Stevia sweeteners and monk fruit extracts have amassed popularity in the supplement world, and flavor scientists are exploring their options . While stevia-derived sweeteners are low-calorie solutions to sweeten your supplement, other brands are sweetening their products with monk fruit. It's no surprise that the monk fruit vs stevia topic is a hotly debated one between professionals in the realm of health and wellness.

So, which sweetner should you use in your supplement? Should you use Artificial or real sweeteners? These questions deserve a multifaceted answer, as the two sweeteners are different in many ways. Each supplement type attempts to promote different health benefits. These health benefits greatly determine their target customer’s overall sweetener preference.  Where your product line’s sweetener options are concerned, determining whether to use stevia or monk fruit—or even one of our stock flavors—can make all the difference.  

Stevia Benefits

Stevia is between 200 and 300 times sweeter than sugar. An herb from the Asteraceae family, stevia’s use in supplements exists as a sweetener. While stevia has been used throughout centuries as a natural sweetener, some consumers may decide against consuming it as its crude extracts, as per FDA suggestion, may raise blood sugar.

This said, refined stevia products are both FDA-approved and widely used for their sweetness. Many supplements marketed to consumers as “Stevia” products, for this reason, aren’t real stevia. Rather, they’re purified Reb A stevia extracts. Stevia has no fat or calories, either, which is a fantastic advantage to promote on your supplement label!

Stevia sweetness, for this reason, are excellent options for supplement brands formulating new products. Because stevia sweeteners don’t raise blood sugar, they’re perfect additions in diabetic-friendly supplements. Unlike other artificial sweeteners, stevia can suppress plasma glucose levels. It can also boost glucose tolerance while stabilizing blood sugar levels. Available as either a powder, granules or a liquid, stevia is diverse and can be crafted into numerous supplements. Taste-wise, stevia products taste similar to sugar subistitues.

Monk Fruit Benefits

Lou han guo Extract, or monk fruit, is very similar to sugar. Supplements blended with monk fruit won’t impact the consumer’s blood sugar levels, similar to stevia products. Also a zero-calorie sweetener option, monk fruit sweeteners are great options for weight loss supplements. Monk fruit has no reported side effects, either, making it a safe, reliable supplement to give your product a sweetness factor.

Monk fruit’s sweetness is derived from its antioxidant mogrosides  making it particularly healthy while existing as a natural sweetener in your product. These mogrosides can help individuals reduce oxidative stress, which might otherwise lead to disease. In addition to monk fruit’s array of antioxidants are other vitamins and organic compounds.

Some nutritionists and health experts suggest that regular consumption of monk fruit can relieve allergies. Monk fruit extract prevents the activity of mast cells which are released when the body has an allergic reaction, such as coughing, skin irritation or inflammation. Monk fruit can reportedly reduce the body’s histamine production.

Other monk fruit benefits are vague, but some suggest that monk fruit’s unique antioxidant properties can reduce the chance of skin cancer. Meanwhile, monk fruit’s glycosides and saponins can further prevent the spread of cancerous cells.

Taste-wise, monk fruit tastes earthier than stevia products. Tasting surprisingly similar to real sugar, monk fruit is commonly chosen by consumers who seek all-natural-tasting supplements.

Monk Fruit vs Stevia

While both sweeteners have their benefits, their differences are notable and justify the monk fruit vs stevia argument. Any supplement provider marketing either monk fruit sweeteners or stevia-containing sweeteners should be aware of these differences.

In the cost realm, monk fruit is more expensive than stevia. Stevia, itself, is commonly selected as a highly cost-efficient sweetener for large sweetener lines. Because stevia is incredibly adaptable—as it can be included as a powder, grain or liquid—it might be a better selection for supplement providers seeking reliable, consistent product lines.  

Monk fruit’s selling point, meanwhile, remains its diverse collection of antioxidants and vitamins. As a supplement provider, it might be a good idea to consider including monk fruit as a vegan-friendly, all-natural supplement in your line. Some brands also market the monk fruit as a sweetener in their supplement for its supposed anti-aging properties.

Taste matters to consumers, of course, and providers will find both stevia and monk fruit to be comparable to sugar and sweeteners.

This said, both zero-calorie solutions still differ in taste. Monk fruit, again, carries earthier taste tones. Some consumers even favor monk fruit as an all-natural weight loss aid as a conclusive point to the monk fruit vs stevia argument, all the while while reveling in its natural taste features.

Meanwhile, stevia is one of the industry’s most direct taste-comparisons to marketed sweeteners. It isn’t rare to find stevia provided in mass quantities by supplement providers, as its cost efficiency and existence as a healthy alternative to Equal make it a strong seller.

Either sweetener you choose to go with the professionals at ABH Pharma can assist you in flavoring your supplements. We have mastered the use of both these options and are ready to answer any questions you have about them. The main benefit of having an in-house QA and QC department is being able to test the potency of the ingredients we use. One of the many reasons we stand out from other manufacturers is that we only use ingredients of the highest potency! Better ingredients means more effective supplements. Better supplements translate into your brands success! To see how we can assist you in reducing lead times or adding new products at ABHPharma.com.