Here’s a question I’m often asked: What’s the Best Sweetener for Keto? Everyone is looking for the best zero calorie, low-carb, keto sweetener.
What’s the Best Keto Sweetener?
We’re all bio-chemical individuals with unique makeup, which means our bodies react differently to the same stimuli. In other words, what works for me may not work for you and vice versa.
My Favorite Sugar-Free Keto Sweeteners
If you read my post, What’s the Best Milk for Keto, then you know I don’t believe in one size fits all diets or dietary ingredients, and so here I share a number of options for sugar-free keto sweeteners.
Healthy Keto Sweeteners for Dessert Recipes
Most Keto Diet recipes call for sugar alcohols like xylitol or erythritol (that’s what Swerve and Lakanto are made of) to sweeten low-carb desserts.
Those types of sugar alcohols are not an option for me as I can’t digest them. If you can tolerate sugar alcohols that’s great.
Is Erythritol Safe?
Do you have an autoimmune disorder (MS, Celiac Disease, Hashimoto’s thyroid disease, diabetes, etc) or any type of gut issue?
If so I would be incredibly careful using sweeteners like Swerve and Lakanto, or anything else made of erythritol.
Is erythritol keto? Yes. Is it safe for someone like me? No. To start, for those of us with autoimmune issues, minding our microbiomes is a top priority. Research shows that a healthy gut is the key to a healthy immune system.1
Sugar Alcohols and Gut Health
Why are sugar alcohols so disruptive to gut health? The reason is two-fold.
First, these zero-calorie sweeteners are polyols (4-carbon sugar alcohols). They can be very difficult for some people to break down, disrupting digestion and causing severe gut dysbiosis. Second, this type of sweetener contains corn.
Swerve and Lakanto Contain Corn
The majority of sugar-free keto diet sweeteners, like Swerve and Lakanto are made from corn, a food that is highly allergenic and incredibly hard on my system.
Corn-Based Sweeteners
I think it’s interesting that so many folks who used to be on a grain-free Paleo Diet, have switched over to the Keto Diet and are now consuming desserts made with large amounts of corn-based sweeteners.
If you’re one of those people I’d love to hear from you about this change and if it was positive or negative for you.
Sugar-Free Xylitol
Xylitol is a zero-calorie sugar-free sweetener often made from birch. I like that it’s a corn-free keto sweetener option (be sure to check the label to make sure the xylitol you buy is derived from birch, not something else).
This sugar alcohol is very hard for me to digest, so I don’t use xylitol. Some people say that this sugar-free sweetener has a cool aftertaste.
Monk Fruit
Some people like to use monk fruit for their sugar-free keto desserts. It’s another good option but not a low-carb sweetener that I have used much.
If you do buy it and want to use pure monk fruit, check the label to make sure it does not have erythritol. The pure Monk Fruit Sweetener that I recommend is made by Julian Bakery and can be bought online.
What’s the Best Sweetener for Keto Diet?
For me, the best sweetener for the Keto Diet is stevia. I’ve found that stevia doesn’t cause digestive distress when I use a pure form that does not contain inflammatory items like corn, erythritol, and other highly processed ingredients that are difficult to digest.
My keto recipes using stevia, are a hit with family, friends, and fans, and you’ll find several of them below!
Which Keto Sweetener Tastes Best?
I use stevia in very small amounts. In recipes sweetened with stevia, a little goes a long way! Although sugar-free stevia is fantastic, it is not perfect. The main issue with stevia is that some people find it has a bitter aftertaste.
If you are wondering which sweetener has the least aftertaste, stevia won’t be the best choice for you. However, when I pair stevia with strong flavors like coffee, chocolate, or citrus I can mask that aftertaste very effectively.
Sugar-Free Keto Dessert Recipes with Stevia
There you have it! If you’re wondering what’s the best sugar-free, low-carb sweetener, for me it’s stevia. If you have an autoimmune disorder, it’s perfect for you. Here are some of my healthy low-carb recipes sweetened with stevia!
Keto Bread with Blueberries
My Keto Bread with Blueberries is the most amazing low-carb bread and I sweeten it with stevia. If you’re in the mood for something plain, try my regular Keto Bread.
Both of these keto breads are amazing toasted and smothered in ghee, which is the perfect low-carb spread.
