Alternative Sweeteners: Monk Fruit, Stevia, Erythritol & Xylitol – Dr. Berg

Learn more about alternative sweeteners—which ones are fine and which should you avoid?

DATA:

0:00 Introduction: Alternative sweeteners
0:10 Alternative sweeteners vs artificial sweeteners
0:45 A deeper look at sugar-free products
11:35 Understanding different types of sugar
13:35 Get unfiltered health information by signing up for my newsletter

Let’s talk about alternative sweeteners. Trying alternative sweeteners when starting the ketogenic diet can make the transition much easier.

Notice I said alternative sweeteners and not artificial sweeteners. While alternative sweeteners aren’t completely natural, they are less artificial and less harmful than artificial sweeteners.

Keto snacks and desserts often have different kinds of alternative or artificial sweeteners. Trying keto snacks and keto desserts isn’t a bad thing, but it’s crucial to check the ingredients. Just because it’s labeled “keto” doesn’t make it healthy.

Out of all of the sweeteners, erythritol and xylitol* are two of the best. But it’s still better to only consume small amounts.

Monk fruit and stevia are also great options. However, with stevia, it’s important to make sure that the product doesn’t also contain maltodextrin. Maltodextrin is higher on the glycemic index than sugar. Maltitol, agave nectar, and functional fibers should also be avoided.

Including too much of these sugar alcohols (even the good ones) in your diet can cause bloating, fluid retention, diarrhea, and can upset the gut microbiome. They may also prevent you from getting rid of cravings.

I think sugar alternatives are great to help a person transition off of consuming sugar and for an occasional treat—but they shouldn’t be consumed on a regular basis.

*Pet owners should keep in mind that certain alternative sweeteners, like xylitol, can be highly toxic to animals. Sugar alternatives can be found in a wide range of products and may go by different names. It’s best to keep these types of products far out of reach from your pets.

Dr. Eric Berg DC Bio:
Dr. Berg, age 58, is a chiropractor who specializes in Healthy Ketosis and intermittent fasting. He is the author of the best-selling book The Healthy Keto Plan, and is the Director of Dr. Berg Nutritionals®. He no longer practices, but focuses on health education through social media.

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Disclaimer:
Dr. Eric Berg received his Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1988. His use of “doctor” or “Dr.” in relation to himself solely refers to that degree. Dr. Berg is a licensed chiropractor in Virginia, California, and Louisiana, but he no longer practices chiropractic in any state and does not see patients so he can focus on educating people as a full-time activity, yet he maintains an active license. This video is for general informational purposes only. It should not be used to self-diagnose and it is not a substitute for a medical exam, cure, treatment, diagnosis, prescription, or recommendation. It does not create a doctor-patient relationship between Dr. Berg and you. You should not make any change in your health regimen or diet before first consulting a physician and obtaining a medical exam, diagnosis, and recommendation. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

#keto #ketodiet #weightloss #ketolifestyle

Thanks for watching! I hope this helps you better understand alternative sweeteners. I’ll see you in the next video.

[pbrooks]

I respect that you don’t trust the food manufacturers. That’s one reason why we trust you, Dr. Berg. Thanks.

[Franciso-sobg]

I bought a stevia plant several years ago. I've nourished it and propagated it into several other plants. I harvest fresh stevia leaves and dry them. Then I crush them up and use just a pinch of the dried leaves in any beverage I want sweetened. I know what is in my stevia.

[OrasSelection]

I had a friend who kept trying to get me to use sugar substitutes. I kept saying "why should I use substitutes when it just keeps my sweet cravings alive, why not get off sugar completely."
Because I became a Type 1 Diabetic I realized the importance of NO MORE SUGAR. Me and the SUGAR MONSTER battled for a long time. I won!!!

[thatonegirl]

"natural flavors" is always a warning sign for me.

[ksrenreno]

Ladies, just a heads up. Artificial sweetners can, after a period of time, they can affect bladder control. So if you're having incotinence issues, try giving up your artificial sweetners for a while. See if it doesn't go away.

[LordKibly]

Xylitol’s anti-cariogenic properties (enamel protective effects) alone make it the best alternative sweetener you can consume, especially after every meal and snack. Just make sure you keep it out of reach from your dogs as it is lethal to them. And don’t worry about its effect on the gut microbiome, as it’s actually a prebiotic, and it’s not indiscriminately antibacterial. It selectively inhibits the cavity-causing streptococcus mutans through the metabolism of xylitol-5-phosphate, which is indigestible and detrimental to their survival because they are unable to process it, which starves them, essentially allowing the now alkalinized saliva to do its job and remineralize the teeth without the hindrance of acidity and bad bacteria.

