In my last article, Low Carb Sweeteners: Choose What’s Best For You, I talked about the differences between artificial sweeteners, natural low carb sugar alternatives, and natural sugar substitutes. I also listed the pros and cons of each, summing up with the statement that “choosing the best sweetener for you depends on your goals and what you are most comfortable with.”
I’ve done a lot of low carb baking over the years, and have tried almost every sweetener on the market. I discovered early on that mixing several sweeteners together produces the best “sugar taste” while minimizing the negatives of any one sweetener.
I still mix my sweeteners, preferring to use natural low carb sugar alternatives in lieu of artificial. Why? Well, it’s MY personal preference and what I feel most comfortable doing – especially with kids in the house. But I don’t judge, use what you want.
My two Favorite Low Carb Sweeteners? Erythritol and Stevia
Now let me just quickly say that my very favorite sweetener is Xylitol. It has a clean sweet flavor most like sugar, but it has three strikes against it…
- it is lethal to dogs
- It has calories & the tendency to spike blood sugar in some individuals
- It can cause stomach upset in some individuals
So, I have come to rely on the dynamic duo of Erythritol and Stevia
What is erythritol?
Simply put, erythritol is a sugar alcohol, named so because it’s chemical structure looks more like that of an alcohol rather than a sugar. It comes in crystalline form (looking like sugar), has 60% the sweetness of sugar, and produces a cooling effect as it melts. The great thing about erythritol is that it has no calories and does not spike blood sugar. How? Our human bodies can not process it, so it passes harmlessly through, virtually unchanged.
What is Stevia?
Stevia is an herb which contains compounds called glycosides (stevioside and rebaudioside) which are up to 150 times the sweetness of sugar and does not raise blood sugar. It has long been used in South America to sweeten drinks, has been used in Europe and in Japan for many years, and is sold in commercial in products like Truvia and PureVia. The Rebaudioside is the form most commonly used in U.S. and is commonly mixed with other products like erythritol, alcohol, water, or glycerine.
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How to Use The Best Low Carb Sweetener in Baking
First let me say that how one combines sweeteners is completely individual. Everyone’s taste buds perceive sweetness in a unique way.
This is how I sweeten my baked goods…
If a regular recipe calls for 1-2 cups of sugar, I typically use 1/3 – 2/3 cup of granulated erythritol and then increase the sweetness with approximately 1/4 – 1 teaspoon stevia glycerite. Why? For me, erythritol produces a very sharp taste and burning feeling at the back of my throat. I’ve found that using a minimal amount of erythritol and augmenting with super-sweet stevia counteracts both the sharp taste from the erythritol and mitigates any bitterness from the stevia. Using erythritol and stevia together lets me use less erythritol, which saves me money.
Is erythritol the perfect sugar substitute? No, but it’s a pretty darn close! Drawbacks? It’s expensive, it tends to recrystallize resulting in a “crunchy” texture in frostings, puddings, and cheesecakes. This tendency also causes hardening upon cooling, ie. a thin crust on cakes or a very hard caramel sauce when cool. Trying to melt it, like one would sugar, to pour into a meringue frosting is disastrous as it seizes.
Is stevia the perfect sugar substitute? No, but I love it and use it every day! Some people find stevia bitter, think it tastes like licorice, or are allergic to it. Not all brands are the same! Some brands and forms of stevia taste and perform better than others. After trying all of the liquid stevia brands and flavored liquid stevias, I settled on Now Stevia Glycerite for my baking and KAL Pure Stevia (powder) for use in my coffee and smoothies. They’re the only products I find tolerable (SweetLeaf Liquid Stevia is not too bad!). But taste is subjective and there may be another brand that you like.
Mixing erythritol and stevia together produces a nice punch of sweetness!
Note: If you’ve never used stevia before, it does require a few days for the taste buds to adjust. Until they do, you will probably detect a “diet” taste. Also, if I have a tasty treat that contains a lot of erythritol and then try any of the stevia forms, the stevia will taste extremely bitter! Why? Erythritol leaves a sweet taste in the mouth. If you don’t believe me, put a little in your mouth and let it dissolve. Now, have a drink of water. The water tasted sweet, right?
