If you are following a sugar-free, low carb or ketogenic diet or just trying
to cut down on sugar and empty carbs, either for overall health and wellness
or for weight loss, there are certain comfort foods from childhood that you
may crave but try to avoid in favor of healthier options.
Fortunately, there are now several brands of low carb chocolate sandwich
cookies available to OREO lovers who want to eat healthier. Today, I'll be
reviewing HighKey Sugar-Free Sandwich Cookies, which have the best clean
ingredients for someone on a low carb, gluten-free, sugar-free or keto diet.
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My husband no longer misses his OREO cookies as much, now that I
found these delicious low carb, gluten-free, sugar-free keto sandwich
cookies for him.
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Who Loves OREO Cookies?
Before we switched to a low carb way of eating for health reasons, one of my
husband's favorite treats were OREO cookies. In fact, "Double Stuf" OREO
cookies (filled with twice the amount of vanilla creme filling) and mint Oreos
were extra-special treats for him. But two Double Stuf OREOs have not only 140
calories but also 21g of carbohydrates (my entire daily carb allowance when I was following a
keto diet for weight loss!), including 13g of added sugars. Even two classic OREO cookies have 110
calories and 16g of carbs, including 9g of added sugars. So, both Double Stufs
and classic OREO cookies were no longer an option as a sweet treat for both my
husband and me.
So the answer to "Who Loves OREO Cookies?" is our taste buds and our emotions
but, sadly, not our bodies or our health.
What's a Health-Conscious OREO Cookie Lover to Do?
In order for our low carb lifestyle to be sustainable, we look for
alternatives to our favorite treats that support our health and nutrition
goals or, in the case of treats, at least don't sabotage them. That's why I
got so excited when I started seeing low carb and sugar-free cookies similar
to my husband's beloved OREOs. Then I started reading the ingredients and
nutrition labels...and I got less excited.
Thanks to the popularity of the keto diet, the term "keto" sells.
Unfortunately, since there is no universally agreed-upon definition of a "keto
diet" or a "keto" food (my post on
Preparing to Succeed on the Keto Diet discusses this topic in more detail), marketers slap the "keto" label
on anything that is low in net carbs, regardless of the quality or nutritional
value of the ingredients. So, for those of us who are looking to make
healthier food choices, it's up to us to educate ourselves about ingredients
and nutrition and read packaged food labels carefully, and to experiment to
find out which low-carb ingredients spike our insulin levels, cause gastric
distress, etc., since each of us has a different metabolism and a different
reaction to the same foods.
Three Low-Carb OREO Cookie Alternatives
I found three vanilla-filled chocolate sandwich cookies that looked similar to
OREOs and claimed to be "keto" or "keto-friendly" and started reading and
comparing the ingredients and nutrition labels. The three contenders were:
Here's how they compare vs. each other and vs. classic OREO cookies:
Chocolate Vanilla Sandwich Cookie Ingredients and Nutrition
Comparison*
* Ingredients and nutrition data obtained from Amazon product pages on
01/30/23
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HighKey
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Catalina
Crunch
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Rip Van
LEOs
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OREO
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Serving: 2 cookies
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Calories
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60
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90
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100
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110
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Total Fat
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4g
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6g
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6g
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4.5g
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Saturated Fat
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1g
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3g
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3g
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1.5g
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Trans Fat
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0g
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0g
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0g
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0g
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Cholesterol
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0g
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0g
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0g
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0g
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Sodium
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130mg
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95mg
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80mg
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85mg
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Total Carbohydrate
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17g
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12g
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13g
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16g
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Dietary Fiber
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7g
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3g
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6g
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0g
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Total Sugars
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0g
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2g
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3g
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9g
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Added Sugars
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0g
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2g
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2g
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9g
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Sugar Alcohols
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4g
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0g
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0g
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0g
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Allulose
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4g
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2g
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2g
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0g
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Net Carbs
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2g
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5g
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5g
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16g
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Protein
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<1g
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4g
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3g
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<1g
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Ingredients
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Resistant Cassava Fiber, Erythritol, Allulose, White Rice Flour, RSPO
Palm Oil, Non-GMO Canola Oil, Cocoa Powder (Processed with Alkali),
Egg Whites, Natural Flavors, Sunflower Lecithin, Oligofructose, Baking
Soda, Salt, Xanthan Gum, Psyllium Husk, Water, Stevia Extract, Monk
Fruit Extract.
