Sweeteners on Keto
You don’t have to give up sweet-tasting treats on keto. You have plenty of keto-friendly sweeteners to choose from, including allulose and stevia.
Allulose:
Allulose is a rare natural sugar that can be found in wheat, corn, sugar beets, and dry fruits like figs, raisins, and jackfruit. Allulose has around 70% the sweetness of sucrose or white sugar. Allulose isn’t a sugar alcohol and it’s similar to traditional sugar in texture, baking ability, and taste. It’s almost calorie-free, vegan-friendly, and it can be subtracted from your total carb count.
Erythritol:
Erythritol is a sugar alcohol that contains only 6% of the calories compared to real sugar. Erythritol is low-calorie and low-carb and it’s typically derived from fermented grain products like wheat or corn. Popular among keto bakers, erythritol measures one-for-one when replacing sugar in recipes. Erythritol usually comes crystallized instead of in liquid form. Erythritol doesn’t spike blood sugar or insulin, but some people experience digestive issues, such as bloating and discomfort. Those who are allergic to corn or wheat might also have issues.
Stevia:
Stevia is a natural sweetener that comes in powder and liquid forms. It’s sometimes paired with other sweeteners like monk fruit . Stevia doesn’t raise blood sugar levels. This excellent keto sugar alternative tastes devilishly sweet and little stevia is required for a sugary taste. Stevia doesn’t measure one-to-one in recipes and it’s 300 times sweeter than sucrose (table sugar), so you need to make sure you’re using the right amount. Stevia is allergy-friendly, but some people note a mild, distinct aftertaste. Some people prefer stevia because it isn’t an artificial sweetener, rather, it comes from a shrub native to South America: stevia rebaudiana.
Monk Fruit:
Monk fruit is another natural keto-friendly sweetener option derived from a dried melon native to China. Monk Fruit is low in carbs and calories and has medicinal anti-inflammatory properties. It doesn’t affect glucose levels and it’s around 100 to 200 times sweeter than real sugar. An allergy to monk fruit is uncommon. Some people note a mild, distinct aftertaste. Monk fruit doesn’t replace sugar one-to-one in recipes, so you need to make sure you’re using the right amount.
You could also try other sweet-tasting options to satisfy your cravings, like cinnamon and vanilla extract.
What’s Your Favorite Keto Sweetener?
Do you consume sweeteners on keto? Do you prefer allulose, stevia, monk fruit, or erythritol?
