Natural alternatives to sugar are gaining in global popularity as health-conscious consumers seek better for you alternatives and become increasingly aware of their existence. The rise in demand for these products has driven them to become dramatically more popular, mainstream and readily available.

 Stevia is a natural sweetener and sugar substitute derived from the leaves of the plant species Stevia rebaudiana, native to Brazil and Paraguay. Stevia rabaudiana, and the active compound inside the leaves of the stevia plant called Steviol glycosides, is 150 times sweeter than sugar. Stevia is not digested by the body, contains no carbohydrates or calories, has a glycemic value of zero and can trigger an antibacterial benefit in the body.

Erythritol is a sugar alcohol and natural sugar substitute. Sugar alcohols are naturally occurring and the byproduct of the fermentation process in foods. It can be found in small amounts in fruit and vegetables as well as fermented products such as wine. Erythritol is believed to be the only sugar alcohol that does not have any effect on blood sugar levels, tastes almost identical to sugar and behaves when baked in a very similar way.

Monk fruit is also known as Buddha fruit or longevity fruit and is a small sub-tropical melon that has been cultivated in Asia for hundred of years. It has been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine and is a natural way to replace the calories of sugar with the goodness of fruit. The compounds in Monk fruit are also believed to have powerful anti-inflammatory properties, zero calories, and they may help regulate blood sugar levels.