Is Monk Fruit Sweetener Healthy?


If you’re trying to reduce sugar in your diet for whatever reason—blood sugar management, weight loss, keto diet—there’s an ever-growing variety of sugar substitutes to choose from. Monk fruit sweetener stands out among the most popular choices for one particular benefit.

“Monk fruit sweetener has zero calories, which means you can reduce the number of calories you eat in a day by using it as a sugar substitute,” she says. Sofia NortonRD.

But is monk fruit sweetener healthy? Here’s what you need to know.

What is monk fruit?

Monk fruit is a South Asian fruit, also known as luo han guowhich is usually identified on labels as monk fruit extract or monk fruit juice. Its extract is used as a non-nutritive sweetenerwhich means that it contains few calories, carbohydrates or sugar, making it a suitable choice for people with diabetes, followers of a ketogenic diet or those looking to reduce their sugar intake.

3 Health benefits of monk fruit

Isolated image of dried monk fruit | Monk Fruit Keto

1. Zero calories

For those looking to reduce their calorie intake, monk fruit sweetener is calorie-free and can help reduce calories that might otherwise be consumed in the form of added sugar.

Added sugar is a ubiquitous and stealthy source of calories that has made its way more and more into the American diet. This can potentially lead to health problems over time.

So, if weight loss and overall better health are among your goals, sweetening foods with monk fruit extract instead of sugar can help you enjoy the foods you crave without the added calories and sugar.

2. Keto-friendly

Because monk fruit sweetener contains zero carbohydrates or sugars, it is suitable for people following a ketogenic diet, which restricts carbohydrates in order to put the body into ketosis (a metabolic state during which the body uses fat in instead of carbohydrates as fuel).

“Monk fruit contains zero carbs,” says Norton. “The fruit itself contains fructose and glucose. But monk fruit as a sweetener is sold as an extract, which does not contain fructose or glucose. This means keto eaters or low-carb dieters can still enjoy of sweetened foods without consuming excess sugar.

3. Exponentially more sweet than sugar

At 100 to 250 times sweeter than granulated sugar, monk fruit sweetener can achieve the same sweetness at a fraction of the volume. It also has little or no effect on blood sugar levels, so it can be used to maintain healthy serum glucose.

Is Monk Fruit the Only Keto Sweetener?

Isolated image of Stevia plant

Any sweetener without carbs is considered keto. Here are some other options:

  • stevia is a natural sweetener derived from the stevia rebaudiana plant that has almost zero calories and just under a gram of carbs per one gram portion.
  • Sugar alcohols like erythritol and xylitol, it is fermented from sources such as wheat, corn starch, and wood sugar. They are low in calories, but can cause gastrointestinal upset in some people.
  • sucralose is a non-caloric artificial sweetener that is made from sugar but has no calories after processing. It is known commercially as Splenda.

Where to buy monk fruit

Although growing in popularity, monk fruit is still considered a bit of a specialty. You can find monk fruit at some health food stores, such as Whole Foods, or online. Here are some options:

  • Julian Bakery Pure Monk, where Amazon.
  • Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetener, a Amazon.
  • Monk Drops: 100% Monkfruit liquid sweetener, activated Amazon.
  • Monkfruit In The Raw Packets, at On the Raw.



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