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Palm Fruit Oil, Allulose, Pea Protein, Cane Sugar, Cassava Flour,
Tapioca Flour, Inulin, Cocoa Powder, Cocoa Powder (Processed with
Alkali), Xanthan Gum, Natural Flavor, Sunflower Lecithin, Baking Soda,
Sea Salt, Stevia Extract.
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Palm fruit oil, Vegetable fiber, sugar, milk protein, wheat flour,
allulose, sugar cane fiber, cocoa processed with alkali, wheat starch,
oat fiber, sea salt, baking soda, chocolate extract, sunflower
lecithin, vanilla extract, stevia leaf extract.
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Unbleached enriched flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine
mononitrate {vitamin B1}, riboflavin {vitamin B2}, folic acid), sugar,
palm and/or canola oil, cocoa (processed with alkali), high fructose
corn syrup, leavening (baking soda and/or calcium phosphate), salt,
soy lecithin, chocolate, artificial flavor. Contains: wheat, soy.
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This plate of HighKey Sugar-Free Sandwich Cookies makes my husband
miss his OREO cookies much less, now that we follow a more health
conscious, low carb but still delicious approach to eating.
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Why I Chose HighKey Sugar-Free Sandwich Cookies
Here are a few of the reasons I decided to order HighKey keto sandwich cookies
as a healthier alternative to OREO cookies.
Only 2g of Net Carbs
As you can see, the HighKey Sugar-Free Sandwich Cookies have only 2g of net
carbs, compared to 5g each for the Catalina Crunch Keto Friendly Chocolate
Vanilla Sandwich Cookies and Rip Van LEOs Sandwich Creme Cookies.
Lower in Calories
Two of the HighKey Sugar-Free Sandwich Cookies have 60 calories, compared to
90 calories for two Catalina Crunch keto sandwich cookies and 100 for the Rip
Van LEOs.
No Added Sugars, Gluten-Free
The HighKey sandwich cookies use low glycemic sweeteners that don't spike
blood glucose. Other than the white rice flour, which is gluten-free but can
spike blood sugar levels, the ingredients are surprisingly clean for this type
of low carb sweet treat.
By contrast, cane sugar is the fourth ingredient in the Catalina Crunch
sandwich cookies. Since cane sugar spikes insulin and is something my husband
and I try to avoid completely, that pretty much knocks these out of contention
for us.
Similarly, the Rip Van LEOs sandwich cookies contain not only (cane) sugar but
also wheat flour, neither of which ingredients are considered keto-friendly,
although people who follow a "dirty keto" diet may not be bothered by this.
Not a Perfect OREOs Dupe, But a Good, Healthier Option
HighKey Sugar-Free Sandwich Cookies taste good, especially to those of us who
have kicked our food addiction to cane sugar and wheat flour. However, they
are by no means an exact dupe of classic, sugar-laden OREO cookies.
The chocolate cookies are harder and don't soften as readily when dipped in
regular or dairy-free milk. They are also more brittle and the filling is
firmer, so you can't twist to separate the two chocolate cookies and lick off
the creme filling, a favorite part of the experience of eating classic OREO
cookies.
For us, and probably for many people who must eat gluten-free or sugar-free,
the trade-offs are well worth it.
