Monk Fruit vs Stevia: Which Is Healthier?

Added sugars occupy an alarming amount of space in the average American's diet. More and more families are growing increasingly conscious about their choices and how the foods they eat may impact their health and overall wellness.

When it comes to sweetening foods and drinks, many parents are looking for better options than added sugar.

Artificial sweeteners often raise questions, which is why natural alternatives like stevia and monk fruit have become popular choices—especially for families trying to keep things clean and plant-based.

Both offer a way to add sweetness without the sugar spike, but they're not exactly the same. Here's what sets them apart and how to choose the best fit for your family.

What Is Monk Fruit?

Monk Fruit is a fruit that grows in Southern China, where the locals call it lo han guo. As monk fruits grow, they appear similar to green apples. They eventually ripen to an earthy brown shade, similar to a bosc pear or the skin of a kiwi.

Monk fruit has cultural significance dating back to ancient China, where it is believed that the fruit has been used medicinally as early as the 13th century. Its benefits in medical applications have not been studied or validated, but its use in food culture has been well documented.

Monk fruit is safe to eat and use as a sweetener.

Inside the monk fruit, the fruit itself looks similar to tiny bulbs of garlic when cut at a cross-section. This is the part of the fruit that provides natural sweetness. When you eat raw monk fruit, it doesn't taste overly sugary. It has a unique fruity taste with a background flavor.

The sweetness of the fruit comes from naturally occurring compounds, called mogrosides, that are several hundred times sweeter than sugar but do not contain any calories.

Mogrosides are useful to the body as cell-protective antioxidants and impart a sweet flavor, making monk fruit one of the only alternative sweeteners with potential direct wellness benefits.

Manufacturers of monk fruit-based sweeteners will isolate these mogrosides as best as possible. In the process, they'll also attempt to remove any of the compounds that would contribute to an aftertaste.

What Is Stevia?

Stevia is a leafy, shrubby plant native to South America. Stevia leaves naturally produce steviol glycosides, compounds that are sweeter than sugar and mimic the behavior of sugar without containing carbohydrates or calories.

Stevia thrives in most places. Your local home improvement store likely has stevia plants in its garden center. You can plant your own stevia at home, although extracting the sweetener from the leaves will likely prove too challenging.

Raw stevia leaves are simultaneously sweet with a naturally occurring plant bitterness. Their flavor is similar to bitter greens like arugula but with a sweet kick. Manufacturers extract the steviol glycosides from the plant's leaves and purify them to eliminate as much of the bitter flavor as possible.

The Pros and Cons of Monk Fruit

Although monk fruit is generally safe and well-received, everything has pros and cons. The best way to know if monk fruit will work for you is to try some at home and see how your family likes it.

The Pros of Monk Fruit

• It does not contain calories
• It does not impact blood sugar levels
• Naturally derived

The Cons of Monk Fruit

• Difficult to import and expensive to produce
• Strong aftertaste in some cases

The Pros and Cons of Stevia

Stevia has been a favorite natural sweetener among the wellness community. Even though it's generally well-received, there may be a few drawbacks.

The Pros of Stevia

• Calorie-free
• Has no impact on blood sugar
• Comes in many forms
• Easy to find, even in packets at restaurants

The Cons of Stevia

• Aftertaste similar to licorice or anise seed
• May cause bloating or gas

Always Check the Ingredients List for Additives

Additives are common in natural sweeteners because these sweeteners are costly to produce. Sweeteners like monk fruit are typically an overseas import, and like with most hard-to-find imported goods, this usually leads to a higher price tag.

Manufacturers will attempt to reduce the price of monk fruit sweeteners by packing them with additives like erythritol (sugar alcohol), dextrose, and maltodextrin. If you don't have any objections to using these sweeteners, this may not be a problem for you.

If you're looking for pure monk fruit extract, it might be more challenging to find a monk fruit sweetener that suits your needs.

Stevia sweeteners may also contain similar additives, especially if they're in a liquid form. That's why it's important to read the label.

How to Use Monk Fruit and Stevia

It's easy to find both monk fruit and stevia in bulk or single serve packets on local grocery store shelves.

While many sweeteners don't work to perfectly substitute sugar in recipes for things like baked goods, both monk fruit and stevia might work well. Depending on what you're baking, you may notice that stevia and monk fruit can slightly change the texture of your baked goods. Sugar lends a naturally crispier texture to things like cookies when it caramelizes, and sweeteners like stevia and monk fruit won't do that.

Try baking with these sweeteners to see how they work for you. You may be delighted with your end product. If you need to make a few minor tune-ups the next time, turn to the internet. You'll likely find many tips from cooking blogs and recipe vloggers specializing in lightened-up recipes.

Monk Fruit vs. Stevia: Which is Healthier?

Both monk fruit and stevia are natural, calorie-free alternatives to sugar—and unlike added sugars, they won't cause spikes or crashes in blood sugar levels. That makes them a smart swap for families looking to reduce sugar without giving up sweetness.

The biggest difference often comes down to taste and tolerance. Some people prefer the flavor of monk fruit, while others find stevia more suitable for their palate. If your child doesn't have any sensitivities to either, it's simply a matter of what works best for your family's needs and preferences.

Monk Fruit vs. Stevia: Which is Better?

If you're working to reduce added sugars in your family's diet, either monk fruit or stevia can be a helpful choice. Both offer sweetness without the empty calories or blood sugar spikes that come with traditional sugar.

Stevia is widely available and commonly used, but it doesn't work for everyone. Some people experience digestive discomfort or have sensitivities to stevia in its purest form, which may rule it out as an option.

Monk fruit tends to be gentler on digestion and is a great alternative for families who prefer a milder taste—or who can't tolerate stevia. More local grocery stores are stocking monk fruit sweeteners as they gain popularity.

There's no need to pick just one—if your family enjoys both, you can keep them both in the rotation.

Why Hiya Uses Monk Fruit in Our Children's Multivitamin

We believe something meant to support your child's health shouldn't come with added sugar. That's why Hiya's chewable multivitamins are naturally sweetened with monk fruit—no gummy additives, no added sugar.

When choosing between monk fruit and stevia, monk fruit was the clear winner for us. It has no known side effects, a clean taste, and blends seamlessly into our organic fruit and veggie mix.

Hiya is designed to be inclusive—vegan, sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, and non-GMO—so more families can feel confident in their daily vitamin. And yes, kids actually love the taste.