Allulose vs Stevia: Is there a better choice? Both are new, natural, and popular sweeteners used for baking, cooking and as lower calorie sugar substitutes.
Let's dive into the details! Find out what these two natural sweeteners are, how they taste, and weigh the pros and cons of each so you can choose which sugar substitute, if any is best for you.
What is Allulose?
Allulose is a rare but natural sugar found in foods like figs, raisins, or wheat products. While it occurs naturally in these products, it can be extracted from these foods using an enzymatic process similar to making wine or cheese. Other names for Allulose include D-allulose, D-psicose.
Allulose is approximately 70% as sweet as table sugar, meaning you will need a bit more of it to match the same sweetness as table sugar. It is a newer sugar substitute to the U.S. market, first introduced in 2015. It’s available in most places online and in store, including on Amazon
How Many Calories are in Allulose?
Allulose has 90% fewer calories than regular table sugar at just .2-.4 calories per gram.
Is Allulose Good for Diabetes?
Yes, Allulose is a good option for those with diabetes. Allulose is not metabolized easily by the body, which makes it have little effect on your blood sugar and insulin responses. Nearly 70% of it is excreted through urine after 20 hours. The rest is excreted in our stool within 48 hours.
Is Allulose Safe?
Yes, allulose is “generally recognized as safe” by the FDA.
Allulose is not digested by the body but can be fermented by our gut bacteria. If you consume allulose in small amounts, you probably won’t have any issues, but some people have reported GI discomfort, like nausea, diarrhea, or bloating, especially when eaten in larger quantities. Most people use this sweetener without any side effects.
What is Stevia?
Stevia is a popular sugar alternative found on many grocery store shelves today. Stevia products are often combined with other sweeteners, like monk fruit. Commercial stevia products are made by extracting and refining the leaves of the stevia plant.
The stevia plant Stevia rebaudiana is a subgroup of the ragweed family. Extractions of stevia leaves produce a compound called rebaudioside A (Reb-A). Reb-A and similar products are “generally recognized as safe” by the FDA.
Stevia is 200x sweeter than table sugar, meaning you need a lot less of it to get the same sweet taste. Despite the sweetness, there can be a notable licorice taste and a slightly bitter aftertaste that increases the more stevia is in products.
How Many Calories Are in Stevia?
Stevia and stevia blends often contain very few calories, usually 0-5 calories per serving, and can be a great option for those of you looking for lower-calorie alternatives.
Is Stevia Good for Diabetes?
Yes! Stevia is a zero-calorie sweetener that does not spike blood sugar. It is a great substitute for those who want to watch their carbohydrates and calories.
However, you should be aware that common stevia blends have sugars like dextrose or glucose, which contain small amounts of carbohydrates that can impact blood sugar levels.
While a small amount of added sugar alternatives can be a part of a healthy lifestyle, it’s important to be mindful of how much you are consuming throughout the day and to read the product labels.
Does Stevia Have Erythritol?
Stevia products are often blended with other alternative sweeteners to make them easier to substitute for granulated sugar in recipes. The most common stevia blends use either erythritol, allulose, or monkfruit, but some will use glucose, dextrose, inulin, or maltodextrin. To find what sugar is blended with stevia, flip the package over to check the list of ingredients.
Erythritol is a sugar alcohol naturally found in mushrooms, many fruits, and by fermenting corn and yeast. It is powdered and used in place of sugar in baked goods, candies, and beverages. It is only 60-80% as sweet as table sugar and provides about 0.2 calories per gram.
Erythritol may cause some GI troubles (gas, bloating, bowel movements) if you consume too much. The acceptable daily intake for erythritol is about 37 grams for women and 45 grams for men (1).
Side Effects of Stevia
Most experts do not consider purified stevia to cause any major side effects in moderate amounts. The average person would need to consume about 40 packets of tabletop stevia sweeteners a day to reach the current Acceptable Daily Intake. But there are some side effects to consider:
Stevia may increase insulin secretion and lower blood sugar levels as a result. Several in vitro studies (conducted on animals, not humans) showed increased insulin production from consuming purified stevia extracts. However, more research is needed to see if we see the same effects occur in humans. Individuals with diabetes who are considering using this as a sugar alternative should consult their doctor before trying alternative sweeteners.
Replacing sugar with stevia may also reduce body weight. Because stevia is a low-calorie sweetener, substituting it for sugar may provide minor calorie reductions, making it an appealing option for those looking to lose weight.
Overall Comparison of Allulose vs Stevia
Allulose and stevia are both natural alternative sweeteners, but they aren’t the same. The better choice for you often depends on your tastes, health needs, and preferences.
The FDA generally recognizes allulose and stevia as safe. Both sugars have very few calories and do not raise blood sugar, making them great options for people with diabetes.
Allulose tastes similar to table sugar but is 70% sweeter. Stevia is 300% sweeter than sugar, which means you need three times less to achieve the same amount of sweetness. However, some people report a bitter or licorice-like aftertaste from stevia that may reduce its usefulness in baking.
Both should be consumed in moderation as some GI issues have been noted when people eat large amounts of either allulose or stevia.
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