What sweeteners can you use on a low-carb diet? Check out the visual guide below. The sweeteners to the left are very low in carbs and have generally been shown to have little impact on blood sugar and insulin levels.1 The sweeteners to the right, in the red zone, should be avoided.
Numbers
The numbers above are based on the effect each sweetener has on blood sugar and insulin response, for an equal amount of sweetness compared to white sugar (100% pure sugar). Keep in mind that many sweetener packets contain a small amount of dextrose, which is pure sugar.2
If you’re aiming to stay low carb, try to avoid the sweeteners to the right in the picture above. The best options are to the left. We suggest primarily using stevia, erythritol or xylitol.
Negative effects of all sweeteners
Note that while the sweeteners to the left above have minimal direct effects on blood sugar and insulin levels, they may still have other potential negative effects.
All sweeteners can maintain cravings for sweet foods.3 Also, when added to foods – such as muffins or yogurt – they may result in a significantly increased feeling of reward when eating. So by adding sweeteners to your foods you’re increasing the risk that you’ll end up eating more than you need. This can slow down weight loss, or cause weight gain.
The question marks by the sweeteners labeled as “zero” indicate that although they appear to have no effects on blood glucose and insulin, their impact on obesity, diabetes, gut health, and long-term risk for metabolic or cardiovascular disease is not yet known. More research is needed.4
This means that all sweeteners, including the non-caloric ones above, may have potentially negative effects. If you’re able to, you may be better off just avoiding all of them. Note that on a low-carb diet cravings for sugary foods tend to decrease over time, making it easier and easier to avoid them.5
However, most people enjoy something sweet once in a while. If this is true for you, we suggest trying to do it only occasionally. Keep reading to learn more, including how to make better-informed choices.
Using sugar as a sweetener
Note that many sweeteners – white or brown sugar, maple syrup, coconut sugar and dates – have a number of exactly 100. This is because these sweeteners are made up of sugar. Sugar is also known as sucrose, which is 50% glucose and 50% fructose. To get the same amount of sweetness as white sugar, these sweeteners will have a similar effect on blood sugar, weight and insulin resistance.6
Sugar is potentially harmful for your health, no surprise, so these are all likely not ideal options, especially if you’re on a low-carb diet. Avoid.
Even worse than sugar: fructose
Amazingly, there are sweeteners that may be even more problematic than sugar in the long run. Regular sugar contains 50% glucose and 50% fructose. However, some sweeteners contain more fructose than glucose. These sweeteners are slower to raise blood glucose, resulting in a deceptively low glycemic index (GI), a measure of how quickly a carbohydrate-containing food results in a blood sugar increase after eating it. Yet they may have even more potentially harmful effects.
Consuming excessive fructose can increase the likelihood of developing fatty liver and insulin resistance, increasing the risk of weight gain and future health problems.7
These sweeteners with excess fructose – high fructose corn syrup (soda), fruit juice concentrate, honey and agave syrup – might have a slightly worse long-term effect than pure sugar. Thus we give them a number of 100+. Which sweetener has the highest fructose content of all? Agave syrup.
This is not to say that sugar is good. Clearly, sugar is potentially harmful to our metabolic health. Sugar as well as these high-fructose sweeteners are not good options on a low-carb diet.
Our recommendations
As stated above, all sweeteners have potential negative effects. However, some are less problematic than others. Here are our top 4 suggestions:
Stevia comes from the Stevia rebaudiana plant, which is native to South America, where it has been used for several hundred years. Steviol glycosides extracted from the plant are responsible for its sweet taste.
Pros
Stevia doesn’t contain carbs or calories and does not raise blood sugar levels.8
Stevia doesn’t really taste like sugar. It has a licorice-like flavor and an undeniable aftertaste when used in moderate to large mounts. Therefore, using it sparingly is recommended.
There’s not enough long-term data on stevia to be certain of its true impact on the health of frequent users.10
Sweetness: 200-350 times sweeter than table sugar.
Best choices: Liquid stevia or 100% pure powdered or granulated stevia. Note that some packets of granulated stevia such as Stevia in the Raw contain the sugar dextrose. The brand Truvia contains added erythritol (see below) but no dextrose.
