Allulose vs Stevia

Allulose and stevia are both natural sweeteners that are becoming increasingly popular in the food and beverage industry. Both are considered to be healthier alternatives to traditional sweeteners such as sugar and artificial sweeteners and both are even zero glycemic. However, there are some key differences between the two.

Allulose is a rare sugar that is found naturally in small quantities in foods such as figs and raisins. It is made by extracting the allulose from these foods and is considered to be a low-calorie sweetener and is considered a monosaccharide. Allulose has a similar taste and texture to sugar, making it a great alternative for those looking for a sweetener that is similar to sugar but tastes 70% as sweet. Allulose has about 1/10th the calories as sugar. For instance 3 teaspoons of sugar contains 12 grams of sugar and 48 calories. While the same amount of allulose would total 5 calories. While allulose appears as 0 grams of sugar on nutrition label, the fda does require listing the ingredient as a carb. However, since allulose is not metabolized, it is considered zero net carbs and for instance would allow you to stay in ketosis.

Stevia, on the other hand, is a high intensity sweetener derived from the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana plant. It is about 250-300x stronger in sweetness than sugar. The flavor profile is also quite different. The sweetness is more intense and more delayed. There is also a lingering aftertaste that some describe as licorice or bitter. Stevia has zero calories and is also considered zero glycemic. Stevia has a slightly different taste profile than sugar, which can take some getting used to. It is also known for having a bitter aftertaste, especially in the form of Reb A.

Chart showing Sugar vs Allulose vs Stevia

*Stevia Reb A has a distinct aftertaste unlike Stevia Reb M.

In terms of cost, Allulose tends to be more expensive than stevia. It is also not widely available in all countries. Allulose is approved to include in food and beverage products in the US, Mexico, Japan, Singapore and South Korea. It is considered a "novel ingredient" in countries like Canada and the EU. Over the coming years, we expect other countries to also adopt allulose as a more mainstream ingredient.

Both Allulose and stevia are natural sweeteners that can be used as alternatives to traditional sweeteners. Allulose has a similar taste and texture to sugar, while stevia is much sweeter than sugar and has no calories. Allulose is more expensive than stevia and not widely available. We use the maximum allowable amount of allulose in our soda's to not only give them a sugar like taste profile but also adding important viscosity and improved mouth feel to our drinks.