MONK FRUIT
2025 BUYING GUIDE
In my mission to help home cooks navigate the complex world of sugar alternatives, I uncovered 450+ zero-calorie monk fruit sweeteners. I’ve sorted through the chaos, compared them all, and created the ultimate guide—so you can find everything you need to know in one place!
WHAT IS MONK FRUIT?
Sugar substitutes commonly known as monk fruit contain extracts from the fruit of a perennial vine — the Siraitia grosvenorii Swingle. Grown mainly in China, the plant is in the cucumber and melon family, and the fruit has the size and shape of a lemon.
The Guilin area, known for its famous monasteries, offers an optimal and unique growing environment for monk fruit — subtropical mountains with elevation of 300 to 500 meters, abundant rainfall, and well drained moist soil.
Chemically speaking, the sweet components extracted from monk fruit are called mogrosides. Many mogrosides (named I, II, III, IV, V, and VI) are present in amounts that vary from 0.5 to 3.8 percent in the dried fruit.
Mogroside V is the major sweet component in extracts from ripened fruits and is also the sweetest of all—100 to 250x sweeter than table sugar. According to a producer, with a farm and processing facilities in Guilin, almost 85 pounds of monk fruit produce one pound of extract.
In this guide, you'll see the package image of zero-calorie monk fruit products and brands. Because we have so many choices, I sorted them based on their ingredients—from pure extract to blends.
BULK VS BULK-FREE SWEETENER
Before we dive in, it’s important to know that some monk fruit sweeteners offer bulk to your recipes, and others are bulk-free:
• BULK-FREE SWEETENERS are concentrated monk fruit products mainly used for sweetening purposes and no other culinary role. When it comes to replacing sugar with these sweeteners, less is more. Being super sweet, a little goes a long way, so measure carefully when you start using them. They add no volume, mass, or browning (caramelizing) to recipes.
• BULK SWEETENERS contribute not only to sweetness but also to texture, shelf life, moisture retention, and color—important in baking. Pure monk fruit is bulk-free, so manufacturers blend it with bulk sweeteners that are mildly sweet, such as erythritol, allulose or sweet fibers. You can also choose brown sugar alternatives and powdered sugar replacements.
PICK YOUR MONK FRUIT
Brands and Products
There is A LOT to explore here. Scroll down to see it all, or if you're short on time, jump straight to what you need by clicking a category below:
Click the TRY IT button of each sweetener to be linked to Amazon
where you can read reviews, labels, Q&As, and prices.
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BULK-FREE SWEETENERS
Is There a Monk Fruit Without Any Additives or Fillers?
Yes! The first sweeteners I list contain only monk fruit extract — just one ingredient. If you're looking for the purest form of monk fruit, this is it: 100% pure extract, with no erythritol, bulking agents, fillers, or additives.
All products you see in the first infographic below are "100% pure extract" but they vary in sweetness level, color, aftertaste, solubility, and price — depending on the mogroside V concentration in the extract (ranging from 7 to 50%).
The concentration of mogroside V (or “V” for short) is what determines the purity of the product, the sweetness level — how much you’ll actually need to use — and how much aftertaste you'll avoid.
It takes way more fruit to produce an extract with 50% mogroside V, but it offers over 7x more mogroside V than a 7% extract — so you get far more sweetness per ounce.
My 2025 Guide to Pure Monk Fruit Extract walks you through exactly how to choose the right one when you’re ready to shop.
LIQUID MONK FRUIT
Is Monk Fruit Available in Liquid Form?
Yes, monk fruit is sold in liquid form—syrups or drops—and you'll find them with a variety of ingredients. For the most part, they consist of blends of monk fruit extract and water. To improve taste and maintain freshness, some products may have flavors, preservatives, or both. Some even include glycerin, allulose, or gums to make them viscous.
Monk fruit drops and syrups are mainly recommended for sweetening purposes as they provide no bulk (volume and mass) to recipes. Liquid monk fruit works best in foods that don't require sugars for texture, shelf life, moisture retention, color, and aroma. They offer a convenient way to sweeten coffee, tea, and on the go.
One of the most expensive products is actually the least concentrated among monk fruit drops — requires 10 drops to replace just 1 teaspoon of sugar. Widely advertised as "100% monk fruit extract" such as this, it's different in three key ways:
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Sugar and caloric content: It's only free of sugar and calories if you use small amounts because, being a fruit juice concentrate, it contains 69 percent sugar.
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Mogroside V concentration: Despite being a liquid, it's advertised as “100% pure monk fruit extract”, similar to the ultra-concentrated powder extracts featured first on this page. However, unlike those high-purity extracts, this product contains 3.5% mogroside V, far lower than the powder extracts.
