Oreo goes zero sugar, sparks 'chemistry lab' debate on ingredient list

Snacking giant Oreo is taking a decisive step into the health and wellness segment with the planned launch of its Zero Sugar Chocolate Sandwich Cookies in US stores, slated for January 2026. This move aims to capture the growing demographic focused on calorie and sugar reduction, packaging two cookies at just 90 calories and zero grams of sugar.

However, the brand’s bid for the health halo has ignited a predictable, sharp debate online.

To achieve that classic sweetness without cane sugar, Oreo has swapped natural ingredients for a cocktail of artificial sweeteners, including sucralose (Splenda), acesulfame potassium (Ace-K), and sugar alcohols like sorbitol and maltitol.

The ingredient list quickly became fodder for internet critics, with users on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) deriding the product as a "chemistry exam I didn't study for" and sarcastically claiming, "now I can eat 15 Oreos guilt-free because technically there is no sugar, just a chemistry lab in every bite."

Conversely, the launch was met with appreciation from the health-conscious community. Diabetics and individuals with insulin resistance celebrated the long-awaited option, with one Instagram user commenting, "for people with insulin resistance, it's all we can have. Please let us enjoy our chemicals."

Oreo's calculated risk underscores the ongoing challenge for legacy brands: reformulating beloved products for a health-conscious market often means trading one set of consumer concerns (sugar) for another (artificial ingredients). The move positions Oreo directly in the sweetener wars, banking on portion control and 'zero sugar' positioning to outweigh the ingredient scrutiny.