Not-too-bad option #2: Erythritol
Erythritol is a sugar alcohol, a compound that resembles sugar but is only partially digested and absorbed by the body. Erythritol occurs naturally in plants like grapes, melons, and mushrooms in small amounts. However, as a commercial sweetener, it is usually made from fermented corn or cornstarch.
Pros
Erythritol does not raise blood sugar or insulin levels.11
It provides nearly zero calories and is virtually carb-free. After being absorbed, it passes into the urine without being used by the body.12
Erythritol might be helpful in preventing dental plaque and cavities, compared to other sweeteners.13
Cons
Erythritol has a noticeable cooling sensation on the tongue, particularly when used in large amounts.
Although it causes fewer digestive issues than most sugar alcohols, some people have reported bloating, gas and loose stools after consuming erythritol.
While absorbing erythritol into the blood and excreting it into the urine appears to be safe, there may be some potential for unknown health risks. Longer studies are needed to know for sure.
Sweetness: 70% as sweet as table sugar.
Best choices: Organic granulated erythritol or erythritol and stevia blends.
Not-too-bad option #3: Monk fruit
Although it’s derived from a round, green fruit grown for centuries in Southeast Asia, monk fruit is a relatively new sugar substitute on the market. Also called luo han guo, monk fruit is traditionally dried and used in herbal teas, soups and broths in Asian medicine. It was cultivated by monks in Northern Thailand and Southern China, hence its more popular name.
While the fruit in whole form contains fructose and sucrose, it also contains non-caloric compounds called mogrosides that are intensely sweet, estimated to be up to 200 times as sweet as sugar. In 1995, Proctor & Gamble patented a method of solvent extraction of the mogrosides from monk fruit.
Monk fruit is often mixed with stevia to reduce cost and blunt stevia’s aftertaste. Similarly, it is often mixed with erythritol to reduce cost and improve its suitability for baking.
While the US FDA has not ruled on monk fruit as GRAS (generally regarded as safe), it has publicly noted that it accepts manufacturers’ GRAS determination. In the last few years more than 500 monk fruit products have come to market in the US. Monk fruit has not yet been accepted for sale by the European Union, but approval appears to be pending.
Pros
It is calorie-free and does not raise blood sugar levels.14
It has a better taste profile than many other sweeteners, with minimal aftertaste.
It doesn’t cause digestive upset.
Cons
It is expensive.
It is often mixed with other “fillers” like inulin, prebiotic fibres and other undeclared ingredients.
Be careful of labels that say “propriety blend,” as these products may have little active mogroside ingredients.
It is very new, and there aren’t any studies on its long-term effects.
Sweetness: 150-200 times sweeter than table sugar.
Products: Granulated mixes with erythritol or stevia, pure liquid drops, or liquid drops with stevia; also used in replacement products like monkfruit-sweetened artificial maple syrup and chocolate syrup.
Not-too-bad option #4: Xylitol
Like erythritol, xylitol is a sugar alcohol found in fruits and vegetables in small amounts. It is produced commercially from corn cobs or birch trees. Xylitol is one of the most frequently used sweeteners in sugar-free chewing gum and mouthwash.
Note however, that xylitol is only low carb, not zero carb. So it’s not a perfect choice on a keto diet (below 20 grams per day). The carbs can quickly start to add up.
Pros
Xylitol has a low glycemic index of 13, and only 50% is absorbed in the digestive tract.15 When used in small amounts, this results in a very minor impact on blood sugar and insulin levels.16
Although it tastes like sugar and has a level of sweetness identical to table sugar, xylitol contains 2.5 calories per gram, whereas sugar provides 4 calories per gram.
Like erythritol, it’s been shown to help prevent cavities, compared to other sweeteners.17
Cons
Because 50% of xylitol is not absorbed but instead fermented by bacteria in your colon, it may cause digestive issues (gas, bloating, etc.) when consumed in moderate to large amounts.18
Although xylitol is safe for humans, it is toxic and potentially lethal for pets, like cats and dogs. If you use xylitol, make sure to keep it away from your animals.