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Sweetness Level: As opposed to true 100% pure extract, which are up to 240x sweeter than sugar, this is only 7x sweeter. It means 0.54g (0.38mL or about 10 drops) is as sweet as 1 teaspoon of sugar (4g) — requiring much higher amounts than pure extracts powders to achieve the same sweetness level.
BULK SWEETENERS
BLENDS EXPLAINED
Misleading Label or Practical Solution?
Most monk fruit products in stores aren’t pure extracts—they’re blends with bulk sweeteners. These blends commonly contain erythritol or allulose as main ingredient, though some may include 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:
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Why is monk fruit mixed with bulk sweeteners?
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Isn't that misleading to call the product "monk fruit" when almost all of its weight comes from something else?
These are fair concerns, and while it can feel like false advertising, there’s more to the story — which I explain in detail HERE.
Worried about digestive issues?
While pure monk fruit extract does not cause digestive discomfort, the bulk sweetener in blends may cause issues for some individuals. Bloating, stomach rumble, flatulence, and diarrhea are commonly associated with excessive intake. The uncomfortable digestive effects you might feel are similar to those experienced when having too many high-fiber foods (like beans). One exception is THIS bulk sweetener.
2:1 versus 1:1 Sugar Replacement
When swapping sugar for monk fruit, the most common questions are: How do I substitute monk fruit for sugar? How much monk fruit equals one teaspoon (cup or tablespoon) of sugar? The answer depends on the product you're using.
Some monk fruit blends are 1:1 sugar replacements, i.e., spoon for spoon, they are as sweet as table sugar. Others are 2:1 (2 teaspoons of sugar is as sweet as 1 teaspoon of monk fruit).
To find out how sweet a product is, you need to pay attention not only to the brand but also the type of product. For example, the Lakanto brand has a dozen types of monk fruit sweeteners, and they don't always have the same sweetness level.
Main Ingredient: Erythritol
Do all monk fruit sweeteners have erythritol? No, but most do. Despite a highly publicized study in 2023, erythritol remains one of the most popular sweeteners in America.
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Top 5 pros of pure erythritol: "natural," zero-calories, zero effect on blood sugar levels, sugar like-texture, widely available.
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Top 5 cons of pure erythritol: Less sweet than sugar, associated with digestive issues, recrystallizes when refrigerated, does not brown or caramelize, creates a cooling (cold) sensation when dissolved in the mouth.
When blended with monk fruit, erythritol's taste is improved. Its sweetness is bumped up.
As I mentioned before, it's important to note that most monk fruit sweeteners are made up of 99% erythritol with just a hint of fruit extract. That means choosing and using these sweeteners effectively requires understanding the do's and don'ts of erythritol. To make it easy, I created the SUGAR SWAP STARTER KIT to guide you through it.
Main Ingredient: Allulose
Monk fruit/allulose blends are the new trend now. If you have never heard of allulose, you're not alone. Allulose is a relatively new sweetener gaining attention for its culinary benefits and natural origin. I cover all the key details on my Allulose Buying Guide, but here's a quick summary:
Top 5 pros of pure allulose:
• natural
• zero-calories
• no impact on blood sugar
• no aftertaste (really!)
• sugar like-texture
Top 5 cons of pure allulose:
• less sweet than sugar
• associated with digestive issues
• expensive
• doesn't crisp up baked goods
• browns quickly
Like erythritol, allulose is less sweet than table sugar. But when blended with monk fruit, its sweetness increases and it becomes a 1:1 sugar replacement—what a convenience!
Most monk fruit sweeteners I list here contain 99% allulose and 1% fruit extract. Since using these blends properly depends on knowing the do's and don'ts of allulose, I created the SUGAR SWAP STARTER KIT to help you make informed choices.
Main Ingredient: Maltodextrin or Glucose
The bulking sweeteners used in the monk fruit products below are carbohydrates like glucose and maltodextrin, which often raise common questions:
Why replace regular sugar with glucose or maltodextrin?
Don’t they have the same number of calories as sugar?
Don’t they raise blood sugar even more than regular sugar?
These concerns are valid—glucose and maltodextrin function very similarly to sugar in the body. While maltodextrin isn’t technically a sugar like glucose, it's quickly broken down into maltose and glucose during digestion, meaning it is absorbed as pure glucose.
Both provide a rapid source of energy (4 calories per gram) and have a high glycemic impact, causing a quick rise in blood sugar levels. So why are they used in sugar substitutes?
Let’s break it down.
Despite their high glycemic index (GI), the key reason they are used in “zero-calorie” sweeteners comes down to quantity (or volume). The amounts of glucose or maltodextrin PER SERVING are so small that they contribute minimal calories and carbohydrates. Maltodextrin, in particular, adds bulk and can occupy 2–3 times more volume than table sugar and glucose.
