Ingredient FAQ: Stevia + Monk Fruit
Published: February 21, 2023
Updated: April 12, 2023
Kyla’s recipes are full of delicious ingredients that have lots of health benefits! We’ll highlight some of them in blog posts so you can learn more about how they affect your nutrition. This post is about two of the most common sugar alternatives: stevia and monk fruit. We include these in our recipes because they are healthier than plain table sugar. Keep reading to learn why!
The Basics
Eating a lot of sugar can lead to negative health effects. As people try to eat less sugar, there has been a huge growth in the number of different types of alternative sweeteners. One category of sugar alternatives is called ‘non-nutritive sweeteners.’ These products contain very few or no calories or nutrients, but have a very sweet taste. They can be 150-200 times more sweet than table sugar!1
Stevia is a non-nutritive sweetener that comes from the stevia plant. The stevia that you can buy at the grocery store is made from Rebaudioside A (Reb A), an extract of stevia leaves.1 Some common brands of stevia are Enliten, PureVia, Stevia Extract In The Raw, and SweetLeaf. Monk fruit is a small gourd-like plant native to Southeast Asia. Monk fruit extract in the form of a powder or liquid has been used as a sweetener for hundreds of years.2
Nutrition Profiles and Health Benefits
One of the big selling points of non-nutritive sweeteners is that they have virtually no calories. This makes them a good alternative to sugar for people who are trying to lose weight. And unlike sugar, stevia and monk fruit don’t affect blood sugar levels or insulin response.3 So, they are a good choice for people with diabetes. Stevia and monk fruit don’t contain any fat, carbohydrates, protein, or other nutrients. But, the main component of monk fruit sweetener has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, giving it some health benefits.2
Keep in mind when buying these products that they may contain a blend of sweeteners and sugar alcohols. This is common with monk fruit sweeteners.4 Added ingredients may change these foods’ nutrition profiles.
How to Use Stevia and Monk Fruit
Since stevia and monk fruit are so much stronger than sugar, you won’t use them in a 1:1 ratio to replace sugar in homemade dishes. You can use significantly less stevia and monk fruit in your recipes and still get the same level of sweetness you would get using regular sugar. Both of these sweeteners are very versatile! They are good for sweetening drinks, baked goods, yogurt, and more. They come in both powder and liquid forms. It may take some trial and error to figure out which one you prefer in different types of food, but they are both great options.
Which is Healthier?
The big question: Which of these is better for you? Stevia and monk fruit are very similar in that they both contain no calories or nutrients. The differences between the two sweeteners are in cost, availability, taste, added ingredients, and side effects. Monk fruit is usually more expensive than stevia. Stevia has a licorice-like aftertaste that some people find to be bitter and unpleasant. Monk fruit is less refined than stevia, but often contains other ingredients.2
The answer: Both are about the same in terms of health benefits. Saying they have health benefits may be a bit of a stretch. Since stevia and monk fruit don’t contain any nutrients, they don’t add much to your diet.1 But, they are definitely a healthier alternative to sugar. Some people may experience side effects from eating stevia (we’ll explain these soon), and if they do, monk fruit is a better choice. But if you don’t experience any negative effects from either of these sweeteners, then they are both about equally good for you.
Risks of Consuming Artificial Sweeteners
For most people, consuming stevia and monk fruit is perfectly safe. But, there are some risks associated with stevia that you should be aware of. Stevia products that contain sugar alcohols are known to cause digestive issues, including bloating and diarrhea, in some people.5 Whole-leaf stevia and crude stevia extract are not safe to consume.6 However, refined stevia extract is safe. Refined stevia, when consumed in moderation, does not cause any harmful effects.
Monk fruit has been safely used as a sweetener for hundreds of years. There are no reported side effects of consuming this sweetener. It is also safe for children, pregnant women, and breastfeeding women.7
Alternative Sweeteners and How to Choose Them
When choosing between stevia, monk fruit, and other alternatives to sugar, there are some questions you need to answer to make sure you find the right one:
- What are you using it for?
- Do you have any health concerns (weight, diabetes, side effects)?
- How pure does it need to be (refined/unrefined, added ingredients)?
- Do you like the taste?
- Is it affordable?
Other FDA-approved high-intensity sweeteners you can substitute for stevia and monk fruit include saccharin, sucralose, neotame, aspartame, advantame, and acesulfame potassium (Ace-K). Sugar alcohols also make good alternatives to table sugar, if you aren’t prone to digestive issues. Some examples of these include sorbitol, xylitol, lactitol, mannitol, erythritol, and maltitol. Artificial and natural sweetening products that contain a blend of these ingredients are pretty common and can also be a good choice.1
Summary
Stevia and monk fruit are natural, intensely-sweet alternatives to sugar. They contain almost no calories and no other nutrients. They are a good choice for people who are trying to cut back on sugar and lose weight, and they are safe to consume in moderate amounts. These sweeteners are about equal in their nutritional value and versatility in cooking, so which one you choose should be mainly based on your personal preference!
Take charge of your health and longevity with Kyla’s Longevity program! Our expert team, including a registered dietitian, provides comprehensive support on your journey to living a long, healthy life. Discover your personalized nutrition and wellness plan tailor-made for you today!
References
1. Scherr R, Ha K, Berggren T, Jones AM. Nutrition & Health Info Sheets for health professionals – nonnutritive sweeteners. UC Davis Nutrition Department. Published January 10, 2019. Accessed April 12, 2023. https://nutrition.ucdavis.edu/outreach/nutr-health-info-sheets/pro-nonnutritive-sweeteners
2. Liu C, Dai L, Liu Y, Dou D, Sun Y, Ma L. Pharmacological activities of mogrosides. Future Med Chem. 2018;10(8):845-850. doi:10.4155/fmc-2017-0255
3. Nichol AD, Holle MJ, An R. Glycemic impact of non-nutritive sweeteners: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2018;72(6):796-804. doi:10.1038/s41430-018-0170-6
4. Browne CA, Forbes TP, Sisco E. Detection and identification of sugar alcohol sweeteners by ion mobility spectrometry. Anal Methods. 2016;8(28):5611-5618. doi:10.1039/c6ay01554a
5. Sugar alcohol – Yale New Haven hospital. Ynhh.org. Accessed April 12, 2023. https://www.ynhh.org/services/nutrition/sugar-alcohol
6. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Import Alert 45-06. Accessed April 12, 2023. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cms_ia/importalert_119.html
7. Additional information about high-intensity sweeteners permitted for use in food in the United States. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Accessed April 12, 2023. https://www.fda.gov/food/food-additives-petitions/additional-information-about-high-intensity-sweeteners-permitted-use-food-united-states