Sweetness: Equivalent in sweetness to table sugar.
Best choices: Organic granulated xylitol made from birch.
The “zero-calorie” sweeteners that are almost 100% carbs
Packets of Stevia in the Raw, Equal, Sweet’n Low and Splenda are labeled “zero calories,” but this is just a trick. FDA rules allow products with less than 1 gram of carbs and 4 calories per serving to be labeled “zero calories.” So manufacturers cleverly add about 0.9 grams of pure carbs (glucose/dextrose) – the filling agent that makes up almost 100% of the sweetener – mixed with a small dose of a more powerful artificial sweetener, for added sweetness.
Voilà — a sweetener packet full of carbs that can be labeled “zero calories” without risking a lawsuit.
The packets in fact contain almost 4 calories each, and almost a gram of carbs. While 0.9 grams of carbs may seem negligible for many people, on a low-carb diet it can matter — especially if you use many packets a day. Ten packets equals 9 grams of carbs, which is almost half the daily carb limit on a keto diet.
So at least be aware of this. We don’t recommend these sweeteners because of the deceptive marketing. There are also lingering potential health concerns with many of these artificial sweeteners, including aspartame and sucralose.19
Why maltitol is not a good option
Maltitol is the most common type of sugar alcohol used in “sugar-free” candy, desserts, and low-carb products because it’s considerably less expensive than erythritol, xylitol, and other sugar alcohols.
Maltitol is not a good choice for people on low-carb diets. About 40% of this sweetener is absorbed in the small intestine, which can raise blood sugar and insulin levels, especially in those with diabetes or prediabetes.20 It also provides about three-quarters as many calories as sugar, which is considerably more than most low-carb sweeteners.21
In addition, the roughly 60% that’s not absorbed is fermented in the colon. Studies have shown that maltitol may cause significant gastrointestinal symptoms (gas, bloating, diarrhea, etc.), especially when consumed in large amounts.22
Sweetness: About 80% of the sweetness of table sugar.
Diet soft drinks – yes or no?
Can you drink diet soft drinks on a low-carb diet? Ideally, you may want to avoid them. For some people, regular consumption can stimulate cravings for sweet foods and prevent retraining your palate to enjoy the natural taste of unsweetened drinks.
There are also other suspected, but unproven, health concerns with many of the artificial sweeteners commonly used in diet sodas and other beverages.24
However, if you feel you absolutely need to drink diet sodas, at least they will allow you to stay low carb. Regular soda, sweetened with sugar or HFCS, will very quickly result in a high carb intake, negating the positive effects of a low-carb diet.
A final word on low-carb sweeteners
While some sweeteners seem to be better than others, the best strategy for achieving optimal health and weight loss may be learning to enjoy real foods in their unsweetened state.
Although it might take a little time for your tastebuds to adapt, over time, you may discover a whole new appreciation for the subtle sweetness of natural, unprocessed foods.
Sugar addiction
Do you find it almost impossible to consider giving up sweet foods? You can do it. Here’s something that may interest you: our course on sugar addiction and how to take back control.
A large review of 46 controlled trials found that aspartame, saccharin, stevia, and sucralose had minimal to no effect on blood sugar and insulin response:
In studies, overweight and obese adults who consumed high-fructose beverages for 10 weeks gained weight and experienced a worsening of insulin resistance and heart disease risk factors:
Although this is presumably related to xylitol being partially fermented in the colon, some research suggests that xylitol might also lead to adverse changes in gut bacteria:
These concerns, which include changes in gut bacteria composition and increased inflammation, are mainly based on the results of animal experiments and also a few human trials:
In one study, overweight people assigned to drink only water for 12 weeks lost more weight and had less insulin resistance than people assigned to drink artificially-sweetened diet soda for 12 weeks – even though both groups followed the same weight-loss plan:
(I thought I was hitting a 'like' button on Barb's question above, but it seems that made the comment get 'reported' - didn't mean to do that, if that means I was complaining about it or calling it inappropriate! My apologies!)
