Monk Fruit vs. Stevia:

In this article:

• What Makes a Sweetener “Natural”?
• What Is Monk Fruit?
• What Is Stevia?
• Is One Better Than the Other?
• Never Settle for Added Sugars Again
• How Monk Fruit and Stevia Both Enhance Our Products

So if you’re looking for a truly natural sweetener, the two on everyone’s mind are monk fruit and stevia, two plants with impressive sweetening abilities. Let’s take a look at what makes these options so enchanting without any human intervention. 

What Makes a Sweetener “Natural”?

What makes something natural? Easy: anything that came from nature and wasn’t made in a lab by humans would be considered as natural. 

There’s plenty of arguments that not everything that is natural is good, and we hear that. (Who remembers their first run-in with poison ivy?) However, there is plenty about nature to trust, and why not use what nature already has to offer? Especially when it offers so much to us that has been used for centuries. 

Man-made sweeteners also lack a lot of the nutrients that natural sweeteners inherently have. So while they may be chemically similar, why throw out the good things? 

Of course, this doesn’t mean that every single natural sweetener is the best choice. Honey, syrup, and pure sugar themselves can be filled with calories. In moderation, all of these things are totally fine. At the same time, leaving as much room for good nutrition as possible is needed in a well-rounded diet. While calories shouldn’t be completely avoided, they should be obtained by eating healthier, nutritious foods. Calorie-heavy natural sweeteners can take up room meant for more vitamins and minerals in your diet. But since natural sweeteners are available without calories, the choice is clear. 

What Is Monk Fruit?

Let’s take a peek at monk fruit first. Monk fruit, also known as Luo Han Guo fruit, can be found in Southeast Asia. It got its name from — you guessed it — from the Buddhist monks who first utilized it in their own routines. Since then, monk fruit has been used for over 1,000 years as both a sweetener and as a remedy in traditional medicine. The unique melon fruit is also much sweeter than sugar, up to 250 times more, to be exact. 

The biggest problem with monk fruit is that it is not readily available in most places since it thrives only in specific environments. It also doesn’t taste quite as regular sugar does, but many people do not mind the taste. Other than that, the extract is still seen in many plant-based products in need of something sweet. 

What Is Stevia?

Stevia is another non-nutritive (zero calories) sweetener that comes from a plant. Despite being a tame option as a sweetener, it gets a bad reputation because people often confuse it with brands that promote pure cane sugar as stevia. In reality, real stevia can be extracted from the Stevia rebaudiana plant. Stevia can be up to 400 times sweeter than the average sweetener or added sugars, making it ideal for those who must avoid sugar entirely or are cutting back on their sugar intake.  

Like monk fruit, it won’t completely fool you into thinking it’s the exact same as sugar, but stevia still remains a popular option for similar reasons to monk fruit. When searching for stevia and products with stevia in them, be cautious: some brands claim their products use mostly stevia only to fill the gaps with, you guessed it, added sugars. 

Is One Better Than the Other?

Both stevia and monk fruit have the same purpose: to sweeten without adding a bunch of calories or real sugar to drinks and other foods. There aren’t many big differences other than taste and their place of origin. Different things work for different people, so it’s worth trying both to see what works best for you. 

Or do what we do and just use both. Yep, both. Why stop at one when both stevia and monk fruit contain plenty of perks?

Never Settle for Added Sugars Again

All of this talk about sugar should be a reminder that sugar itself isn’t awful. We need it in our diets. Most of the carbohydrates we consume get turned into glucose, which is essentially sugar. The problem comes from the many products on the market that are stuffed with added sugars. 

Unlike food, it is hard for our stomachs to register the calories and sugar we consume in drinks because it doesn’t weigh as heavily on the stomach. 

Added sugars pose a big threat to our health. It can cause a number of problems, including but not limited to:

• High blood pressure. 
• Metabolic health. 
• Weakened blood vessels throughout the body.
• Aneurysm.
• Problems with memory and confusion, including memory loss.
• Heart problems like a heart attack or stroke. 
  

How Monk Fruit and Stevia Both Enhance Our Products

Though plenty of people love plain water, there’s nothing wrong with people who need a little help to make their water consumption easier. Your brain craves tasty things, especially after losing a bunch of sweat from a workout or a day of hard work. We use monk fruit juice and stevia in our drink mixes to maximize flavor while making room for other good things, like electrolytes, such as sodium and potassium. It also helps make your average water into an even more hydrating formula. 

As a scientifically backed formula, you can be confident that Cure is not only delicious but extremely hydrating. Even better, we take into account the electrolytes your bodies need to stay hydrated. This is all included in one packet for only 25 calories. 

How do we keep calories low and nutrition high? Using both monk fruit and stevia combined with plant-based ingredients, it’s pretty easy. It turns out you only need a little to make a lot happen, and the magic of Cure is free of GMOs, vegan, and made for everyone. That includes you, your friends, your next-door neighbor, even your kids. Anyone at any age can enjoy Cure. 

What Else Makes Cure Different?

We based our formula on the World Health Organization’s hydration formula, so we’ve got the source to back it up when we say we’re scientifically backed. We take pride in our work and vow only to bring you the absolute best we have so that you can do the same in your life. 

If you’re ready to perform at your best, always, then it’s time to invest in yourself with Cure. 

Sources:

Luo Han Guo: Sweet Fruit Used as Sugar Substitute and Medicinal Herb | Itmonline.org

Additional Information about High-Intensity Sweeteners Permitted for Use in Food in the United States | FDA

Added Sugar in the Diet | The Nutrition Source | Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health

The sweet danger of sugar | Harvard Health