The Best Low Carb Sweeteners List: Natural Low Carb Sugar Alternatives
Granulated Low Carb Sweeteners:
- Besti Allulose
- Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend
- Besti Monk Fruit Erythritol Blend
- Erythritol (GOOD PRICE granulated)**
- Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetener Classic (erythritol/monk fruit, granulated)**
- Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetener Golden (erythritol/monk fruit, granulated)**
- MonkSweet (erythritol, monk fruit, & stevia)
- Natural Mate (erythritol / stevia blend, granulated)
- Poly Dextrose (powdered sweetener, mostly fiber, used in sugar-free hard candies)
- Pyure Stevia Blend 2x (erythritol/stevia blend, granulated)**
- Swerve Granulated (erythritol/oligosaccharide, granulated)**
- THM Gentle Sweet (erythritol/stevia)
- THM Gentle Sweet Super Sweet (erythritol/stevia)
- Xylitol (granulated)
- Pyure (erythritol/stevia, granulated)
Brown Sugar Substitutess
- Besti Brown Monk Fruit Sweetener (has a maple flavor)
- Sukrin Gold (erythritol/ tagatose, granulated – the BEST brown sugar sub)**
- Swerve Brown (erythritol/oligosaccharides/glycerine)
Powdered Low Carb Sweeteners:
- Besti Allulose Powdered (made from milk, browns like sugar, 60% as sweet as sugar)
- Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend
- Besti Monk Fruit Erythritol Blend
- Chicory (usually blended with other sweeteners)
- Inulin FOS (a sweet prebiotic fiber usually mixed with other sweeteners)
- Just Like Sugar – Brown (almost pure chicory)
- Just Like Sugar – Tabletop (almost pure chicory)
- KAL Pure Stevia Powder (stevia/maltodextrin)**
- Pure Monk Fruit Powder (extremely concentrated)
- Sukrin Icing Sugar (erythritol/setvia blend, powdered)**
- Swerve Confectioners (erythritol/oligosaccharide, powdered)**
- Truvia (GOOD PRICE erythritol / stevia, powdered packets)
Liquid Low Carb Sweeteners:
- NuNaturals Liquid Stevia (vanilla, lemon, orange, etc.)
- Sweetleaf Liquid Stevia (vanilla cream, lemon, orange, chocolate, hazelnut, berry, etc.)
- Now Stevia Glycerite (Stevia plus glycerite. Very concentrated, no alcohol and not bitter)**
[** indicates products that I like and/or have used on the blog]
Hi Kim,
I have been playing around with sweetener mixes to offset the cooling of Erythritol. I notice you mention cutting your Erythritol recently with Bocha Sweet. Do you find this still works ok in cookies where you want them to be crisp? Or do you avoid Bocha Sweet in those instances? I’m finding more and more how different sweeteners need to be used based on the application! I appreciate you sharing your knowledge as always.
Hi Jenny. I’m still using a mixture of half Bocha Sweet and plain erythritol. It doesn’t make the cookies crisper, however, adding a little Choc Zero syrup can help a little. The cookies still need to be kept refrigerated to be crisp – the fats need to be kept cold. As a blogger, I’m loath to use a different sweetener for each recipe. If it were a perfect world, I would because as you say, some sweeteners are perfect for certain applications. I’ve found that people don’t want to use 5 sweeteners, they want to have one.
Here is a little of what I’ve found. xylitol makes things moist and is great for soft/super sticky marshmallow spread. erythritol is a great all around sweetener but it wants to bind to itself and that’s why it makes crystals if overused in moist applications. It also makes weak and dried out marshmallow. I love the cooling effect as it melts when making whipped cream because it helps it whip really well.
Fiber syrups are great but have been found to be NOT low carb. The work well in meringue-type applications and simulate the effect you can get with corn syrup in recipes like caramel and hot fudge. I’ve been experimenting with the Choc Zero syrups to see if they work the same way because they ARE supposed to be low carb.
I haven’t worked much with Allulose because it is expensive and 60-70% as sweet as sugar which means you have to use a lot more. This is another ingredient I am just beginning to experiment with. I’ve also been playing around with glycerine which is often used as a sweetener in Atkin bars and such. Unfortunately, I think it may be digested like a starch – at least from what I can find. Still, not much is needed in a recipe.
I am still a little nervous about Bocha Sweet. I suspect it gets digested like fructose in the liver but I can’t find any definitive answer on that. All the company would tell me is that it has zero impact on blood sugar.
I don’t know if any of this helps, but there you go. Lol. Have a nice day. -Kim
Hi Kim, thanks for the great write up! I’m completely new to the sugar substitutes so this was really helpful. i did want to check if you’d tried nunaturals organic pure stevia. I saw you had the liquid on your list, but the powder seems cheaper.
The other thing i wanted to ask was if i did the blend of erythritol and stevia as you suggest, will I have to run to the bathroom? Or should i cut it with regular sugar and slowly reduce? I mostly only use sugar for baking and i’d hate to ruin a whole batch.
Thanks!