Hi, Ive been on keto diet for almost 6 years now for various autoimmune conditions , out of those 8 years ive been consuming only pure stevia for at least 3 years. my consumptions is pretty much few coffee drinks through out the day and soda's containing stevia (such as zevia). though up until year and a half ago I've been extremely thin, its not the case anymore. i havnt changed anything in my diet if anything i eat less and less (you get used to it) . however im starting to suspect stevia has really messed up my metabolism and hormone levels! i stopped using it 3 days ago, and its really hard , my taste buds cant feel any flavors without the stevia. i found your website in search for recipes that dont use any sweeteners at all and im super excited, hoping to have stevia behind me, and any sweet foods whatsoever.
Thank you!
I love your carb guides but in our area, there are a lot of corn and strawberries grown. These are not listed in your guides - does that mean we need to completely avoid them?
I've been reading about Glycemic Load compared to Glycemic Index? Is this reflected in the photos. For example watermelon has GI of 72 and a GL of 4 for the average serving. Another thing I'm curious about is sweeteners. Although powdered Spenda has lots of other "sugars" in it the liquid version is pure sucralose without anything added to it. So is liquid sucralose better than powdered sucralose?
I’m looking for the answer regarding whether sukrin gold is an ok sugar alternative. I’ve been testing this for about a year as we didn’t like the after taste of stevia. It’s easier to replace in recipes as well as it weighs more than stevia.
Looking forward to hearing more:)
I use Inulin for sweet treats of my husband. It is a dietary fiber that has the good side effect to feed beneficial bacteria. But for me any sweet food mess up my blood sugar and produce cravings/kicks me out ketosis. I am not overweighted at all but I do not use it for this reason.
I would like to know what your thoughts are about Monkfruit also. There are two other people who had asked the question in February but I didn’t see a response or have missed it.
I use Lakanto Liquid Monkfruit Extract & have read different things about using it with the Ketogenic diet. Is there anyway you could set the record straight & let us know what your option is. Thanks
Really hope that the team gets more involved in this topic also since there alot of people who still would enjoy sugerly like items. Have someone ever looked into Yacon? Its REALLY nice and does not spike insuline. Its also natural... https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4963912/ Hope to get a reply on this one...
f you’re not yet convinced that you should stay away from erythritol, there’s more. As of 2014, researchers at Drexel University were pursuing a patent on erythritol as an insecticide and are continuing to study its effectiveness. Yes, that’s right — not only is it low in calories, it’s also really great at killing bugs. I wish I was joking, but I’m not.
The 2014 study is titled “Erythritol, a Non-Nutritive Sugar Alcohol Sweetener and the Main Component of Truvia®, Is a Palatable Ingested Insecticide.” The researchers show that erythritol is toxic to flies, which are drawn to its sweet flavor, which makes erythritol a “killer combination.” I don’t know about you, but I certainly would rather put some raw honey in my next cup of tea rather than a proven bug killer.
There's a new sweetener called Bochasweet. Is this allowed? Here is the link. https://bochasweet.com/product/bochasweet/ Since this has become a go to staple, I'd love to know if it's a good one.
There's a new sweetener called Bochasweet. Is this allowed? Here is the link. https://bochasweet.com/product/bochasweet/ Since this has become a go to staple, I'd love to know if it's a good one.
It tends to spike blood sugar for many people. The best way to know if it's safe for you is to test your blood sugar.
Personal experience: I’ve been on keto diet about 3 weeks. I was about 25 lbs. overweight, and my blood sugar was running in the 120s on my last two labs, months apart. I was determined to do all I could to avoid having to go on medication for diabetes, so I started the keto diet and doing the gazelle 6 days per week.
I’m still learning, and while most days I’m able to keep carbs under 20g, I’m not getting enough protein most days. But then I wasn’t eating much meat, which I am changing now. Thus far I’ve lost 7 lbs. My blood sugar on January 14 was 134, but it started going down as soon as I started keto, even though I wasn’t getting the exact percentages. In the past week it has not been above 102, and has been in the 90s the past 4 days. Today it was 90.
Before changing my diet, I could hardly drag myself around. I only decorated for Christmas about 1/4 of the amount I usually do, because I was so fatigued, feeling just “punk.” And I was depressed. I’m convinced now that it was due to blood sugar. I’ve gone back to working on my crafts and DIY projects and am much happier than I was a month ago.
