Torani syrup is a popular brand of flavored syrups used to add flavor to coffee, tea, Italian sodas, and other beverages. With a wide variety of flavors like vanilla, caramel, hazelnut, and many more, Torani syrups allow you to customize your drinks.
Some consumers wonder if Torani syrup contains artificial sweeteners, as many people prefer to avoid these sugar substitutes for health or taste reasons. This article will explore if Torani syrup contains artificial sweeteners like aspartame, saccharin, sucralose, or acesulfame potassium.
What sweeteners are used in Torani syrup?
According to Torani’s website and product packaging, their syrups are sweetened with cane sugar and contain no artificial sweeteners. A few varieties also contain honey for additional sweetness.
Specifically, Torani uses evaporated cane juice as the main sweetener in their syrups. Evaporated cane juice is made from sugar cane and is considered a natural sweetener. While chemically similar to regular white sugar, it is less processed and some consumers prefer it for its more natural source.
In addition to cane sugar, some Torani flavors use honey to complement the sweetness. For example, their Honey Vanilla syrup contains both evaporated cane juice and honey. The honey provides floral notes that enhance the vanilla flavor.
Torani’s website states: “Our syrups are made using only natural ingredients like cane sugar, natural flavors and colors, and contain no high fructose corn syrup, no artificial sweeteners or preservatives.” This confirms that they do not use artificial sweeteners in any variety of their syrup.
Common artificial sweeteners Torani avoids
By not using any artificial sweeteners, Torani syrup avoids all of the common sugar substitutes:
- Acesulfame potassium (Ace-K)
- Advantame
- Aspartame
- Neotame
- Saccharin
- Sucralose
These lab-created sweeteners provide a sweet taste with zero or very few calories. Some well-known brand names for these artificial sweeteners include Sweet’N Low, Splenda, Equal, and NutraSweet.
While artificial sweeteners may be used safely in moderation, some consumers want to avoid them for a few reasons:
- Preference for natural sweeteners
- Concerns about long-term health impacts
- Dislike of aftertaste
By using only ingredients like cane sugar and honey, Torani syrup fulfills consumers’ desire for an all-natural flavored syrup without any artificial sweeteners.
Torani syrup ingredients
To provide more insight into their products, Torani openly lists the ingredients on every syrup variety. While the exact ingredients vary by flavor, their syrups typically contain:
- Evaporated cane juice – Provides sweetness
- Water
- Natural flavors – From fruit, nuts, vanilla, cocoa, etc.
- Potassium sorbate – Food-grade preservative
- Citric acid
- Sodium benzoate – Preservative
- Xanthan gum – Thickener
- Colors from vegetable sources
Scanning the labels confirms that no type of Torani syrup includes artificial sweeteners in the ingredients list. The sweetness comes only from cane sugar or blends of cane sugar and honey.
Torani syrup nutrition facts
Torani syrup nutrition facts also provide insight into their natural sweetener composition. A 1 tablespoon (15ml) serving contains:
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 60 |
| Total Carbohydrates | 15g |
| Total Sugars | 15g |
As you can see, Torani syrup gets its 15g of carbohydrates and sugars per serving entirely from cane sugar or honey, without any sugar substitutes added.
Some consumers specifically seek out Torani syrup due to its lack of artificial sweeteners and minimal ingredients. Its nutrition label transparency allows buyers to easily verify the natural, high-quality ingredients.
Does Torani syrup have high fructose corn syrup?
High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is another type of sweetener that some consumers aim to avoid. This common sweetener comes from corn starch, contains fructose and glucose, and provides a sweetness similar to table sugar.
While the FDA considers HFCS safe and natural, some controversial health concerns have been raised around higher fructose intake. The sweetener has also been associated with obesity rates in the United States.
For consumers wishing to avoid HFCS, Torani syrup checks this box as well. According to their website FAQ, Torani assures customers that all of their syrups are completely free from high fructose corn syrup.
