Which Sweetener

We are often asked which is the best sweetener. All of our natural sweeteners — xylitol, erythritol and stevia — have their differences (see our product comparison), so it really depends on what you are looking for. Here are our observations, after more than twenty years of selling them.

Taste and the transition from sugar

Xylitol looks and tastes like sugar, and many people think it tastes better. Erythritol is similar but not as sweet — about 70% the sweetness of cane sugar. Stevia does not have quite that same look and taste.

Because of this, we find it is a much easier transition for people moving from sugar to either xylitol or erythritol than to stevia. Your taste buds adapt more readily.

For people currently using artificial sweeteners such as Equal, the move to stevia is usually easier. Those coming off sugar will find our Naturally Sweet Stevia Blend very similar in taste, though you will need far less of it by volume.

Remember that taste buds take time to adjust to new tastes — up to about three weeks. Give the transition a fair go. Some people change over immediately, others take longer, depending on their past tastes and habits.

Our advice: try your preferred sweetener in tea or coffee first, then move on to cooking and baking.

Cooking and baking

Xylitol behaves much the same as cane sugar in cooking and baking, though sweetness sometimes needs adjusting — we generally recommend adjusting downwards, depending on the recipe. Our Monk Fruit Blend is also a 1:1 replacement and is the simplest swap in a recipe you already know.

Our Stevia Blend needs more thought, because it is five times sweeter than sugar. That makes it excellent for drinks, sauces and anything where you are adding sweetness at the end — but in baking, sugar is doing structural work as well as sweetening, and a fifth of the volume will not fill that role. For cakes and meringues, use erythritol, xylitol or the Monk Fruit Blend for the bulk.

Our conversion chart gives exact substitution ratios for every product we sell, and our recipe collection is built entirely around these sweeteners.

Digestive tolerance

Xylitol can cause some initial discomfort for some people. Your body already produces xylitol naturally, so if you suddenly increase the amount substantially you may find your system wants to reject it — much as it can with a cane sugar overload. Like everything else, use it in moderation until your body adjusts.

Erythritol is generally the gentlest of the three, because it is absorbed before it reaches the large intestine where other sugar alcohols ferment.

Weight management

While much lower than cane sugar, xylitol still has a kilojoule content. If you are counting kilojoules or calories, erythritol and stevia are likely the better options.

Diabetes

All of our products are low or zero GI, and they are widely used by people managing diabetes. Stevia and erythritol have essentially no effect on blood glucose. Xylitol has a low glycemic index of 7 — lower than sugar, but not zero — so if you are carbohydrate counting it should still be counted.

For the full picture, including what Diabetes Australia, FSANZ and the World Health Organization actually say, read our guide to sweeteners and diabetes in Australia. As always, decisions about your diet and medication are best made with your GP, dietitian or credentialled diabetes educator.

Shop by sweetener

• Xylitol — 1:1 with sugar, the closest match for baking
• Monk Fruit Blend — 1:1 with sugar, no bitterness
• Erythritol — lowest energy, gentlest on the stomach, use about a third more
• Stevia Blend — 5 times sweeter than sugar, so use one fifth as much
• Organic Stevia Extract — pure RebA, for concentrated use

More detail: full product comparison · conversion chart · glycemic index of sweeteners · white or green stevia?

Still deciding? Contact our team — we have been Australia's natural sweetener specialists since 2003 and we are happy to talk it through.