You picked up the pack that says "stevia" in big green letters. Flip it over and the first ingredient is often something else entirely: erythritol. If you'd rather avoid it, the front of the pack won't help you.
To find an erythritol-free sweetener in India, check the ingredient list for "erythritol" or INS 968, not the front of the pack. Many "stevia" and "monk fruit" blends use erythritol as bulk. Erythritol-free options include allulose, stevia and monk fruit blends, and sucralose. Read the polyol warning too.
Last updated: November 2026
The problem
Stevia and monk fruit extracts are so intensely sweet that a teaspoon of pure extract would be far too much. So many table-top products bulk them up with another sweetener to make them spoon like sugar. Erythritol, a sugar alcohol, is a common choice.
That's not hidden; it's in the ingredient list. But most of us shop by the front of the pack.
Why it happens
Why some people choose to avoid erythritol
In a 2023 study of more than 4,000 adults in the US and Europe, people with the highest blood erythritol levels had about 1.8–2.2 times the risk of heart attack or stroke over three years, and erythritol made platelets clot more readily in lab and animal tests (Witkowski et al., 2023). This is an association, not proof of cause, and the authors called for long-term studies.
There's also the gut. Europe's food safety authority set a safe intake of 0.5 g per kg of body weight a day for erythritol, based on its laxative effect (EFSA, 2023). Erythritol remains a permitted additive; some people simply prefer to skip it.
How Indian labels show it
Under FSSAI rules, additives are declared by their class, such as "sweetener", with their name or INS number, and foods with 10% or more polyols must carry "Polyols may have laxative effect" (FSSAI, 2022). Erythritol's international number is 968 (FSANZ Schedule 8).
Erythritol label checklist
Sources: FSANZ Schedule 8 (INS numbers); FSSAI Labelling and Display Regulations (declaration and polyol statement).
What to do
Know the erythritol-free options
Erythritol and the alternatives
| Sweetener | Type | On the label | Open question |
|---|---|---|---|
| Erythritol | Sugar alcohol | INS 968 | Heart-event association; laxative above ~0.5 g/kg/day |
| Allulose | Rare sugar | By name | Limited long-term human data |
| Stevia | High-intensity, plant | INS 960 | Bitter aftertaste for some |
| Monk fruit | High-intensity, plant | By name | Often sold blended with a bulk sweetener |
| Sucralose | High-intensity | INS 955 | Check the bulking agent in sachets |
Sources: Witkowski 2023; EFSA 2023; Osborn 2026; FSANZ; FSANZ Schedule 8.
- Allulose. A rare sugar the body barely uses for energy; a 2026 meta-analysis of human trials found it lowered the post-meal glucose rise when taken with a meal (Osborn et al., 2026). Long-term human data are still limited, and large amounts can cause mild gut symptoms in some people (Qi et al., 2026).
- Stevia. FSSAI permitted steviol glycosides (INS 960) in 2015 with limits for each food (Business Standard, 2015).
- Monk fruit. Its sweetness comes from mogrosides; FSANZ puts monk fruit extract at 250–400 times as sweet as sugar (FSANZ). In India, monk fruit enters through product-specific FSSAI approvals (FSSAI, 2026).
- Sucralose (INS 955). A high-intensity sweetener; check the sachet's bulking agent too.
- Blends. If you want sugar-like spooning without erythritol, look for a blend whose bulk comes from allulose. One example is Trulo's 'No Erythritol' Allulose Sweetener, an allulose, monk fruit and stevia blend with "No Sugar Alcohol (e.g. Erythritol)". The same caveat applies: allulose's long-term human research is still limited.
Whatever you choose, read the ingredient list every time; recipes change. Our sweeteners hub collects every guide in one place.
Did you know? In the 2023 study, blood erythritol stayed raised for more than two days after a single erythritol drink in healthy volunteers (Witkowski et al., 2023).
FAQ
How do I know if a sweetener has erythritol?
Read the ingredient list, not the front. Look for "erythritol" or INS 968 after the word "sweetener", and for the warning "Polyols may have laxative effect".
Do stevia and monk fruit sweeteners contain erythritol?
Pure extracts don't, but many table-top blends add erythritol as bulk. Check each product's ingredient list.
Is erythritol banned in India?
No. It is a permitted sugar alcohol with labelling rules. Some people choose to avoid it because of open questions from a 2023 association study and its laxative effect at higher intakes.
What is the best erythritol-free sweetener for diabetes?
There's no single best. Allulose, stevia, monk fruit and sucralose all have little effect on glucose. Choose by taste, tolerance and label, and use less sweetness overall.
Compare the two biggest names in allulose vs erythritol, decode every sweetener INS code, or check any claim with Trulo Compass. Save this checklist for your next grocery run.
Where to buy
This article is for information, not medical advice. If you have diabetes or take medication, talk to your doctor before changing your diet.
Research & References
- Witkowski M, et al. The artificial sweetener erythritol and cardiovascular event risk. Nature Medicine, 2023. — Supports: association with heart events; platelet findings; levels raised over two days.
- EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Flavourings. Re-evaluation of erythritol (E 968) as a food additive. EFSA Journal, 2023. — Supports: 0.5 g/kg/day based on laxative effect.
- Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 — compendium. FSSAI, 2022. — Supports: additive declaration by class and name/INS; polyol statement.
- Food Standards Australia New Zealand. Schedule 8: Food additive names and code numbers. 2024. — Supports: INS 968 and other polyol and sweetener numbers.
- Osborn L, et al. Glycemic and cardiometabolic effects of rare sugars allulose and tagatose: a systematic review and meta-analysis. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2026. — Supports: allulose lowered post-meal glucose rise.
- Qi L, et al. D-Allulose as a low-calorie sweetener: a 30-day randomized, double-blind study on gastrointestinal tolerance. Food Science & Nutrition, 2026. — Supports: mild gut symptoms at higher intakes.
- Business Standard. Sweetener stevia clears FSSAI hurdle. 2015. — Supports: FSSAI permitted steviol glycosides in 2015.
- Food Standards Australia New Zealand. Sweeteners. FSANZ. — Supports: monk fruit extract sweetness.
- Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. List of product/ingredient applications approved (status as on 15.01.2026). FSSAI, 2026. — Supports: product-specific approvals for monk fruit.
