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What Is The Best Sugar Substitute On Keto

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Sukrin Gold Brown Sugar Alternative

What’s the Best Sugar Substitute for Keto? Research, Opinions and Recommendations!

Sukrin Gold Brown Sugar Alternative is mainly made up of erythritol, a sugar alcohol thats a great low-carb substitute for sugar. It also contains malt and a little hint of stevia. Sukrin Gold offers a flavor, aroma, and texture of brown sugar without having any effect on blood sugar.

Along with being low-carb, this brown sugar substitute contains all-natural ingredients, is gluten-free and low-calorie. Its the perfect brown sugar substitute for recipes. One gram of Sukrin Gold Brown Sugar contains zero calories, zero grams of fat, zero grams of protein and one gram of net carbs.

Try Sukrin Gold when making your own keto barbecue sauce. It will offer the delicious molasses flavor of regular brown sugar without kicking you out of ketosis.

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What Is Allulose Sweetener

Allulose is a natural sugar that we cant metabolize , which means it tastes and acts like sugar without spiking our blood sugar. Found in fruit, maple syrup and other plants, its 70% as sweet as sugar.

The name allulose sounds like glucose, fructose, lactose, and other sugar names, because its in the same family. But unlike these sugars, we cant process allulose, which means it has zero calories and zero net carbs.

Allulose is newer and gaining popularity for its incredible ability to dissolve, brown, and caramelize just like sugar does.

How To Make Your Own Brown Sugar Substitute Without Molasses

Yes, you can definitely make a keto brown sugar substitute without molasses.

Making brown sugar at home is super easy, and if you dont wish to use regular molasses or black strap molasses, you can use one of the options below!

You can use either maple extract or caramel extract depending on what your taste preferences are.

Caramel extract provides a more complex flavor with hints of spice and molasses, with no carbs or calories.

Adding caramel extract can give your keto brown sugar substitute an even more realistic taste.

Just start with a small amount and then you can adjust to add more if needed.

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What Is Monk Fruit

  • Monk fruit is an excellent sugar substitute for keto, paleo, and other low-carb baking recipes.
  • Monk fruit is 200 times sweeter than sugar, so you require very little when cooking.
  • Monk fruit is no carb and does not spike insulin.
  • Monk fruit is generally free of side effects.
  • Theres some suggestion that monk fruit may have anti-inflammatory benefits.

Sugar Alcohols: A Quick Tutorial

The Best Keto Sweeteners And Low Carb Sugar Substitutes

Before delving into each keto sweetener and what it’s best used for, let’s first make sure you understand the term that many of them involve: sugar alcohol. Sugar is a carbohydrate that has a sweet taste. When you eat it, your body uses it to produce energy. Sugar alcohols also taste sweet, but their structure is not a straight carbohydrate because our bodies do not process them like carbs. Sugar alcohols have a structure that resembles both sugar and alcohol , and your body doesn’t break down the carbohydrate part of that into energy. They contain many fewer calories than sugar, and the carbs in them are mostly not in the “net” carb count because, like fiber, they pass through you without being properly digested.

Sugar alcohols occur naturally in many foods such as melons, strawberries, and avocados, and are obtained through a processing method that separates them into their own product. Sugar alcohols are anywhere from 25 to 100 percent as sweet as sugar, and some of them have a cooling effect in the mouth. Because they aren’t absorbed like sugar, they generally don’t impact blood sugar. To varying levels, sugar alcohols may impact digestionâwe’ll review the potential for that as we talk about each keto sweetener.

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High Fructose Corn Syrup

High fructose corn syrup is a liquid sweetener made from fructose and glucose. With 53.4 calories and 14.4 grams of carbs in a single tablespoon, high fructose corn syrup does not provide any more health benefits than regular table sugar and is far more dangerous.

High fructose corn syrup has been found to contribute to metabolic disorders and altered dopamine function.

