KETO-FRIENDLY SWEETENER
2025 KETO BUYING GUIDE
If you’re following a keto or low-carb diet, sweeteners can be so confusing. Zero-calorie and sugar-free doesn’t always mean zero net carbs. Products may have hidden fillers that can spike blood sugar. In my quest to help home cooks navigate the complex world of sweeteners, I’ve sorted the keto-friendly options into three groups: 1. Count as 0 net carbs, 2. Count ½ the carbs, 3. Low net carbs, but count.
WHAT IS THE KETO DIET?
The ketogenic diet (keto) trains the body to produce ketones. When glucose — the body’s main energy source — is in short supply, the liver converts fat into ketones as an alternative fuel.
The keto diet is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate way of eating. By limiting carbs to 20 to 50 grams per day and getting 60 to 80% of your calories from fat, your body shifts into a metabolic state called ketosis—usually within 1–3 days but sometimes over a week—where it starts producing ketones for fuel, typically measured at 0.5 mmol/L or higher.
Benefits of the keto diet include weight loss, steady energy, and better mental focus—but it takes commitment to stick to it as you need to start counting carbs. One of the essential factors of success is having the right foods around you, and sweeteners can be a helpful tool for people to sustain the diet.
There’s a lot to unpack when it comes to sweeteners and keto. Here’s what we’ll cover:
• What Sweeteners Are Allowed
• How Sweeteners Count as Carbs
• Shared Traits of Keto Sweeteners
• 1. Sugar Alcohol Carb Count
• 2. Allulose Carb Count
• 3. Soluble Fiber Carb Count
• 4. Monk Fruit Carb Count
• 5. Stevia Carb Count
• Net Carbs Calculator
• Digestive Effects of Keto Sweeteners
• Unclear Effects of Keto Sweeteners
• Net Carbs vs. Glycemic Index
• Sweeteners Ranked by GI
• Top 3 Keto Sweeteners
COUNTING CARBS
WHAT SWEETENER IS ALLOWED ON KETO?
The keto diet focuses on limiting net carbs.
Net carbs represent the carbohydrates that are actually digested into glucose in the body, raising blood sugar, and triggering insulin release. Keeping insulin levels low is key to helping your body stay in ketosis.
The concept is based on the idea that sweeteners are made up of three types of carbs. Here’s the important part: All three types are counted together under “Total Carbohydrate” on the Nutrition Facts label — the label doesn’t tell them apart.
For keto purposes, the three types of carbohydrates in sweeteners are:
-
Fully digested carbs 🔴
• Net carbs = "Total Carbohydrate"
• Ex: Sugars (table sugar, honey)
-
Partially digested carbs 🟠
• Net carbs = ½ "Total Carbohydrate"
• Ex: Sugar Alcohols (xylitol, sorbitol)
-
Non-digested carbs 🟢
• Net carbs = 0 meaning the "Total Carbohydrate" listed in the Nutrition Facts label doesn't count
• Ex:
Erythritol
Allulose
Soluble fibers (inulin, fructans)
The difference lies in how the body processes the carbs in each sweetener.
Some are fully digested and raise blood sugar, while others are partially digested — or even pass through without impact. Understanding these differences helps you choose sweeteners that support ketosis. This guide breaks it down so you can sweeten with confidence.
HOW SWEETENERS COUNT AS CARBS
Counting carbohydrates of sweeteners can be confusing — especially when you realize that not all carbs affect blood sugar the same way. Some count toward the "total carbohydrate" in the Nutrition Facts label, but they have zero "net carbs."
I get a lot of questions about how to count sugar alcohols, allulose, erythritol, monk fruit, and stevia.
So, for those who ask me:
Does stevia count towards net carbs?
How many net carbs are in monk fruit?
Do I subtract erythritol from carbs to get net carbs?
What cancels out carbs on the label?
Keep reading to find out.
Throughout this carb counting, I’ll use the following color code system:
🟢 Count as 0 net carbs → best for keto
🟠 Low net carbs → keto-friendly in moderation
🔴 Count toward net carbs → avoid on keto
SHARED TRAITS OF KETO CARBS
Keto-friendly carbs fall into a category known as Low-Digestible Sweeteners. These have moderate to no effect on blood sugar and include sugar alcohols, rare sugars (especially allulose), and sweet soluble fibers.
