Pudding is a much-loved dessert and snack item for many people. Occasionally indulging in a serving of pudding will not harm your overall health, but regularly consuming pudding may cause you to eat far more sugar than what is considered healthy. Sugar-free pudding is an alternative that allows you to enjoy the treat without consuming all the sugar. Learning more about the nutritional information of sugar-free pudding will enable you to enjoy your favorite pudding flavor knowing that you are reducing your sugar intake.
Artificial Sweeteners
To replace the sugar in regular pudding blends, artificial sweeteners are added to help replicate the sweet taste without using refined sugars. According to MayoClinic.com, eating sugar-free foods made with artificial sweeteners can help you cut your total caloric and sugar intake. A 1/2-cup serving of sugar-free pudding has anywhere from 35 to 80 calories and the same serving of regular pudding has about 150 calories. There are some other things to note about artificial sweeteners as well. Even if the pudding you choose is sugar-free, it may not be calorie-free and simply eliminating the sugar does not mean that pudding is a healthy part of your daily diet. It should still be eaten in moderation, but sugar-free versions can help with weight control and sugar reduction.
Fat
Depending on what type of milk is used to prepare pudding, the fat content can change. Using whole milk will add several more grams of fat and saturated fat to the pudding, whether it is sugar-free or not. Diets high in saturated fat can raise your risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, MayoClinic.com notes. Using reduced-fat or skim milk will cut many of these fat grams and make your pudding choice slightly healthier for you. A 1/2-cup serving of pudding made with reduced-fat milk contains between 1 and 1.5 g of fat compared to about 4.5 g when made with whole milk. Packaged sugar-free puddings may be lower in calories, but not necessarily fat. A 4-oz. serving of prepackaged sugar free chocolate pudding has 60 calories and 1 g of saturated fat.
Calcium
Using milk to prepare pudding or purchasing pre-made pudding made with milk will supply some calcium in your treat. Calcium is a mineral that is crucial for the formation and maintenance of your bones and teeth, and eating a serving of sugar-free pudding will still provide the same amount of calcium as puddings that contain sugar. A 1/2-cup serving of sugar-free chocolate pudding contains about 150 mg of calcium. Using skim milk in place of whole milk will increase the nutritional value, but will not change the calcium content.
Other Nutrients
While sugar-free pudding cannot be considered a nutritious part of your daily diet, it does supply small amounts of some vitamins and minerals. A 1/2-cup serving supplies some potassium and magnesium, both of which contribute to healthy muscles. The same serving of sugar-free pudding also contains some iron.
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