As defined by law, a product can be labeled as a “zero-calorie sweetener” if one serving provides less than 5 calories. For example, Monk Fruit In The Raw is mainly maltodextrin, which offers 4 cal per gram. However, since one serving has only 0.5g of maltodextrin, it provides 1.98 cal and is rounded to zero on the Nutrition Facts label.
While this may feel like misleading labeling, it aligns with current regulations and highlights the importance to learn how to choose and use sugar alternatives.
A NOTE ON THE GLYCEMIC INDEX (GI) OF THESE BLENDS: Glucose has a GI of 100, and maltodextrin is even higher. However, blends with monk fruit have an "adjusted GI" because they don't replace table sugar on a weight-to-weight basis. For example, Monk Fruit In The Raw is a 1:1 sugar replacement by volume — spoon for spoon, it's as sweet as sugar. But 1 teaspoon of sugar weighs 4g, while 1 teaspoon of the monk fruit blend weighs only 0.5g. To calculate the GI, the sweetness level compared to sugar in weight is used, resulting in a lower GI of 14 to 20, as shown in the infographic below.
POWDERED SUGAR REPLACEMENT
What's Powdered Monk Fruit?
Granulated vs. Crystalized vs. Powdered Monk Fruit
Monk fruit sweeteners come in various crystal sizes—granulated, crystallized, and powdered. The terms granulated and crystallized are often used interchangeably by sellers, and both typically refer to crystals resembling table sugar, making them ideal replacements for regular sugar.
On the other hand, powdered monk fruit refers to fine crystals, and is a one-to-one substitute for regular powdered sugar. It’s perfect for recipes that require a smooth texture or that final decorative touch. The powdered monk fruit below contains finely ground erythritol or allulose combined with fruit extract. Want to learn more about powdered sugar replacements? Check out my detailed guide HERE.
It’s important to note that on labels, “powdered” means finely ground, while “powder” simply refers to solid form (as opposed to liquid).
BROWN SUGAR REPLACEMENT
Brown sugar replacements are designed to replicate the aroma, sweetness, and texture of regular brown sugar—but with fewer calories and zero sugar. They work as one-to-one substitutes for light brown sugar in recipes.
Those blends contain erythritol or allulose combined with monk fruit, stevia, or sweet fibers (oligosaccharides or inulin). They also have a pinch of glycerin, molasses, or malt extract to help give the overall resemblance to regular brown sugars, providing moisture and allowing them to pack. Want to dive deeper? Visit my Brown Sugar Replacement page.
RAW SUGAR REPLACEMENT
What's Golden Monk Fruit?
Golden monk fruit is designed to replace raw sugar, not regular brown sugar. It has coarse, dry, free-flowing crystals that resemble demerara sugar. In contrast, brown sugar replacements contain glycerin or a touch of molasses to create a sticky texture and overall look similar to regular brown sugar. Want to understand the difference between raw and regular brown sugars? Check out my Complete Guide to Brown Sugars for all the details.
PACKETS & STICKS
Monk fruit packets and sticks are a convenient way to sweeten on the go, eliminating the guesswork of how much powder to add. They’re perfectly portioned, making them ideal for sweetening coffee, tea, and other beverages when you’re out and about.
However, their small size and pre-measured portions make them less practical for baking or cooking, where larger quantities of sweetener are typically needed. Additionally, packets and sticks tend to be more expensive per serving compared to bulk options. Despite this, their portability makes them a favorite for travel, work, or simply keeping in your bag for quick access to a sugar-free sweetener. A have a page that list all the sweeteners available in individual packets HERE.
Too Many Choices? Let Me Help.
Ready to Skip the Sweetener Guesswork?
You don't have to go through trial and error with different sweeteners, wasting time, pricey ingredients, and not to mention ruined recipes.
That's why I created the Sugar Swap Starter Kit — your shortcut to choosing and using sugar alternatives with confidence. It is designed for home cooks who want to see how different options stack up, find the best ones, and get practical tips to use them. This kit offers a quick way to get all your questions answered — all in one easy-to-follow resource!
SAFETY
IS MONK FRUIT SAFE?
Yes, monk fruit extracts have been approved as GRAS ingredients (generally recognized as safe). Contrary to common belief, monk fruit extract is not regulated as a food additive. It's classified by the FDA as a natural, non-nutritive sweetener (0 calories per gram).
Monk fruit, also known as luo han guo, has been used in traditional Chinese medicine since at least the 13th century. Named after the Buddhist monks who first cultivated it, the fruit was primarily used to treat respiratory ailments such as coughs and sore throats.
While most retail products contain extracts with 7% to 50% mogroside V, manufacturers can produce extracts with even higher purities. If you’re curious about the extraction process or specific details, you can refer to each GRAS notice submitted by manufacturers for FDA review.
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