BLENDS EXPLAINED

Misleading Label or Practical Solution?

Monk fruit blends often cause confusion, so I’ll use them as an example — but the same applies to blends with other high-intensity sweeteners, like stevia or sucralose.

Nearly all monk fruit sweeteners in stores contain bulk sweeteners rather than being pure extracts. These blends usually have erythritol or allulose as the main ingredient, but some may have glucose, maltodextrin, or inulin. 

Here's something you might not expect — 99% of the product's weight typically comes from the bulk sweetener, meaning there's only a hint of monk fruit extract. 
 

This raises common questions:

• Why is monk fruit mixed with bulk sweeteners? 

• Isn't that misleading to call the product "monk fruit" when almost all of its weight comes from something else? 

It’s a fair concern, and while it can feel like false advertising, there’s more to the story.

Although the weight ratio of bulk sweetener to monk fruit extract can range from 100:1 to 2000:1, most of the sweetness—70% to 99%—actually comes from the monk fruit extract, not the bulk sweetener. This is because the extract is incredibly concentrated, even in small amounts.

Combining monk fruit extract with bulk sweeteners isn’t just about cutting costs — addressing the sticker shock of pure extract. It’s actually a convenience as they work symbiotically. Here are 3 reasons why manufacturers blend them:

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1. Measuring issues:

​Monk fruit extract is 20 to 240 sweeter than sugar, so you need to use way less to achieve the same sweetness. As I showcased in the monk fruit extract infographics, just 1/8 to 1/96 teaspoon of extracts replaces 1 teaspoon of sugar. That's a really small amount!

Meanwhile, bulk sweeteners like erythritol and allulose are 30% less sweet, so they require larger amounts to match sugar’s sweetness. 

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By blending monk fruit extract with a bulk sweetener, manufacturers create a product that’s easier to measure, with a texture and volume similar to sugar. Instead of having to measure or weigh small amounts of pure extract, or having to figure out what's 1/3 more than sugar when using pure bulk sweetener — you can use regular measuring tools you have in your kitchen and swap on a one-to-one ratio like sugar.

Pure monk fruit extract adds no volume and mass to recipes, but blends make it practical for baking or for recipes that rely on sugar’s texture.

2. Taste profile issues:

Monk fruit and bulk sweeteners complement each other, creating a superior flavor profile together than alone. This is known in food science as the multi-sweetener concept.

Bulk sweeteners help mellow down the characteristic taste of the fruit in pure extracts, while monk fruit reduces off-flavors or cooling effect that some bulk sweeteners, like erythritol, can have. This two-way improvement makes the blend more pleasant overall.

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In addition, they each work synergistically by boosting their individual sweetness level, so you end up using less of both.

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3. Culinary role issues:

As I said before, pure extract works perfectly whenever sweetness is all you need, such as in hot and cold drinks, smoothies, cocktails, yogurt, or to sprinkle over oatmeal. It's also great for sweetening on the go.

But pure extract will not help thicken your food, make it viscous, or bind ingredients. No browning or caramelizing, either, which makes it unsuitable as the sole sweetener in baking. While you can use pure extract in baking recipes to boost sweetness, it needs to be paired with a bulk sweetener to achieve the sugar-like texture. 

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That’s where monk fruit blends come in handy—they provide the sweetness of the extract along with the bulk and functionality needed for baking success.

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It’s worth noting that while the bulk sweetener in the blend is often associated with digestive issues, pure monk fruit extract or pure stevia leaf extract are not. One exception is THIS​ or THIS bulk sweetener.