Allulose vs Stevia: A Complete Comparison
Stevia has been the go-to natural sweetener for health-conscious consumers for over a decade. Now allulose is challenging that position. These two sweeteners take fundamentally different approaches to the same problem. Let's compare them across every dimension that matters.
The Fundamentals
Stevia
- Source: Extract from the leaves of Stevia rebaudiana (a plant native to South America)
- Active compounds: Steviol glycosides (stevioside, rebaudioside A, B, C, D, etc.)
- Sweetness: 200–300x sweeter than sugar
- Calories: 0
- Net carbs: 0
- Form: Liquid drops, powder, packets, or blended with bulking agents
Allulose
- Source: Rare sugar found naturally in figs, raisins, jackfruit
- Active compound: D-psicose (a monosaccharide)
- Sweetness: 70% as sweet as sugar
- Calories: 0.2–0.4 per gram
- Net carbs: 0
- Form: Granulated, powdered, liquid syrup
Taste Comparison
Stevia
The biggest complaint about stevia is its aftertaste. Many people detect:
- Bitter notes (especially with stevioside-heavy extracts)
- Licorice-like flavor
- Metallic tinge
- Lingering sweetness that doesn't dissipate naturally
Not everyone perceives these. Sensitivity to stevia's bitter compounds is genetically influenced — some people taste it strongly, others barely notice. Newer stevia products using Reb D or Reb M (specific glycosides with less bitterness) have improved significantly.
Allulose
Allulose's taste profile is remarkably clean:
- No aftertaste
- No bitterness
- No metallic notes
- Sweetness that behaves exactly like sugar — building and fading naturally
In blind taste tests, allulose consistently outperforms stevia in overall taste satisfaction, particularly in baked goods, dairy products, and sauces where the stevia aftertaste is most noticeable.
Winner: Allulose — by a significant margin for most people.
Baking Comparison
This isn't even close.
Stevia in Baking
- Provides zero bulk (you use drops or tiny amounts of powder)
- Cannot replace sugar's physical role in recipes
- No browning or caramelization
- No moisture retention
- No structural contribution
- Requires bulking agents (erythritol, inulin, etc.) for any recipe that depends on sugar's volume
Using stevia in baking essentially means creating an entirely new recipe, not converting an existing one.
Allulose in Baking
- 1:1 volume replacement for sugar
- Browns beautifully (faster than sugar)
- Retains moisture for days
- Provides structure and bulk
- Makes real caramel
- Keeps frozen desserts scoopable
- Existing recipes can be converted with minimal adjustments
Winner: Allulose — overwhelmingly. It's the difference between actually replacing sugar and just replacing sweetness.
Health Comparison
Stevia
- Zero glycemic impact
- No effect on insulin
- Some studies suggest anti-inflammatory properties
- May support blood pressure reduction (early research)
- No dental impact
- GRAS status in the US; widely approved globally
Allulose
- Zero glycemic impact
- May improve insulin sensitivity
- May promote fat oxidation
- Stimulates GLP-1 (satiety hormone)
- May reduce post-meal blood sugar spikes from other foods
- No dental impact
- GRAS status in the US; approved in Japan, Canada
Winner: Allulose — it has a slight edge due to the additional metabolic benefits (GLP-1 stimulation, potential fat loss, blood sugar improvement when eaten with carbs). Stevia is excellent for health too — both are far better than sugar.
Cost Comparison
Stevia
- Pure stevia extract: Very concentrated, so cost per serving is low
- Stevia-erythritol blends: $5–10 per pound of sugar-equivalent sweetness
- Liquid stevia: $5–15 per bottle (hundreds of servings)
Allulose
- Granulated allulose: $8–15 per pound
- Allulose syrup: $10–18 per bottle
- Powdered allulose: $10–18 per pound
Winner: Stevia — significantly cheaper per serving of sweetness.
Versatility Comparison
Where Stevia Wins
- Beverages (coffee, tea, smoothies, cocktails) — a few drops and you're done
- Tabletop sweetening — packet in your tea at a restaurant
- Situations where bulk doesn't matter
- Budget-conscious everyday sweetening
Where Allulose Wins
- All baking (cookies, cakes, bread, muffins, pies)
- Frozen desserts (ice cream, sorbets, popsicles)
- Candy and confections (caramels, toffee, fudge)
- Sauces and glazes (BBQ sauce, teriyaki, salad dressings)
- Jams and preserves
- Any recipe that depends on sugar's physical properties
Winner: Allulose — for kitchen versatility. Stevia wins for quick, simple sweetening.
The Combination Approach
The smartest strategy might be using both:
- Allulose as your primary sweetener for cooking, baking, and any recipe where sugar's physical properties matter
- Liquid stevia as a sweetness booster — add a few drops to allulose recipes that need more sweetness, or use it to sweeten beverages on the go
This combination gives you the baking performance of allulose with the concentrated sweetness of stevia when you need it, at a lower overall cost than using allulose exclusively.
Who Should Choose What
Choose Stevia If:
- You primarily sweeten beverages
- Budget is a major concern
- You don't bake much
- You don't mind (or don't notice) the aftertaste
- You want zero calories, not near-zero
Choose Allulose If:
- You bake regularly
- You make ice cream or frozen desserts
- Taste is your top priority
- You want a true 1:1 sugar replacement
- You value the potential metabolic health benefits
- You're sensitive to stevia's bitterness
Choose Both If:
- You want maximum versatility
- You bake AND sweeten beverages
- You want to optimize cost and performance
The Verdict
Five years ago, stevia was the best natural sweetener option. Today, allulose has taken the crown for most applications, particularly anything involving heat, texture, or complex food preparation. Stevia remains valuable for simple sweetening tasks and as a complementary sweetener.
If you can only buy one, buy allulose — it does everything stevia does (sweeten beverages) plus everything stevia can't (bake, brown, caramelize, make ice cream, replace sugar in recipes). The slightly higher cost is justified by the dramatically greater versatility.