It’s not far-fetched to call natural sweetener an ingredient superhero for flavoring up your everyday foods and drinks with little to no calories. That said, it’s worth double-checking the label to avoid erythritol. This ingredient is especially found in some brands of monk fruit sweetener, and has been making headlines as it’s linked with negatively affecting heart health. Luckily, finding erythritol-free monk fruit sweetener is easier than you think. Here’s the scoop on why it’s best to use monk fruit sweetener without erythritol as a sugar substitute.
What is monk fruit sweetener?
This sweetener is derived from pure monk fruit (or luo han guo), which is an ancient Chinese fruit that research suggests helps avoid spikes in blood sugar and inflammation. While this sweetener can come in liquid form, the powdered version is made by drying monk fruit extract. This sweetener is often marketed as being sweeter than sugar. However, even as a sugar replacement, many health experts encourage moderation when adding this sweetener to your diet for weight loss and other health goals.
“Monk fruit is a good option for lowering sugar intake,” endocrinology and metabolism specialist Anthony Liberatore, MD, tells Cleveland Clinic. “But instead of consuming lots of zero-calorie sweeteners, focus on eating fruits, vegetables and whole grains. These foods have vitamins, minerals and other nutrients you need for good health.”
Why might monk fruit sweetener contain erythritol?
When deciding on a bag of monk fruit sweetener to buy, an ingredient you’ll want to be mindful of is erythritol. This ingredient is typically used in monk fruit sweetener to mimic the sweetness and bulky texture of actual sugar. However, there’s a growing body of research, including a 2023 study in the journal Nature Medicine, associating erythritol consumption with causing more blood clots to form. This resulted in an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.The good news: Steering clear of erythritol in this sweetener isn’t tricky at all. (Read our story on erythritol vs. stevia to find out what nutrition pros say about each ingredient.)
Is it possible to get monk fruit sweetener without erythritol?
The silver lining to all of this is that you can find monk fruit sweetener without erythritol. A store-bought option like Monk Fruit In the Raw doesn’t contain erythritol and can be substituted in a 1:1 ratio for sugar, making it hassle-free to incorporate into dishes.
How to use monk fruit sweetener
You can add monk fruit sweetener to coffee, tea, fresh grapefruit, cakes and other foods and drinks. Also, give these monk fruit sweetened dessert recipes from our test kitchen a try!
Strawberry-Coconut Parfaits
Ingredients:
- 1 (¼ oz.) envelope unflavored gelatin
- 1 (16 oz.) package fresh strawberries, trimmed
- 2 Tbs. monk fruit sweetener
- 12 drops red liquid food coloring
- 2 cups light coconut whipped topping
Directions:
- Active: 40 mins
- Total time: 3 hrs
- Yield: 4 servings
- In 1-quart microwave-safe bowl, mix gelatin and 2 Tbs. water. Let stand until absorbed, 3 minutes. Quarter 1 strawberry; reserve. In food processor, puree remaining strawberries and sweetener. If desired, tint with food coloring. Reserve 1 Tbs. puree. Microwave gelatin until melted, 15 seconds. Stir in remaining strawberry mixture. Chill 30 minutes. Stir.
- Spoon ⅓ cup coconut topping into 4 (6 oz.) glasses. Top with strawberry mixture. Chill until set, about 2 hours. Top with remaining coconut topping, strawberry puree and reserved strawberry quarters.
Double-Chocolate Glazed Doughnuts
Ingredients:
- 2 eggs
- 1½ cups milk
- ½ cup applesauce
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- ½ cup monk fruit sweetener
- 2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
- ¾ cup cocoa powder
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 6 oz. dark chocolate, melted
Directions:
- Active: 20 mins
- Total time: 30 mins
- Yield: 10 servings
- Heat oven to 325°F.
- In bowl, whisk first 5 ingredients. Sift flour, cocoa powder and baking powder. Mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Spoon batter into greased doughnut pan.
- Bake 10 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Dip cooled doughnuts in melted chocolate. Garnish with sprinkles, if desired.
This content is not a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Always consult your physician before pursuing any treatment plan.