What About Sweetener Blends For The Keto Diet

Many low sugar,low carb, and keto-friendly sweetener blends have become increasingly popular in recent years. Although they are marketed as being just like sugar without the carbs or calories, make sure you investigate the ingredients before you buy them.

Some sweeteners will combine popular keto-friendly sweeteners with other ingredients like maltodextrin, dextrose, or some form of oligosaccharides. These additives are used to help provide bulk, cut down sweetness levels, and/or emulate some of the properties of sugar. However, some of them have been found to increase blood sugar and insulin levels, which is exactly what you dont want from a keto-friendly sweetener.

The current research indicates that maltodextrin, dextrose, and isomaltooligosaccharides all are readily digested and contribute extra net carbs to the diet that will not be reflected on the nutrition facts label. It is best to avoid any products containing these ingredients.

On the other hand, you will also find oligosaccharides as a popular sweetener blend ingredient . Although it seems to like a specific compound, oligosaccharides actually represent a category of partially and fully indigestible carbohydrates that can function like dietary fiber.

The simplest way to sort through the confusion of oligosaccharides found in any given sweetener is to see if any research backs up their marketing claims. For example, lets take a look at one of the most popular keto-friendly sweetener blends, Swerve.

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Dont Fall For Artificial Sweeteners

Weve all seen the ads artificial sweeteners like Equal and Splenda and are often promoted as being low-calorie alternatives to sugar, and while they are technically low in calories and low glycemic, approach them with caution. These types of sweeteners can often lead to more cravings, have negative effects on blood sugar, and can even disrupt hormones and ketosis.

When it comes to indulging your sweet tooth, take the extra step and stick with natural alternatives to ensure the healthiest option.

Peter VanNewhyzen

Is Splenda Keto Friendly

Best Sugar Substitute for Low Carb or Ketogenic Diets

Splenda is a blend of dextrose, maltodextrin, and sucralose. It is not recommended for keto diets .

Better blended alternatives to Splenda are Swerve and Natvia, which are both blends of natural keto-friendly sweeteners.

We use both Swerve and Natvia they are excellent keto-friendly baking ingredients and work just as well as Slenda for taste as sweetness.

For more information, read our article on the dangers of maltodextrin.

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Trivia Sweet Complete Brown Sweetener

Truvia complete brown sweetener is another great low carb brown sugar substitute worth trying. This sweetener is made with 3 ingredients including erythritol, molasses and stevia leaf extract.

It is ideal for using in many ways such as in cereals, baked goods, cooking, beverages and more. This sweetener is ideal for using as an alternative for brown sugar at a 1:1 conversion.

Best Sugar Substitutes For Keto Diet

Keto sugar substitutes are a great way to give your dishes you make some sweetness, use in drinks and more and watch your carb count. While regular sugar is tasty, it is loaded with tons of carbs which is a big no-no in the keto diet. Here is a list of the top keto sugar substitutes to give a whirl while on your keto diet journey.

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What Makes A Keto Sweetener

Sugar and some artificial sweeteners elevate blood sugar and trigger the release of the hormone insulin. This prevents you from reaching ketosis, a natural state where your body uses ketones to burn fat as a primary fuel source.

Eating too much sugar leads to obesity, reduced insulin sensitivity, heart disease, cancer, and other chronic diseases. The research on excessive sugar consumption is one of the main reasons low-carb diets like keto have become popular in the last 15 years.

However, one hang-up of low-carb diets like keto is some people feel restricted by their food options. After all, lots of foodsâand not just junk foodâcontain sugar or artificial sweeteners.

Low-carb sweeteners allow you to occasionally enjoy sweet stuff without starting over.

A Final Note On Keto Sweeteners

Best Sweeteners and Sugar Substitutes for Low Carb Ketogenic Diet ...

Just like any other type of food item, every individual will have their own experience with keto sweeteners and sugar substitutes.

Some low carb sweeteners may not cause any side effects for one person, while another person may experience them. Taste preferences will also vary of course.