[elainehill]

Thanks so much for this valuable information Dr. Berg! These days I just use a tiny bit of pure Stevia. Yes, it’s expensive to get the pure stuff but it last me a very long time. now that it’s getting colder I make a hot chocolate with coconut milk, organic unsweetened, cacao powder, a tiny bit of pure Stevia and a splash of heavy cream. I don’t really eat the keto desserts anymore. In the beginning I did.

[tonymcdow]

I use pure Stevia extract and then apply it as drops to whatever I need sweetened. It takes about a week to adapt to the difference in taste from sugar, but once you get used to it, you will not miss sugar.

[Timberland]

I found a stevia product that that has no bitter aftertaste. It’s called Better Stevia and sold by Now Foods. It’s very concentrated and not much is needed.

[Trazynn]

On a keto diet I lost all cravings for sweet food except for soft fruit. I want savoury now. Mix high-fat cottage cheese with berries and you've got yourself a keto desert.

[cynthiao]

Thanks, Dr.Berg, for this video. I have been on keto for about 1.5 years. My A1C was 6, and now it's 5. I am so happy and so is my doctor. However, I only lost 40 lbs, which is great, but I need to lose more. I am 220 now would love to be 150.

[Jupitr_Moon]

**Throws away Hershey's Sugar Free ch. Chips with Malitol**
**Sobs quietly**
😢😢😢

[practicaldee]

I love that Dr. Berg reviews actual products. I wasn't familiar with certain products like healthy sugar substitutes. My shopping list has changed dramatically (in a good way though) since following Dr. Berg and watching his videos. I really feel like I should be paying him. I will support him by buying his products because he has made a significant difference in improving my health. Thank you, Dr. Berg.

[josephburns-zdkr]

That is one of our problems. Too much of anything is not good for us. Self-control sometimes can be difficult for some of us. The problem is food industry makes food taste so good and makes you want more of it. Learn to discipline yourself and control yourself. It took me a very long time to do that, but after watching and listening to Dr. Berg, I have changed my way of eating and what I eat, and when I eat. Thanks, Dr. Berg!!!!

[robi]

Everytime I have a question or feel confused about something I find your videos with all the answers i need, thank youu❤️🙏

[LariatLady]

Thank you for covering this. I make my own desserts rather than buying them premade from the store. Lately, I've come across recipes that called for Swerve (Erythritol, prebiotic ogliosaccharides, and natural flavors) or Besti Brown Sugar Replacement (Allulose, monk fruit extract, vegetable glycerin, natural flavors) sweetener, which are both new to me. I didn't know what to think about them but this video has helped me some. I will say that I do not trust "natural flavors." I feel that term is a loophole used to include unacceptable ingredients.

[RicheyFun]

Dr. Berg, really love all you do. I've really studied how some sugars are made. White sugar has a multi phase chemical process, unlike Coconut Sugar. I think saying they are the same are not accurate. Keep in mind (not a popular opinion) I practice metabolic flexibility on Sunday and sometimes weekends. That why I studied high carb sugars. So it may be helpful if you can touch on clarifying on these topics, respectfully. However I can't help but think that you're not going to touch on it, because it's against the philosophies of all the keto type doctors on YouTube. If anybody reading this does want to try metabolic flexibility on Sunday or weekend, Make sure you try to use all natural sugars if possible or just fruits or honey. I do deviate it from it a little bit (holidays) but some can't tolerate this generally. I learned this from a doctor, fighting cancer using diet only. To pharaphase him: after a couple of months of being low carb, then you can easily do (without cravings) a high carb sunday with natural sugars like fruit (his rule was only natural honeycomb and fresh fruit on Sunday, along with the special keto low-carb diet with certain vegetables, to fight his cancer which went into remission over 8 years). So thanks to all reading this, and I hope you can gain better health/well-being with this information, and of course the knowledge of what we can gain from Dr Eric Berg and the others that do low to no carb and are helping monumentally on YouTube💜☮️

[brooklynbabe]

Lily's is owned by The Hershey Company. I need tests on the products to prove they are completely sugar-free. I have been side eyeing it since I found out this year.

[marysh]

I don't like sugar anymore, and that's fascinating.

[happynjoyousnfree]

Erythritol exacerbated my IBS and I ended up with a horrible gas and bloating issue. I feel better since giving it up. I'm leery about allulose as well. I use pure stevia and Monk fruit in herbal tea without problems.