Truvia commonly refers to their ties with Stevia, but do not get confused. Its an entirely different product. I came across Truvia when I was looking for a sugar substitute that could compliment my keto lifestyle. Before I started using Truvia I wanted to do some research to answer the question “is Truvia keto friendly?”
For those in a hurry:
Truvia is keto friendly. Use it as a sugar substitute for just about anything. Here’s a convenient Truvia package from Amazon.
What Is Truvia?
Truvia was introduced in 2008 by Cargill and the Coca Cola Company as a sugar substitute. This is a short explanation of their product from their website: “Born from the leaves of the stevia plant, our sweetness is rooted in nature along with the firm belief that sweetness does not have to be sacrificed.”
Although they mention stevia quite often when advertising their product, they use another sweetener as their main sweetening ingredient, erythritol. You can find the detailed Truvia ingredient list below.
Truvia Ingredients
Erythritol – A sugar alcohol with a glycemic index of 1. It has 70% of the sweetness of sugar.
Rebaudioside A: A highly purified form of stevia. It is between 250 to 400 times sweeter than sugar. This is the specific compound isolated from the stevia plant that gives Truvia its sweetness. It’s also called “Rebiana” and shows up on the nutrition label as Stevia Leaf Extract.
Natural flavors – For the time being Truvia has not disclosed the exact natural flavors used.
Truvia Calories & Nutritional Facts
How many calories are in Truvia?
Truvia has 0 calories because of the two zero-calorie sweeteners it uses in its ingredient list.
Nutritional Facts
| Serving Size: 1 packet | |
| Calories | 0 |
| Total Fat | 0g |
| Sodium | 0mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 3g |
| Total Sugars | 0g |
| Erythritol | 3g |
| Protein | 0g |
Truvia’s Affect On Blood Sugar
Truvia is around 99% erythritol, and erythritol does not get metabolized by the body. This means that it does not have an effect on blood sugar or insulin levels (See study here).
This means that Truvia may be a good option for someone that is diabetic.
Truvia Side Effects
Despite there being very little side effects, you should remember that everything comes with a side effect. Here are the side effects you will want to keep in mind when considering Truvia as a sugar substitute.
Erythritol
Potential Digestive Issues – Be sure to pay close attention to how much Truvia you are using in a given sitting. Since erythritol cannot be metabolized by the cells in your body, it is passed through your urine when it goes through your system. According to Healthline, “About 90% of the erythritol you eat is absorbed into the bloodstream. The remaining 10% travels undigested down to the colon.” High amounts of erythritol in a single sitting, around 50 grams, have been known to give nausea, stomach sounds, and gas.
Rebaudioside A
A 4-week human study that used high doses of rebaudioside A found no harmful side effects. One thing to keep in mind is that this study was sponsored by Cargill, the company that manufactures Truvia. – See Study Here
What Can You Use With Truvia?
You can sweeten just about anything with Truvia. From your morning cup of coffee to a meal or dessert, Truvia acts as a zero calorie sugar substitute.
Sugar to Truvia Replacement Ratio
One packet provides the same sweetness as two teaspoons of sugar.
Other Truvia Products
Best Option For Keto: Truvía Natural Sweetener Packets
Nutrition Per Serving:
Calories 0
Total Carbohydrate 2g
Erythritol 2g
Truvía Spoonable
Nutrition Per Serving
Calories 0
Total Carbohydrate 3g
Erythritol 3g
Truvía Nectar – Not Keto
Nutrition Per Serving
Calories 30
Total Carbohydrate 8g
Sugars 8g
Truvía Brown Sugar Blend
Nutrition Per Serving
Calories 10
Total Carbohydrate 4g
Erythritol 2g
Sugars 2g
Truvía Cane Sugar Blend
Nutrition Per Serving
Calories 10
Total Carbohydrate 4g
Erythritol 2g
Sugars 2g
Truvía Baker’s Bag Cane Sugar Blend
Nutrition Per Serving
Calories 10
Total Carbohydrate 4g
Erythritol 2g
Sugars 2g
Sugar Substitutes That Are Compared To Truvia
Here are some of the common keto sugar alternatives that are a good alternative to using the erythritol based sweetener Truvia.
- Stevia in the Raw
- Splenda
- Xylitol – Check out my post on “Is Xylitol Keto Friendly?“
- Monk Fruit Sweetener
Truvia vs Stevia in the Raw
Make sure that you do not get confused between these 2 sweeteners. Truvia tries to get away with aligning themselves with the term Stevia when in fact, they only use Rebiana from the Stevia leaf. You can find the facts about Truvia above and Stevia below.
Stevia in the Raw
Stevia in the Raw has no calories, and it is 200 times sweeter than sugar. It is made from the stevia extract and a bulking agent (dextrose or maltodextrin). Both dextrose and maltodextrin have an extremely high glycemic index of 100 and 110, respectively.
What is better… Truvia or Stevia in the Raw?
If I were to choose between Truvia or Stevia in the Raw, I would choose Truvia every time. Stevia in the Raw uses ingredients that impact insulin and blood sugar levels. Truvia is better for a keto lifestyle when compared to Stevia in the Raw.
Truvia vs Swerve
Swerve
Swerve is another zero-calorie sugar substitute that uses erythritol, oligosaccharides, and natural flavors.
What are oligosaccharides?
Oligosaccharides are prebiotic fibers that cannot be broken down by our digestive system. Similar to erythritol in this respect, they are considered a zero calorie option.
What is better… Truvia or Swerve?
These would come down to preference since they are very similar products. Try both and make your decision from there. I personally would choose Swerve when choosing between Truvia or Swerve.
What Is Truvia’s Glycemic Index
Truvia has a glycemic index of 0 which is the best you can get on the glycemic index scale.
What Does Glycemic Index Mean?
According to the direct definition from Google’s Dictionary glycemic index is: a system that ranks foods on a scale from 1 to 100 based on their effect on blood-sugar levels.
Why Does Glycemic Index Matter For The Keto Diet?
The higher the glycemic index the larger the effect on your insulin levels, aka your blood sugar levels. This has an impact on the reaction your body has during the spike and crash from something you eat or drink. If you eat things that have an effect on insulin levels, it will know you out of ketosis and throw off your keto diet.
Truvia Vs Common Sweeteners (Glycemic Index Chart)
| Sweetener Name | Category | GI (Glycemic Index) |
| Agave Nectar | Natural Sweetener | 15 |
| Aspartame | Artificial Sweetener | 0 |
| Dextrose | Natural Sweetener | 96 |
| Erythritol (Truvia Sweetener) | Sugar Alcohols | 0 |
| Fructose | Natural Sweetener | 21 |
| Glucose | Natural Sweetener | 103 |
| High Fructose Corn Syrup | Natural Sweetener | 73 |
| Honey | Natural Sweetener | 58 |
| Lactose | Natural Sweetener | 46 |
| Maltitol | Sugar Alcohols | 26 |
| Maple Syrup | Natural Sweetener | 54 |
| Monk Fruit | Natural Sweetener | 0 |
| Stevia | Natural Sweetener | 0 |
| Sucralose | Artificial Sweetener | 0 |
| Sugar (Sucrose) | Natural Sweetener | 60 |
| Xylitol | Sugar Alcohols | 7 |
In Conclusion
So, the answer to “Is Truvia keto friendly?” is a YES. It uses erythritol as its main ingredient and a small percentage of stevia leaf extract.