In this section, we cover the following sweeteners:
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Sugar Alcohol Carb Count
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Allulose Carb Count
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Soluble Fibers Carb Count
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Monk Fruit Carb Count
-
Stevia Carb Count
Pure extracts of monk fruit and stevia contain no carbohydrates. However, most stevia and monk fruit products on the market are blends with low-digestible carbs — often making up 99% of the product. That’s why they're included in this section.
1. SUGAR ALCOHOL CARB COUNT
If you’re new to sugar alcohols (also called polyols), start with my 2025 Sugar Alcohols Buying Guide. It explains how they’re broken down in the body and what to expect in terms of their effects on the digestive system. Here's the short version:
Do polyols count as carbs?
Yes, polyols are technically carbohydrates and are included in the "total carbohydrate" section of the Nutrition Facts label.
Do polyols count toward net carbs?
As said before, net carbs refers to carbohydrates your body actually digests and converts into glucose, which raises blood sugar. But not all polyols behave the same way, so they are counted differently:
-
Partially Digested Polyols 🟠 Count 1/2 of the amount
These polyols are partially absorbed and converted into glucose, so only about half of their carb content affects blood sugar. It includes:
Xylitol
Sorbitol
Mannitol
Isomalt
-
Non-Digestible Polyols 🟢 Count as 0 net carbs
Erythritol is the only polyol that is not converted into glucose, not raising blood sugar, so it does not count toward net carbs.
Bottom Line:
When calculating net carbs, subtract erythritol completely but count half the carbs from xylitol, sorbitol, mannitol, and isomalt.
2. ALLULOSE CARB COUNT
New to allulose? Start with my 2025 Allulose Buying Guide to get the details on how it's processed in the body and how it might affect your digestion. To sum it up:
Does allulose count as carbs?
Yes, allulose is technically a sugar and is included in the "total carbohydrate" section of the Nutrition Facts label.
Does allulose count toward net carbs?
No. Just like erythritol, allulose is not digested or converted into glucose — not raising blood sugar — so it does not count toward net carbs. In other words, allulose won’t impact your carb count.
Bottom Line:
-
When calculating net carbs, subtract allulose completely.
-
Allulose counts as 🟢 zero net carbs.
3. SOLUBLE FIBERS CARB COUNT
Wondering what sweeteners count as soluble fibers? Check out my 2025 Sweet Fibers Buying Guide for the full breakdown on how they are processed in the body and what to expect in terms of digestive effects. Here’s the quick version:
Do soluble fibers count as carbs?
Yes, soluble fibers are technically carbohydrates and are included in the "total carbohydrate" section of the Nutrition Facts label.
Do soluble fibers count toward net carbs?
No. Just like erythritol and allulose, soluble fibers are not digested or converted into glucose — not raising blood sugar — so it does not count toward net carbs.
Soluble fibers that won’t impact your carb count are listed with terms like inulin, fructans, chicory root fiber, inulin from chicory, agave inulin, Jerusalem artichoke inulin, oligosaccharides, fructooligosaccharides (FOS), oligofructose, soluble tapioca fiber, resistant dextrin, and soluble fiber from tapioca.
As explained HERE, two sweeteners that contain soluble fibers — yacon syrup and IMO (isomalto-oligosaccharide) — can raise blood sugar levels.
Bottom Line:
-
When calculating net carbs, subtract soluble fibers completely.
-
Soluble fibers count as 🟢 zero net carbs.
-
Yacon syrup and IMO (isomalto-oligosaccharide) are 🟠 low net carbs, but still count.
4. MONK FRUIT CARB COUNT
If you’re just getting started with monk fruit, checkout my 2025 Monk Fruit Buying Guide for the details. Pure monk fruit extract is not a carbohydrate and it doesn’t count toward net carbs. But most monk fruit sweeteners in stores are blends—so when it comes to carb counting, here’s what you need to know in a nutshell:
Does monk fruit count as total carbs?
It depends on the ingredients the product contains, besides the monk fruit extract itself. Not all monk fruit sweeteners are created equal—some contain fillers that change how they’re counted.
-
Pure monk fruit extracts & other bulk-free sweeteners
Pure extract of monk fruit (chemically called mogrosides) is not a carbohydrate, so you'll always see the Nutrition Facts label listing zero "total carbohydrate".
-
Blends
Yes, all monk fruit blends — with allulose, erythritol, inulin, glucose or maltodextrin — are made up of carbohydrates, and so, are included in the "total carbohydrate" section of the Nutrition Facts label.
Does monk fruit count toward net carbs?