Hi Sam. Great questions. I do have a Nu Naturals pure stevia powder but it is less strong and more bitter than another brand I use from KAL. The KAL is cut with maltodextrin but is still only 1/32 of a teaspoon per serving, so I’m not concerned about the maltodextrin. You can blend your own sweeteners together, and I do this at home. I like to use generic erythritol and powdered stevia. I worked out how much stevia powder I needed to add, but I can’t find it at the moment. I added it little by little and tasted it against a pre-made erythritol/stevia blend (Sukrin :1). I also powder the mixture for my own powdered sugar substitute. As far as stomach upset… My recipes typically use the least amount of erythritol that I can get away with. If you have to use low carb sweeteners for health reasons, then I don’t suggest cutting with sugar. I think that one serving of any baked good should be fine. You could start with half of a serving to see how it affects you. I find that the sweet fibers in Swerve bother me much more than erythritol blended with stevia or monk fruit. There will be a taste adjustment upon using sweeteners for the first time. Give yourself 1-2 weeks to adjust and know that each time you consume a lot of fruit or eat real sugar, your taste buds will need to adjust again to the low carb sweeteners. Luckily, it’s only a day or so. I hope this helps. -Kim
I prefer stevia because Stevia contains glycosides that can actually relax your blood vessels and increase urination, thus helping regulate your blood pressure level.
Hi! Thank you for this article. Just curious if you have tried the Lakanto sweetener?
Hi Jennifer. Yes, I have. This article is on my list to update. I like the Lakanto sweetener. It has a bit of a fermented fruit taste that isn’t too detectable in things. I like both the classic and the golden, however, Sukrin Gold has the best brown sugar substitute. -Kim
Have you tried the new “erythritol, stevia, monkfruit and allulose” combo sweetener? If you have what is your thoughts? I saw it tried on Lahvus on youtube.
Hi Elaine. I’ll need to update this article. I have not tried allulose because it is expensive and 60-70% the sweetness of sugar. However, I have tried Tagatesse (tagatose) which acquired the old patent for tagatose and I like it very much. It does have some calories and some carbs, but at twice the sweetness of sugar, I like it very much. There is no aftertaste nor that annoying cooling feeling.
I have not tried the sweetener that you speak of that has all included together, BUT I love mixing my sweeteners together. Currently I’m using Boca Sweet mixed 50/50 with Sukrin:1. I still like to use less granulated and augment or bump sweetness with stevia glycerite because it’s my favorite thing to do. I’ll look for the sweetener you mention.
Oh, I’ve been making my own 1:1 granulated and powdered erythritol based sweeteners. I don’t know if anyone is interested in the recipe or not. Maybe I will do a post just in case. Have a nice evening. -Kim
I would love to see the recipe for your sweetener mix.
Currently, I am using half Bocha Sweet and half regular erythritol. I use as small an amount of this as I can get away with and then use stevia glycerite (or Ez Sweetz – liquid Splenda if you prefer) to bump the sweetness where I want it. I like it very much so far. I’ll be experimenting with Allulose in the near future. For pre-made erythritol based sweeteners my favorites are Sukrin :1, Lakanto, then Swerve. Sukrin uses stevia to reach the sweetness of sugar, Lkanto uses monk fruit and has a slight fruity flavor, and Swerve tastes great but burns my throat. Good luck finding a sweetener you like. -Kim
I’ve even using Swerve granulated for about 2 1/2 years now. I’m disabled and therefore living in a limited income, so it’s pinches lots! Stevia takes exactly like dishwashing soap to m palette that I just can’t get past. I noticed on Swerve it uses both erythropoietin and oligosacharides but don’t know the ratio of the two ingredients in Swerve. Do you know this ratio, how I might obtain this and where I can purchase ogligosacharide? Then if nothing else I can find close to it by trial and error.. I’m currently paying $7.99 to 8.99 for 12 Oz of Swerve, I should be able to blend my own for a cheaper price I would think. I’ve read your blogs on sweeteners of all kinds online and it’s the best, most honest representations I’ve ever seen. I’ll certainly continue. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. and reading my questions.
Patricia, I did some Googling… You can find FOS powder or powdered inulin on-line and perhaps in a health food store for under $10. I often buy generic erythritol from Amazon or from Costco and add my own powdered stevia powder (KAL Pure Stevia) to it to make a Sukrin knock-off. You could do the same thing with the FOS/inulin powder. I do not know how much you would need to use. As you said, you could go by taste, but that would be cheaper than buying it pre-made. -Kim
Hi Kim
I have been diagnosed with diabetes, my a1c is around 6.3. I’ve been eating keto since December 1, hoping tp lower it enough to get off of meds. I’ve been told that some sweeteners will actually raise the blood sugar levels. Why is this, and do I just have to experiment to find out which one is good for me?