Weve offered our picks for best keto sweeteners based on personal experience and our own research. You may have to try a couple different options before you find the keto sweetener that works best for you. We hope you find this information helpful in your search!

Note: This post is for informational purposes only and not intended to be medical advice.

Recommended Reading: What Snacks Have No Carbs And No Sugar

The Sweeteners To Avoid When Following A Keto Diet

There are two reasons to avoid a sweetener when youre following a low-carb lifestyle:

  • It Triggers an Insulin Response: This means that it will likely kick you out of ketosis and have your body turn to carbs rather than fats for energy.
  • It Isnt Good for You: There are many artificial sweeteners that are technically alright on a keto diet because they will not kick you out of ketosis. However, many of these are not good for your long-term health. Plus, some of them will make you bloated and upset your stomach, not things you want for overall health.
  • Most of these sweeteners fall under the first category, but there are artificial sweeteners that probably wont kick you out of ketosis that we included here anyways thanks to their detrimental health effects.

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    Keto Substitutes For White Sugar

    Lakanto Monk Fruit White Sugar Substitute An ideal keto white sugar substitute made with ingredients like erythritol and Monk Fruit extract.

    This type of low-carb sweetener can be used just like you would use regular white sugar and is thus great for making all sorts of keto treats, like this low carb mug cake, as well as for sweetening coffees, teas, etc. This sweetener has 0 grams of net carbs per serving.

    If you plan on using Lakanto Monk Fruit white sugar substitute a 1:1 conversion ratio is ideal. This means for every 1 teaspoon of white sugar, replace it with 1 teaspoon of Lankanto Monk Fruit white sugar substitute.

    Erythritol Granular Sugar Substitute Another good low carb sugar substitute worth checking out is the Erythritol granular sugar substitute by So Nourished. This sweetener is made with Erythritol, has zero aftertaste, o carbs, and can be used similarly to regular sugar at a 1:1 conversion ratio. Use it to make all your favorite keto desserts, pancakes, drinks, and more. You can see how I used this sweetener to make some yummy keto pumpkin cookies here.

    Anthonys Allulose Sweetener This is another good keto substitute for sugar worth trying. This keto sugar replacement has 4 grams of net carbs per serving and it has no aftertaste.

    Xylitol sweetener Another ideal sugar substitute for low carb or keto eaters is the xylitol sugar substitute. This type of sweetener comes from birch trees and can be used similarly to regular sugar in both baking and cooking.

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    Best Sugar Substitutes On The Keto Diet

    If you are looking for Sugar Substitutes for Keto, you are in the right place. These are the best keto-friendly options and everything you need to know about them!

    When following a Keto diet, you may have noticed that foods containing sugar are usually the foods you need to avoid or eat in moderation.

    Foods that are full of sugar tend to include an excessive number of carbohydrates. These extra carbs can contribute to weight gain, stored fat, and issues with your blood sugar.

    If you follow the Keto diet because you would like to lose weight while becoming much healthier, you need to know that some sugar substitutes are safe to use.

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    The specific sugar alternative that you decide to use will depend primarily on each ones advantages, along with what you plan on making because some of the other options go with different recipes a bit better than others.

    Granulated Sugar Alternatives: Date & Coconut Sugar

    Keto Sweeteners: BEST Sugar Substitutes

    Coconut sugar and date sugar are common paleo sugar substitutes. People not following the diet also use them as a natural healthy sweetener option.

    • Coconut Sugar Coconut sugar is made from coconut palm sap, which is dehydrated to make granulated coconut sugar. It does retain a small amount of nutrients from the sap, and has a small amount of inulin, which can support gut health and slow down blood sugar spikes . However, it still has a high glycemic index of 54 and is as high in calories as conventional table sugar.
    • Date Sugar Date sugar is one of the least processed sweeteners. Its the ground-up equivalent of whole, dried dates, so it retains a lot of the vitamins, fiber, and other nutrients of the dried fruit. It has a glycemic index of 42, which is lower than many nutritive healthy sweeteners, but still fairly high. On the negative side, date sugar does not melt or dissolve, and has a strong date taste that doesnt work well in all recipes.