That depends on what else is in the product, besides the extract. Not all monk fruit sweeteners behave the same way, so they are counted differently on keto:
-
Pure monk fruit extracts and other bulk-free sweeteners
🟢 Count as 0 net carbs
-
Blends with allulose, erythritol, or inulin
🟢 Count as 0 net carbs
-
Blends with glucose or maltodextrin labeled as zero-calories and sugar-free
🟠 Low in net carbs, but count
- Sugar Blends with coconut sugar, date sugar, or cane sugar
🔴 Count toward net carbs
Bottom Line:
When calculating the net carbs of monk fruit, always pay attention to the ingredients list.
5. STEVIA CARB COUNT
If you’re new to stevia, start at my 2025 Stevia Buying Guide. Pure stevia extract is not a carbohydrate and it doesn’t count toward net carbs. But most stevia sweeteners in stores are blends—so when it comes to carb counting, here’s what you need to know:
Does stevia count as carbs?
That depends on what else is in the product, besides the extract. Not all stevia sweeteners are created equal—some contain fillers that change how they’re counted.
-
Pure stevia extracts and other bulk-free sweeteners
Pure extract of the stevia leaf (chemically called steviol glycosides) is not a carbohydrate, so you'll always see the Nutrition Facts label listing zero "total carbohydrate".
-
Blends
Yes, stevia blends — also known as bulk sweeteners — are predominantly carbohydrates and are included in the "total carbohydrate" section of the Nutrition Facts label.
Does stevia count towards net carbs?
It depends on the ingredients the product contains, besides the stevia extract itself.
-
Pure stevia extract & other bulk-free sweeteners
🟢 Count as 0 net carbs
-
Blends with allulose, erythritol, or inulin
🟢 Count as 0 net carbs
-
Blends with xylitol
🟠 Count 1/2 of the amount
-
Blends with glucose, maltodextrin, fructose, or raw sugar labeled as zero-calories and sugar-free.
🟠 Low in net carbs, but count
-
Sugar Blends with coconut sugar, date sugar, or cane sugar
🔴 Count toward net carbs
Bottom Line:
When calculating the net carbs of stevia, always pay attention to the ingredients list.
NET CARBS CALCULATOR FOR SWEETENERS
It's easy to get lost in the numbers when counting carbs. But you don’t need to do the math yourself. My Sugar Swap Tool™ has a feature that calculates the net carbs specifically for sweeteners sold in stores across the United States.
Enter the brand and product type, and the Sugar Swap Tool™ calculates everything for you.
The best part? You can see how products stack up side-by-side, by using the Sweetener Comparer™. As the name suggests, this tool compares ingredients, sweetness level, calories, net carbs, glycemic index, amount of sugar, and more.
WORRIED ABOUT DIGESTIVE EFFECTS?
While all low-digestible sweeteners listed above range from moderate to no effect on blood sugar levels — and so are keto-friendly — they can still negatively affect the digestive system.
As one reader put it, "they are like a small bomb in my digestive tract". Common complaints — especially with excessive intake, first-time users, and those with sensitive guts — include gas, bloating, or laxative effects.
Tolerance varies, and it helps to know what to expect.
👉 See the full 2025 Guide to Low-Digestible Sweeteners
WORRIED ABOUT CONTROVERSIAL EFFECTS?
Wondering if your keto sweetener might make you feel hungrier, spark cravings, or bring hunger back soon after you eat?
The evidence on these effects is limited and conflicting.
One way to find out for yourself is to run a sweetener experiment. Everyone’s body responds differently—and even the “best” keto-friendly sweeteners can sometimes knock people out of ketosis. You won’t know unless you test it for yourself. Try using your favorite sweetener for a few days to a week and pay attention to changes in your energy, cravings, and hunger. This quick self-test can be eye-opening and help you decide what truly works for you.
But here's the key: how you use keto sweeteners matters just as much as which one you choose. Learn the golden rule for using them wisely:
Following this rule helps you sidestep those issues and build healthier habits.
GLYCEMIC INDEX
NET CARBS VS GLYCEMIC INDEX
Net carbs are the top priority on a keto diet — but the glycemic index (GI) is a helpful secondary check.
As explained at the beginning of this guide, sweeteners contain different types of carbohydrates, which our body digests in different ways—some completely, some partially, and others not at all.
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Net Carbs refer to the amount of digestible carbohydrates your body actually absorbs and uses.
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Glycemic index (GI) tells you how fast those carbs raise blood sugar levels.
