Walk into any health food store or browse the sugar-free aisle in a supermarket and you'll find dozens of products sweetened with erythritol, monk fruit, or stevia — sometimes all three at once.

But which one is actually best? Are they safe? Do they all behave the same way in cooking and baking? Is one better for keto than the others? And what's the deal with those erythritol headlines from the past few years?

In this guide we break down all three natural sweeteners clearly and honestly — covering where they come from, how they work, their taste profiles, best uses, any safety considerations, and which one (or combination) makes the most sense for a keto or low-carb lifestyle in Australia.

We've already covered erythritol in depth on its own — if you want the full deep-dive, read: The Truth About This Popular Sugar Substitute. This guide puts all three in context together.

Why Natural Sweeteners Matter on Keto

One of the first things people ask when starting a keto or low-carb diet is: 'Can I still have something sweet?' The answer is yes — but regular sugar is off the table. Even small amounts of sugar spike blood glucose, trigger an insulin response, and can knock you out of ketosis.

Natural sweeteners like stevia, monk fruit and erythritol solve this problem by providing sweetness without blood sugar impact. They've become the foundation of the sugar-free food industry — used in everything from keto chocolate and protein bars to electrolyte drinks, collagen creamers and baking blends.

But not all sweeteners are created equal. Understanding the differences helps you make better choices — both when buying packaged products and when cooking or baking at home.

Stevia — The Plant-Based Powerhouse

What is it?

Stevia is a natural sweetener derived from the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana plant, native to South America. Its sweetness comes from natural compounds called steviol glycosides — specifically stevioside and rebaudioside A (Reb A) and rebaudioside M (Reb M). These compounds are extracted from the leaves and concentrated into a powder or liquid.

Stevia has a long history of use in South America and Japan, and has been used as a sweetener for centuries in Paraguay and Brazil. It was approved for use in Australia by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) and is widely available.

Taste profile

This is where stevia gets its most common criticism: some people find it has a slight bitter or liquorice-like aftertaste, particularly at higher concentrations. This comes from the stevioside fraction of the plant.

The newer Reb M form of stevia has a significantly cleaner, more sugar-like taste with much less aftertaste — and it's increasingly being used in premium products. Liquid stevia is generally considered cleaner-tasting than granulated stevia powder.

Stevia is 200-300 times sweeter than sugar, which means a tiny amount goes a long way. This is an advantage in theory, but it makes precise dosing in baking quite challenging — too much and the bitter note dominates.

Blood sugar and insulin impact

Stevia has a glycaemic index (GI) of zero. It does not raise blood glucose and has no direct effect on insulin levels. A 2024 study on healthy adults found that 12 weeks of regular stevia consumption did not significantly change gut microbiota composition — a reassuring finding for long-term use.

Some preliminary research suggests stevia may actually offer additional health benefits beyond just being sugar-free — including potential support for blood pressure regulation and kidney health — though the evidence base is still developing.

Best uses for stevia

•       Coffee and tea — a few drops of liquid stevia is excellent here

•       Smoothies and protein shakes — dissolves well and the other flavours mask any aftertaste

•       Electrolyte drinks and supplements — widely used in keto supplements for this reason

•       Simple sweet applications where small amounts are needed

•       Less ideal for baking — no bulk, difficult to measure, prone to bitterness at scale

What to watch on labels

Many products labelled as 'stevia sweetener' are actually blends — often 97-99% erythritol with a small amount of stevia for sweetness. This is not inherently a problem, but it's worth knowing what you're actually buying. A product can legally be called 'stevia sweetener' if stevia is the primary flavouring, even if erythritol makes up most of the volume. Check the ingredient list.

Stevia verdict

Best for: drinks, simple sweetening, products where minimal quantity is needed. The most natural option with the longest history of safe use. Can have an aftertaste that some people find off-putting. Look for Reb M versions for the cleanest taste.

Monk Fruit — The Smoothest Option

What is it?

Monk fruit sweetener (also called luo han guo) is extracted from a small, round fruit native to southern China and northern Thailand. It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries — historically as a remedy for coughs, sore throats and digestive complaints.

