Sugar free salted caramel syrup has become an increasingly popular low calorie alternative to regular caramel syrup. With its sweet, salty, caramel flavor, this sugar free syrup can be used to add flavor to coffee drinks, ice cream, pancakes, and more without adding a significant amount of calories. But exactly how many calories are in sugar free salted caramel syrup?
The Calories in Sugar Free Syrups
Most sugar free syrups, including salted caramel syrup, have very minimal calories because they do not contain any sugar. Sugar is where most of the calories in regular syrups come from. Since artificial sweeteners like sucralose, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, and stevia are used in place of sugar in sugar free syrups, the calorie count is dramatically reduced.
Here are some calorie comparisons for different syrups:
- Regular caramel syrup: About 60 calories per tablespoon
- Sugar free caramel syrup: Less than 1 calorie per tablespoon
- Regular maple syrup: About 52 calories per tablespoon
- Sugar free maple flavored syrup: Less than 1 calorie per tablespoon
- Regular chocolate syrup: About 60 calories per tablespoon
- Sugar free chocolate syrup: Less than 5 calories per tablespoon
As you can see, the sugar free versions have about 5-10% of the calories compared to regular, sugar-based syrups. The small amount of calories in sugar free syrups come from minor ingredients like natural and artificial flavors and thickeners like xanthan gum.
Calories in Popular Brands of Sugar Free Salted Caramel Syrup
Now let’s look at the calories for some popular brands of sugar free salted caramel syrup specifically:
Torani Sugar Free Salted Caramel Syrup
One of the most popular brands of sugar free salted caramel syrup is made by Torani. According to Torani’s nutrition information, their sugar free salted caramel syrup has:
- 5 calories per 1 tablespoon (15ml) serving
- 0g fat
- 0g saturated fat
- 0g trans fat
- 0g cholesterol
- 15mg sodium
- 0g total carbohydrates
- 0g fiber
- 0g sugars
- 0g added sugars
- 0g protein
With only 5 calories and 0g carbs per serving, Torani’s sugar free salted caramel syrup is a great low calorie option. A tablespoon of their regular salted caramel syrup contains 60 calories by comparison.
Skinny Syrups Salted Caramel
Skinny Syrups is another popular brand of sugar free syrups, including their salted caramel flavor. According to their website, one serving (1 tablespoon/15ml) of Skinny Syrups Salted Caramel Syrup has:
- 0 calories
- 0g total fat
- 0g saturated fat
- 0g trans fat
- 0g cholesterol
- 0g sodium
- 0g total carbs
- 0g fiber
- 0g sugars
- 0g added sugars
- 0g protein
Skinny Syrups Salted Caramel Syrup is one of the lowest calorie options, with 0 calories and 0g carbs per serving.
Jordan’s Skinny Syrups Sugar Free Salted Caramel
Jordan’s Skinny Syrups is a popular brand that makes sugar free syrups in many flavors, including salted caramel. According to their product label, here is the nutrition information per serving (1 tablespoon/15ml) of Jordan’s Skinny Syrups Sugar Free Salted Caramel:
- 0 calories
- 0g total fat
- 0g saturated fat
- 0mg cholesterol
- 25mg sodium
- 1g total carbs
- 0g fiber
- 0g sugars
- 0g added sugars
- 0g protein
With 0 calories and just 1g carb per serving, Jordan’s Skinny Syrups Sugar Free Salted Caramel is another excellent low calorie choice.
Monin Sugar Free Salted Caramel Sauce
Monin is a popular syrup and sauce brand. Here are the nutrition facts for their Sugar Free Salted Caramel Sauce per serving (1 tablespoon/15ml):
- 10 calories
- 0g fat
- 0g saturated fat
- 0g trans fat
- 0mg cholesterol
- 25mg sodium
- 2g total carbohydrates
- 0g fiber
- 0g sugars
- 0g added sugars
- 0g protein
Monin’s sugar free version has just 10 calories and 2g net carbs per serving. Their regular salted caramel sauce has 70 calories and 16g net carbs per serving in comparison.
Calories in Sugar Free Salted Caramel Syrup by Serving Size
Now let’s look at the calories in sugar free salted caramel syrup based on different serving sizes:
| Serving Size | Calories |
|---|---|
| 1 teaspoon (5ml) | 0-3 calories |
| 1 tablespoon (15ml) | 0-10 calories |
| 2 tablespoons (30ml) | 0-20 calories |
| 1/4 cup (60ml) | 0-40 calories |
| 1/2 cup (120ml) | 0-80 calories |
| 1 cup (240ml) | 0-160 calories |
As you can see, even consuming larger serving sizes of sugar free salted caramel syrup will provide minimal calories. A 1/4 cup serving may have up to 40 calories, while a full 1 cup serving may have up to 160 calories.
