A guide to choosing the best sugars, syrups, and sweeteners for you
A guide to choosing the best sugars, syrups, and sweeteners for you
The first WhatSugar–approved sweetener is HERE!
Bear with us as we update our guides for 2025.
SWEETENER ECONOMICS
Decode Labels and Find True Value
Learn how to read sweetener labels. Uncover the true cost by understanding differences in sweetness levels and what constitutes "one serving". Discover why the number of servings can be misleading and how to identify the best value when shopping for sugar alternatives.
HOW TO GET THE MOST FOR YOUR MONEY
Navigating the realm of sugar alternatives can be a perplexing journey, especially when it comes to deciphering which sweetener offers the best value for your money.
Comparing prices can be tricky because sweeteners don’t always have the same sweetness level. In addition, serving sizes listed on labels can vary significantly.
These inconsistencies make it challenging to accurately compare products and find the best value. That’s where I come in—to guide you through the confusion and help you make informed choices. I'll give you a clear breakdown and an easy-to-follow example on how to evaluate sweetener costs correctly.
HOW TO AVOID SNEAKY SWEETENER TACTICS
A Step-by-Step Guide
I often see sweetener sellers misleading consumers by promoting the high number of servings or low price per ounce without telling you how much sweetness you’re really getting. Here’s how you can make sure you’re not overpaying for less sweetener in THREE STEPS:
1
Understand Serving Size
Every sweetener has a serving size, but not all serving sizes are equal in sweetness. Here's an example:
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WhatSugar Monk Fruit: 1 serving is as sweet as 3 tsp of sugar (1 Tbsp).
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TeakiHut Monk Fruit: 1 serving is as sweet as 1 tsp of sugar.
Key Question: How much sugar does each serving replace? This tells the Sugar Equivalent Per Serving.
2
Convert Sweetener to Sugar Equivalents
Calculate how much sugar each container replaces. Use this formula:
Total Servings ✖️ Sugar Equivalent Per Serving 🟰 Total Sugar Replaced
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WhatSugar Monk Fruit: 414 servings × 3 tsp = 1,242 tsp (26 cups or 11 lbs of sugar)
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TeakiHut Monk Fruit: 365 servings × 1 tsp = 365 tsp (7.60 cups or 3 lbs of sugar)
Conversion: To convert teaspoons to cups, divide the total number of teaspoons by 48 (since 1 cup = 48 teaspoons).
3
Calculate the Price to Replace 1 Cup of Sugar
Now, figure out the cost to replace 1 cup of sugar. Use this formula:
Price ➗ Total Sugar Replaced (cup) 🟰 Cost to Replace 1 Cup Sugar
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WhatSugar Monk Fruit: $25 ➗ 26 cups 🟰 $0.96 per cup
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TeakiHut Monk Fruit: $25 ➗ 7.60 cups 🟰 $3.30 per cup
Result: WhatSugar is 3.5x more cost-effective than TeakiHut, even though it’s more expensive per ounce. Even if we consider shipping cost for the WhatSugar (an additional $5), you still pay 3x less.
THE REAL MEASURE OF SWEETENER VALUE
So, to find the best value, focus on how much sweetener you need to replace 1 cup sugar, rather than looking at the number of servings. This is because serving sizes can vary — sometimes one serving is equivalent to 1 teaspoon of sugar, while another might equal 2 teaspoons of sugar, or even 3. That results in the number of servings being a less reliable reference for cost comparisons. Let me illustrate the examples above, with the same two monk fruit products:
While less concentrated monk fruit extracts (like TeakiHut with 10% mogroside V) might seem more affordable per ounce, highly pure extracts (like WhatSugar with 50% mogroside V) end up being far more cost-effective when you consider how much they sweeten.
DO NOT BUY THE LEAST EXPENSIVE PER OUNCE
As I said, looking at how much sweetener you can replace for 1 cup gives a more accurate picture of value. The price per ounce is misleading because it ignores the sweetness level.
THE NUMBER OF SERVINGS IS NOT A RELIABLE MEASURE
The serving size for sweeteners is a key metric found on the Nutrition Facts label, directly tied to the product's sweetness level.
It is an amount determined by the manufacturer. By law, a serving is intended to reflect the amount customarily consumed per eating occasion — called a reference amount. However, for sugar substitutes, it is defined as the "amount equivalent in sweetness to one reference amount of table sugar".
That said, there is no standardized consensus across brands. Serving sizes can vary widely. Take a look at the examples below:
Both stevia sweeteners above consist of over 95% erythritol and come in identical 9.8-ounce jars. Truvía provides a total of 80 servings, while Whole Earth offers 140 servings. At first glance, it might seem like Whole Earth provides nearly double the amount.
However, the serving sizes reveal a different story. Truvía defines a serving as 3/4 teaspoon, while Whole Earth defines it as 1/2 teaspoon. When comparing equivalent sweetness, Truvía offers more: 160 teaspoons (3.5 cups) of sugar equivalence per container, compared to Whole Earth's 140 teaspoons (3 cups). This makes Truvía the more concentrated sweetener.
TAKEAWAY
My goal was to highlight the nuances of serving sizes for sugar alternatives, shedding light on how they are determined by sellers and why they matter. From the equivalency in sweetness to table sugar to the variations in servings, we demystified the often ambiguous nature of these measurements, helping you see the implications on cost.
To find the best value, always ask:
How much sugar does this sweetener replace?
What’s the cost to replace 1 cup of sugar?
Do not compare sweeteners just by price per ounce. Instead, follow these steps to find out if a sweetener is worth your money:
1. Check the sweetness of one serving.
2. Calculate the total sugar replaced.
3. Find the cost per cup of sugar replacement.
By doing this, you’ll avoid falling for sneaky marketing tricks.