The sweetness in monk fruit comes from natural antioxidant compounds called mogrosides — particularly mogroside V. These are extracted from the fruit and concentrated into a powder or liquid. Like stevia, monk fruit contains zero calories and has no effect on blood sugar.

Monk fruit sweetener was approved for use in Australia relatively recently and is widely available in health food stores and online.

Taste profile

Monk fruit is widely considered to have the closest taste to sugar of the three sweeteners in this comparison. It has a smooth, clean sweetness without the bitter or liquorice-like aftertaste that some people detect in stevia.

Like stevia, monk fruit is intensely sweet — 150-200 times sweeter than sugar — which means small amounts are needed. This makes it excellent for drinks and simple applications, but challenging to use alone in baking without a bulking agent.

Blood sugar and insulin impact

Monk fruit has a glycaemic index of zero. The mogrosides are not absorbed in the small intestine and pass through the digestive system without being metabolised. They have no effect on blood glucose or insulin levels.

Importantly, monk fruit has also demonstrated antioxidant properties in research — the mogrosides that give it its sweetness also function as antioxidants, which is an unusual bonus for a sweetener.

Best uses for monk fruit

•       Coffee, tea and any drinks — the cleanest, most sugar-like sweetener for beverages

•       Simple desserts and sweet applications — anywhere the taste experience is front and centre

•       Any recipe where stevia's potential aftertaste would be noticeable

•       Products for children — the cleaner taste profile makes it the more palatable option for kids

•       Like stevia, not ideal as a standalone baking ingredient — needs a bulking agent like erythritol

What to watch on labels

This is one of the most important consumer education points about monk fruit: most 'monk fruit' products are actually primarily erythritol. Because pure monk fruit extract is expensive and intensely concentrated, virtually all commercial monk fruit sweetener products use erythritol as the bulk ingredient with monk fruit extract for flavouring. A typical 'monk fruit sweetener' packet may be 99% erythritol and 1% monk fruit extract.

Again — this is not a problem, as erythritol is also a safe, keto-compatible sweetener. But knowing this helps set realistic expectations and understand what you're actually consuming.

Monk fruit verdict

Best for: drinks, simple sweetening, anyone who finds stevia's aftertaste unpleasant. The cleanest taste of the three. Antioxidant properties are a genuine bonus. Higher cost than stevia or erythritol. Most commercial products are erythritol blends — check the label.

Erythritol — The Baker's Friend

What is it?

Erythritol is a sugar alcohol (also called a polyol) that occurs naturally in small amounts in fruits like grapes, pears and watermelon, and in fermented foods. Commercially, it's produced through fermentation of glucose — typically from corn or wheat starch.

Unlike stevia and monk fruit, which are intense sweeteners requiring tiny amounts, erythritol has about 60-70% of the sweetness of sugar and can be used in much more direct substitution ratios. This makes it particularly valuable for baking and cooking where bulk, texture and mouthfeel matter.

Erythritol is unique among sugar alcohols in that approximately 90% of it is absorbed in the small intestine and excreted unchanged in urine — it doesn't reach the large intestine in significant amounts, which is why it typically causes far less digestive discomfort than other sugar alcohols like maltitol or xylitol.

Taste profile

Erythritol has a clean, sweet taste that's quite close to sugar. It has a slight cooling sensation on the palate — particularly noticeable when used in large amounts or in cold applications like ice cream — which some people find pleasant and others find off-putting.

In baking, erythritol can crystallise on cooling, creating a slightly granular or sandy texture in some applications. This is less noticeable in soft baked goods and recipes with high fat content, but can be an issue in hard candies or very sweet frostings. Blending with stevia or monk fruit minimises this effect.

Blood sugar and insulin impact

Erythritol has a glycaemic index of approximately 0-1. It does not raise blood glucose and has a minimal effect on insulin. It's consistently ranked as one of the most keto-compatible sweeteners available.

