The Pros, Cons & Best Uses of Allulose, Xylitol, Stevia, Monk Fruit & Erythritol in Dietary Supplements
Summary
Formulating dietary supplements is as much science as strategy, especially when it comes to sweeteners. In Sweet Science: The Pros, Cons & Best Uses of Allulose, Xylitol, Stevia, Monk Fruit & Erythritol in Dietary Supplements, we break down how today’s most popular sweeteners actually perform across gummies, chewables, stick packs, and liquid supplements. From allulose’s sugar-like mouthfeel and heat stability, to erythritol’s bulking power, stevia’s high-intensity efficiency, monk fruit’s clean-label appeal, and xylitol’s unique oral-health benefits, this paper goes beyond sweetness alone. It explores functionality, taste, processing behavior, tolerance thresholds, and real-world formulation tradeoffs, while showing why smart sweetener stacking often delivers the best results. If you’re designing supplements that need to taste great, process cleanly, and keep consumers coming back, this guide helps you choose the right sweetener system for the right format, backed by food science, not hype.
Thom King, CFS, Food Scientist
Chief Innovations Officer, Icon Foods
Formulating dietary supplements is not for the faint of heart. Between regulatory landmines, taste challenges, and functionality demands, you need ingredients that punch above their weight class. Sweeteners — particularly in formats like gummies, chewables, stick packs, and liquid supplements — are a crucial part of that equation.
Here’s the no-spin breakdown of how allulose, xylitol, stevia, monk fruit, and erythritol stack up across function, flavor, and format.
Allulose: The Sweet Spot for Functional Candy
Pros –
- 70% as sweet as sucrose with near-identical taste and mouthfeel
- Thermally stable under 275f — survives gummy cooking like a champ
- Humectant properties help retain moisture in chewables and gummies
- Low glycemic impact — safe for GLP-1-friendly SKUs
- Works beautifully in stick packs and liquid supplements thanks to rapid solubility
Cons –
- Laxative threshold starts creeping up >30g/day — not GI neutral
- Expensive relative to other bulk sweeteners
- Still shows up as a carbohydrate in most labeling scenarios
Best Uses –
- Gummy supplements with prebiotics or fiber
- Stick pack and sachet-based dry drink mixes
- Syrups or liquid supplements with flavor actives or botanicals
Erythritol: The Cool Character
Pros –
- 60–70% as sweet as sucrose with a very clean profile
- Non-glycemic, zero-calorie, non-cariogenic, GLP-1-friendly
- Adds bulk for gummies and chewables
- Plays well with high-intensity sweeteners (hello, stacking synergy!)
- Cryoprotectant functionality in freeze-dried or shelf-stable powders
Cons –
- Hydrophobic characteristics can bleed water from gummies but works well in chewable tabs
- High doses may trigger GI tolerance issues in some individuals
- Doesn’t dissolve instantly in cold liquid formats without fine milling or shearing
Best Uses –
- Chewable tablets (especially when masking vitamins)
- Powdered drink mixes for keto, pre-workout, or nootropic SKUs
- Stackable base for stevia and monk in chewables
Stevia: The Workhorse with Edge
Pros –
- 200–400x sweeter than sugar depending on glycoside blend
- Zero glycemic impact, non-caloric, GRAS across the board
- Reb M and Reb D offer smooth sweetness curves
- Can modulate flavor perception, masking bitterness or metallic notes
Cons –
- Bitter or licorice off-notes if using lower-purity RebA
- Interacts poorly with metallic mineral actives (Mg, Zn, Fe) if not modulated
- May require careful titration and buffering with bulking agents
Best Uses –
- High intensity sweetening in chewables and stick packs
- Great in liquid supplements, especially when paired with allulose
- Ideal for sports nutrition powders, greens mixes, or vitamin C effervescent
Monk Fruit: The Smooth Operator
Pros –
- 100–300x sweeter than sugar depending on mogroside V content
- No glycemic spike and minimal aftertaste
- Natural origin — appeals to clean-label and plant-based supplement brands
- Excellent masking partner for vitamin funk and herbal bitterness or astringency
Cons –
- Expensive, particularly high purity mogroside V extracts
- In high doses off-notes of melon rind or burnt caramel
- Inconsistent supply chain if not multi-sourced
Best Uses –
- Liquid supplements with botanical actives
- Flavor-masking stack in chewables (when paired with erythritol or allulose)
- Stick packs where low volume and high sweetness are a must
Xylitol: The Chewer’s Choice
Pros –
- One of the only sweeteners that actively reduces dental caries
- 1:1 sweetness to sucrose
- Adds bulk and mouthfeel to chewables
- Mild cooling effect can help with bitter ingredient suppression
Cons –
- High laxative potential at doses >20g/day
- Not suitable for pets — formulation teams beware!
- Crystalline structure may require particle sizing (milling) for even blending
Best Uses –
- Chewable tablets and functional gums
- Kids’ supplements with oral health benefits
- Not ideal for stick packs or liquid forms (slower solubility)
Format Matters: What Goes Where
| Format | Best Sweetener(s) | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Gummies | Allulose, plus Stevia/Monk | Thermal stability + mouthfeel + masking balance |
| Chewables | Xylitol + Erythritol + Stevia | Bulk + sweetness + oral care synergy |
| Stick Packs | Erythritol + Stevia/Monk + Allulose | Rapid solubility + no clumping + clean taste |
| Liquid Supplements | Stevia + Monk Fruit + Allulose | Clear, clean, and shelf-stable sweetening system |
Formulation Tip
Stack for synergy. There’s no need to pick just one. A blend of allulose, erythritol, stevia, and monk fruit — customized by format — will give you more control over sweetness curve, mouthfeel, and off-note masking than a single-note sweetener ever will.
Think Beyond Sweet
As a formulator, you’re not just sweetening — you’re shaping perception, experience, and compliance. When supplements taste great, compliance increases, brand trust builds, and repurchase skyrockets. Each sweetener on this list has its own strengths. Use them in concert, and you’re not just making products — you’re making harmonious formulations.
And when you’re ready to source these sweeteners with clean label transparency, multi-sourced reliability, and concierge-level service, you know who to call.
Icon Foods. We don’t just sell sweeteners — we sweeten your supply chain.
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