At the global level, demand for artificial sweeteners is expected to create a market worth about $10 billion by 2026. Experts expect the global sugar substitute industry to grow at a healthy rate of about 3.5% for the next several years and likely beyond that.
As this market continues to grow, so will the variety of artificials sweeteners available for consumers. As more and more sweeteners come out, how are you supposed to know which ones are the best options for you?
Many people want to know how to choose between stevia vs erythritol and other artificial sweeteners. Finding an artificial sweetener that works for you can help you cut many calories while still enjoying sweetness in your food. They are also a great contributor to a sustainable keto diet.
So what are the pros and cons of stevia and erythritol, and which one is a better choice for you? Read on to learn about how to choose between these artificial sweeteners!
What Is Stevia?
Stevia is the result of combining several compounds present in the stevia leaf. As incredible as it may sound, the same quantity of stevia tends to be at least 50 times sweeter than a similar quantity of normal sugar. In some cases, a potent stevia product can even be as many as 400 times sweeter than regular sugar.
Because stevia is so sweet, it does not matter that much how many calories it contains. Only a tiny quantity of it will be used to sweeten your food, anyway, so its contribution to your caloric intake will be tiny.
However, even if you eat a lot of stevia, it will not add to your calories much because it contains almost no calories.
What Is Erythritol?
Erythritol is a special kind of carbohydrate called sugar alcohol. Its name may sound fancy, but you can find erythritol in natural sources like grapes and watermelon. It even shows up in foods like wine and beer.
Erythritol has been around as an artificial sweetener for more than 30 years now. The World Health Organization and Federal Drug Administration both approved erythritol for common human consumption about 20 years ago.
One of the reasons that erythritol seems so safe is that it is derived from natural sources. We are already eating erythritol when we eat watermelon, so it makes sense that it would be safe.
Benefits of Stevia
Stevia has a slightly different taste compared to sugar. Not all kinds of sweetness taste the same.
Some people actually enjoy the specific sweet flavor of stevia more than cane or beet sugar. Although we may be used to getting our sugar from canes and beets, there is no reason to believe that these sources of sweetness are better than stevia plants.
Another great thing about stevia is that it does not increase blood sugar levels the way that regular sugar does. As a result, it also seems that stevia does not contribute to problems with diabetes. In fact, many studies have found that using stevia in typical quantities does not have any discernible effect on insulin or blood sugar control.
There are even some indications that stevia may help lower blood sugar. When your body thinks there are plenty of sweet carbohydrates in its system, it may be slower to synthesize glucose. That can theoretically help lower blood sugar which might even help manage or prevent diabetes.
Benefits of Erythritol
Unlike stevia, erythritol is slightly less sweet than a similar quantity of sugar. That means that you might actually need to use a little more erythritol than sugar to achieve the same levels of sweetness in your food.
However, that may not be a problem because erythritol is much lower in calories than sugar.
On the other hand, erythritol does not dissolve as easily as sugar does. That may not cause any problems if you are adding erythritol to something like hot tea. The hot liquid will be more than enough to dissolve the erythritol you add to it.
However, if you try to add erythritol to ice cream, then it may not dissolve and distribute throughout the dish. On top of that, if you eat too much erythritol, you might end up feeling somewhat bloated. Of course, most people don’t consume enough erythritol for this to become relevant.
Choosing the Best Sweetener
If you are looking for sweeteners for a keto diet, then both of these options will work fine. When it comes to flavor, it is up to each person to decide whether stevia or erythritol tastes better to them.
Some people say that stevia has a taste somewhat similar to licorice.
Some people also find it difficult to figure out exactly how much stevia to add to their food. This sweetener is so potent that you only need a tiny amount compared to sugar. However, when working with such tiny amounts, it might be difficult to know if you are adding a little too much or too little.
Understand the Pros and Cons of Stevia vs Erythritol
Learning more about the pros and cons of stevia vs erythritol can help you decide which option is right for you. More people are looking for artificial sweeteners as more studies show how harmful to our health excessive sugar intake can be. Finding the right artificial sweetener might help you cut more calories more easily than any other single thing.
To learn more about the latest information in artificial sweeteners, general nutrition, and more, have a look at our other pages!
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