Interestingly, a 2024 study found that erythritol in commercially available stevia products may even help increase levels of butyric acid in the gut — a beneficial short-chain fatty acid produced when good gut bacteria break down dietary fibre. This is a genuinely positive finding for gut health.

The erythritol and cardiovascular research — what you need to know

You may have seen headlines in 2023 and subsequent years linking erythritol to cardiovascular risk. It's important to address this honestly and in full context:

The original 2023 study (Hazen et al., Nature Medicine) and a 2025 ARIC Study follow-up both found associations between high blood erythritol levels and cardiovascular events. However, there are several critical caveats that the headlines often missed:

•       Neither study measured how much erythritol participants ate — they measured what was in participants' blood

•       Your body produces erythritol endogenously from glucose via the pentose phosphate pathway, especially under metabolic stress — so high blood erythritol may be a marker of underlying metabolic disease rather than a cause

•       The doses used in the follow-up research (30g in one sitting) were approximately 7 times the typical serving size of around 1 teaspoon (4g)

•       A 2024 Mendelian randomization study found a possible causal link but results were described as 'suggestive but not definitive'

•       DietDoctor, one of the most respected keto medical information sources globally, continues to list erythritol as a recommended keto sweetener as of 2026

The current scientific consensus, as summarised by multiple 2025-2026 reviews: erythritol consumed in typical serving sizes as part of a whole-food diet remains one of the most well-tolerated and well-studied sweeteners available. People with existing cardiovascular disease or significant cardiovascular risk factors may wish to discuss their sweetener choices with their doctor. For the general healthy population using erythritol in typical amounts, the evidence does not support alarm.

For a more detailed breakdown of the erythritol research, read our dedicated guide: Is Erythritol Bad for You?

Best uses for erythritol

•       Baking — the most sugar-like bulk and texture of the three sweeteners

•       Cookies, cakes, muffins and keto desserts — provides the structure sugar normally would

•       Coffee and hot drinks — dissolves well, clean taste

•       As a blend partner for stevia or monk fruit — the combination delivers full sweetness with proper bulk and rounds off the potential aftertaste

•       Less ideal in ice cream or frozen applications — can create a sandy, crystallised texture

Erythritol verdict

Best for: baking and cooking, anywhere bulk and texture matter. The most versatile of the three for home cooking. The cardiovascular research warrants awareness but not alarm for typical use in healthy individuals. Outstanding for keto baking when blended with monk fruit or stevia.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Stevia | Plant extract | 200-300x sweeter than sugar | GI: 0 | Taste: can have aftertaste | Best for: drinks | Cost: low-moderate

Monk Fruit | Fruit extract | 150-200x sweeter than sugar | GI: 0 | Taste: cleanest, most sugar-like | Best for: drinks and simple use | Cost: higher

Erythritol | Sugar alcohol | 60-70% as sweet as sugar | GI: 0-1 | Taste: clean with mild cooling | Best for: baking | Cost: low

Why the Best Products Use Blends — Not Single Sweeteners

Here's something worth understanding if you're buying keto products or planning to bake sugar-free: the reason premium keto chocolates, protein bars, collagen creamers and electrolyte drinks taste so good is typically not because they use a single sweetener. It's because they've found the right blend.

Artinci's research articulates this clearly: stevia and monk fruit are hundreds of times sweeter than sugar — a pinch sweetens a whole cup. But they provide no bulk, and they're almost impossible to measure accurately at home. Erythritol is the opposite: it's less sweet than sugar, but it provides the bulk, texture and sugar-like mouthfeel the intense sweeteners can't. It also rounds off stevia's bitter edge.

The ideal blend for most applications combines:

•       A small amount of stevia or monk fruit — for concentrated sweetness

•       Erythritol as the bulk ingredient — for texture, mouthfeel and measurability

•       Sometimes a prebiotic fibre like inulin or FOS — adds mild sweetness, gut health benefits, and rounds out the taste

This is exactly the approach used in the quality sugar-free products at Keto Direct — from the sugar-free chocolate range to the collagen creamers and protein bars. The blend is what makes them taste genuinely good rather than just 'acceptable for a diet product'.

