One of the questions I get most often is: what are my options for keto sweeteners?
Which deserves a bigger explanation than just a list of sugar alternatives, as each sweetener has its pros and cons: from the taste to the mouthfeel, to baking tendencies, to cost, to effects on blood sugar, to research on health, etc.
So I put together this guide of keto sweeteners, to give you a better idea of which one will work best for you — add them to your keto desserts such as keto chocolate chip cookies, keto fudge, and keto ice cream recipe without blinking an eye.
Here’s all you need to know!
The Top Keto Sweeteners
Whether you’re adding a spoonful to your coffee, or baking up some dessert, here’s a list of keto sweeteners. We’ll delve into the pros and cons of each below…
The top keto sweeteners are:
-
- Erythritol
- Allulose
- Stevia
- Monk Fruit
Yes, there are many other keto sweeteners that will technically work, however, these are my faves! More on this to come…
1. Erythritol
Erythritol is tied for the #1 spot on my list of favorite keto sweetener, as it tastes, bakes, and has a similar mouthfeel to regular sugar. Here are all the deets.
Erythritol Highlights:
- Type of Sweetener: Sugar alcohol
- Sweetness Compared to Sugar: 70% as sweet
- Taste: Mimics the taste of sugar, with a slight cooling effect
- Carbs/Serving Size: 1g /1g (0g net carbs, carbs are sugar alcohols)
- Effects on Blood Sugar: None, according to this study
- Digestive Upset: Not Common
- Additional Side Effects: No evidence of toxicity yet found, according to this and this study.
What is erythritol? Erythritol is a sugar alcohol made from fermented corn or cornstarch. However, unlike most sugar alcohols, it’s recognized as “gastrointestinally safe” (due to its small molecular size). According to this study, it’s well-tolerated up to 1g/kg body weight per day.
How sweet is erythritol? 70% as sweet as sugar. That said, many brands such as Swerve and Lakanto combine erythritol with additional sweeteners so it can be used as a 1:1 swap with sugar.
What does erythritol taste like? Sugar! Although, there can be a slight cooling effect when eaten, similar to chewing peppermint-flavored gum. This is because sugar alcohols require more energy to dissolve in your mouth, so they pull energy (heat) from the surrounding areas to break it down.
I find this is less noticeable in baked goods such as keto chocolate chip cookies and keto peanut butter cookies. where it has baked and fully dissolved into the other ingredients.
What is the texture of erythritol? When warm, erythritol has the same texture as sugar. After it has cooled, it has a tendency to recrystallize into granular form, which can give your recipes a gritty texture.
Simple solution? Reheat your baked goods before eating! Also, using confectioners helps with the texture difference.
Where to buy erythritol, and what are the best brands? Erythritol is the most accessible keto sweetener.
It’s used in most sweeteners, even if they’re labeled as “stevia” or “monk fruit”.
I switch between Swerve and Lakanto, both of which are blends that can be used as a simple swap with sugar. For pure erythritol, NOW Foods, Non-GMO is a great option.
2. Allulose
This lesser-known sweetener was recently approved by the FDA. It’s tied for my #1 favorite keto sweetener (along with erythritol). In fact, I prefer the taste, texture, and aftertaste of allulose to erythritol, but it’s relatively new to the market, and minimal studies have been done on it.
For this reason, I primarily use erythritol as keto sweeteners and I use allulose for cold recipes such as ice creams, etc.
Here’s all you need to know:
Allulose Highlights:
- Type of Sweetener: Rare sugar
- Sweetness Compared to Sugar: 70% as sweet
- Taste: Mimics the taste of sugar
- Carbs/Serving Size: 4g /1 teaspoon, but per the FDA, it’s excluded from total/added sugars in products
- Effects on Blood Sugar: None, according to this study
- Digestive Upset: Not Common
- Additional Side Effects: Only a few high-quality studies on humans have been conducted, and no evidence of toxicity has been found, yet it’s still not allowed to be sold in Europe.
What is allulose? Allulose is a rare sugar (meaning it’s naturally present only in a few foods) found in wheat, figs, and raisins. It’s a single sugar, whereas table sugar is a double sugar molecule.
How sweet is allulose? Allulose is 70% as sweet as table sugar. So you’ll want to use 1 1/3 cup for every 1 cup of sugar (Lakanto or Swerve) called for.
What does allulose taste like? Allulose tastes just like… sugar! And has no after taste… AMAZING!
What is the texture of allulose? Literally, just like sugar! This is why I rely on it when making any sort of cold desserts such as low carb chocolate ice cream or keto popsicles, it doesn’t recrystallize the way erythritol does.
Where to buy allulose, and what are the best brands? Grab a bag on Amazon, or! I recently found it at Target. I usually opt for the Wholesome brand, as it’s the same price as Lakanto on Amazon, and is gluten-free — since allulose can be extracted from wheat, I worry about brands that aren’t labeled as gluten-free.
3. Stevia
Stevia is one of the most popular keto sweeteners as it’s: easy to find, extremely sweet, and is made from a plant — meaning it’s not an artificial sweetener and is completely natural.
That said, many don’t like the taste of stevia, as it has a bitter after taste.
