The 5 Best (and Worst) Sugar Substitutes to Sweeten Up Your Low Carb, Ketogenic Diet

February 25, 2021

Going Keto means cutting back on high-carb foods like starches, desserts, and heavily processed snack foods. This is the essential step towards reaching a metabolic state known as Ketosis, which causes the body to break down stored fats instead of carbohydrates in order to produce energy. Ketosis also requires significantly reducing sugar intake, which is a challenge for anyone who enjoys sweetened beverages (especially coffee!), sauces, & baked goods. Fortunately there are several low-carb sweeteners that make excellent sugar substitutes. So let’s check out the 5 best keto sweeteners for a low carb diet, plus 5 you should definitely avoid!

1. Stevia

Stevia low carb keto sweetener

Stevia is a naturally occurring sweetener derived from the stevia rebaudiana plant with no calories or carbs! Stevia is available in both liquid and powdered form and can be used to sweeten just about anything. But be careful! Stevia is much sweeter than regular sugar, so just a touch will do. In fact, it’s generally recommended to substitute only 1 teaspoon (4 grams) of stevia for a whole cup (200 grams) of sugar! Also be warned, stevia does have an aftertaste that some people find unpleasant.

2. Sucralose

sucralose keto sweetener

Sucralose is an artificial sweetener that is not metabolized by the human body, which means it passes through undigested and doesn’t contribute any calories or carbs to your diet. Therefor Sucralose is a great way to sweeten drinks and food, but we must not that Sucralose is NOT SUITABLE FOR BAKING, because some studies have found that at high temperatures Sucralose can produce harmful compounds. Like Stevia, Sucralose is much sweeter than regular sugar (600x in fact!), so be careful to only use a small amount!

3. Allulose

Allulose is a low calorie, naturally occurring sugar with the same sweet taste and only 1/10 the calories of regular sugar. Because it is a monosaccharide, or simple sugar, allulose is absorbed by the body but not metabolized so it is nearly calorie and carb free. We should also mention, allulose is PERFECT for baking because it behaves and has a similar texture to traditional sugar! Allulose is also diabetes-friendly because it has no impact on blood glucose levels. In fact, we love allulose so much we made a video about it!

4. Monk Fruit

Monk Fruit puts the ‘Monk’ in ChipMonk, so you know we love it! Monk fruit sweetener is extracted from the monk fruit, a plant native to souther China. It contains natural sugars and is rich in mogropide antioxidants. Like others on this list, Monk fruit sweetener contains no calories or carbs, so it is a great option for the ketogenic diet. But be careful! Monk fruit sweeteners can be 100-250 times as sweet as regular sugar, so start small!

5. AlluMonk

AlluWhat? AlluMonk is a special blend of all-natural Allulose & Monk Fruit that ChipMonk Baking invented to create the perfect keto-friendly sweetener and 1:1 sugar replacement. By balancing the benefits of allulose and monk fruit, AlluMonk is simply the best and closest low carb version of regular sugar. It dissolves easily so it’s great for sauces and sweetening beverages. It also browns and bakes perfectly, so it is excellent for keto baking (which is why we use it in all of our delicious cookies and keto bites!). In fact, we love AlluMonk so much that we came up with 7 Amazing ways that AlluMonk can sweeten up your life.

There are plenty of options of low-carb, keto-friendly sweeteners, but watch out! There are also a ton of sugar substitutes that are high in carbs and can interrupt ketosis:

Honey: Pure honey contains antioxidants and nutrients which make it a better choice than refined sugar, but it is still high in calories and carbs and therefor not suitable for a keto diet.
Maltodextrin: This heavily processed sweetener is made from starchy plants and contains the same amount of carbs and calories as regular sugar!
Maple syrup: Although maple syrup does contain a healthy dose of micronutrients like zinc and manganese, it is also high in sugar and carbs.
Agave nectar - Agave is about 85% fructose, which can decrease your body’s sensitivity to insulin, making it difficult for your body to regulate blood sugar levels. It also contains calories and carbs that are not compatible with a successful keto diet
Dates - Dried dates are often used to naturally sweeten desserts. Although they do contain a small amount of fiber, vitamins, and minerals, dates are also high carb and therefor not recommended for a ketogenic diet.

We know there are a lot of options out there for anyone looking for a keto-friendly sugar substitute, so we hope this list will guide you towards a sweeter, healthier life. Remember, everyone’s taste is a little different and what works for some might not work for others. We recommend AlluMonk over all other keto sweeteners because it has no weird aftertaste and serves as an excellent 1:1 sugar replacement, but try for yourself and see what tastes right to you. If you’re interested in trying AlluMonk for yourself, be sure to check out: The Secret’s Out: 7 Tasty Uses For AlluMonk Sugar Free Sweetener. Thanks for dropping by ChipMonk Baking!