What to Watch Out For — The Hidden Nasties

Not all 'sugar-free' products are created equal. Some use sweeteners that are far less keto-friendly than stevia, monk fruit or erythritol. Here's what to watch for on labels:

•       Maltitol — a sugar alcohol with a glycaemic index of around 35 — nearly half that of regular sugar. Frequently used in cheap 'sugar-free' chocolate and confectionery. Definitely avoid on keto

•       Maltodextrin — a highly processed starch derivative with a glycaemic index higher than table sugar. Sometimes used as a filler in 'zero calorie' sweetener products. A definite red flag

•       Dextrose — another name for glucose. Also found as a filler in some sweetener blends

•       Sorbitol and xylitol — other sugar alcohols with some blood sugar impact, though less than maltitol. Xylitol is better tolerated than sorbitol but still has some glycaemic impact

•       Sucralose — an artificial sweetener that's generally keto-compatible from a carb standpoint, but some research suggests it may affect gut bacteria and potentially trigger a cephalic phase insulin response in some individuals. Not in the same category as the natural sweeteners covered here

•       Aspartame and acesulfame potassium (Ace-K) — artificial sweeteners with more contested safety profiles. Worth avoiding when natural alternatives are available

The bottom line: read the full ingredient list, not just the front-of-pack marketing. 'Sugar-free' and 'zero carb' claims on the front don't guarantee the product is actually keto-compatible or uses quality sweeteners.

Which Sweetener for Keto Baking?

If you're planning to bake with sugar-free sweeteners at home, here's the practical guide:

•       Cakes, muffins and cookies: erythritol (or a blend of erythritol + stevia/monk fruit) is your best option. Use approximately the same volume as you would sugar, noting it's about 70% as sweet — you may need to adjust slightly

•       Icing and frostings: powdered erythritol works best here. Blending with a small amount of monk fruit adds sweetness without requiring more erythritol bulk

•       Cheesecakes and set desserts: erythritol performs well and sets nicely in cold applications — though very cold temperatures can enhance the cooling sensation

•       Hot drinks and sauces: liquid stevia or monk fruit drops are ideal — dissolve instantly, no bulk needed, and the flavour intensity is easy to control drop by drop

•       Ice cream and frozen desserts: erythritol alone can produce a crystallised, sandy texture when frozen. A monk fruit / erythritol blend, or switching to a liquid sweetener, helps. Note: allulose (a newer sweetener not yet fully approved for sale in Australia) performs best in frozen applications

The most practical approach for keto home baking in Australia is to invest in a quality granulated erythritol blend — a product that combines erythritol with monk fruit or stevia in an already-optimised ratio. This gives you a product you can use almost 1:1 with sugar in most recipes, without having to balance multiple separate sweeteners yourself.

Sweetener and Sugar-Free Products at Keto Direct 🛒

Here's a guide to the sweetener-related products available at Keto Direct:

Syrups and sweeteners

•       Syrups & Sweeteners collection — browse the full range of keto-friendly sweeteners and sugar-free syrups available at Keto Direct

•       Jordan's Skinny Syrups — Sugar Free Hazelnut 750ml — zero sugar flavour syrups sweetened with natural alternatives. Perfect for keto coffee

•       Vital Zing Cafe Drops — Caramel & Hazelnut — concentrated flavour drops for coffee, zero sugar

Sugar-free chocolate and confectionery

All of Keto Direct's chocolate and confectionery products are sweetened with natural sweeteners — primarily a blend of erythritol and stevia or monk fruit. This is exactly the blended approach that delivers the best taste and the most keto-compatible macros.

