These sugar swaps will help keep your carbs in check, and your sweet tooth satisfied. A keto-friendly sweetener sounds a bit like an oxymoron: Sweeteners are typically sugars, sugars are carbohydrates, and the ketogenic diet is very, very low in carbs. But the fact is, there are sweeteners out there with little to no carbs—and while the list below is short, stevia, monk fruit, and erythritol can all be part of your ketogenic diet. Another no-carb, no-sugar, no-calorie sweetener, monk fruit is said to be about to times sweeter than sugar and is sold by brands such as Monk Fruit in the Raw and PureLo. Like stevia, monk fruit can help you cut carbs, but it may not help you slash your total calorie intake. This is why some sugar alcohols can cause gastrointestinal distress, though erythritol is said to be among the least bothersome of the sugar alcohols. It does have 4 grams of carbohydrate per teaspoon, but zero net carbs, so it doesn’t count towards your daily carb allowance on keto. One common erythritol-based sweetener brand— Swerve —explains that because their product doesn’t raise blood sugar, its carbs are considered “non-impact.
Erythritol is relatively inert in your gut. Maltitol has the highest glycemic index 35 and insulin index 27 of all sugar the alcohols, and a large portion is absorbed into the bloodstream. Is Erythritol Keto? This makes it the most well tolerated sugar alcohol. Is Erythritol Safe for Keto Dieters? Xylitol is a naturally occurring sugar alcohol that is usually found in fruits and vegetables. Powdered erythritol is your best bet for adding a touch of sweetness to beverages or sauce recipes since it dissolves more easily. While it’s neither sugar nor alcohol, its chemical structure is similar to both. Again, over-consumption of fructose leads to fatty liver disease and the storage of visceral fat surrounding the stomach. Among all of the sweeteners that have been extensively studied, stevia seems to be the most promising from a health improvement perspective.
The keto diet restricts high-carb sweeteners, requiring sugar alternatives for anyone who wants to satisfy a sweet tooth. Erythritol is a sugar alcohol that has become popular on the keto diet. But is it truly keto-friendly, and how does it impact blood sugar levels? There are many types of sugar alcohols, with erythritol being a favorite. Not only does it contain just six percent of the calories compared to real sugar but it tastes like the real thing. Low calorie and low carb, it is produced by fermenting grain products, typically corn or wheat. Erythritol is convenient for those seeking sugar alternatives because it measures one-for-one when replacing sugar in recipes. It is crystallized and convenient, compared to other sugar replacements like stevia, which might be liquid or required in drastically different quantities. While xylitol, another sugar alcohol, does mildly raise glucose levels, erythritol does not. Because erythritol does not increase glucose or insulin levels, it is popular among people with diabetes or who are seeking to lose weight.