7 Alternative Sweeteners

"Alternative sweeteners" may sound too good to be true (or absolutely disgusting), but we assure you...they do exist (and they're not gross)! Check out this list of 7 guilt-free sweeteners and how to use them. 

The majority of the time when people think of the word “diet”, they are also thinking “uhg! No more sweets for me! This is such a bummer!” Have no fear, alternative sweeteners are here! We compiled a list of our favorite alternative sweeteners and how to use them. 

*Check out our list of keto friendly flour and other baking products HERE.

1. Sugar-Free Maple Flavored Syrup

We have given you some delicious pancakes and waffles recipes, but what if you don’t want to miss out on the syrup?! No problem; we have found and tested the perfect syrup substitute that won’t ruin your diet.

Lakanto Maple Flavored Sugar-Free Syrup is delicious without the guilt of regular maple syrup.
Use in place of: maple syrup. 
Why we love it: it tastes like real maple syrup and it’s sugar free. You can use it on pancakes, waffles, bacon, veggies, or on pasta if you’re Buddy the Elf (if you haven’t seen the movie Elf, you will not understand this joke). 
 
Lakanto Sugar Free Maple Syrup - Monk Fruit Sweetener, Keto Diet Friendly, Vegan, 1g Net Carbs, Pancakes, Waffles, Oatmeal, Coffee, Tea, Granola, Frosting, Marinade, Dressing (13 Fl Oz - Pack of 1)
21,476 Reviews
Lakanto Sugar Free Maple Syrup - Monk Fruit Sweetener, Keto Diet Friendly, Vegan, 1g Net Carbs, Pancakes, Waffles, Oatmeal, Coffee, Tea, Granola, Frosting, Marinade, Dressing (13 Fl Oz - Pack of 1)
  • Tastes Like Real Maple Syrup: The perfect mix of water, tapioca fiber, non-GMO Lakanto Monkfruit Extract, natural flavors, sea salt, and other quality ingredients makes this sugar free maple syrup a...
  • Delicious Sugar Free Condiment: Our keto sugar free syrup has 1 net carb and lower calories than traditional maple syrup. Plus, it’s all natural, low glycemic, and gluten free.
  • Lifestyle Friendly: Lakanto Sugar Free Maple Flavored Syrup works with ketogenic, diabetic, candida, paleo, vegan, low sugar, non-GMO, and all natural diets. Diabetics and dieters alike can enjoy the...

I was mind-blown the first time I used Lakanto monkfruit sweetener as a sugar substitute because my dessert tasted amazing! You would never guess I hadn’t used real sugar. 

Lakanto Monkfruit Sugar Substitute is amazing and I am never using real sugar again. 

Use in place of: granulated sugar.

Why we love it: uuuuh…because it’s AMAZING and you can’t tell the difference between this and real sugar once it has been cooked or baked.

This company also sells monkfruit sweetener in liquid form in flavors: chocolate, lemon, original, and vanilla. You can find them online.

 

Lakanto Classic Monk Fruit Sweetener with Erythritol - White Sugar Substitute, Zero Calorie, Keto Diet Friendly, Zero Net Carbs, Baking, Extract, Sugar Replacement (Classic White - 1.76 lb)
112,793 Reviews
Lakanto Classic Monk Fruit Sweetener with Erythritol - White Sugar Substitute, Zero Calorie, Keto Diet Friendly, Zero Net Carbs, Baking, Extract, Sugar Replacement (Classic White - 1.76 lb)
  • Great for Cooking and Baking: White sugar substitute that's perfect for cookies, coffee, desserts, and other sweet, sugar-free treats. Tastes, bakes, and cooks like sugar. Great sugar alternative....
  • Matches the Sweetness of Sugar: A healthy cup-for-cup alternative to ordinary sugar. Monk fruit contains zero calories and is about 250 times sweeter than sugar.
  • Lifestyle Friendly: Works with ketogenic, diabetic, candida, paleo, vegan, low-sugar, non-GMO, and all-natural diets. Monk fruit sweetener may help with weight loss. Monkfruit contains natural sugars,...

Yes, coconut sugar is a thing. I had no idea until I started eating keto friendly.

Nutiva USDA Certified Organic, non GMO, Unrefined Granulated Coconut Sugar is technically still sugar, but it is not that processed crap and actually has some benefits.

Use in place of: granulated sugar.

Why we love it: This sugar is easy to cook with and surprisingly, there are a few good vitamins in this coconut sugar. Yes, this is sugar, but it is natural and a great alternative.

You can find other brands of coconut sugar, but we like this one the best because it is organic, non GMO, and affordable. 

Nutiva Organic Granulated Coconut Sugar, 1 Pound (Pack of 3), USDA Organic & Non-GMO, Vegan & Gluten-Free, Low-Fructose Sugar Alternative for Coffee, Tea & Baking
1,322 Reviews
Nutiva Organic Granulated Coconut Sugar, 1 Pound (Pack of 3), USDA Organic & Non-GMO, Vegan & Gluten-Free, Low-Fructose Sugar Alternative for Coffee, Tea & Baking
  • Nutiva Organic Coconut Sugar is a natural sugar replacement that’s lower in fructose than cane sugar, agave, and maple syrup and has a lower glycemic index than other sweeteners
  • Our Organic Coconut Sugar is made from fresh coconut tree sap, collected from the cut flower buds. The sap is heated to evaporate moisture, resulting in the crystal or granular form of sugar.
  • Simply substitute cup-for-cup for refined granulated white sugar, brown sugar and raw sugars in all recipes, desserts, and beverages

OK, if you have been in the keto or low-carb world for a little while, then you surely have heard of Swerve. No, it is not a dance move. It is a brand of sugar free sweeteners and they are super popular with great reviews. I have to admit, this stuff is good. 

