Top 4 sweeteners for Fatloss journey
January 28, 2023
Sweeteners like stevia, erythritol, xylitol, monk fruit, and can easily fit into a low carb or ketogenic diet. However, you may need to limit your intake.
Monk Fruit, Stevia, and Erythritol sweeteners all have 0 glycemic index which means they will not increase insulin. While Xylitol has 30 glycemic index, but there’s still a spike. Erythritol and Xylitol give digestive problems when consumed in larger amounts.
Monk fruit sweetener
As its name implies, monk fruit sweetener is a natural sweetener extracted from the monk fruit, a plant native to southern China.
It contains natural sugars and compounds called mogrosides, which are antioxidants that account for much of the sweetness of the fruit.
Depending on the concentration of mogrosides, monk fruit sweetener can be anywhere between 100–250 times sweeter than regular sugar.
Monk fruit extract contains no calories and no carbs, making it a great option for a ketogenic diet.
Be sure to check the ingredients label when buying monk fruit sweetener, as monk fruit extract is sometimes mixed with sugar, molasses, or other sweeteners that can alter the total calorie and carb content.
Monk fruit sweetener can be used anywhere you would use regular sugar.
The amount you use can vary between different brands based on what other ingredients may be included.
While some recommend substituting using an equal amount of monk fruit sweetener for sugar, others advise cutting the amount of sweetener in half.
Stevia
Stevia is a natural sweetener derived from the Stevia rebaudiana plant.
It’s considered a non nutritive sweetener, which means that it contains little to no calories or carbs.
Unlike regular sugar, animal and human studies have shown that stevia may help lower blood sugar levels.
Stevia is available in both liquid and powdered form and can be used to sweeten everything from drinks to desserts.
However, because it’s much sweeter than regular sugar, recipes require less stevia to achieve the same flavor.
For each cup, or 200 grams (g), of sugar, substitute only 1 teaspoon (tsp), or 4 g, of powdered stevia.
Erythritol – Has a cold sweet taste
Erythritol is a type of sugar alcohol — a class of naturally occurring compounds that stimulate the sweet taste receptors on your tongue to mimic the taste of sugar.
It’s up to 80% as sweet as regular sugar, yet it contains only 5% of the calories at just 0.2 calories per gram.
Additionally, though erythritol has 4 g of carbs per tsp (4 g), studies show that it may help lower blood sugar levels in your body.
Moreover, due to its smaller molecular weight, it typically doesn’t cause the digestive issues associated with other types of sugar alcohols.
Erythritol is used in both baking and cooking and can be substituted for sugar in a wide variety of recipes.
Keep in mind that it tends to have a cooling mouthfeel and doesn’t dissolve as well as sugar, which can leave foods with a slightly gritty texture.
For best results, swap about 1 1/3 cups (267 g) of erythritol for each cup (200 g) of sugar.
Xylitol – Tastes exactly like sugar
Xylitol is another type of sugar alcohol commonly found in products like sugar-free gum, candies, and mints.
It’s as sweet as sugar but contains just 3 calories per g and 4 g of carbs per tsp (4 g).
Yet, like other sugar alcohols, the carbs in xylitol don’t count as net carbs, as they don’t raise blood sugar or insulin levels to the extent that sugar does .
Xylitol can be easily added to tea, coffee, shakes, or smoothies for a low carb kick of flavor. Its best suitable for Indian sweets.
It also works well in baked goods but may require a bit of extra liquid in the recipe, as it tends to absorb moisture and increase dryness.
Because xylitol is as sweet as regular sugar, you can exchange it for sugar in a 1:1 ratio.
Note that xylitol has been associated with digestive problems when used in high doses, so scale back your intake if you notice any adverse effects.
Keto Sweetener Blends
Sweetener blends like Erythritol & stevia are best to achieve the perfect taste for all your sweet treats.
SUMMARY
Watch out for sweeteners that are high in sugar and carbs when following a ketogenic diet. These include maltodextrin, honey, coconut sugar, maple syrup, agave nectar, and dates.
Luckily, there are many sweeteners available that can still be used on a low carb keto diet.
Use these sweeteners in moderation as part of a healthy and balanced keto diet to add flavor while remaining low carb.
