Product Comparison Information
A technical side-by-side comparison of our four core sweeteners. If you want the plain-English version instead, see which sweetener to choose, or our conversion chart for substitution ratios.
Substitution at a glance. Xylitol and our Monk Fruit Blend replace sugar 1:1. Erythritol is about 70% as sweet, so use around a third more. Our Stevia Blend is five times sweeter than sugar — use one fifth as much.
| Naturally Sweet Xylitol | Pure Stevia | Naturally Sweet Erythritol | Naturally Sweet Stevia Blend | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Source | Vegetable fibre (hydrogenated xylose fibre from corn). | Stevia rebaudiana (leaf) | Occurs naturally in fruits such as pears, but produced commercially by fermentation of corn, wheat or sugar beet. | Rebaudioside A98 (Reb A98) + erythritol. Reb A is the sweetest part of the stevia leaf. |
| Sweetness | Approximately 100% as sweet as cane sugar | 150–300 times sweeter than cane sugar (FSANZ). Our RebA97 extract is around 450 times. | Approximately 70% as sweet as cane sugar | 5 times sweeter than cane sugar. Substitute on a 1:5 basis. |
| To replace 1 cup of sugar | 1 cup | About ⅛ teaspoon (RebA97) | 1⅓ cups | ⅕ cup (about 3 tablespoons) |
| Aftertaste | No | Raw stevia has a somewhat bitter or liquorice-like aftertaste, although the Rebaudioside A component has very little. | No | No |
| Energy content | 2.4 kcal/g | 0 | 0.2 kcal/g | 0.2 kcal/g |
| Glycemic index | 7 | 0 | Approximately 0 | Approximately 0 |
| Blended with excipients | No | No | No | Yes — blended with erythritol to reduce the bitter aftertaste of natural stevia. |
| Chemistry of solution | Absorbs heat from the mixture if added as a dry ingredient to wet ingredients. | Insignificant heat of solution, due to the small amounts used. | Absorbs heat from the mixture if added as a dry ingredient to wet ingredients. | Absorbs heat from the mixture if added as a dry ingredient to wet ingredients. |
| Bulk properties | Provides the same amount of bulk as sugar, but increases product moisture. | Recipes must be adjusted to provide bulk from other sources. | Provides bulk, mouthfeel and moisture equivalent to sugar. | Because you use a fifth as much, it provides roughly a fifth of sugar's bulk. Best for drinks and sauces; add erythritol for bulk in baking. |
| Hygroscopic properties | Yes — somewhat more water-absorbent than cane sugar. | Absorbs atmospheric moisture during storage. No appreciable influence on miscibility, due to the small amounts used. | No — needs to be mixed with hygroscopic sugars. | Somewhat less water-absorbent than cane sugar. |
| Noted properties | In chewing gum, makes saliva more alkaline, helping tooth enamel absorb minerals and reduce plaque. Assists teeth with remineralisation. Stimulates salivary flow in dry mouth. | Zero GI. Traditional remedy for heartburn. | "Starves" bacteria that can cause tooth decay. Assists teeth with remineralisation. | Combines the properties of erythritol and stevia. |
| Common misunderstandings | Increases hydration in the mouth, giving product a "juicy" mouthfeel. | Approved as a food additive in Australia, New Zealand, the USA, Japan and France. | Does not itself cause stomach upset, but the inulin it is often added to can. | It is not a spoon-for-spoon sugar replacement. It is five times sweeter, so use one fifth as much. |
| Gastric side effects | Occasionally, when consumed in large amounts (more than 50g per day in children, more than 200g per day in adults). | None | No — absorbed in the small intestine. | None |
| Commercial applications | Baked goods, confectionery, home use, beverage sweetener | Ice creams, frozen products, beverages, nutritional blends | Bulking agent for stevia, confectionery, ice creams, yoghurts, frozen products | Confectionery, ice creams, yoghurts, frozen products |
| Melting / boiling point | Melt 92–96°C · Boil 216°C | Stevioside: melt 196–202°C · boil approx. 315°C | Melt 121°C · Boil 329–331°C | Approximately the same as erythritol: melt 121°C · boil 329–331°C |
| Density | 1.52 g/cm³ | 3.10 g/cm³ (steviol glycoside) | 1.45 g/cm³ | Approximately 1.45 g/cm³ |
| Labelling | Sugar free · Natural · Non-GMO · Vegan | Organic or JECFA · Sugar free · Non-GMO · Vegan | Sugar free · Natural · Non-GMO · Vegan | Sugar free · Natural · Non-GMO · Vegan |
Our Monk Fruit Blend is not shown above because it substitutes for sugar on a straightforward 1:1 basis. It is monk fruit extract blended with erythritol, with no bitter aftertaste.
A note on diabetes
All of these products are low or zero GI and are widely used by people managing diabetes. Stevia and erythritol have essentially no effect on blood glucose; xylitol has a low GI of 7, so it should still be counted if you are carbohydrate counting. Our guide to sweeteners and diabetes in Australia covers this in full, including what Diabetes Australia, FSANZ and the WHO actually say. Decisions about your diet and medication are best made with your GP, dietitian or credentialled diabetes educator.
Xylitol and dogs. Xylitol is severely toxic to dogs even in small amounts. Keep it stored out of reach and do not leave baked goods on the bench. Erythritol and stevia do not carry this risk.
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More detail: which sweetener to choose · conversion chart · glycemic index of sweeteners · white or green stevia?
