Sugar substitutes have skyrocketed recently!
Why is that?
Because many people are attempting to cut back on their sugar consumption while on diets.
Truvia sweetener, for example, has been the favorite on everyone’s lips.
It’s promoted as a natural, stevia-based sweetener that helps with blood sugar levels.
You may be wondering Truvia is allowed on a keto or low-carb diet?
Let’s get sweetened up…
What Is Truvia?
Truvia is a commercial product developed by the Coca-Cola Firm and Cargill, a food and chemical company.
It is used as a sweetener in cooked or baked goods, as well as a tabletop sweetener that may be added to coffee.
So, what is this Truvia sweetener made of? It is said to contain stevia leaf extract…
However, Truvia is a blend of three low-carb components…
Firstly, it contains erythritol a type of sugar alcohol.
Secondly, Rebaudioside A, found in the stevia leaf extract, can also be found in Truvia.
And lastly, “natural flavors”.
Did you know, while Truvia is marketed as a stevia-based sweetener and has a similar name, the two are not the same thing…
Does This Natural Sweetener Doesn’t Contain Stevia?
No, Truvia does not contain stevia! Only Rebaudioside A (*)
How confusing is that?
Truvia is advertised as a natural product due to its beginnings in the stevia plant, although it is extracted from its roots via a series of refinements. It also contains other components such as erythritol and natural flavors.
However, this is extremely deceptive, since it contains hardly any stevia plant components – and certainly none of its health advantages.
Stevioside and rebaudioside A are two naturally occurring sweet compounds found in stevia leaves.
Of the two, stevioside is linked to health benefits like reduced blood sugar and blood pressure levels (*)
Still, there is no stevioside in Truvia — only tiny amounts of purified rebaudioside A, which is not linked to any health benefits.
So, what is the main ingredient if it’s not stevia leaf extract?
What is The Main Ingredient in Truvia Products?
Truvia’s main component is erythritol.
Also known as a natural sweetener on the keto diet!
Erythritol is sugar alcohol present in a variety of natural foods, including fruits. It can also be extracted and processed into a sugar substitute (*).
Apparently, erythritol is produced by converting corn into food-grade starch and fermenting it with yeast. This product is further refined to produce erythritol crystals.
The chemical structure of sugar alcohols allows them to activate the sweet taste receptors on your tongue. Sugar alcohols are widely consumed in the Western diet. They also contain xylitol, sorbitol, and maltitol, in addition to erythritol.
Erythritol, on the other hand, appears to be different from the others. It has a unique chemical structure that makes digestion difficult.
Because the majority of it passes through your body unaltered and is removed through your urine, it supplies practically no calories and has none of the negative metabolic consequences associated with high sugar.
Therefore, several long-term animal investigations on metabolism and toxicology demonstrate that erythritol intake has no harmful consequences. (*)
Let’s get down to business…
Is this Natural Sweetener Keto Friendly?
Since Truvia is a zero-calorie artificial sweetener, it is indeed keto-friendly!
In comparison to table sugar, which has 4 calories per gram, erythritol contains just 0.24 calories per gram.
It is nearly hard to consume enough to make a difference in your body weight making it perfect for the keto diet!
Because erythritol is not metabolized by your cells, it does not affect blood sugar, insulin, cholesterol, triglycerides, or other health indicators (*).
If you are overweight, diabetic, or have metabolic syndrome, Truvia — or plain erythritol — may be an excellent sugar substitute.
Are There Any Negative Side Effects?
While some of the chemicals in Truvia have been researched, the sweetener itself has not.
A four-week human trial using a high dosage of rebaudioside A discovered no negative side effects. This research, however, was funded by Cargill, the firm that makes Truvia (*).
Meanwhile, erythritol consumption was found to be harmful to the common fruit fly in recent research. The authors even suggested erythritol as a non-hazardous insecticide (*).
However, sugar alcohols such as erythritol might induce stomach issues.
Because it does not reach your large intestine in substantial numbers, it appears that erythritol is better tolerated than the other sugar alcohols (*).
That said, regular use of Truvia shouldn’t cause digestive problems for most people — at least not if consumed in reasonable amounts for example on a keto diet!
Even though the side effects are small we also found some alternative natural sweeteners…
Alternative Keto-Friendly Sweeteners
Are you looking for alternative sweeteners that have almost 0 calories?
Take a look at the two other keto-friendly sweeteners that taste sweet but won’t kill your net carbs…
#1. Xylitol
Another kind of sugar alcohol that is often found in treats such as sugar-free gum, sweets, and mints is xylitol. It has the same sweetness as honey but just 3 calories per gram and 4 grams of carbohydrates per teaspoon- bonus!
However, the carbohydrates in xylitol, like those in other sugar alcohols, do not count as net carbs since they do not elevate blood sugar or insulin levels to the amount that sugar does (*).
For a low-carb sweet kick, xylitol could be readily added to tea, coffee, shakes, or smoothies.
#2. Monk Fruit:
Want to be healthy on a keto diet? Then try monk fruit…
Monk fruit sweetener is often chosen over stevia since it does not have a harsh aftertaste. Monk fruit also has a glycemic index of zero and is 300 times sweeter than sugar. Because it’s low carb, it’s ideal for anyone on a keto diet!
Monk fruit is a natural sweetener produced from a plant native to southern China. It includes natural sweets as well as antioxidant chemicals known as mogrosides, which account for most of the fruit’s sweetness (*).
Frequently asked Questions
1. Will Truvia Kick Me out of Ketosis?
It has a zero glycemic index and will not interfere with ketosis since it basically has zero calories! Truv
2. What’s The Big Deal About Truvia?
Some people may get stomach distress if they consume too much Truvia. More significantly, Truvia has the potential to change the body’s normal metabolic reaction to sweets.
That is, when you take Truvia, the sweet flavor might activate sugar receptors in your body, preparing it to metabolize or break down the sweetener.
3. Is Truvia or stevia better for keto?
Stevia, like Truvia, contains almost no calories.
Furthermore, because stevia is several times sweeter than table sugar and most other sweeteners, you’ll need far less of it. According to research, stevia and its derivatives do not promote tooth decay and may help prevent bacteria development in the mouth.
Let’s Wrap it Up…
Truvia is a low-carb, almost calorie-free sweetener that has no influence on blood sugar or insulin levels and has little – if any – negative effects for the majority of individuals.
So, is Truvia keto-friendly?
Yes, Truvia, like erythritol, is keto-friendly! Since Truvia is keto-friendly, go ahead and add this to your healthy, keto recipes!
Up Next: Is Maltitol Keto-friendly? Here’s Everything You Need to Know!