However, most people consume syrups in smaller servings like 1-2 tablespoons. In these amounts, sugar free salted caramel syrup will realistically have only 0-20 calories per serving.
Does Sugar Free Syrup Have Carbs?
When looking at the nutrition labels, you may notice some sugar free syrups contain 1-2 grams of carbs per serving. So does sugar free syrup contain carbs?
While sugar free syrups do not contain sugar, some can contain very small amounts of natural carbohydrates from minor ingredients. However, the carb content is extremely minimal at 0-2g per serving.
Compare this to regular syrup which can contain 15-20g net carbs per serving, almost entirely from sugar. Sugar free syrups contain at least 90-95% fewer carbs than regular syrup.
Therefore, sugar free salted caramel syrup can generally be considered carb-free and keto friendly, since it contains negligible amounts of carbs and will fit into almost any low carb eating plan.
Sugar Alcohol in Sugar Free Syrup
In addition to artificial sweeteners, some sugar free syrups use sugar alcohols as sweeteners instead of sugar. Common sugar alcohols found in syrups include:
- Erythritol
- Xylitol
- Maltitol
- Sorbitol
Sugar alcohols are low calorie sweeteners that are structurally similar to sugar but with a different chemical composition. They provide a sweet taste but contain fewer calories than sugar:
- Erythritol: 0.2 calories per gram
- Xylitol: 2.4 calories per gram
- Maltitol: 2.1 calories per gram
- Sorbitol: 2.6 calories per gram
Compare this to table sugar, also known as sucrose, which has 4 calories per gram. So sugar alcohols can provide sweetness for fewer calories than regular sugar.
Sugar alcohols also do not count as net carbs on low carb diets. This makes syrups sweetened with sugar alcohols another good low carb choice.
Should You Consume Sugar Free Syrup?
Sugar free syrups like salted caramel can be enjoyed on a low calorie or low carb diet due to their minimal amount of calories and carbs. However, there are a few downsides to consider:
- Artificial sweeteners – Some people want to avoid artificial sweeteners like sucralose and aspartame.
- Blood sugar – Artificial sweeteners do not raise blood sugar like regular sugar. However, some research shows they may still cause an insulin response in the body.
- Gut health – Sugar alcohols can cause digestive issues like gas and bloating in some people.
- Acidic taste – Sugar free syrups sometimes have an acidic or bitter aftertaste.
- Expense – Sugar free syrups tend to cost more than regular syrups.
Overall, enjoying sugar free syrup occasionally should not be a problem for most people. But moderation is key, and limiting daily intake to a few servings per day or less is recommended.
For people with diabetes, prediabetes, or gut sensitivities, regular syrup in very small amounts may be tolerated better than sugar free versions.
Healthier Alternatives to Sugar Free Syrup
Here are some healthy alternatives to enjoy instead of sugar free salted caramel syrup:
Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce
Make your own salted caramel sauce using these healthy ingredients:
- Medjool dates
- Unsweetened almond milk
- Vanilla extract
- Sea salt
- Coconut butter
Simmer the dates, almond milk, and vanilla to soften the dates. Then blend until smooth. Stir in coconut butter and salt. Chill until thickened.
Caramelized Bananas
For a simple caramel flavor, caramelize sliced bananas in a skillet over medium heat until browned and softened. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
Homemade Caramel Apples
Make caramel apples using dates blended with non-dairy milk and spices for a veggie-based caramel coating.
Caramelized Pears
Saute pears in a skillet until softened and browned. Top with chopped walnuts for crunch.
Maple Syrup
Use real maple syrup sparingly to add caramelized sweetness without artificial ingredients.
Fruit Toppings
Fresh fruit like bananas, strawberries, peach slices, or raspberries can provide natural sweetness instead of syrup.
Conclusion
Sugar free salted caramel syrup can be a tasty lower calorie substitute for regular caramel syrup. Most brands only contain 0-5 calories per serving and negligible carbs.
Larger serving sizes of 1/4-1 cup may have up to 40-160 calories. But most people use smaller servings of 1-2 tablespoons, which provide only 0-20 calories.
While sugar free syrups allow sweet flavor without extra calories or carbs, moderation is still key. For better gut and overall health, homemade fruit-based sauces and fresh fruit toppings make healthier alternatives.