•       Sugar-free chocolate range — from everyday chocolate blocks to keto cups and chocolate-coated snacks. Our most popular product category

•       Best Sugar-Free Chocolate Australia (2026 Guide) — our full guide to the best options

•       Funday Natural Sweets — zero sugar lollies using natural sweeteners. No artificial colours or flavours

•       Max Mallows Zero Sugar Marshmallows — sweetened with monk fruit and erythritol

Sugar-free protein snacks

•       Fibre Boost Protein Bars — naturally sweetened, high protein, high fibre

•       Justines Keto Protein Cookies — no added sugar, naturally sweetened

Keto drinks with natural sweeteners

•       Revitalise Electrolytes range — zero sugar, sweetened with natural alternatives

•       Hemp Foods Australia Chai Recharge & Immunity — no added sugar, naturally sweetened functional chai

Browse all sugar-free products at www.ketodirect.com.au.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which sweetener is best for keto?

All three — stevia, monk fruit and erythritol — are keto-compatible. For drinks and simple sweetening, liquid stevia or monk fruit drops are easiest. For baking, erythritol (or a blend) is essential for bulk and texture. For the best overall taste experience, a blend of erythritol with monk fruit or stevia is the gold standard — and what most quality keto products use.

Is erythritol safe?

For the general healthy population consuming typical amounts (around 1 teaspoon or 4g per serve), the current body of evidence supports erythritol as one of the most well-tolerated and well-studied sweeteners available. People with existing cardiovascular disease may wish to discuss their sweetener choices with their doctor. For the full breakdown of the research, read our dedicated guide: Is Erythritol Bad for You?

Does stevia raise insulin?

No. Stevia has a glycaemic index of zero and does not raise blood glucose or trigger an insulin response. It is one of the safest sweeteners for people managing blood sugar, including those with diabetes and those following a keto diet.

Is monk fruit better than stevia?

For taste — particularly in drinks and simple applications — most people find monk fruit has a cleaner, more sugar-like taste than stevia. Both are equally safe, zero-calorie, and keto-compatible. Monk fruit tends to be more expensive. The best choice comes down to personal taste preference and application.

Can I use these sweeteners in baking?

Yes — with planning. Erythritol is the most suitable for baking as a bulk ingredient. Stevia and monk fruit alone don't provide the texture or structure needed. The best approach for keto baking is a granulated erythritol blend that combines erythritol with stevia or monk fruit in an optimised ratio — available in the Syrups & Sweeteners range at Keto Direct.

Do these sweeteners affect gut health?

Stevia at typical serving sizes has been shown not to significantly alter gut microbiota. Erythritol is mostly absorbed before reaching the large intestine, causing less disruption than other sugar alcohols. A 2024 study even found that erythritol in some products may support butyrate production — a beneficial gut fatty acid. Monk fruit passes through the digestive system unchanged with no significant gut health concerns documented. Compare this to artificial sweeteners like sucralose, which have more concerning gut microbiome data.

What about allulose?

Allulose is a naturally occurring monosaccharide with excellent taste properties and very low metabolic impact. It's widely used in the US and gaining popularity globally. However, as of 2026, allulose is not fully approved for sale as a food substance in Australia and New Zealand by FSANZ. It can be purchased online from international platforms but isn't freely available in Australian stores. Watch this space — regulatory approval may be forthcoming.

So — Which Sweetener Is Best?

The honest answer is: it depends on what you're doing with it.

•       For drinks and simple sweetening — monk fruit drops or liquid stevia are both excellent. Monk fruit if you're sensitive to stevia's potential aftertaste; stevia if cost is a consideration

•       For baking and cooking — erythritol (or an erythritol blend) is essential. Nothing else provides the bulk, texture and structure that keto baking requires

•       For packaged products — look for blends of erythritol + monk fruit or stevia, without maltitol, dextrose or maltodextrin

•       For overall best taste experience — a well-formulated blend of all three consistently outperforms any single sweetener on its own

The keto community in Australia is fortunate to have access to excellent products that have already done this optimisation work — from the sugar-free chocolate range to the protein bars, collagen creamers and electrolyte drinks at Keto Direct. You get to enjoy the end result of a carefully calibrated sweetener blend without having to do the experimentation yourself.

Ready to explore? Browse the sugar-free range at www.ketodirect.com.au.

🛒 Shop Sugar-Free Products → www.ketodirect.com.au

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