Make Your Own Natural Sweetener
 

I like to sweeten my coffee in the morning, but regular, table sugar is not for me...too sweet and too high on the glycemic index. For a long time I was using stevia, but it was cut with all kinds of other things. then, I tried a combo of stevia and monk fruit that came packaged in little packets...all too expensive for my budget. I've finally come up with something that tastes good, is low on the glycemic index and doesn't cost a fortune. I make my own combo of stevia/monk fruit powder.

I found both ingredients online, (I think that it was on Nuts.com.) These are pure products, with no additives, or fillers. They come in resealable pouches. I'm sorry, I can't remember what they cost, but I'm sure that it was cheaper than the commercial products that I was buying in the grocery store. I just mixed them together 50/50.

The first time I tried my new blend, I put in about 1/2 teaspoon into my coffee. Blech! I had to spit it out! It was soooooo sweeeeet! I now just take a tiny pinch...like about 1/8 of a teaspoon, maybe even less. I like the taste. The combo for the stevia and monk fruit is good for me. At this rate, it will take at least 5, or 6 years to use up my pouches, so it's definitely economical. Also, these are not products that have come under criticism for being bad for you, like artificial sweeteners, and I think that they are rated zero on the GI.

I might try my blend into my jelly this year. I might also try making some Root Beer with it.

~ C

I use Stevia all the time in my coffee but I am interested in what this Monk fruit is. I will have to do a little searching.

Monk fruit is good. I like it in combo with stevia. It's in a lot of the "natural" sweeteners now. The only drawback is that I can't grow it at home like I can stevia. I'm pretty sure I bought mine in bulk at nuts.com.

~ C

I'll have to try your mixture. I use Monk fruit sweetener in all my liquid drinks and for sprinkling on cereal and such. I buy it at Walmart, not expensive enough to make me pause, $3.50 for 8 oz wt package. It's about $4.50 on Amazon. One package will last me about two weeks. I happened to see a stock guy putting more on the shelf and he said all that was in the back for now so I bought extra. I noticed it back on the shelf now. One thing I learned in a lecture for Atkins weight loss was how to cut your sugar intake in half. One part sugar and one part sweetener (any kind) will double the sweetness. so 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup sweeter will be the same sweetness as 2 cups sugar. This is perfect for baking as baked goods need the bulk of real sugar.

I just buy sweetener, don't use much of it.

Thank you Tropit for the advice on the Monk Fruit. I will try and find it here locally if I can.

I'd try the health food stores. It's hard to find it pure and in bulk.

~ C

Nice to know how much to add! Sometimes you think you have a product that is "use like sugar" and sometimes you have something "ten times sweeter than sugar" and they both look the same.

We got this monk fruit sweetener brand from Costco, that's the direct site below.
https://www.lakanto.com/collections/...mily-size-800g

I thought it was hubby suitable but he doesn't like the sugar alcohols. I thought it was fine but don't put sweetener in my coffee (or if I do, it comes from syrups). We gave most of the bag to one of the ladies in my Tuesday group and she is loving her one spoonful a day on her oatmeal.

Thank you Iceblossom for the picture of the Monk Fruit. Now I know what it looks like. I have been trying to find it at our super Walmart and can't find it. I live in a smaller town so when I go down to the big city I will look for it again.