Swerve Granular Sweetener is the-bomb-dot-com (do people still say that…?). This is my favorite sugar substitute to bake with. 

Use in place of: granulated sugar.

Why we love it: besides the fact that it is reasonably priced and guilt-free, you can bake/cook/make pretty much ANYTHING with this sugar substitute. Cupcakes with frosting? No problem! Homemade ice cream? Yep! Lemonade? Go for it! 

This company also sells this in different size bags. 

Swerve Sweetener, Granular, 12 Ounce
10,769 Reviews
Swerve Sweetener, Granular, 12 Ounce
  • TASTES AMAZING: Swerve is sweet and delicious. It is a natural sugar replacement that does not have the bitter aftertaste associated with other sweeteners like stevia and monkfruit.

When I saw a “brown sugar alternative” I got really excited. The First things I thought of were cookies and sweet potato pie (are you hungry now?) This sugar substitute is good, however I do have to admit it is on the pricey side. In my opinion it is worth it if you use it sparingly and if you do not use it for experimental baking…because you don’t want to waste this stuff. 

Sukrin Gold: The Natural Brown Sugar Alternative really is a great brown sugar alternative. 

Use in place of: brown sugar.

Why we love it: we haven’t seen very many brown sugar alternatives out there, but this one is our favorite.  It really does taste like brown sugar but without all the calories and sugar.

Sukrin Gold - Natural Brown 1:1 Sugar Substitute with Erythritol and Stevia, Zero Calorie Sweetener for Keto and Low Carb Diets, Vegetarian, Baking, Non GMO, 1.1 lb Bag (1 Pack)
6,752 Reviews
Sukrin Gold - Natural Brown 1:1 Sugar Substitute with Erythritol and Stevia, Zero Calorie Sweetener for Keto and Low Carb Diets, Vegetarian, Baking, Non GMO, 1.1 lb Bag (1 Pack)
  • The Original Gold Sweetener: Enjoy the aroma, sweetness, flavor, and texture of brown sugar with zero calories per serving
  • All Natural: Made of erythritol, stevia, malt extract, and tagatose. Non-GMO with no artificial flavors, additives, or preservatives
  • Lifestyle Friendly: Sukrin Gold has no effect on blood sugar, zero net carbs, and zero calories with less than 1 GI. It is well-suited for low carb, ketogenic, diabetic, candida, paleo, vegetarian,...

Confectioners sugar is the powdered sugar you would use as a garnish or to make frosting for cake. Yes, this confectioners sugar replacement tastes like the real stuff and is easy to work with.  

Swerve Confectioners Sweetener is awesome and it is pretty obvious why this sugar replacement is so popular. 

Use in place of: confectioners sugar.

Why we love it: well, we love it for all the same reasons why we love the Swerve granulated sweetener. It tastes like real sugar and there is no limit on the baked goods you can make with it. I like to use this stuff in and on the baked goods I feed my family and then wait until after they have eaten it to tell them “ha! That wasn’t real sugar! I tricked you into eating healthier!”

Swerve Sweetener, Confectioners, 12 oz
6,467 Reviews
Swerve Sweetener, Confectioners, 12 oz
  • GREAT FOR ICINGS & FROSTINGS: Use Confectioners Swerve in place of powdered sugar. It has a super-fine texture that also works great for glazes, puddings and curds.
  • TASTES AMAZING: Swerve is sweet and delicious. It is a natural sugar replacement that doesn’t have the bitter aftertaste associated with other sweeteners like stevia and monkfruit.
  • ZERO NET CARBS: The ingredients in Swerve do not affect blood sugar, so the carbohydrates it contains are considered non-impact.

Liquid stevia is great to keep at home, in your car, or in your bag for when you need a quick sweetener.  

Sweet Drops SweetLeaf Liquid Stevia Sweetener, SteviaClear is a must have in a keto or sugar-free household. 

Use in place of: liquid sweeteners.

Why we love it: this is so easy to use, portable, and affordable. I love that it’s so easy to control how sweet you want your drink or food with this liquid sweetener. This sweetener is perfect for drinks. 

SweetLeaf SteviaClear Sweet Drops - Stevia Liquid Drops Sweetener, Pure Stevia Drops with No Bitter Aftertaste, Liquid Sugar Alternative, Zero Calorie, Keto Food, Non-GMO SweetLeaf Stevia, 4 Fl Oz
12,488 Reviews
SweetLeaf SteviaClear Sweet Drops - Stevia Liquid Drops Sweetener, Pure Stevia Drops with No Bitter Aftertaste, Liquid Sugar Alternative, Zero Calorie, Keto Food, Non-GMO SweetLeaf Stevia, 4 Fl Oz
  • SWEETLEAF STEVIACLEAR: Bring delicious sweetness back into your life with stevia, a naturally sweet leaf native to South America.
  • FOR KETO COFFEE & MORE: Naturally sweeten coffee, tea, oatmeal, baked goods, and more with our convenient liquid stevia drops in 4 oz recyclable glass bottles.
  • AWARD-WINNING STEVIA DROPS: Winner of 36 taste awards, SweetLeaf makes the best-tasting stevia drops that leave no bitter aftertaste.  
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Last update on 2023-02-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API