Healthier Packaged Foods With Clean Ingredients Cost More Than Their
Conventional Counterparts
I compared the Amazon prices on January 30, 2023for classic OREO cookies,
HighKey Sugar-Free Sandwich Cookies, Catalina Crunch Keto Friendly
Chocolate Vanilla Sandwich Cookies and Rip Van LEOs Sandwich Creme
Cookies (Cookies & Creme flavor). Here are the price comparisons per
package and per cookie.
Chocolate Vanilla Sandwich Cookie Amazon Price Comparison*
* Prices on Amazon on 01/30/23
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HighKey |
Catalina Crunch |
Rip Van LEOs |
OREO |
| Quantity |
3 packs (4.27 oz packs), 10 cookies each = 30 cookies |
2 pack (6.8 oz boxes), 16 cookies each = 32 cookies |
2 pack (6.77oz), 16 cookies each = 32 cookies |
60 Snack Packs (2 Cookies Per Pack) = 120 cookies |
| Item Price |
$17.99 |
$17.63 |
$14.39 |
$29.40 |
| Price per Cookie |
$0.60 |
$0.55 |
$0.45 |
$0.25 |
My Recommended Sugar-Free, Gluten-Free Alternative to OREO Cookies
If you or someone you know is on a sugar-free, gluten-free, low carb or
ketogenic diet, these keto friendly HighKey Sugar-Free Sandwich cookies would
make a great gift or something to keep on hand for when they visit. They're a
sweet treat both kids and adults will appreciate!
Delicious Sugar-Free Keto Cookies That OREO Fans Will Love by Margaret Schindel
Posts About My Keto Diet Journey
My First Year on The Keto Diet
Preparing to Succeed on the Keto Diet, Part One
Preparing to Succeed on the Keto Diet, Part Two
Low Carb Muffins & Cupcakes: Treats to Enjoy on a Keto Diet
Low Carb Keto Chocolate Yogurt Granola Chip Pudding Recipe
Good Dee’s Keto Cookie Low Carb Baking Mix Review
Hamama Microgreens Growing Kit Review & Success Tips
My Favorite Hamama Microgreens Seed Quilt Accessories
Keto Cheddar Cheese Biscuits With Chives Recipe
The Ultimate Keto Hot Chocolate Recipe
The Best Low Carb Keto Gift Ideas: Keto Gift Guide
The Best Low Carb Keto Cinnamon Muffins
Wholesome Yum Keto Bread Mix and Yeast Bread Recipe
The Good Chocolate 100% Organic No Sugar Dark Chocolate Review
The Best Advice to Maintain Your Keto Diet Weight Loss
My New Irresistibly Delicious Keto Cheese Crackers Recipe
Luscious Low Carb Keto Triple Peppermint Cheesecake Brownies Recipe
Quick & Easy Livlo Blueberry Scones Keto Baking Mix Review
Snack Better With The Best Healthy Keto Cookie Dough Bites
The Best Quick and Easy Low Carb Keto Pizza Recipe
The Best Quick and Easy Low Carb Keto Shortcake Cupcakes Recipe
Comparing the Best Keto-Friendly Chocolate Hazelnut Spreads - No Added
Sugars
The Best Low Carb Keto Sandwich and Burger Buns Mix
Blueberry Biscuit Scones — New, Easy, Low Carb Keto Recipe
The Best Keto Pizza Crust Mix With 0 Net Carbs
An Unusual, Delicious Strawberry Chocolate Tea With 0 Calories
Delicious Sugar-Free Keto Cookies That OREO Fans Will Love
Healthy Pistachio Cherry Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Cereal Treats
Recipe
Easy, Decadent, High Protein, Sugar-Free Rocky Road Cottage Cheese Ice
Cream
The Best Quick & Easy Low Carb Sausage and Ricotta Calzones
How to Make Refreshing Vanilla Italian Soda (With or Without Cream)
Reviews of the Keto Diet by Barbara C. (aka Brite-Ideas)
My Personal Keto Testimonial
How I Stayed Committed to the Ketogenic Way of Eating
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