugar alcohols from total Carbohydrates. If erythritol is the only sugar alcohol listed, all of it can be subtracted from the total Carbs.

The waffle quest bar example had total carbs of 17g, 6g fiber, and 8g sugars (Allulose).

Allulose claims to have only 1/10 the calories and carbs of normal sugar. That means 8g of Allulose listed on the Quest Nutrition label is actually 0.8g in Carbs.

So even though it’s listed as 8g sugar, it’s actually 0.8g in Carbs.

8 – 0.8= 7.2

Calculation: 17 (total carbs) – 6 (dietary fiber) – 7.2 (Allulose)= 3.8

This is why nutritional facts on quest bar say total net carbs is only 3g. It should be rounded up to 4g but looks like they rounded it down a bit.

So why is it listed as 8g sugar on the label?

The FDA requires Allulose to be listed as sugar even if it’s low carb.

Why is fiber subtracted from total Carbohydrates?

Dietary fiber, also known as Carbohydrates is resistant to digestion and absorption in the small intestine (Lattimer and Haub. 2010). This is why it’s usually subtracted from the total Carbohydrates on food labels.

Allulose Side Effects

I came across this comment about Allulose on a YouTube video:

“One Quest hero bar will give me enough gas to go to the moon. They are so good too. :(“

That comment pretty much sums up the most popular side effect of Allulose: Gas.

Allulose is also reported to have a laxative effect on some people.

Other common side effects include:

1. Bloating
2. Diarrhea
3. Gas, because it’s worth mentioning here again.

Quick Allulose FAQ

Does Allulose have any impact on blood sugar or glycaemic Index?

According to current research evidence and consumer reviews, no it doesn’t. Allulose is not metabolized by the body so it doesn’t have any impact on blood sugar or glycemic index.

Will allulose kick me out of Ketosis by any chance?

No, it shouldn’t. As mentioned above, it is not converted into glucose in the body and more than 70% of it is excreted via urine within 24 hours of consumption.

Does Allulose have any impact on Insulin Response?

No, for the same reasons mentioned above.

Where to buy Allulose?

It’s not available as a tabletop sweetener, yet. You can buy it in the form of food products that have Allulose like these Quest bars on Amazon.

Bottom line:

Current research and customer reviews suggest Allulose is safe for Keto diet and low carb diets. It doesn’t seem to have any impact on glycemic index or insulin response because it’s not metabolized by the body.

Watch out for side effects such as gas, bloating and diarrhea.

Allulose is not sold as a tabletop sweetener yet so you can only buy it in the form of food products that have it.

Quest bars are fine to eat occasionally and/or when you’re at work, or traveling but don’t eat them all the time.  Avoid them if you can’t tolerate the gassy side effects of Allulose.

We can expect to see a lot more research on Allulose soon and it might also become available as a tabletop sweetener sometime in the future.

What are your thoughts on Allulose for Keto diet?