Posted by
Kelly McGeehan
Looking for an alternative to sugar? Meet monk fruit, a natural sweetener that’s 100-250 times sweeter than sugar. This article covers how monk fruit sweetener compares to conventional sugar and the best monk fruit sweeteners on the market.
What is Monk Fruit Sweetener?
Monk fruit sweetener is extracted from monk fruit, a small melon native to Thailand and China. The FDA didn’t approve monk fruit as a sweetener until 2010, but it has been used in Southeast Asia for centuries. It’s made by removing the skin and seeds from a monk fruit melon, crushing it to get the juice out, then drying and condensing the juice into a powder form.
Monk fruit gets its sweetness not from its natural sugars, as most fruits do, but from its antioxidants called mogrosides.
The extract can be up to 250 times sweeter than sugar, so pre-packaged sweeteners might be mixed with other ingredients to subdue the flavor. Monk fruit sweetener can be used for baking or added to any food or beverage like sugar. It also has zero calories. While not as popular as stevia, monk fruit is an emerging all-natural, sugar-free sweetener.
Why Should You Use Monk Fruit Sweetener?
It’s no secret that added sugars are bad for your health. Excess sugar consumption can lead to weight gain, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
Monk fruit sweeteners can sweeten foods and beverages without causing these negative side effects. It also has been linked to weight loss. For example, one study suggests that consuming low-calorie sweeteners might aid weight loss. Another study showed that US adults who used low-calorie sweeteners had a healthier eating index than those who did not.
Since monk fruit contains mogrosides, which have antioxidant properties, it’s likely that monk fruit sweeteners serve other health benefits. However, not enough research exists yet to confirm this.
The Best 8 Monk Fruit Sweeteners
*Note: We do have affiliate links throughout this article, which means we receive a commission if you purchase from any of our links. This supports our mission to bring complicated health and fitness info in an entertaining package. And it keeps us from putting up annoying things like banner ads. Those suck.
1) Health Garden All-Natural Monk Fruit Sweetener
Price: From $10.37
Health Garden All-Natural Monk Fruit Sweetener is a great alternative to sugar. It contains monk fruit extract and Erythritol, a naturally occurring sugar found in certain fruits. Combined, these ingredients create a perfect amount of sweetness. It’s also zero-calorie, keto-friendly, and contains over 100 servings.
2) Lakanto MonkFruit Sweetener with Erythritol
Price: From $12.99
Lakanto MonkFruit Sweetener with Erythritol is a powder-based sweetener with zero calories, making it a great keto option. It contains just monk fruit extract and Erythritol, so you can get what you want and nothing else. You can choose between an 8 and 16-ounce package.
Each package contains roughly 57 servings.
3) Microingredients Monk Fruit Sweetener Granules
From $28.74
Microingredients Monk Fruit Sweetener with Erythritol is a keto-friendly favorite. You can add it to any beverage or meal, and it is free of gluten, soy, and artificial flavors and colors. It even includes a scoop!
This package contains over 400 servings, making it an excellent bulk option at an affordable cost.
4) NOW Foods Real Food Organic Monk Fruit
Price: From $12.93
NOW Foods Organic Monk Fruit is a great keto-friendly option. You can add it to any beverage, meal, or smoothie for a touch of all-natural sweetness. It’s free of gluten and artificial sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose.
Each package contains about 57 servings.
5) NuNaturals Monk Fruit Sweetener
Price: From $15.37
NuNaturals Monk Fruit Sweetener is great if you prefer liquid-based sweeteners. You can add a few drops to any beverage or meal for a touch of added sweetness. This bottle contains nearly 300 servings if taking four drops per use.
6) NOW Foods Real Food Organic Monk Fruit Liquid Sweetener
Price: From $10.41
NOW Foods Organic Monk Fruit Liquid Sweetener is another good option if you prefer liquid-based sweeteners. It’s vegan-friendly and free of gluten, soy, and tree nut ingredients. This bottle contains about 268 servings if using five to eight drops per use.
7) Whole Earth Stevia & Monk Fruit Sweetener
Price: From $4.99
Whole Earth Stevia & Monk Fruit Sweetener is an affordable, zero-calorie option. It contains monk fruit and stevia leaf extract. It’s free of preservatives and artificial flavors and colors. Each bottle contains 80 servings.
8) NuNaturals Pure Monk Fruit Powder Sweetener
Price: From $30.00
NuNaturals also has a powder-based monk fruit sweetener. It’s vegan, keto-friendly, and gluten-free. Each bottle contains over 500 servings, making it a good bulk option.
How We Ranked
Although we ranked these supplements, we want you to decide on the best product for you.
Here’s what we took into consideration when ranking these products.
Strict Testing Standards
The supplement industry isn’t FDA-regulated, which can make finding a reputable supplement challenging.
That’s why we only select companies that adhere to Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) regulations and have their products third-party tested.
Ingredients
Monk fruit extract can be up to 250 times sweeter than sugar. Due to this, many prepackaged sweeteners contain other natural ingredients to subdue the extract’s intensity. We looked for supplements that had additional natural ingredients, like Erythritol, a naturally occurring sugar found in some fruits.
Value
Living our healthiest lives can get expensive. That’s why we selected high-quality products that won’t hurt your wallet.
Are there any drawbacks?
Monk fruit sweetener is safe to consume and a healthier alternative to sugar. Still, you should only use it in moderation. It has shown to be safe, but it still is relatively new as an ingredient. If you’re looking for a way to lower your sugar intake, monk fruit sweetener is a great option.