Eat This, Not That - Sugar Free Keto Maple Syrup Alternatives

In this edition of "Eat This, Not That" we are covering the topic of Sugar Free Keto Maple Syrup Alternatives

I am excited to add this new "Eat This, Not That" series onto my site. This is a topic that I have covered many times on my Instagram and on my Facebook Page. But I felt that it would make a great series here on the site. That way, it can be referenced at any time, rather than buried in a feed. The idea came to me when I wrote up a comparison between the ingredients in my Balsamic Shallot Vinaigrette Recipe, and the ingredients in Kraft Balsamic Vinaigrette. I think you might find it a little shocking. Stay away from store-bought salad dressings, my friends! You can read the "Eat This Not That" - Balsamic Dressing" here.

This week I am taking the topic of sugar Free keto maple syrup alternatives. There are so many options out there, but most of them are pretty scary from a nutritional standpoint. They contain a lot of nasty sugar alcohols that can cause major digestive distress. Not all sugar alcohols are created equal. But that is a post for another time. My two preferred sweeteners are erythritol and monk fruit.

So you are on the hunt for a quality sugar free keto maple syrup... Let's start this comparison by taking a look at the ingredients from a bottle of Kroger brand sugar free pancake syrup. This syrup and other brands like it are readily available at your local supermarket and tend to range from $5-9 (in my area)

INGREDIENTS IN KROGER SUGAR FREE ORIGINAL PANCAKE SYRUP: Water, Sorbitol, Contains Less than 2% of: Cellulose Gum, Natural and Artificial Maple Flavor, Aspartame (Phenylketonurics: Contains Phenylalanine), Salt, Citric Acid, Caramel Color, Sodium Hexametaphosphate, Phosphoric Acid, Sodium Benzoate and Potassium Sorbate (Preservatives), Acesulfame Potassium, and Sucralose.

YIKES! Notice that it has 3 different sweeteners that are known to cause major digestive distress - Sorbitol, Aspartame, and Sucralose. Not to mention caramel color, artificial flavors and preservatives, just to name a few of the other red flags.

Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol and is actually used clinically specifically for it's laxative effect. You can read more about that on PubMed.

Aspartame and Sucralose are artificial sweeteners that are linked to a whole host of chronic diseases and illnesses - cancer, diabetes, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, anxiety, depression, memory loss, headaches and more. But for every study you find that suggests these links, you will also find a study to suggest there are no verifiable associations. There is a lot of conflicting information out there on the studies of artificial sweeteners. However, I know which side of the argument I'm on, and I'd rather not take any chances! I highly recommend reading the article Unbiased Truth About Artificial Sweeteners By Chris Kresser. Much like the name suggests, it is a really unbiased view, with links to a lot of great resources.

For more reputable articles on artificial and natural sweeteners, check out PubMed. And as always, I caution you to be careful where you are getting your information. The internet is a blessing and a curse when it comes to information.

So, I think that we have already established that we can do better in our hunt for the perfect sugar free keto maple syrup alternative. It's Saturday morning, and you've got a big ol' stack of low carb pancakes and you want so badly to drizzle a delicious low carb pancake syrup over top of them... what are you going to do? If it were me... and it is me on a lot of weekend mornings... My money (quite literally) is on Lakanto Monk Fruit Sweetened Maple Flavored Syrup. (Between $7.99 and $9.99) I find the best prices directly on their site.

INGREDIENTS IN LAKANTO MAPLE FLAVORED SYRUP: Purified Water, Vegetable Fiber, Lakanto Monk Fruit Sweetener {Non-GMO Erythritol, Monk Fruit Extract), Vegetable glycerin, Natural Flavorings , Sea Salt

WOW! After the list we just went through with the other low carb syrup, this ingredients list is looking pretty dreamy! The only thing on the list that I would want to further investigate is what constitutes the natural flavors. The term natural flavors can constitute a lot of different things - some good, and some not so great. However, in this case, my guess would be on the former.

If you ask me, there is a CLEAR WINNER in this comparison! Is there another product comparison you would like me to do? Let me know in the comments!

You can also check out some of the other Lakanto Products on their site.