Hi Barbara, I don’t know how I missed your comment. I am so sorry! Yes, some sweeteners will raise blood sugar. Splenda for baking is one that raises blood sugar. The sweetness in sucralose is so concentrated that it has to be added to “fluffing agents” to have it measure cup-for-cup like sugar. The fluffing agents are dextrin and maltodextrin, both of which have a higher glycemic index than sugar. They will absolutely raise blood sugar. Other low carb sweeteners use pure fructose because it is processed in the liver and doesn’t raise blood sugar, but it does result in fat being deposited in the liver. Yuck!
Sugar alcohols are a good choice for low carb diets, but even some are better than others, and all can cause tummy troubles when used for the first time. Xylitol is a good one, but can spike some people – it causes my joints to hurt if I use it without mixing it with other sweeteners. It’s my opinion that erythritol is the best choice for diabetics. It is not as sweet as sugar (about 70%), but is not not digested by the body so it has zero impact on blood sugar. Most people (and sweetener companies) mix the erythritol with stevia powder or monk fruit powder to achieve the same sweetness level as sugar.
Having said this, Gary Taubes mentions in his book, “Why We Get Fat and What To Do About It”, that even thinking about something sweet will elicit a glucose response and that drinking diet sodas will cause the same reaction. Bit of a bummer, huh? Remember that I am not a doctor nor a dietician and you should do your own research. I really like Low Carb RN. She has some great articles. -Kim
Hi Kim
I have been reading your conversations and appreciate all of the input. My wife has recently been diagnosed with diabetes and as the main chef in the house – I’m always looking for ways to reduce carbs in her diet. I have bought an ice cream maker. I would appreciate your recommendations on the best sweetener to use when making ice cream. THANKS
Bob
Hi Bob. If your wife is diabetic, I think it would be best to use and erythritol blend to make ice cream. The three most popular are Swerve, Sukrin, and Lakanto. They are all 1:1 sugar replacements and none of them will raise her blood sugar. Beware of anything else. You can augment any sweetness with liquid splenda or stevia glycerite (or any other liquid stevia). I would also stay away from fruit flavors for a while until her blood sugars begin to dip and stabilize. Low carb ice cream is always hard as a rock. Let it soften on the counter for 20 minutes, or give it 15-30 seconds in the microwave to soften. Please know that I am not a medical professional and am not giving medical advice, but recipe advice. There are many delicious keto ice cream recipes out there. I hope you and your wife enjoy them! -Kim
Hi Kim
Great article- thank you! Have you had any success with caramelising any of these sweeteners? I’d love to be able to make a keto brûlée or tarte tatin but the only way I’ve been able to achieve a caramel is with the addition of butter and cream.
Thanks again
Hi Aimee. I am so sorry your message got stuck in my spam filter??? Like you, I have only been able to make a caramel with the additions of cream and butter. -Kim
Hi,
New here. Saw this article. Wanted to add to your list if you think it’s worth checking out . One sugar substitute that I love is called All U Lose it’s derived from real cane sugar. I get it from Amazon. Tastes just like sugar and leaves no aftertaste in the mouth. Know uses it to sweeten their cookies with it that’s how I found it… Google pointed me to Amazon and the rest is history. What I do is mix it with raw coconut sugar for coffee which adds a very nice vanilla like after flavor. I use it with my baking too.
You’re right, Richard, I need to update my list. I tried Allulose and found I had to use so much more because it is much less sweet than sugar at about 60%. It’s pretty pricy! I like Tagatesse (what was Tagatose) a little better as it is twice as sweet as sugar and has a nice clean flavor. It has some carbs, but you use less. I bet the Allulose mixed with the coconut sugar is beautiful and tastes amazing in coffee. Thank you for the tip! -Kim
I bought the Pyure baking blend but have not used it and was wondering about the instructions to only use half in place of sugar? How does this eliminate sugar from the diet? Have you used or know much about this product?
Hi Cyndee. Pyure has different “blends” the one you bought list Maltodextrin, Stevia, and Natural flavors. This is not a good sweetener to use. Splenda had a “sugar free” sweetener which was mostly maltodextrin and it causes large spikes in blood sugar. Maltodextrin has a higher glycemic index than sugar. I believe the kind you bought said to mix 1/2 and 1/2 with sugar because maltodextrin based sweeteners can make baked goods a little mushy in texture. I wouldn’t use it.
The best low carb/sugar-free sweetener is erythritol based since erythritol can not be broken down or absorbed by the body. Many erythritol sweeteners are mixed with stevia, sweet fibers, or monk fruit. These are 1:1 sugar replacements and can be measured just like sugar. The brands I like are Sukrin :1, Swerve, and Lakanto. They all come in granular and powdered options.