It’s also SO sweet, it needs to be combined with other sweeteners for baking purposes. So, when you buy a bag or stevia, you should always read the ingredient list to see what else has been added.
Stevia Highlights:
- Type of Sweetener: Stevia rebaudiana plant
- Sweetness Compared to Sugar: 200-350 x sweeter than sugar
- Taste: Sweet but different than sugar. Bitter aftertaste.
- Carbs/Serving Size: 1g /1 teaspoon
- Effects on Blood Sugar: Mixed results, some have found that it decreases blood sugar, while others have found it didn’t decrease blood sugar.
- Digestive Upset: No
- Additional Side Effects: According to the FDA, it’s generally recognized as safe.
What is stevia? Stevia is a sweetener that comes from the leaves of a plant native to Brazil and Paraguay.
How sweet is stevia? 200-350 x sweeter than sugar! So oftentimes, it will depend on the form you’re buying stevia in. For example, the drops are often extracts of stevia leaves which are signifigantly sweeter than granular stevia, which is often combined with other sweeteners.
What does stevia taste like? Since stevia has a naturally bitter taste, I add it to recipes sparingly, and typically only use blends.
I also check my recipe ingredient list before adding stevia in, to ensure its bitterness won’t be enhanced by other bitter ingredients (think recipe, such as keto chocolate, etc.).
Where to buy stevia, and what are the best brands? I MUCH prefer the taste of stevia blends to pure stevia, due to stevia’s natural aftertaste. Not to mention, using blends allows you to use stevia in baking.
That said, many stevia blends contain maltodextrin and dextrose, these are 2 ingredients I avoid. Read labels before you purchase any stevia blend. I prefer Pyure (stevia and erythritol blend).
Stevia also comes in liquid forms, like this Better Stevia. I like to use these in sauces and cocktails, such as keto BBQ sauce or keto ketchup.
4. Monk Fruit
Monk fruit sweetener (aka Luo Han Guo), is extracted from a small melon found in Southeast Asia.
Similar to stevia, it’s extremely sweet and can’t be used on its own for baking. On its own, it’s also very expensive.
Although it has been used as a natural sweetener in China for centuries, little testing has been done on this ingredient here.
Monk Fruit Highlights:
- Type of Sweetener: Melon
- Sweetness Compared to Sugar: 200 x sweeter than sugar
- Carbs/Serving Size: 1g /1g
- Effects on Blood Sugar: None
- Digestive Upset: No
- Additional Side Effects: According to the FDA, it’s generally recognized as safe.
What is monk fruit? Monk fruit the sweetener is extracted from monk fruit melons, which are small fruits grown in Southeast Asia. What makes this fruit so sweet is the antioxidant called mogrosides, which is what is used in the sweetener.
How sweet is monk fruit? 200 times sweeter than sugar, which is why many granular products of monk fruit (such as Lakanto) are often combined with other keto sweeteners such are erythritol or inulin.
What does monk fruit taste like? Monk fruit tastes mimic that of sugar! That said, if using a monk fruit blend, it usually will take on the characteristics of the combined sweetener (such as erythritol).
Monk fruit drops are concentrated monk fruit (no additions!) and are the perfect addition to keto cocktails and keto smoothies.
Where to buy monk fruit, and what are the best brands? Monk fruit is easiest to find online (although you can sometimes find Lakanto as Costco!).
For baking purposes, I always opt for a blend, such as Lakanto. I love using the monk fruit drops in drinks and sauces.
Artificial Sweeteners
You’ll notice this list of keto sweeteners doesn’t include any artificial sweeteners — such as aspartame, sucralose, and saccharin.
These products have been heavily scrutinized for decades, with much controversy behind their use in popular foods, and the effects they may or may not have on our health.
Setting aside my personal opinion on these products, I heavily researched online and found nothing but mixed studies as to whether or not these sweeteners do affect blood sugar levels.
For example, this article (from the Joslin Diabetes Center) says there may be a connection between elevated blood sugar levels and sucralose (Splenda), while this Mayo Clinic article stated the opposite.
Personally, I choose not to use them and prefer the keto sweeteners listed above.
Important Notes About Keto Sweeteners
I’d like to mention a few important facts to keep in mind when adding these into your low carb eating plan:
1. Limiting your sugar alternatives can help you crave less sugar.
Many studies have shown that artificial sweeteners (such as these keto sweeteners) “encourage sugar cravings and increase sugar dependence” — regardless of their total carbs and/or calories.
Which is a great reason to cut down on keto sweeteners, or using them sparingly, so you crave them, and other sweets less.
The study above mentioned that consuming less sugar/sugar alternatives (similar to what many doctors recommend for salt consumption) may be a good way to start consuming less sweets! Based on results from salt reduced diets, after a few weeks, you may crave less sweet foods.
2. Low net carbs are different than insulin responses
If you’re sticking to keto foods as a means of controlling your blood sugar, keep in mind the keto sweeteners may still affect these levels.
3. Moderation is key
When it comes to keto sweeteners, the bottom line is moderation! Don’t center your low carb meal plan around them — instead consume them sparingly and cut back whenever you can.
Conclusion
I hope this list of keto sweeteners helps you find what you’re looking for! Enjoy, and come back and let me know what you used your keto sweeteners for!
