Monk Fruit vs. Stevia: A Detailed Comparison

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Both monk fruit and stevia are popular natural sweeteners, offering alternatives to sugar with zero or minimal calories. They share similarities but also have key differences in taste, sweetness, uses, and potential side effects.

What is Monk Fruit?

Let's break down the details to determine which option is better.

What is Stevia?

Monk fruit, also known as luo han guo, is a small, round fruit native to Southern China.[5] Monk fruit sweeteners are derived from the extract of this fruit.[5] The sweetness comes from mogrosides, antioxidants that are extracted during processing, resulting in a sweetener free of fructose and glucose.[5] Monk fruit sweeteners are about 100 to 250 times sweeter than sugar.[5]

Similarities Between Monk Fruit and Stevia

Stevia is derived from the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana plant, native to South America.[5] Stevia is 200 to 400 times sweeter than table sugar.[5] The sweet compounds in stevia are steviol glycosides.[5]

Differences Between Monk Fruit and Stevia

Both sweeteners are plant-based, derived from natural sources.[5] Both monk fruit and stevia are intensely sweet, significantly sweeter than table sugar.[5] They contain negligible or zero calories and have a low glycemic index, meaning they have a minimal impact on blood sugar levels.[5] Both are heat-stable, making them suitable for cooking and baking, and are versatile, available in various forms.[5] Both are considered safe for consumption by regulatory authorities.[5]

The taste profiles differ; monk fruit is often described as having a subtle, fruity taste, while stevia has an herbal, sometimes bitter, aftertaste.[5] Monk fruit sweeteners are relatively newer to the market and may be less widely available than stevia.[5] Monk fruit can be more expensive due to the difficulty in growing and exporting the fruit.[5]

Monk fruit is often considered the superior choice due to its mild flavor and lack of studies indicating any potential side effects.[5] However, using stevia in moderation is perfectly fine, especially if you don't have any sensitivity to it.[5]

Monk Fruit vs. Stevia: Which is Better?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has declared both monk fruit and stevia as "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS) to use.[5] However, both may cause side effects, and more studies are needed.[5]

Monk fruit has been used for sore throats, congestion, and colds in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for hundreds of years.[5] More recently, monk fruit has been found to possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.[5] There is also some evidence that monk fruit may help manage diabetes.[5] Stevia is commonly used solely as a sweetener, it also has some traditional and medicinal uses.[5] Studies have shown it can help with diabetes, obesity, and blood pressure management.[5]

For people with diabetes, both monk fruit and stevia are potential alternatives because they generally don’t raise blood sugar levels.[5] Animal research shows monk fruit doesn't raise blood sugar or trigger insulin secretion like table sugar does.[5] Various animal and human studies have found that replacing table sugar with stevia may help reduce blood sugar.[5]

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