Is Zero Calorie Sweetener For Cooking & Baking Kosher?

The Ingredient Breakdown

When determining if a processed food is kosher, we look for hidden animal products, grain alcohol, or specific insect-based dyes. For this sweetener, the formula is surprisingly straightforward and avoids the most common red flags.

The primary ingredient is Nutritive Dextrose. Dextrose is a form of glucose usually derived from corn or tapioca. Unlike sugar, which is often processed using bone char (a non-kosher filter) or can come from sugar cane, dextrose is chemically synthesized. It is inherently vegan and kosher. It serves as a bulking agent to give the sweetener volume.

The active sweetener is Saccharin. As one of the oldest artificial sweeteners, it is synthesized from toluene or other petroleum-based precursors. It contains no animal products, dairy, or gluten. While some people avoid it due to historical controversy, from a kosher dietary law perspective, it is perfectly acceptable.

The functional additives are Cream of Tartar and Calcium Silicate. Cream of Tartar is a byproduct of winemaking; it is the acidic crystals left behind in barrels. It is naturally vegan and kosher. Calcium Silicate is an anti-caking agent (essentially a type of salt) used to prevent clumping. It is mineral-based and poses no kosher issues.

Nutritional Value

This sweetener is designed to mimic sugar in cooking without the caloric load. The nutritional profile is dominated by the zero-calorie claim, which is accurate regarding the Saccharin content. However, because it contains Nutritive Dextrose, it technically contains a very small amount of carbohydrates and calories per serving, though the FDA allows it to be labeled as zero calorie due to the minuscule serving size.

It fits well into strict diets like Keto and Paleo because the total carb count is negligible. It does not spike blood sugar the way pure sugar does, making it a viable option for diabetics. The inclusion of Calcium Silicate adds a trace amount of calcium, but it is nutritionally insignificant.