PLEASE consider the keto diet if any of the above rings a bell with you! You have nothing to lose except excess weight, fatigue, above normal blood sugar, the damage that high blood sugar does to your whole body, the damage medication does to your body, and possibly depression.
I am so confused about sweetners, the stevia I have and ones I have looked into have 1g of carb per 1g of product.. why do you state they dont contain any?
I am so confused about sweetners, the stevia I have and ones I have looked into have 1g of carb per 1g of product.. why do you state they dont contain any?
Stevia should not have carbs. Your sweetener may have additional ingredients.
For any soda addicts I highly recommend checking out Virgil's Zero Sugar sodas. I was originally introduced to Virgil's Root Beer over a decade ago by a friend who would bring a micro keg of it to parties. It was one of the best Root Beers that I'd ever had. It was NOT Zero Sugar. Fast forward many years. I saw the new Zero Sugar version on the shelf at a local store. When I saw on the back that it was sweetened with Erythritol/Stevia/Monkfruit instead of the other garbage that's out there I knew I had to give it a try. It's the absolute best option I've found. No... The Cola doesn't taste like Pepsi or Coke, but it is a good Cola. The Root Beer is absolutely delicious and the Orange is pretty good too. I haven't had any of the other flavors. Anyway, that's my 2 cents as a long term soda addict. I try to stick with unsweetened sparkling water as much as possible, but Virgil's Zero Sugar is exactly what I need for Meatza night. ;)
Try Bocka Sweet. I just tried it and love the flavor. No calories or insulin spikes. I am not a rep but need suger in my coffee. Every other sweetener tasted terrible but not B Sweet. It is amazing!!
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Stephanie in SF, CA, USA
(I thought I was hitting a 'like' button on Barb's question above, but it seems that made the comment get 'reported' - didn't mean to do that, if that means I was complaining about it or calling it inappropriate! My apologies!)
Thank you!
Looking forward to hearing more:)
I use Lakanto Liquid Monkfruit Extract & have read different things about using it with the Ketogenic diet. Is there anyway you could set the record straight & let us know what your option is. Thanks
The 2014 study is titled “Erythritol, a Non-Nutritive Sugar Alcohol Sweetener and the Main Component of Truvia®, Is a Palatable Ingested Insecticide.” The researchers show that erythritol is toxic to flies, which are drawn to its sweet flavor, which makes erythritol a “killer combination.” I don’t know about you, but I certainly would rather put some raw honey in my next cup of tea rather than a proven bug killer.
In general, legumes and beans won't be a good fit as they are higher carb and can exacerbate inflammation in the body.
It tends to spike blood sugar for many people. The best way to know if it's safe for you is to test your blood sugar.
I’m still learning, and while most days I’m able to keep carbs under 20g, I’m not getting enough protein most days. But then I wasn’t eating much meat, which I am changing now. Thus far I’ve lost 7 lbs. My blood sugar on January 14 was 134, but it started going down as soon as I started keto, even though I wasn’t getting the exact percentages. In the past week it has not been above 102, and has been in the 90s the past 4 days. Today it was 90.
Before changing my diet, I could hardly drag myself around. I only decorated for Christmas about 1/4 of the amount I usually do, because I was so fatigued, feeling just “punk.” And I was depressed. I’m convinced now that it was due to blood sugar. I’ve gone back to working on my crafts and DIY projects and am much happier than I was a month ago.
PLEASE consider the keto diet if any of the above rings a bell with you! You have nothing to lose except excess weight, fatigue, above normal blood sugar, the damage that high blood sugar does to your whole body, the damage medication does to your body, and possibly depression.
https://www.dietdoctor.com/recipes/flavored-water
Monk fruit tends to be an acceptable option for most people. If you have any concerns, please check to see if it affects your blood sugar.
Please double check the ingredients and compare with the information above. I believe those have artificial sweeteners and would not be recommended.
Stevia should not have carbs. Your sweetener may have additional ingredients.
Thanks Monika