The GI helps identify sweeteners that may cause the spike-and-crash pattern — a quick rise on blood sugar that triggers a surge of insulin, followed by a sharp blood sugar drop below normal. That dip might feel like an energy slump, craving something sweet, and brain fog. This makes it harder to stick with keto.
However, when it comes to sweeteners, the “healthy” low-GI range can be misleading — particularly for sweeteners that aren’t truly keto-friendly.
The GI Scale
The GI ranks sweeteners on a scale from 0 to 100, comparing them to pure glucose (which is assigned a GI of 100), and is typically broken down like this:
GI > 70 is high
GI = 56 to 69 is medium
GI < 55 is low
Low-GI is considered the "healthy" range of the scale, but not for caloric sweeteners.
Why a Low-GI Sweetener Can Be Misleading
• With foods, a low GI often helps avoid the blood-sugar roller coaster.
• With sweeteners, a low GI helps keep blood sugar stable—but it doesn’t always mean the product is healthier or more keto-friendly.
For example, fructose (GI 19) and agave (GI 34) may seem “better,” but they’re no healthier or more keto-friendly than glucose (GI 100) or table sugar (GI 65). [As I discussed HERE.]
SWEETENERS RANKED BY GLYCEMIC INDEX
Sweeteners affect blood sugar in three main ways. Use this color code to spot the best keto choices:
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FAST CARBS — high to medium GI
Sugars (except fructose) are completely and quickly absorbed from the small intestine into the bloodstream.
🔴 Avoid in Keto:
• GI table sugar (sucrose) = 65
• GI maple syrup = 69
• Gl honey = 44 to 78
• Gl coconut sugar = 57
-
SLOW CARBS — medium to low GI
These break down more slowly during digestion, releasing glucose gradually into the bloodstream. They don’t cause a sudden spike in blood sugar, but they can still be a problem for keto.
🔴 Avoid in Keto:
As I explain HERE, not all sugars have a high GI. Sweeteners that contain fructose are different. While fructose is fully digested like the sugars in group 1, it’s converted into glucose at a much slower rate—resulting in a much lower GI.
• GI fructose = 19
• GI date sugar = 44
• GI agave nectar = 34
• Gl honey (rich in fructose) = 44 to 54
• GI monk fruit/sugar blend < 55
• GI stevia/sugar blend < 55
🟠 Keto-Friendly in Moderation:
• GI xylitol = 7 to 12
• GI sorbitol = 9
• GI isomalt = 9
• GI mannitol = 2
• GI maltitol = 26
• GI tagatose = 3
Maltodextrin and Glucose Blends (see discussion next):
• GI stevia with maltodextrin = 19
• GI stevia with glucose = 14
• GI monk fruit with maltodextrin = 19
• GI monk fruit with glucose = 14
• GI sucralose with maltodexrin = 19
• GI aspartame with maltodextrin = 19
• GI saccharin with maltodextrin = 19
-
NON-DIGESTIBLE CARBS — zero GI
These include sweeteners made up of carbs that do not break down into glucose OR that have no carbs at all — both have no effect on blood glucose.
🟢 Best Keto Sweeteners:
• GI erythritol = 0
• GI allulose = 0
• GI soluble fibers = 0
• GI stevia (bulk-free) = 0
• GI monk fruit (bulk-free) = 0
• GI sucralose (bulk-free) = 0
• GI aspartame (bulk-free) = 0
• GI saccharin (bulk-free) = 0
GLYCEMIC INDEX CALCULATOR FOR SWEETENERS
Because sweeteners tend to come with a variety of ingredients that can affect GI widely, I created a tool to help calculate the GI of sweeteners in seconds.
My Sugar Swap Tool™ has a feature that calculates the glycemic index specifically for sweeteners sold in stores across the United States.
Enter the brand and product type, and the Sugar Swap Tool calculates everything for you.
The best part? You can see how products stack up side-by-side, by using the Sweetener Comparer™. As the name suggests, this tool compares ingredients, sweetness level, calories, glycemic index, net carbs, amount of sugar, and more.
WHEN THE GI IS LOWER THAN YOU'D EXPECT
With Glucose or Maltodextrin
Some products labeled as “stevia,” “monk fruit,” and even sugar-free (with artificial sweeteners like sucralose, aspartame, and saccharin) are actually made up mostly of glucose or maltodextrin as fillers — often 99% or more.
What surprises many people is that these blends can have a low glycemic index, yet still contain fully digestible carbs that count 100% toward net carbs and may impact ketosis.
Glucose has a GI of 100. Maltodextrin is even higher.
