Question:
About using Splenda with unsweetened Koolaid

At our local store the suger free Kool Aid only comes in 3 or 4 flavors, so I was wondering if anyone had taken the unsweetened Kool Aid packets and added Splenda to it instead of sugar. Also, something I just noticed on the Splenda packets, one of the first things listed in the ingradients is Dextrose, but on my list of sugars to avoid, Dextrose is one of them. I have been sprinkling Splenda on my cereal in the am, have I been doing a bad thing? This was one of the sweeteners my surgeon's office recommended.    — Kris T. (posted on April 10, 2003)

April 10, 2003
I used Splenda with Kool Aid and I liked it. I don't like to use aspertame so I've been trying Splenda in alot of different stuff. I made suger free gelatin using Knox unflavored gelatin, Kool Aid and Splenda. I don't know about the dextrose being a problem but I would think if your surgeon's office suggested it and you are using it without any problem - why worry?
   — MaryCinFL

April 10, 2003
Splenda is actually sugar (dextrose), but it has been altered so it has no calories and will not cause dumping. It is definitely OK to use for anything that you'd use sugar for. You can even bake with it, which you can't really do with aspartame. If you go to www.splenda.com, you can find more information and recipes.
   — garw

April 10, 2003
Thanks for posting this question! Even though I'm pre-op, I've been trying to gather all kinds of info about a variety of topics for myself. I'm not a real fan of Crystal Lite and was delighted to find that Splenda is okay to make the kool-aid for a variety of flavors. That's a real relief! I've been trying to get off soda in preparation of being post-op. It's been really hard because I'm SO addicted to diet soda's!!! I'm first getting off the caffiene...by drinking caffiene free soda's first than I'll cut SLOWLY the amout of soda's I drink before long I'll be soda free! So, the Kool-aid news is a really, really good thing for me. Crystal Lite just doesn't have enough variety in their flavor selection and I don't like tea. Kool-aid is cool!
   — kathleen-Joan piper

April 10, 2003
Eventhough I've not had mine yet, I've been using Splenda as a substitute since it came out. I love it. There is very little aftertaste, and it tasts like sugar. It goes good with koolaid, but you need to expierement with it first. Try not putting a full cup in with one packet and then try it. If it's not sweet enough, then add more. I used to use 1 cup sugar for 1 packet of koolaid, and I find that it's a little more sweeter than sugar so I only add 2/3 cup instead. Also, I already have dumping syndrome from having gall bladdar surgury, and have never dumped from it. My surgon has also recommended splenda as well.
   — mellyhudel

April 10, 2003
I LOVE splenda but somnehow SF koolaid is better with nutrasweet. It has a tartness to it.
   — bob-haller

April 10, 2003
I use Splenda with Koolaid all the time. I have found that I can use 1/2 of the amount of splenda than what sugar is needed and it takes just fine. My husband now uses Splenda when he makes his homemade pizza sauce ect, because it takes less amount than sugar, tastes great and I can eat it.
   — Michele H.

April 10, 2003
I live on it during the summer, even before WLS... I use the pourable splenda though.. supposedly measures like sugar with all kinds of flavors of koolaid. I find I need a bit more than if I were using regular sugar.
   — Lisa C.

April 10, 2003
If your surgeon said its ok, then go for it. I use Splenda in everything and LOVE it. My surgeon and dietetion(sp?) gave the ok for us to use it. BTW, I LOVED kool-aid pre-op but it taste like melted jello to me now. Yuck! Oh well, I'll take the weight loss over kool-aid anyday. Sidney OPen RNY 10-23-02 down 80+
   — Siddy I.