Sugar Free Jelly Nutrition

Sugar-free jelly is a low-calorie spread that can be used for sandwiches, bagels, toast and other items to provide additional flavor. Although low in calories, it is not calorie- or carbohydrate-free, so while it can be helpful for dieting, using too much can inhibit your weight-loss efforts. In addition, foods you eat with sugar-free jelly may be high in calories, so check nutrition panels.

Calorie Content

Sugar-free jelly is low in calories, as each 1 tbsp. serving provides 10 calories. Regular jelly contains 50 calories in a 1 tbsp. serving. Other foods commonly eaten with sugar-free jelly may be calorie-dense. For example, a plain bagel contains 240 calories.

Fat Content

Sugar-free jelly does not contain fat, which is one reason it is low in calories. If you are on a low-fat, restricted-calorie diet, you can use sugar-free jelly in place of a spread higher in fat, such as cream cheese, which contains 5 g of fat in a 1 tbsp. serving, or butter, which contains 11 g of fat per 1 tbsp. serving.

Carbohydrate Content

Sugar-free jelly is much lower in carbohydrates than regular jelly. A 1 tbsp. serving of sugar-free jelly contains just 5 g of carbohydrates, while regular jelly contains 13 g of carbohydrates per serving. Neither spread contains fiber, but regular jelly contains 12 g of sugar.

Protein Content

Sugar-free jelly does not contain protein. Your body uses protein to manufacture muscles and other body tissues. The Harvard School of Public Health explains that consuming 20 percent to 25 percent of your total calorie intake from protein may help you lose weight and reduce your risk of heart disease, if you increase protein content by replacing refined carbohydrates.

Ingredients

Sugar-free jelly contains some fruit, which provides a trivial amount of sugar. However, most of the flavoring comes from sugar-free sweeteners such as maltodextrin and polydextrose. Sucralose, also known as Splenda, is used to flavor sugar-free jelly, and fruit pectin, bean gum and water are used to give sugar-free jelly a similar consistency to regular jelly.