So, why aren’t these sweetener blends considered high-GI?
Because they don’t replace sugar gram–per–gram. Instead, they’re used in much smaller amounts to match sugar’s sweetness — reducing their glycemic impact per serving.
Take, for example, sweeteners with maltodextrin and stevia or sucralose.
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Stevia In The Raw
Main ingredient: 99% Maltodextrin
A 1:1 sugar replacement by volume, meaning it’s as sweet as sugar spoon for spoon, but one teaspoon weighs only 0.5g compared to sugar’s 4g.
-
Splenda Granulated:
Main ingredient: 99% Maltodextrin
1 tsp of Splenda equals 0.5g, but it delivers the same sweetness of 1 tsp of sugar (4g).
Glycemic Index (GI) of These Blends:
Because their sweetness level per gram is higher, their adjusted GI is much lower than their individual ingredients:
• GI glucose blends = 14
• GI maltodextrin blends = 19
• GI maltodextrin+glucose blends = 14–19
Bottom line:
Even though the ingredients themselves have a high GI, the tiny amount used in each serving makes the overall glycemic impact much lower.
SWEETENERS RANKED BY GLYCEMIC LOAD
Most people focus on the GI to judge how a sweetener affects blood sugar. But that only tells you how fast glucose enters the bloodstream—not how high your blood sugar could go when you actually eat the sweetener.
To understand a sweetener's full effect on blood sugar, it's good to know both:
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How quickly it makes glucose enter the bloodstream
-
How much glucose per serving it can deliver.
Another measure called the glycemic load (GL) does both.
It gives you a more accurate picture of a sweetener's real-life impact on your blood sugar. For one serving of a sweetener:
• GL > 20 is high
• GL of 11–19 is medium
• GL < 10 is low.
For example, table sugar has a high GI of 67, but one serving — one teaspoon — of table sugar has such a low carbohydrate content with only 4 grams, that its GL is just 3. Ten teaspoons? That’s a GL of 26—a big difference.
Bottom line:
Even sweeteners with a low net carbs and low GI can kick you out of ketosis if the glycemic load is high.
BEST KETO SWEETENERS
So, if you're wondering: Which sweetener won’t raise your blood sugar—or kick you out of ketosis?
With thousands of sugar alternatives on the market, I’ve sorted the keto-friendly options into three groups:
1. 🟢 Count as 0 net carbs
2. 🟠 Count ½ the carbs
3. 🟠 Low net carbs—but still count
By using the sweeteners listed below, you can adjust recipes to stay within keto guidelines.
• KETO GROUP 1 •
COUNT AS ZERO NET CARBS
If you're thinking "What is the lowest net carb sweetener?" This is your group.
The best keto sweeteners meet two key criteria:
✔️ Zero net carbs (non-digestible carbohydrates)
✔️ Zero glycemic impact (no effect on blood sugar levels).
Keto sweeteners that offer zero net carbs can be natural, synthetic, or artificial:
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Both natural and synthetic options are plant-derived.
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Natural sweeteners include stevia and monk fruit, which are directly extracted from plants.
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Synthetic sweeteners, like allulose and erythritol, occur in nature but are commercially produced through enzymatic or fermentation processes.
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Artificial sweeteners—such as sucralose, aspartame, and saccharin—are entirely man-made and do not exist in nature.
Click on an image below to jump straight to the keto-friendly sweeteners that count as 🟢 zero net carbs:
• KETO GROUP 2 •
COUNT 1/2 THE CARBS
The second group of keto sweeteners check two important boxes:
✔️ Low net carbs (partially digested carbs)
✔️ Low glycemic impact (slowly digested carbs)
This second group count half of the total carbs listed on the Nutrition Facts label and it includes sugar alcohols (except erythritol).
Click on an image below to jump straight to the keto-friendly sweeteners that 🟠 count partially:
• KETO GROUP 3 •
LOW NET CARBS BUT STILL COUNT
The third group of keto-friendly sweeteners meets two conditions:
✔️ Low net carbs — they contain a small amount of fully digested carbs
✔️ Low glycemic impact — they deliver only a small amount of fast carbs
These blends have 99% of glucose or maltodextrin—even though the label says “sugar-free” or “zero-calorie.” As explained earlier, each serving has tiny amounts of these fully digestible carbs, and 100% of the carbs listed on the label count toward your net carbs.
Click on an image below to jump straight to the keto-friendly sweeteners that have 🟠 low net carbs but still counts:
