Which natural sweetener is the best substitute for sugar? We compare the most common naturally-derived sugar replacements on the market.
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Sweetener | Sweetness*[a] |
Calories* (kcal/g) |
Carbohydrates |
Glycaemic Index* |
Prebiotic Function*[c] |
Dental Decay* |
Key Ingredient |
Form |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Stevia (Leaf) | 64 | 3.7 | med | 0 [b] | No | No [b] | Steviol Glycoside | Dried Leaf Cut / Powder |
Stevia Extract (Reb A) | 252 | 0 | none | 0 | No | No | Steviol Glycoside | Powder / Liquid |
Stevia Extract (Stevioside) | 147 | 0 | none | 0 | No | No | Steviol Glycoside | Powder / Liquid |
Crystalline Fructose | 1.10 | 3.7 | high | 19 | No | Yes | Fructose | Granulated |
Erythritol | 0.60 | 0.2 | low | 0 | No | No | Polyhydric Alcohol | Granulated |
Fructooligosaccharides(FOS) | 0.43 | 1.5 | low | 1 [b] | Yes | Yes | Fructose / Glucose | Powder / Granulated |
Monk Fruit (Luo Han Guo) | 250 | 0 | none | 0 | No | No | Mogroside | Powder / Liquid |
Xylitol | 0.91 | 2.4 | med | 12 | Yes | No | Polyhydric Alcohol | Granulated |
Agave Nectar | 1.40 [b] | 3.1 | high | 13 | No | Yes | Fructose / Glucose | Syrup |
Dextrose | 0.60 [a1] | 3.4 | high | 100 [b] | No | Yes | Glucose | - |
Glycerol | 0.78 [b] | 4.3 [b] | med | 3 [b] | No | No | Polyhydric Alcohol | - |
Inulin | 0.1 [b] | 1.5 | low | 1 [b] | Yes | Yes | Fructose / Glucose | - |
Lactose | 0.4 [b] | 3.9 [b] | high | 46 | Yes | Yes | Galactose / Glucose | - |
Maltodextrin | 0.05 - 0.70 [b] | 3.8 [b] | high | 91 | No | Yes | Glucose | - |
Sugar (Sucrose) | 1 | 3.9 | high | 68 | No | Yes | Fructose / Glucose | - |
Trehalose | 0.45 [a1] | 4 | high | 72 | Yes | No | Fructose / Glucose | - |
* Unless otherwise noted, the references used to determine the values of this property can be found
here.
[a] The sweetness value is a mean value from the results of a number of
scientific trials. This is the sweetness potency relative to sugar (sucrose) in tests using 4% to 6% SE (sucrose equivalencies), in a water solution.
[a1] Sweetness potency relative to sugar (sucrose) at 10% SE (sucrose equivalencies), in a water solution, from scientific source.
[b] Scientific source unavailable.
[c] Significant prebiotic function.
The information in this table is intended for informational purposes only, please refer to our disclaimer.
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