Sugar-Free Keto Mojito Popsicles
Keto Mojito Popsicles are one of my favorite desserts! I can’t go a single day in the summer without having a batch of these in my freezer.
For this popsicle recipe, I use plain stevia. The mint and lime flavor profile is so incredible and also masks any stevia aftertaste.
Chocolate Chia Pudding
I created my Chocolate Chia Pudding recipe when my awesome mother-in-law (MIL) asked me to create and customize a healthy chocolate chia pudding for her special diet.
This Keto Chocolate Chia Pudding is not only amazingly tasty, with five ingredients it’s super easy to make. My sugar-free Chocolate Chia Pudding is sweetened with vanilla stevia.
3-Ingredient Keto Chocolate Pudding
Creating no sugar keto desserts can be quite challenging, but it’s one I love. When I make a sugar-free dessert, it’s not only free of refined sugar, it doesn’t contain high-glycemic sweeteners like honey or maple syrup.
You’ll love that I sweeten my 3-Ingredient Keto Chocolate Pudding with vanilla stevia.
Sugar-Free Keto Brownies Recipe
My Sugar-Free Keto Brownies recipe is a labor of love for my readers on low-carb high-fat (LCHF) Keto Diets. If your digestion is at all compromised, be careful because the recipe contains erythritol in addition to stevia.
Sadly, because of the sweetener, they are not something I can eat, but Mr. Pantry loves them!
My incredible Keto Nut-Free Zucchini Bread recipe is another one of those recipes that I’ve created for those of you on a sugar-free diet, but that I myself don’t eat.
My Favorite Keto Sweeteners
Now that you have my favorite keto sweetener list. I’d love to hear from you. What is your favorite keto sweetener?
This post is an oldie but goodie from the archives, I first shared What’s the Best Sweetener for Keto in 2019.
Lisa says
Hi Elana,
First, thank you for all that you do and I hope your health is in a good place.
I’ve tried so many alternate sweeteners and brands and it’s often difficult to get accurate info about what these are made from, so I appreciate this article. I’m type 2 diabetic, have Psoriatic Arthritis (an autoimmune disease) and have dealt with Candida and leaky gut issues. The only sugar alcohols I can tolerate are Erythritol, Bocha Sweet and Monk Fruit. I was using Truvia Brown sugar but then realized it’s a mix of Erythritol and real Brown sugar, which is too high in carbs and causes glucose issues.
I currently use Lakanto Monk Fruit Golden, Swerve powdered or Brown, Bocha Sweet in small quantities because it keeps Erythritol from recrystalizing after heating. I also use Stevita stevia for my Coffee which is a blend of stevia and Erythritol.
My favorite Stevia is the Vanilla Creme drops from SweetLeaf. I wish I could tolerate the taste of pure Stevia like you. I also occasionally use a 2-4 tbsp of Coconut sugar in a large recipe in conjunction with those mentioned above.
Elana says
Lisa, thanks for your well wishes. Health is good this week! When I refer to pure stevia, I mean not combined with erythritol. I use the SweetLeaf drops all the time for baking and tea. I’m so glad you’ve discovered the sweeteners that work for you and really appreciate your going into detail on it here –it will help so many others :-)
Kris S. says
What are your thoughts about Botchasweet or Allulose, from what I have read neither are considered sugar alcohols…
Elana says
Kris, we tried Botchasweet and did not care for the flavor, but everyone is different! Allulose is ok, haven’t ever baked with it :-)
Lynn W says
I’ve been off of sugar for 20+ years because of gut issues. I have grown accustomed to not craving sweet flavors; in fact, anything that has sugar hurts my teeth. Fruit and spices are usually sufficient; spices are critical; bland flavor is not satisfying and who wants to eat food that tastes like cardboard? It takes a while to adjust to no-sugar, but you can (and then when you do eat it, like at a potluck, it’ll make you sick — which is good incentive to let it go). Also, I have always favored fat over sugar; fat helps create flavor. Sugar makes the body retain fat; the culprit is not fat; fat is necessary for many bodily functions. Occasionally, I will use chicory root, in a powder form called “Just Like Sugar” to sweeten something, as I find stevia bitter and strangely empty. Elena, do you know anything about the effects of chicory root on the metabolism and gut? Thank you.
