Allulose vs Stevia: Which Sweetener Is Better?

Sugar substitutes are increasingly more common these days as people work to reduce their sugar intake, and two that get a lot of attention are allulose and stevia. Both promise zero calories, a gentler effect on blood sugar, and a way to enjoy sweet flavors without the blood sugar crash. Regarding allulose vs. stevia, how do they really compare?

Let’s break it down - pros, cons, studies, and even why you might want to look for organic versions.

What is Allulose?

Allulose is a rare sugar that naturally shows up in tiny amounts in foods like figs and raisins and is also made on a larger scale for use in recipes. In powder form, its consistency is very similar to table sugar, however, it tastes about 70% less sweet than table sugar (which is called sucrose).

Allulose's Effect on Blood Sugar:
Your body absorbs allulose (affiliate link) but barely uses it for energy because it has fewer than 0.4 calories per gram, whereas sugar has 4.0 calories per gram. So, while it tastes like sugar, it doesn’t increase your blood sugar levels.

In fact, there's some evidence that consuming a meal or beverage with at least 5 grams of allulose (approximately 1 to 1.25 teaspoons) can lower post-meal blood sugar levels.

Image states What is Allulose and then shares that it is a Rare sugar found in foods like figs and raisins,
Made in powder form - from fructose in corn starch, is
70% less sweet than table sugar (sucrose) but similar in texture; and
does not increase blood sugar levels
and studies show it can lower post-meal blood sugar levels plus there is
no after-taste for most people.

What is Stevia?

Stevia is a non-nutritive sweetener that comes from the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana plant. Stevia contains steviol glycosides, which are extremely sweet, approximately 200 to 300 times sweeter than sugar, so you only need a tiny amount.

Stevia's Effect on Blood Sugar:
Stevia doesn't have any calories, and studies show that it doesn't increase blood sugar or insulin levels. Stevia is often mixed with other sweeteners, like erythritol, so make sure you get 100% stevia.

Note: High blood levels of erythritol have been associated with increased risk of heart attack and stroke. While more research is needed, it makes sense to avoid this non-nutritive sweetener until we have more research.

Bitter taste: While stevia might taste bitter for some, it doesn't for everyone. This is due to individual genetic taste receptors. Not everyone's taste receptors react the same, which can cause a bitter taste for some.

Images describes What is Stevia? Stevia comes the Stevia rebaudiana plant.
Stevia contains steviol glycosides, which are approximately 200 to 300 times sweeter than sugar.
Stevia has zero calories and does not increase blood sugar levels.
Some people find stevia to taste bitter
Choose 100% pure stevia to avoid fillers, like erythritol or unwanted oils

Pros and Cons: Allulose vs Stevia

Here's a quick comparison of allulose vs stevia:

Allulose Pros

Tastes a lot like sugar—no weird aftertaste for most people.
Works well in baking (it browns and caramelizes like sugar).
Doesn’t spike blood sugar and may even help lower post-meal glucose.

Allulose Cons

Can get pricey and isn’t as widely available. We like the Now Organic Allulose (affiliate link).
Too much at one time may cause stomach upset for some (bloating, diarrhea).

visual explains the pros and cons of allulose; pros include that it tastes likes sugar; works well in baking and doesn't spike blood sugar; cons include that it can be pricey and hard to find and that too much at one time can upset one's stomach

Stevia Pros

Zero calories and very sweet—you don’t need much.
Plant-based, widely available, and inexpensive. We like Microingredients Organic Stevia (affiliate link) in powder form. Often, the liquid form has an oil or other ingredient added to keep it emulsified.
Doesn't increase blood sugar.

Stevia Cons

Some people notice a bitter or licorice-like aftertaste.
Doesn’t behave like sugar in recipes—this is why it is often used in sweetener blends. However, despite this, we recommend getting 100% pure stevia (affiliate link).
Watch out: some stevia products have fillers like maltodextrin that can raise blood sugar.

visual explains the pros and cons of stevia; pros include that it has zero calories and is very sweet; it's widely available and inexpensive and doesn't increase blood sugar; cons include that some people notice a bitter or licorice-like aftertaste, it doesn't behavior like sugar in recipes and is often mixed with other sweeteners or filler

Let's Review What Studies Say

Allulose: Research in people with type 2 diabetes shows that it not only avoids raising blood sugar but may actually reduce glucose spikes after meals.
Stevia: A review of clinical studies have found that stevia is safe for people with diabetes and may help keep blood sugar stable.

