Stevia And Monk Fruit Extract

Stevia extract comes from the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana plant, native to South America. Monk fruit extract comes from the monk fruit, a small, round fruit grown in Southeast Asia. Both are purified to create high-intensity sweeteners that are many times sweeter than sugar.

These extracts are used as low-calorie or zero-calorie sweeteners in a wide variety of food and beverage products. Manufacturers add them to reduce sugar and calorie content while maintaining sweetness. They are commonly found in diet sodas, yogurts, baked goods, and tabletop sweeteners.

Steviol glycosides from stevia and mogrosides from monk fruit are generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the FDA for use as sweeteners. Both the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) have evaluated these sweeteners and established acceptable daily intakes. While generally considered safe, some individuals report mild digestive upset at very high intakes.