1. Stevia comes from a plant native to South America called Stevia rebaudiana, the leaves of this plant contain steviol glycosides that are extracted and purified; this is the sweetener we use. The typical stevia is called Reb A which is btwn 250 to 450 times sweeter than sugar. Based on the extraction process a sweeter and less bitter stevia that is about 300 times as sweet as sugar is made called Reb D & Reb M. You will see Reb D & M described by marketing people as ‘more sugar-like’ stevia. Products may be labeled many different ways and all are correct – stevia leaf extract, stevia extract, steviol glycoside, reb A, reb D, reb M, or stevioside. Its best to combine stevia with stronger flavors like coffee, chocolate, or something citrusy and even still you can still taste a slightly bitter aftertaste. Most importantly all types of stevia do not get absorbed in the intestines so it has zero calories. Some retail stevia’s are Stevia Extract in the Raw® but because of the stevia aftertaste stevia is often layered with other sweeteners like Wisdom Naturals SweetLeaf® that has inulin added or Truvia® that has added erythritol or SPLENDA® Naturals Stevia Sweetener is stevia Reb D and erythritol and KetoseSweet+ whis is stevia, allulose & monk fruit. Will have links to all of these below.
Stevia In the Raw, Granulated, 9.7 oz – https://amzn.to/3pgvuBx
Stevia in the Raw Sweetener, 200 Count Packets – https://amzn.to/3tWOdWC
Wisdom Natural, SweetLeaf, Natural Stevia Sweetener, 4 oz Jar (115 g) – https://amzn.to/377nE6Y
Truvia Natural Stevia Sweetener, 9.8 oz Jar – https://amzn.to/3rPqR37
SPLENDA Naturals Stevia Sweetener, 500 Count Packets – https://amzn.to/2LMvBHx
KetoseSweet+ Liquid 23.07 (2 Pack) – https://amzn.to/2NqNAU7
2. Monk Fruit is a small round fruit that is native to southern China. Its 150-200 times sweeter than sugar, zero calories and no bitter aftertaste as with stevia. The compounds that give monk fruit its sweetness are called mogrosides. Some products are NatriSweet Monk Fruit Extract or Monk Drops – 100% Monkfruit Liquid which are pure monk fruit or some combination products Lakanto Golden Monkfruit Sweetener, Health Garden Monk Fruit which are monk fruit and erythritol.
Monk Drops – 100% Monkfruit Liquid Sweetener 1.5 Fl Oz – https://amzn.to/378DKgR
Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetener with Erythritol Golden 8.29 oz (235g) – https://amzn.to/3phMFmr
3. Allulose aka D-psicose is a rare, naturally-occurring sugar found in small amounts in wheat and some fruits. The allulose produced for the market comes from corn or fructose. Its about 70 percent as sweet as sugar and only 10 percent of the calories of table sugar. Its not absorbed by the body so it is calorie free and tastes almost exactly like regular sugar.
Splenda ALLULOSE Sweetener Jar (19oz) – https://amzn.to/3ahZAR7
4. Yacon is derived from the large tuberous roots of Smallanthus sonchifolius, a species of daisy that is cultivated in the Andes mts. They look something like a a sweet potato, with a taste somewhere between that of an apple, a watermelon and a pea. The sweetness is extracted from the flesh of the yacon and tastes similar to molasses or caramel. The reason it is sweet is because it has high amounts of FOS (fructooligosaccharide) an added benefit is that it is also a prebiotic important for gut health.
100% Pure Yacon Syrup 8 Oz. Safe Glass Jar + Free E-Cookbook – https://amzn.to/3d7SCQd
Aki Organic Pure Yacon Powder Root 5.3oz 150g – https://amzn.to/3adwzWu