You may have noticed that many of my recipes use Monkfruit with erythritol as a replacement for sugar.
What is Monkfruit sweetener?
It's a granulated sweetener, naturally derived from monk fruit, a small round fruit native to Southeast Asia. Since it is much sweeter than sugar, it's mixed with erythritol, a sugar alcohol used as a low-calorie sweetener. It does not raise blood sugar levels as sugar tends to do.
While it works for many of us who are avoiding sugar, and it allows us to have our favourite sweet foods like cookies, cakes, and other desserts, note that I am not a health professional and I don't offer health advice.
I generally offer an alternative in my recipes for other sweeteners, like granulated sugar, coconut sugar, honey, or maple syrup. Monkfruit with erythritol is a common sweetener used in Keto diets. In most recipes you can substitute granulated sugar with an equal amount of Monkfruit with erythritol.
I recommend you use whatever sweetener you feel is appropriate for your health and your family.
Where can you buy it?
I use Lacanto Monkfruit with Eythritol. It comes in two varieties: Classic (like white sugar) and Golden (like light brown or golden sugar.)
Recently, it has become so popular that it's readily available in grocery stores and supermarkets, usually in the baking supply aisle. Costco carries it as well, at a much lower price. Lacanto also makes a syrup that provides a good substitute for maple syrup. If you can't find it in your local supermarket, you can order Lacanto Monkfruit from Amazon.
Is it right for you?
Want to know more about these 0-calorie sweeteners? This article from Healthline may give you the information you need.