I hope this helps. -Kim
When I use swerve I get a numb tongue that lasts for hours and hours!
I don’t get the cooling, just a weird numb feeling
and a strange aftertaste that also lasts for hours
Just ruins any dessert for me. Being diabetic I can’t do real sugar. I’m wondering if a different brand and mix would also do the numb thing?
Heidi, does this happen with just plain erythritol? Someone told me the other day that they were allergic to it. I thought that was a little strange since our body makes it, but of course it doesn’t make it in the amount that low carbers are using it for a sweetener. See if plain erythritol bothers you. If not, you may like any of the erythritol blends made with added stevia or monk fruit. Another option is xylitol. There is a new sweetener, actually it has been around but has recently been remarketed – Tagatesse (formerly Tagatose). It is twice the sweetness of sugar and is very nice. I love it. You can read about it and buy it on Sukrin USA.com. IF you have any other questions let me know. -Kim
Thanks Kim.
I had, I think “sorbitol”. Omg, thought I need to go to the emergency room. Was as bad as labor. So I’m a little gun shy
No, I haven’t tried erythritol by itself. That’s my next step.
It’s been 24 hours and tongue is still sore. Only happens with swerve
Today I resorted to using 2 tablespoon regular sugar with stevia glycerite. ( thanks to you for the tip about the glycerite . Other stevia extracts are so bitter)
Going to order some Surkin and plain eythro and hope for the best.
Being a diabetic with a sweet tooth is a terrible thing.
Love your blog
Heidi, I’m sorry to hear about your tongue still being sore. You can get a generic erythritol for a good price on Amazon. You can also find many affordable erythritol/stevia blends on Amazon, too. I would try the Sukrin :1 (erythritol/stevia blend) because it comes in a small package and if you didn’t like it, then you wouldn’t have purchased such a big bag. Let me know how the erythritol works and maybe we can put our heads together. Have a great day. -Kim
Can you explain the difference between Liquid Stevia and Stevia Glycerite? Is it a brand or is there an actual difference?
Sure. There is an actual difference. Most liquid stevia is made by dissolving stevia compounds into water or alcohol. Stevia glycerite is stevia dissolved into vegetable glycerin (some do have alcohol, too, but I buy the kind without). Vegetable glycerine has a sweet flavor and the body can treat it as a carbohydrate if used in large amounts. The sweet flavor tempers the bitterness of the stevia and the concentrated sweetness level of the stevia prevents large amounts of the glycerine from being used. It’s my favorite product to add sweetness to erythritol. -Kim
I cannot stand the cooling effect of erythritol, it ruins the taste of anything I make with it, even if there is just a small amount of it. I tried tagatesse and I love the taste and the baking capabilities of it. The only problem with it is the intestinal distress it brings on. I wish there was a perfect sugar substitute, for as for now, there isn’t one. But I am going to take your advice and try mixing a small amount of tagatesse with stevia and see if it is sweet enough to subdue the bitterness of the stevia and reduce the intestinal distress. Maybe then I will have found the perfect sugar substitute for me! Thanks for the advice, I really appreciate your blog. I look at it everyday!
Hi Karen. Thanks for explaining the situation and for sharing your personal experience. Luckily, the tagatesse is twice as sweet as sugar so only 1/2 the amount needs to be used. I have the same stomach distress with Swerve sometimes because I am not used to the sweet fiber that is used in it. It’s always best to use just a little and then increase gradually until the GI system becomes accustomed to the new ingredient. Good luck in finding your perfect sweetener combination. Have a wonderful day! -Kim
How many net carbs have the commercial brand mix of stevia and Erythritol Splenda? Do you recommend this one in a low carb diet? Thank you.
Hi Vivian. I wasn’t familiar with that product and had to look it up. Like most erythritol/Stevia blends, this product has basically zero carbs. The body does not break down erythritol – it leaves in the same chemical composition as it entered. Convention is to count it as zero carbs. Most of us bloggers completely leave it out of our nutritional calculations. So, yes. This would be a good product. -Kim
So if the cookie receipe calls for a sweetener along with Stevia, and I have a bag of stevia & erythritol pre mixed. Would this be all Is needed for the cookie receipe? Or would I use the stevia/erythritol mix along with some straight erythritol?
Thnx,
Carol
That’s all you would need, Carol. BUT…. let me say that erythritol (and erythritol blends) produce a cooling effect upon melting. Some people don’t like that. I am one of those people. I use as little of the erythritol based sweeter as I can and then I add more sweetness with stevia glycerite. Others will use liquid Splenda drops. And others will just add more of the sweetener. You will have to find out what you like best. Just a warning about stevia and erythritol/stevia blends. Stevia will bring out bitter flavors in chocolate and chocolate will bring out bitter flavors in chocolate. Use stevia sparingly when sweetening chocolate. I hope this helps. -Kim
What is the purpose of ogliosaccharides in Swerve? Do you find it makes any difference in any way in recipes as opposed to straight erythritol?
Hi Belinda, great question. Yes, the fibers are sweet and contribute sweetness to make the Swerve a 1:1 sugar replacement. Since they are a fiber, at larger amounts they can affect lecture a little. Some people are sensitive to the taste of them and others not. They can also upset the tummy a little until one gets used to them. -Kim
I have been using strictly Swerve for most of my low carb/keto baking as it says that there is no cooling affect BUT after reading your article I am wondering if I would have better results with erythritol & Stevia glycerite. Although I cannot buy Stevia Glycerite in our part of Ontario, Canada so I buy Better Stevia liquid sweetener from NOW but I found it bitter. I have one family member that finds the Swerve gives her a cooling sensation & I have another family member that gets a itchy mouth after consuming products with Swerve. I hesitate to use Xylitol because our son’s dog is always waiting for crumbs to fall to consume.(also jumps up & grabs food if not being watched). I enjoy many of your receipes and Thank you for doing the research to help people like me who are trying to eat healthier.
Hi Sharon. I think it’s the fibers in the Swerve that cause me sensation of a burning throat. The erythritol has a cooling effect simply because it undergoes an endothermic reaction as it melts – it will always get cool. I wonder if you could find KAL Pure Stevia powder? I get it from Amazon. Or for that matter, KAL Pure Monkfruit Powder. They are super concentrated sweeteners. Several years ago, they were 100% pure product. Now, there is added maltitol BUT such a small amount of the concentrated product is needed, that I doubt it causes any rise in insulin. You could use the amount of erythritol called for in a recipe and then add the powdered stevia per your taste. I do not find it bitter, but it will taste like “diet” sweetener for at least a week until your taste buds get used to it. I, too find the Better Stevia Liquid bitter. I don’t like any of the liquid stevia sweeteners. Isn’t that strange. Well, anyway. I hope this helps. The only other product I can recommend – it is pretty pricey is the Lakanto Montfruit line. Their sweeteners are very good. I like them almost as much as Sukrin. Have a wonderful weekend. -Kim
After reading this, I asked my hubby to bring home some Stevia, he brought Xylitol too (non GMO) and I must say I love it! It tastes amazing, like a slightly “less sweet” sugar, mmm, immediately made a greek yogurt and cocoa treat with it. I tasted the Stevia too, it was also very nice, not bitter at all but very sweet with no by-flavour (although hubby said he could detect slight “diet” taste) it is the liquid kind while the Xylitol is granulated. I think both will be a great addition to our keto diet. Apparently the Xylitol was expensive though and I will have to see how it affects my gut for the next day or two before committing my absolute love to it but so far so good, thank you for the advice!
I also did some research on it (I was a little nervous of Xylitol as it is not as natural or historically prevalent as Stevia) and aside from some pseudo health experts claiming one must “stay away from Xylitol and it kills dogs” all of the scientific evidence based papers I read had only good things to say, bar slight concerns over products made with GMO corn. Personally I don’t have a dog and wouldn’t feed it people food anyway, so I dont need to worry in that regard and effect on blood sugar is very minimal in a healthy adult…so that just leaves the stomach- well time will tell with that one I suppose. Thanks again <3 from germany!
Thanks for sharing, Silvia! Actually, xylitol has been used in Scandinavia for many many years. It is birch sugar and a traditional food. Most xylitol available on the markets today is made from fruit and vegetable fibers. I’m glad you are enjoying your sweeteners. -Kim
Not all Xylitol is made from birch…most of the Xylitol on the market is made from corn…you need to research the source. True Xylitol is a birch product…I love it, but because I have a new little doggy and because it will cause more of a glycemic response, I am going to Erythritol and experimenting with other additions…thank you for your blog!
Denise, the chemical composition is the same no matter if it the xylitol comes from birch or whether it has been extracted from corn cobs. I have read many articles about this subject and there is no difference between xylitol from the two sources. The thing that should matter to people is if they want to support the corn industry or go with a non-corn supply. Most of the xylitol available for purchase has been made in China. It affects my blood sugar, too, which makes me sad because I think it tastes best.
I believe that erythritol is also made from corn cobs. Again, the chemical composition is virtually pure and there should be no corn in the product. I like the erythritol blends blended with Stevia or Monkfruit the best. Others like those blended with sweet fibers (like Swerve).
Thank you for your kind words. I hope you enjoy your day! -Kim
What sweeteners do you use for ice cream? I’m new to your blog and your recipes (love the chocolate chip cookies!!), so I’m not up on all your choices and reasons! Thanks.
Hi Monica. I have been using Allulose mixed with monk fruit or stevia to equal the sweetness of sugar so it measures cup for cup. It keeps ice cream soft, but is more expensive. I generally buy generic Allulose on Amazon and then add liquid stevia but you can also buy a pre-mixed allulose with monk fruit – Besti brand. Using erythritol is perfectly fine, but it doesn’t soften ice cream and if too much is used, can recrystallize and cause a crunchy mouthfeel. I hope this helps. -Kim
Chocolate is also lethal to dogs right?
It can make them very sick, yes. -Kim
do you have any resources for how to use VitaFiber? Can I use it to replace honey? All I’ve really seen is using it in quest bars which doesn’t appeal to me.
thanks in advance –
Hi Lynn, I’m sorry it took me a while to get back to you. I use the fiber syrups to make a great caramel sauce and caramel candies. It’s my thought that it helps prevent the erythritol from recrystallizing, thus keeping the sauce smooth. I have used it as a binder and sweetener for low carb granola to great effect. It does bump up total carbs because it is so high in fiber, so I make sure to use it sparingly. I think my favorite application at the moment is for chewy low carb granola bars. They tasted just like store bought. I do use it as a honey sub in Chinese food and sauces that would use honey. I only use a little and augment sweetness with erythritol or stevia or a combination of the two. I hope this answers your question as well as gives you some ideas. If you need any more information, let me know. Enjoy your week. -Kim
I found this article to be very informative. I enjoyed reading it. I look forward to trying your recipes.
Thank you Margaret. I hope you find some that you like. :) -Kim
Where is the best place to buy some of these sweeteners you’ve recommended? Are there stores that carry them? Thanks!
You can purchase all of the products on Amazon, Jenn. I have also seen selected Walden Farms products in my grocery store in the sugar-free aisle. The Sukrin products can be purchased on Amazon or through Sukrin USA. I have seen the stevia products at my local health food store. Good luck. -Kim
Outstanding reference to have at hand when meal planning
Thanks, Mike. I appreciate that. -Kim
Thanks so much for this article. It’s very helpful. I’m rather new to low carb eating but I’m loving the results I’m seeing.
However, I am desperate for some granola. I hate oatmeal (it’s a texture thing with me) but I love homemade granola with toasted oats and plenty of nuts. I’m quite fond of Ina Garten’s recipe that calls for 2 tablespoons of honey for sweetness. Any recommendations on a good substitute?
I see the listings for FiberYum and Sukrin Fiber Syrups listed above as honey substitutes but I’m a bit thrown off by the warning to use sparingly. Is it not a one to one ratio?
I’d appreciate any ideas or recommendations you might have.
Thanks!!
Hi Brad. I have actually used the Sukrin Fiber Syrups as honey subs for granola. I have two great granola recipes. I’ll list them here: Really Good Low Carb Granola and Macadamia Berry Blast. There are also many recipes for low carb granola on Google. Good luck! -kim
I own xylitol and erythritol and want to create as close to cup for cup sugar. I can’t add stevia due to rag weed allergy. I’ve looked at Lo Han (monk fruit) and inulin FOS, but I still don’t know how to sub either product for the stevia.I follow Trim Healthy Mama, but their sweeteners contain stevia. Do you have any suggestions in regards to the monk fruit or inulin and measurements? Thank you
Hi Mrs. G. I really, really, like the Lakanto Monk Fruit Sweetener but it is pretty costly. I used to mix my xylitol and erythritol half and half to help minimize the any stomach issues xylitol may cause. I haven’t used FOS in years, simply because it left me a little windy, but Swerve is mixed with a similar compound, so in the future, you can buy Swerve or Lakanto Monk Fruit Sweetener to get that 1:1 ratio without the stevia – if you don’t want to mix.
I did some poking around on Amazon. If it were me, for the future, I would buy the cheapest 5 pound bag of erythritol and the NuNaturals LoSweet (in fact, I’m going to order some today!). It is as concentrated as the pure powdered stevia that THM uses and the “doonk” should equal the same sweetening power. Then, you could follow the recipe for the homemade THM blend subbing the Pure Monkfruit for the powdered stevia. Does this make sense? I saw several reviews that liked it and 1 that hated it. It could be that this person hadn’t adjusted to the taste or was a “super-taster”. Super-tasters have problems with many artificial or low carb alternative sweeteners.
Let me know what you think or if you have any questions. I’m fighting a migraine and may not be coherent. Enjoy your week -Kim
I didn’t know the effect that using straight erthritrol would have on my intestinal tract but I used it to sweeten my ice tea and without even a hint of normal warning my day was ruined and almost my very expensive recliner…I had been poisoned…I have two very large bags of it that have been sitting in my cupboard for a year…I will try to use it for baking as you listed…thank you…
Oh, Marilyn, I am so sorry! You have to start slow with sugar alcohols! (I’m sorry, but your comment almost made me spray my computer with my coffee LOL- I feel your pain!) Maltitol and sorbitol are the worst and found in many commercially produced sugar-free or diabetic products! If you see them listed, RUN! And any sweetener that lists almost as much fiber as carbs is going to do the same thing!
Yes, using a small amount of erythritol and then augmenting with something else can be a big help. Incidentally, I don’t enjoy erythritol in my coffee or teas. I would prefer to use KAL Pure Stevia powder (the company now adds maltodextrin to their product) and only use a tiny pinch (1/32 of a teaspoon) per cup. Good luck with your baking endeavors. -Kim
Hi. Lately I find recipes with coconut sugar. Do you know if this is useful and healthy?
Hi Barbara. Read the Part 1 of this article: http://www.lowcarbmaven.com/low-carb-sweeteners-choose-best-sugar-free/ It’s considered a natural sugar alternative and is sugar just like maple syrup, honey, dates, molasses and others. If you are looking for a ketogenic diet or trying to mitigate metabolic syndrome or diabetes, avoiding sugars is the key. If you are simply trying to get back to a more whole foods approach to your eating, then you may be able to add in the natural sweeteners. I hope this helps, Barbara. -Kim
Hi Kim,
Great article! I also experience the burning throat when using Erythritol. Will give your suggestions a try to see if mixing sweeteners together helps.
Again, a great article and very informative!
Thanks, Julie! It may take some time, but I’m sure you will hit upon the right combination. You are welcome for the article. Have a great week! -Kim
Thanks so much for this article. I am new to low carb living and have been trying all the wonderful recipes out there. I have noticed both a cool mouth feel and burning throat/tongue especially in cookies. I have been using a mixture of stevia and swerve but I still get the burning. I will start trying your ratio of erythritol to stevia and see if that makes a difference. I also notice that a lot of recipes call for the powdered form of erythritol. Do you think that grinding the granualted swerve into a powdered form would cause less of a reaction? Thanks again for your wonderful article and all the information that you share.
I’m glad you found this article useful, Sandee. Thank you! I have noticed more of a burning throat feeling with Swerve for whatever reason. I don’t notice it quite as much with regular erythritol. I buy the best value I can for erythritol (linked in article) and powder it as I need it. I really love the Sukrin line of sweeteners which are not any more expensive than Swerve, and I think better. That’s just my opinion via my taste buds! I think that using LESS erythritol in itself will help with the burning sensation you are experiencing, which indecently is a separate issue from the cooling sensation. I hope this helps. Let me know what you find works for you. Have a wonderful week! -Kim
My favorite granulated sweetener for baking is now available on Amazon! Before, I had to get it direct from the manufacturer, Steviva.com. MonkSweet Plus is a mixture of erythritol, stevia and monkfruit. I think it tastes the most like sugar and has none of the cooling effect of erythritol, alone. Plus, it’s all a natural sweetener.
Thanks for letting me know about MonkSweet Plus, Elaine. I will add it to the list! Have an awesome weekend. -Kim
hmmm….I just went to their website and the nutritional value for the MonkSweet Plus was 4.7 g of carbs per tsp. That would be 13.2 g of carbs per tablespoon, almost equal to sugar which is 15 g/carbs per tablespoon. Am I reading this wrong? This doesn’t look right.
You don’t count the carbohydrates for sugar alcohols like erythritol. It depends what form the Monkfruit is. Some sweeteners, the FDA doesn’t know how to classify or calculate the nutritional value for. I use an erythritol/ Stevia blend and that is what I am most familiar with. You will need to research and taste some different brands to find the one that is right for you. -Kim
The truvia baking blend (linked) contains some sugar. I use the packets, they do not.
Thanks so much Tiffany. I will check the link and change it. I don’t want to steer anyone wrong! :) -Kim
I use stevia and love it, but I’ve never heard of erythritol until now! So thank you for sharing the 411! I will have to look for it next time I’m at the store. I’ve never thought to mix sweeteners, but that totally makes sense! This is a great post, girlfriend! Thanks for the education!! Cheers!
Thank you Cheyanne! :) -Kim