My Ten Years of Sweetener Experiments and What Truly Matters

With quite a sentiment, I remember in 2016 when Apollonas just started the Greek Goes Keto project. We were already exploring stevia and other alternatives to sugar, facing the aftertaste problems, and so many blends on the market. I believe I have spent more than ten years experimenting with natural sweeteners, because those artificial ones always terrified me. If there was an article back then that would prevent me from wasting my time, microbiome and money on blended sweeteners, I would have been very grateful. However, I had to learn my lesson, and the reason I am writing this article is pure wish to help someone skip the chaos that the market offers.

While following a strict ketogenic and low-carbohydrate way of eating, you come up with a lot of secret rooms of wisdom to explore. Some options shine brilliantly in baked goods yet fall flat in a simple cup of coffee or tea. Others behave beautifully in drinks but ruin the texture of cakes or crepes. Over time, I developed very clear personal guidelines. The two factors that matter most to us are the long-term influence on gut microflora and the hidden potential for blood glucose spikes. These principles guide every choice I make for visitors and us, and the recipes I share on Greek Goes Keto.

The experiments shared in the books

In all our cookbooks, I gave my best to share the practical knowledge gathered over the years, on low-carb alternatives to flour, sugar and healthy cooking fats. In particular, in the book Baking with Fewer Carbs, there is a detailed chart that explains the quality and usability of all types of sweeteners, helping readers make informed choices that align with both flavour and long-term health. These books reflect my ongoing commitment to creating delicious, nourishing food without too many carbs or artificial additives.

Here on the website, we have written extensively about why many popular keto-friendly sweeteners do not align with a truly health-focused approach. Products based on polyols, such as erythritol, or liquid fibres and rare sugars like allulose, may seem convenient because they provide bulk and a sugar-like taste. However, they can disrupt the delicate balance of gut bacteria over time and introduce compounds that health-conscious Ketonians or Low-Carbers would rather avoid. After extensive reading and personal observation, I made a conscious decision to move away from them completely. This left me with two clean, natural and powerful options that respect both our gut health priorities and never-ending desire for excellent flavour.

Having tested so many known and unknown brands, I must say, the 10-year experiment led me to literally 4 brands that are steadily available on the market and don’t disappoint. Now, I know that there must be other great products for a person just starting Keto, or just looking to avoid sugar. However, these are 100% tested, never disappoint and are quite easy to find online. For those of you saying that we could just quit the sweet flavour, and continue eating savoury and salty foods only, I must say: This will never be an easy choice for any human, and it’s not even needed except in severe cases of sugar addiction.

Why Pure Monk Fruit Became No. 1

Pure monk fruit powder, by Julian Bakery, won my heart from the first time I tried it. It offers intense sweetness derived from natural mogrosides without any added fibres or sugar alcohols, and the flavour is quite pleasant. This is literally the fruit that was dried, ground into a powder and packaged. For baking and creating Keto goodies that need structure and reliable sweetness, I reach for a high-quality pure monk fruit powder. For a standard-sized cake, many will be surprised, I use 1 teaspoon for the base, another 1 for the filling… That’s all, the whole cake is made with 2 teaspoons of monk fruit powder. With a pinch of salt, this sweetener performs the best in baked goods.

I must say, I tried the concentrated version, and it requires some testing before getting the exact dose. These deliver clean, potent sweetness that performs beautifully in cakes, cookies, homemade jams and marmalades as well as other treats without the cooling effect or digestive concerns I experienced with polyols. The powder form gives me precise control, and the quality is consistently high, which is essential when I am developing recipes for retreats or for our community.

For everyday use and travel, the liquid form of monk fruit extract is wonderfully convenient. It travels easily and dissolves instantly in any beverage. I have tried the vast majority of products that market themselves as pure, organic and additive-free. However, just a few of them actually could pass the test of sweetness potential, purity and ability to travel.

Lakanto Liquid Monk Fruit – Pleasant but Not Powerful Enough

When I tested Lakanto Monk Fruit Liquid Sweetener, I found it pleasant and clean. The ingredients are simple: purified water, monk fruit extract, natural flavours, and a touch of citric acid. It is a genuine water-based extract without erythritol, which I appreciate. However, the sweetening power is relatively mild. I often found myself using more drops than expected to reach the desired level of sweetness in coffee or tea. While it works well enough for light sweetening, it does not deliver the concentrated punch I prefer for consistent daily use.

NOW Foods Organic Monk Fruit Liquids – Decent Flavour and Strength

The NOW Foods Organic Monk Fruit Liquid range, especially the flavoured versions, impressed me with both taste and potency. These are based on certified organic monk fruit extract, de-ionised water, and in many cases a small percentage of organic cane alcohol or glycerin to carry the flavour. The sweetening power is excellent. A few drops transform beverages beautifully, and the natural flavours such as vanilla, chocolate, or caramel taste remarkably authentic without any artificial edge. They work great in homemade ice cream, jelly, cold or hot drinks such as lemonade, sea buckthorn juice or low-carb virgin cocktails and smoothies, where the depth of flavour adds that real feel. They strike an impressive balance between clean ingredients and genuine sweetening strength. The only downside, it’s not widely available in Europe, and you gotta keep ordering from the USA. The same company also has Stevia drops, but for this category, I discovered a much better version.

BeKeto Flavour Drops – The True European Champion

For the European market, and especially for people in Greece, where pure monk fruit can be harder to source consistently, high-quality liquid stevia drops become the practical hero. After testing many options, I can say with confidence that BeKeto Flavour Drops stand out as the champion for flavour, sweetening power, and clean formulation.

Honest review, without even a drop of biased opinion 😉

These drops are sweetened with natural stevia extract. I expected the typical Stevia aftertaste, but to my surprise, it did not appear. No need to mention that they are gluten-free, but for us, most importantly, they don’t contain any harmful additives. Just a few drops transform coffee, shakes, or desserts from plain to interesting. The range includes: Favourite Cookie, which is the favourite for many of my friends visiting and trying our homemade sugar-free ice cream or freddo espresso, Cherry on Top works miracles for lemonades, low-carb fruit salads or jellies, Natural Chocolate will make the best chocolate mousse or just lift your cappuccino. The most desirable and currently out-of-stock French Vanilla and Delicious Hazelnut are for all kinds of gourmet experiments you can imagine.

I had the opportunity to test them thoroughly over a couple of weeks in every kind of situation imaginable. They performed brilliantly in hot coffee, cold beverages, fresh lemonade, sea buckthorn juice, and even a creamy Matcha Latte smoothie with strawberry notes. The sweetness is clean and immediate, with no bitter aftertaste.

What truly delighted me was using them in Keto crepes. The flavoured versions, especially hazelnut, cherry, and cookies, brought wonderful depth and made the crepes taste like a genuine treat rather than a compromise. Because they are highly concentrated, only a few drops are needed, which keeps everything light and elegant. The clean formulation aligns perfectly with the gut-health and blood-glucose principles I hold dear.

For anyone in Europe looking for a reliable, delicious, and versatile liquid sweetener that works across drinks and baking, BeKeto Flavour Drops have become my top recommendation!