Instead of HFCS, Torani uses evaporated cane juice as a natural, unprocessed sweetener. This provides consumers with an alternative sweeter choice minus the high fructose corn syrup.
Do any Torani syrup flavors contain artificial sweeteners?
While Torani’s standard syrup line avoids artificial sweeteners, customers do wonder if any specialty flavors happen to contain them.
According to Torani’s customer service department, none of their available syrup flavors contain artificial sweeteners, not even their diet line. They use natural sweeteners exclusively across all products.
Some consumers infer that Torani’s diet syrups may contain artificial sweeteners or sugar substitutes to reduce the calorie count. However, the diet versions achieve lower calories by significantly reducing the amount of cane sugar per serving.
For example, their French Vanilla syrup contains 60 calories and 15g total sugars per serving. The Diet French Vanilla contains only 15 calories and 4g total sugars using less cane sugar, but still no artificial sweeteners.
So diet syrup seekers can rest assured knowing Torani’s diet flavors leave out the artificial sweeteners too.
Does Torani syrup expire?
With proper storage, Torani syrups typically last 2-3 years after opening before expiring. An unopened bottle lasts even longer – around 4 years from the manufacturing date.
To help syrup last as long as possible:
- Keep bottles sealed tightly after each use
- Store in a cool, dry place away from heat and sunlight
- Refrigerate after opening for maximum freshness
- Keep away from moisture
Over time, humidity, oxygen exposure, and temperature fluctuations can degrade the syrup’s quality, flavor, and shelf life. Refrigeration helps prolong freshness once opened.
Be sure to inspect your Torani syrups prior to use. Signs of expiration include changes in consistency, color, aroma, and taste. Expired syrup may appear overly thick, separated, darker in color, or have an odd smell or flavor.
With proper, sealed storage, unopened Torani syrups stay fresh up to 4 years from the production date on the bottle. Opened bottles last 2-3 years when stored in the fridge after opening.
Where to buy Torani syrup
Torani syrups are sold in over 120 countries worldwide. In the United States, you can find Torani at the following retailers:
- Grocery stores like Safeway and Kroger
- Mass retailers like Target and Walmart
- Club stores like Costco and Sam’s Club
- Coffee shops like Starbucks
- Food service suppliers
- Online retailers like Amazon
Torani’s website has a product locator to help find local stores that carry their syrups. They offer worldwide shipping from their online store as well.
Torani syrups come in sizes ranging from 375 ml up to 1 gallon. The most common size is 25.4 oz (750 ml). Prices range from $4-$12 depending on bottle size and retailer.
How to use Torani syrup
Torani syrup brings sweet, exciting flavor to all types of hot and cold beverages. You can add it to:
- Coffee
- Tea
- Lattes
- Hot chocolate
- Milk
- Italian sodas
- Fruit smoothies
- Milkshakes
- Cocktails
- Snow cones
- Desserts
The standard syrup to liquid ratio is 1-2 ounces of syrup per 8-12 ounces of drink. Adjust to taste preference for more or less sweetness.
Some delicious Torani syrup flavor combinations include:
- Hazelnut + coffee
- Vanilla + black tea
- Caramel + steamed milk
- Raspberry + lemonade
- Peach + iced tea
Drizzle syrups over ice cream, mix into batter and dough for baked goods, or shake into cocktails. The possibilities are endless!
Conclusion
Torani brand syrups rely on natural sweeteners like cane sugar and honey to flavor drinks, desserts, and other recipes. They do not contain any artificial sweeteners, allowing consumers to customize beverages without compromises.
Carefully inspecting the ingredients lists, nutrition facts, and Torani’s public information confirms their commitment to keeping artificial sweeteners out of all available syrup flavors. While diet versions contain less sugar for fewer calories, they stick to natural cane sugar rather than sugar substitutes.
For the highest quality andfreshness, be sure to store Torani syrups properly sealed and refrigerated after opening. With proper care, both open and unopened bottles can last years past their manufacturing date.
Next time you search for an all-natural, flavorful syrup, Torani offers a delicious option without the artificial sweeteners.
