[Matjalal X File] Is Sikhye with Rice Grains '0kcal'? ... Analyzing the Ingredient Label

Two Standout Zero-Calorie Products Amid Flood of Zero Items
Screwbar 0kcal, Why It’s a 'Misnamed' Product
Birak Sikhye Zero, Added Rice Grains Through Special Process

Editor's Note[Matjjalal X-Files] uncovers misunderstandings and truths about food.

Recently, numerous articles titled "The Betrayal of Zero Soju" have been published. Just by reading the title, I was startled thinking, "Are you saying the calorie (kcal) count of zero soju isn't actually zero?" But it turns out that the kcal and sugar content of regular soju are so low that there's hardly any difference compared to zero soju. Regular soju contains only 0.12g of sugar per 100㎖, so ultimately, it's the side dishes, not the soju, that determine 'my belly fat.'

(Photo by Wikipedia)

However, the betrayal of zero soju does not mean all zero-calorie food and beverages are deceptive. You can see this just by looking at the cola in a hamburger set. If you switch the 310mL cola to zero cola, you can reduce 143kcal.

Recently, food companies have been rushing to release 'zero' products one after another. Among the flood of zero-related press releases, one product particularly caught my eye, so I tried it. It was Lotte Wellfood's 'Screw Bar 0kcal.' I assumed it would be hard to find, but fortunately, the freezer at a local unmanned ice cream shop was fully stocked with it.

When I tasted it, it definitely did not taste like it could be 0kcal. Perhaps because it’s a frozen dessert, I hardly felt the slight oddness that sometimes comes with zero cola or zero cider beverages.

Can you really eat a Screw Bar every night without gaining weight? I couldn’t believe it, so I looked at the ingredient label on the packaging. The total volume was '75mL/0kcal.' It really was zero calories. But strangely, it contained 18g of carbohydrates, which is 6% of the daily recommended intake. Carbohydrates are definitely considered the enemy of dieting... So how can it have no calories? I contacted Lotte Wellfood directly.

It turns out that the 18g of carbohydrates listed come from allulose, which is used instead of sugar to provide sweetness in the Screw Bar 0kcal. Allulose is a rare natural sugar found in raisins and wheat, but over 98% of it is not absorbed by the body and is excreted, so it has very low calories and does not cause weight gain.

Of course, that doesn’t mean it has absolutely no calories. So, strictly speaking, calling it zero calories is somewhat inaccurate. According to a Lotte Wellfood representative, one Screw Bar 0kcal contains about 2kcal. The Korea Food and Drug Administration allows products to be labeled as calorie-free if they contain less than 4kcal per 100mL, and sugar-free if they contain less than 0.5g of sugar per 100g or 100mL. That’s why the name Screw Bar 0kcal is permitted.

Honestly, my choice of Screw Bar 0kcal was a bit biased, and the zero product that is hotter on communities and social media is Paldo’s 'Birak Sikhye Zero.' Birak Sikhye is labeled as 238mL/0kcal in total volume.

Since sweet zero beverages are already abundant, I drank the sikhye without much surprise. But I discovered something really interesting. Birak Sikhye Zero also contains 'rice grains.' As someone who likes the rice grains in sikhye, I was a bit disappointed thinking that zero beverages would naturally not have them, but the bottom was full of rice grains.

We clearly said 'rice = carbohydrates'... and the amount was considerable. What’s going on? This time, I asked Paldo. It turns out that the rice grains in Birak Sikhye Zero undergo a very special process. They use the same rice as regular sikhye, but through a separate process, the sugar and carbohydrates are removed from the rice grains, leaving only fiber (dietary fiber). We live in an era where food is science.

Strictly speaking, Birak Sikhye is not zero calories either. It contains erythritol, a sugar substitute like allulose that is excreted from the body instead of sugar. Looking at the 1.5L Birak Sikhye Zero, you can clearly see that this product contains a total of 20kcal.

Whether it’s the Screw Bar or the sikhye, don’t eat several Screw Bars or keep drinking sikhye in the heat thinking they are 'almost' zero calories. Quite a few people have experienced diarrhea after consuming zero frozen desserts or beverages. Because these are cold products, they are not good for the intestines, and the side effects of artificial sweeteners cannot be ignored. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conducted experiments on allulose intake, and some participants actually reported digestive side effects such as ▲diarrhea ▲abdominal bloating ▲abdominal pain. Also, if you continuously consume sweet zero products, be cautious as you may develop a sweet addiction craving more sweetness.