Keto Dieters Love This Low-Carb Sugar Substitute—but Is It Worth the Hype?
Monk fruit extract is appealing for three major reasons: It’s unbelievably sweet, won’t raise your blood sugar levels, and has little to no calories in its pure powdered form. Plus, there are no known nasty side effects, and the Food and Drug Administration categorizes monk fruit extract as “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS), even if you have diabetes.
“It’s 150 to 200 times sweeter than sugar, so you can use very little,” explains Keri Glassman M.S., R.D.N., founder of Nutritious Life. “It also contains antioxidants and is said to support the immune system, digestive tract, glands, and respiratory system.” One study even suggests monk fruit sweetener might have anti-inflammatory properties.
So How Does Monk Fruit Sweetener Compare to Sugar?
Consuming too much added sugar can ruin your teeth, cause kidney stones, increase your risk of heart disease, harm your liver, and make you gain weight. Monk fruit sweetener has not been proven to do any of these things.
Monk fruit’s sweetness comes from chemicals called mogrosides, which the body processes differently from common sugars like sucrose and fructose.
While monk fruit extract may be a healthier choice compared to sugar and many other artificial sweeteners, that doesn’t necessarily mean you should add it to all of your meals, says Cara Harbstreet, M.S. R.D. L.D., of Street Smart Nutrition. Like anything, moderation is key.
“Monk fruit sweeteners are calorie-free, but that doesn’t mean they can be used with abandon,” says Harbstreet. “From a safety standpoint, there would be no negative physical effects. However, health encompasses our emotional and mental health as well, and low-calorie or calorie-free sweeteners are often associated with dieting behaviors that can damage one’s relationship with food.”
Translation: Adding any kind of sweetener to your food might make you crave sugary things, which can cause a vicious cycle, especially if your goal is weight loss.
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“It’s 150 to 200 times sweeter than sugar, so you can use very little,” explains Keri Glassman M.S., R.D.N., founder of Nutritious Life. “It also contains antioxidants and is said to support the immune system, digestive tract, glands, and respiratory system.” One study even suggests monk fruit sweetener might have anti-inflammatory properties.
So How Does Monk Fruit Sweetener Compare to Sugar?
Consuming too much added sugar can ruin your teeth, cause kidney stones, increase your risk of heart disease, harm your liver, and make you gain weight. Monk fruit sweetener has not been proven to do any of these things.
Monk fruit’s sweetness comes from chemicals called mogrosides, which the body processes differently from common sugars like sucrose and fructose.
While monk fruit extract may be a healthier choice compared to sugar and many other artificial sweeteners, that doesn’t necessarily mean you should add it to all of your meals, says Cara Harbstreet, M.S. R.D. L.D., of Street Smart Nutrition. Like anything, moderation is key.
“Monk fruit sweeteners are calorie-free, but that doesn’t mean they can be used with abandon,” says Harbstreet. “From a safety standpoint, there would be no negative physical effects. However, health encompasses our emotional and mental health as well, and low-calorie or calorie-free sweeteners are often associated with dieting behaviors that can damage one’s relationship with food.”
Translation: Adding any kind of sweetener to your food might make you crave sugary things, which can cause a vicious cycle, especially if your goal is weight loss.
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