Blood Sugar & Insulin Resistance

This is where it gets interesting:

Allulose seems to have a unique edge. Since your body absorbs it but doesn’t metabolize it fully, it doesn’t just avoid raising blood sugar—it may actually lower the glucose impact of the meal. That’s big if you’re dealing with insulin resistance.
Stevia doesn’t raise blood sugar either and may help with insulin sensitivity, but its effect seems more about “not causing harm” than actively improving glucose response.

So if you’re managing insulin resistance, prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, both are smart swaps for sugar. You might just prefer one over the other, depending on taste or how you use it with your cooking.

Stevia: History & Research Timeline

Stevia has been used for centuries in South America (Paraguay and Brazil) where the leaves of the plant, Stevia rebaudiana, is used to sweeten drinks and for medicinal purposes.
- First formally studied in the late 1800s.
- By the 1970s–80s, Japan began approving stevia as a sweetener, and it became widely used there long before the U.S.
- In the U.S., whole-leaf stevia and crude extracts were banned as food additives until the 2000s.
- In 2008, high-purity steviol glycosides were granted GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status by the FDA.
Today, stevia is one of the most studied natural non-nutritive sweeteners, with hundreds of human and animal studies covering safety, blood sugar effects, blood pressure, gut health, and more.

Allulose: History & Research Timeline

Allulose (D-psicose) was identified in 1940s as a “rare sugar” found naturally in small amounts in foods like figs, raisins, and wheat.
- Initial metabolic studies began in the 1990s–2000s, mostly in Japan and Korea, exploring its absorption, excretion, and effects on glucose metabolism.
- By the 2010s, clinical trials started appearing in humans showing that allulose does not significantly raise blood glucose or insulin, and may even help blunt post-meal spikes.
- In the U.S., the FDA gave allulose GRAS status in 2014.
- In 2019, the FDA ruled that allulose does not need to be counted as “added sugar” or “total sugar” on nutrition labels (big deal for manufacturers).
While not as extensively studied as stevia, the evidence is growing quickly, especially in the last 10–15 years.

Why Choose Organic?

Not all sweeteners are created equal, and this is where “organic” matters.

Cleaner ingredients: Non-organic crops can be treated with pesticides. Organic certification helps reduce exposure.
No GMOs: Many sweeteners (including allulose, often made from corn) may come from GMO sources unless labeled organic.
Peace of mind: If you’re using sweeteners every day, choosing organic helps cut down on unnecessary chemical load.

Allulose Vs. Stevia: Which One Should You Pick?

Love baking or want that sugar-like taste? Go with allulose (affiliate link).
Looking for something super-sweet, calorie-free, and easy to find? Stevia’s (affiliate link) your friend.
Watching blood sugar closely? Both are safe, but allulose may have a little extra benefit post-meal.
Concerned about pesticides or GMOs? Opt for 100% organic when possible.

visual explains reasons to choose organic allulose or stevia including that organic has cleaner ingredients with less pesticides and doesn't have genetically modified ingredients offering peace of mind in reducing unnecessary chemicals

Our Recipes That Include Allulose

We use allulose in our recipes because we appreciate its texture, taste, and potential to lower post-meal glucose levels. Here are some of our recipes with allulose:

Allulose vs. Stevia Final Takeaway

At the end of the day, you'll find that both allulose and stevia are better for blood sugar and insulin resistance than regular sugar. Your choice may come down to taste, cost, and how you plan to use it. If you’re into baking and want sugar-like texture, try allulose. If you simply want to sweeten your coffee, stevia works great if it doesn't taste bitter to you.

Either way, you’ll be doing your body and your blood sugar a favor by replacing sugar with either allulose or stevia.