    Both of these options are more natural and better than white table sugar. However, they do not make suitable keto sweeteners for diabetics.

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    The Best Keto Sweeteners For Taste

    To some degree, the best tasting low carb sweetener is a matter of preference. All our taste buds are a little different.

    That being said, most people find that a blend of sweeteners is a great way to avoid any aftertaste or downsides of using one alone. These include blends like:

    You may have noticed that most of these contain erythritol.

    And this is one of the reasons why its my favorite low carb sweetener. It has no aftertaste and makes a fantastic bulking agent to mellow other sweeteners. In fact, I most often use plain erythritol alone.

    While my personal preference is erythritol, monk fruit and allulose are close seconds. Blends of monk fruit sweetener with erythritol or allulose together taste great and make excellent 1:1 keto sugar substitutes.

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    So Nourished Gold Monk Fruit Erythritol Blend

    Another suitable keto alternative for brown sugar is the So Nourished gold monk fruit erythritol blend. Made with ingredients like monk fruit, erythritol and caramel color, this sweetener gives you all the sweetness of brown sugar without the carbs and guilt that comes with actually having brown sugar!

    This sweetener also has no bitter or chemical aftertaste and its great for vegan, keto, low carb and diabetic lifestyles.

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    Sweeteners To Avoid On The Keto Diet

    Monk fruit, stevia, and erythritol arent the sugar substitutes that come to mind for most people. After all, low-calorie and zero-calorie artificial sweeteners like saccharin , sucralose and aspartame have been around for decades and are still the most popular sugar replacements in America. And natural sweeteners like honey are used by many who consider them a healthy alternative to sugar.

    There are good reasons to ditch them for monk fruit extract or stevia, though.

    Keto Brown Sugar Replacements

    Allulose Sweetener, 0g net carb, Keto

    Ive shared some of my favorite keto substitutes for brown sugar here. So check this out if you need more information. However, Ill also list them here.

    Some good ideas for keto brown sugar substitutes are:

    • Swerve brown sweetener
    • Lakanto brown monk fruit sweetener
    • Anthonys golden erythritol and monk fruit sweetener
    • Health Gardens golden monk fruit sweetener
    • Besti natural brown sugar replacement
    • Truvia complete brown sweetener
    • So Nourished gold monk fruit erythritol blend
    • Whole Earth allulose baking blend brown sugar substitute
    • Sweet Nature monk fruit sweetener

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    The Type Of Sweetener Matters

    Yep, there are plenty of keto maple syrup options that are made with alternative sweeteners. Some syrups are sweetened with natural sugar alternatives while some are sweetened with sugar alcohols. Many people are sensitive to sugar alcohols so the type of low carb sweetener is absolutely critical, especially if you are eating a large quantity .

    The products on this list are sweetened with a variety of sweeteners, including erythritol, monk fruit extract, xylitol and allulose.

    Should You Use Sweeteners On Keto

    When it comes to using Keto-friendly sweeteners, theres no right or wrong answer – youll find valid arguments on both sides.

    One major plus of certain sweeteners on Keto is that they can satisfy sugar cravings without necessarily impacting blood sugar or kicking you out of ketosis. Theoretically, enjoying the occasional low-carb dessert may mean the diet feels less restrictive, which may make it easier to follow for a longer time period. You get to have your Keto cake and eat it too.

    However, any sweet taste, whether it’s from pure sugar or a sweetener, is thought to activate the same reward pathways and dopamine release in the brain. This may contribute towards continued sugar cravings and addictions in some individuals, although this may not be the case for everyone.

    Ultimately, it comes down to individual preference and tolerance.

    Some people can enjoy the occasional Keto treat and maintain a balanced diet. Others may prefer to steer clear entirely as it removes the temptation of just one Keto cookie turning into the whole jar…

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