Raw Earth Sweetener Co. is a brand of non-caloric sweetener available in supermarkets. It’s advertised as a stevia and monk fruit natural sweetener that is “great for your taste buds and good for the soul”.
The product comes in single-serve sachets and 200g canisters. It can be used in beverages, for cooking and baking.
Ingredients
Raw Earth sweetener contains erythritol, steviol glycosides [0.2%] and natural flavour (monk fruit extract or luo han guo 0.2%).
- Erythritol is a sugar alcohol made by fermenting glucose. It is 30% less sweet than table sugar but has 20 times fewer calories per gram (1).
- Steviol glycosides are naturally occurring sweeteners extracted from the Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni herb, native to Central and South America (1). Stevia is 250 to 300 times sweeter than table sugar (2).
- Monk fruit extract is derived from the fruit of Siraitia grosvenorii, native to Southern China. It is between 250 and 400 times sweeter than table sugar (2).
Nutrition information
| Nutrient | Per serve (2g) | Per 100g |
| Energy (kJ) | 1.99 | 99.6 |
| Protein (g) | 0 | 0 |
| Fat, total (g) | 0 | 0 |
| Carbohydrate (g) | 0 | 0 |
| Erythritol (g) | 1.99 | 99.6 |
| Sodium (g) | 0 | 0 |
Taste test
I tried the sweetener in beverages and desserts. I didn’t mind the taste but I have been consuming products with stevia and sugar alcohols for a few years, so my palate might be used to the taste.
I have used it in beverages and desserts with good results in both cases.
Pros
- Very low energy, which is good for people who need to cut down their intake.
- Low to no impact on blood sugar, making it suitable for people with diabetes or insulin resistance.
- The sachets are practical for portion control.
- No unpleasant aftertaste.
Cons
- Can be expensive.
- This is a highly processed product.
- Does not address sweet food cravings.
- May trigger over-consumption of other foods (what I call “the diet soft drink effect”).
- Erythritol may have a laxative effect when consumed in large quantities. This is indicated on the label as per current food policy.
Is Raw Earth sweetener a health food?
I don’t think you need to consume this product to be healthy. It might be useful for some people who need to lower the energy and/or sugar intake. Having said that, I wouldn’t advice consuming large amounts of alternative sweeteners every day.
More information
Check the manufacturer’s website for more information.
References
- Roberts MW, Wright JT. Nonnutritive, low caloric substitutes for food sugars: clinical implications for addressing the incidence of dental caries and overweight/obesity. International journal of dentistry. 2012;2012:625701-.
- Food Standards Australia & New Zealand. Sweeteners 2018 [Available from: http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumer/additives/Pages/Sweeteners.aspx.
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