Sweeten with Monk Fruit

Monk fruit is a sweetener that comes in the form of sugar or extract. You can use it to sweeten a variety of fruits and drinks. Monk fruit has no calories, so it makes a great substitute for sugar. However, it is unclear how monk sugar affects weight or conditions like diabetes. Talk to your doctor about monk sugar if you're trying to lose weight or have any chronic health conditions.

Steps

Sweetening Foods

1. Substitute for sugar with monk fruit when baking. Monk fruit in sugar form can make a great substitute for sugar in baked goods. It does not have any calories and can help cut back on added sugar in your diet. However, monk fruit is much sweeter than sugar. When using monk fruit for baking, use half as much monk fruit as you would sugar.
   • For example, if a recipe calls for half a cup of sugar (120 mL), use a quarter cup (60 mL) of monk fruit.
2. Substitute sugar in sauces and dressings. When making sauces and dressings that call for sugar, add monk fruit instead. Use monk fruit in sugar or extract form. It will sweeten sauces and dressings without adding extra sugar and calories.
   • Add less monk fruit than you would sugar, as it's much sweeter than sugar. It may take some experimentation to figure out the right amount of monk fruit to use.
3. Sweeten breakfast foods with monk fruit. You can add monk fruit in sugar or extract form to cereals and oatmeal. This will sweeten them up without having to add any extra sugar. If you usually add things like honey or sugar to your plain cereal and oatmeal, use monk fruit instead.
4. Sprinkle monk fruit on sour fruits. If you prefer adding sugar to more sour-tasting fruits, like grapefruit, use monk fruit instead. Sprinkle a small amount of monk fruit sugar over a grapefruit before eating it. This will prevent you from needing to add extra sugar, which adds calories to your dish.

Sweetening Beverages

1. Swap out sugar for monk fruit in sweet beverages. When making sweet beverages, like lemonade or juices, use monk fruit in place of sugar. This will make sweetened beverages healthier. You can have a treat with less calories and sugar.
   • Use less monk fruit than you would sugar. It may take some trial and error to figure out how much monk fruit to add.
2. Add monk fruit extract to coffees and teas. If you want to sweeten a cup of coffee or tea, skip the sugar. Instead, add a splash of monk fruit extract. This will sweeten up bitter beverages without added sugar.
3. Blend monk fruit into smoothies. If you make smoothies or eat plain yogurt, use monk fruit as a sweetener. Instead of adding juice to sweeten up a green smoothie, add a splash of monk fruit extract. Instead of buying yogurt with added sugar, sweeten your yogurt with monk fruit.
   • You can also add fruit to smoothies and yogurts to further sweeten them up. This will add healthy fiber, vitamins, and minerals to such foods in addition to adding sweetness.

Taking Precautions

1. Talk to your doctor about monk fruit and weight loss. Monk fruit is new to the market. Its effect on weight has not been widely studied. While some low calorie sweeteners do modestly reduce weight, you should talk to your doctor about weight loss before substituting sugar for monk fruit.
2. Switch to natural flavors if monk fruit causes cravings. Artificial sweeteners can sometimes increase your craving for sweet foods. If you find yourself craving things like cookies and donuts after sweetening foods with monk fruit, stop using it. Instead, use sweet spices like cinnamon and natural flavors like vanilla to sweeten your foods.
3. Avoid monk fruit sweetener with additives. When purchasing monk fruit sweetener, check the label. Make sure there are no unwanted additives, such as dextrose and maltodextrin. You should purchase the most natural monk fruit sweetener you can find.
4. Talk to your doctor if you have diabetes. As monk fruit is new to the market, its effects have not been widely studied. While it appears safe for those with diabetes, you should always check with your doctor first before adding new foods to your diet to make sure they're safe given your current health.
   • If monk fruit triggers cravings for other sweet foods, it may be best if you avoid it altogether.

Sources and Citations

See also

• Create Gourmet Oreos and Whipped Cream
• Make Heart‐Shaped Meringue Cookies
• Make a Mango Float
• Make an Avocado Dessert
• Make Pavlova
• Make Whipped Cream
• Make Crepes Supreme with Nutella
• Make Fried Oreos
• Make a Trifle
• Make Tiramisu

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