Elana says
Lynn, thanks for your fantastic comment! I agree, fat is the best! I’ve tried the chicory root sweetener called Just Like Sugar and my family did not like it at all, so I didn’t research it much further :-)
Susie Hettleman says
I can’t use stevia, it gives me headaches. For me, the best sweetener is a little pure monk powder mixed into organic vegetable glycerin. A little goes a long way and it is keto friendly.
Elana says
Susie, thanks so much! What a great tip :-)
Suzanne says
The problem with glycerin is that it’s bad for your tooth enamel.
Elana says
Thanks Suzanne. I hadn’t heard that before :-)
CJ says
I am a confirmed Sweetaholic! When I switched to a LCHF diet, I was happy there were options for sweet treats. I have to say, I am lucky, so far, that the Lakanto sweetener doesn’t seem to give me problems. I have tried many, many brands of Stevia, liquid, powder, leaves and really can’t find any that don’t have a nasty aftertaste, so for the time being I have given up on Stevia!
The point of this rant is, that if a recipe calls for Stevia, either drops or micro scoops, it is hard to convert the recipe to use a 1:1 sugar substitute like Lakanto because of the volume issues.
I have been a follower of yours for several years, through Paleo and now LCHF. I really love the simplicity and great outcome of your recipes, and have been making most of them for several years, but I will have to stick with the ones that don’t use Stevia.
Thank you for all your hard work and great recipes!!
Elana says
CJ, thanks so much for your comment! I wish I could use Lakanto, but as I mentioned above, I don’ eat corn or sugar alcohols. I totally get what you’re saying about stevia and I think it’s like cilantro. For some people cilantro tastes like soap, while others love it. I have so many friends that are fine with stevia, and others that find it is way too bitter to ever eat!
Toni says
Stevia not only has a horrible aftertaste it has a profound negative effect on my hot flashes. I have read numerous articles on the downside of stevia and have had similar reactions. I prefer monk fruit but I am sure it has issues too. I almost am ready to give up
Elana says
Toni, I totally hear ya!
Toni says
But thank you for all the great recipes. They are always easy to execute and delicious
Elana says
Toni, you’re so very welcome!
Colleen says
Hi Elena,
Thank you for your blog, I have enjoyed your recipes over the years. I have been keto for several years, low carb before that. I also used to use sugar alcohols, stevia, monk fruit in combination for baking, and stevia in coffee, tea. I recently discovered I am pre-diabetic ( I had gestational diabetes when pregnant) even though I am not overweight. I have had a lot of gut issues due (I thought) to my previous consumption of grains and sugar. I recently read a very informative book called Stevia Deception by Dr. Bruce Fife, a nutritionist. It made a huge amount of sense to me (I’m an RN). I have since sadly removed all sweeteners from my diet as I believe they contributed to the gut problems. I highly recommend reading it!
Elana says
Colleen, thanks! I will check it out :-)
Cindy says
Hi Elana, You didn’t mention Monk Fruit Extract, either good or not good. What are your feelings about it?
Elana says
Cindy, I don’t use it that often and prefer stevia, but if it’s pure (not adulterated with erythritol) then I think it’s fine :-)
Elena Stewart says
Yes, of-course Stevia is the best sweetener if you are on Keto diet. I have heard that grapefruit is also helping out in fat burning and triggering weight loss. If this is so why did’nt you have mentioned this fruit in the list? BTW, Thank you so much Elena for so simple and elaborated recipes. These are really helpful for Keto lovers.
Elana says
Elena, thanks for your comment! I did not mention grapefruit as I haven’t ever seen it used as a sweetener in baked goods recipes. So glad you are enjoying my website :-)
Zelime Fisher says
Good Day Elana,
I have been keto for a year now. I have found sweeteners as with most ingredients very individual. I do not have digestive issues so taste and baking texture directs my sweetening choices. In general I aim for sweetening power, meaning the end product sweetness. I like erythritol, stevia and monk fruit extract. I combine them in varying amounts depending on the food…tea or coffee- just stevia…your keto brownies – as written with a few extra drops of caramel stevia ( a nice compliment to chocolate recipes), etc. Thank you for your simple, well tested recipes. I worked years ago for the Current Test Kitchens in Colorado Springs developing recipes for cookbooks. so I appreciate a well tested, streamlined and well written recipe! Good Health – Z Fisher
Elana says
Z, thanks so much for your comment! I too take an approach where I combine sweeteners and find that works very well. Thanks also for your kind words letting me know that my recipes are well tested, streamlined, and well written!