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9 Best Sugar-Free Syrup to Use for Healthier, Guilt-Free Breakfasts and Desserts

Whether you enjoy drizzling syrup over your morning pancakes or want a dash of syrup on your cup of joe, sugar-free syrup can be a literal savior. About 36% of consumers in the US use sugar to sweeten their food and drinks

A simple, sugar-free switch can reduce the health concerns that come with high sugar intake.

With sugar-substitutes, they don’t contain calories, nor impact blood sugar levels, making it the perfect choice for those looking to lose weight or have diabetes.

In this post, we’ll break down everything you need to know about sugar-free syrups and give you some of our best picks.

What to Consider When Buying Sugar-Free Syrup 

Finding the right sugar-free syrup present challenges. With so many ingredients, flavors, and brands, it’s easy to become overwhelmed.

That’s why we decided to take a closer look at the different sugar-free alternative sweeteners.

Each pick took into consideration the following:

  • What makes this brand stand out from the others
  • What ingredients made the cut
  • How to best use the sugar free alternative pick

With that said, let's get into the best sugar free syrups!

The Best Sugar-Free Syrups: Our Top Picks 

After reviewing over 100 syrups, our team has curated a definitive selection of the finest sugar-free syrups available on the market. Navigate these syrups and determine the best option for your tastes and needs

1. Pyure Organic Chocolate Flavored Syrup - The Healthiest Choice

 

product image of a bottle of Pyure organic chocolate syrup

Pyure is a brand that focuses on organic and freshly-sourced ingredients. 

They avoid additives, chemicals, and artificial processes altogether and source single high-quality plant-based sweeteners like stevia year-round. Their syrups use plant-based sweeteners and only contain organic ingredients such as:

  • Organic cocoa powder
  • Organic tapioca fiber
  • Stevia leaf extract
  • Erythritol

It’s perfect for those who crave sweetness but want products free from dairy or additives. It’s versatile enough to pour over ice cream sundaes, drizzle over fudge brownies or sweeten coffees.

2. NuNaturals Plant-Based Pumpkin Spice Syrup - Best for Fall

product image of a bottle of NuNatural pumpkin spice syrup

Featuring hints of cloves, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon, and allspice, this NuNaturals Pumpkin Spice adds the right amount of fall flavor to your favorite drinks and foods. It uses an all-natural ingredient in stevia to enhance sweetness. 

Each bottle contains 16 fluid ounces, containing 385 servings, meaning you can enjoy each bottle for days to come. 

It’s a healthy sweetener that isn’t just sugar-free. It’s also carb-free, gluten-free, calories-free, non-GMO, vegan, and animal-product-free. Also, the product contains vegetable glycerin, an odorless, sweet sugar alcohol that delivers a syrup-like consistency. 

3. Torani Sugar-Free Hazelnut Syrup - Best for Hazelnut Lovers

product image of a bottle of Torani sugar free hazelnut syrup

The Torani classic hazelnut sugar-free syrup offers a distinct flavor profile that is nutty, rich, and slightly sweet. It adds depth to your beverages, which pairs well with coffee, milkshakes, lattes, and even baked goods.

The good news is the syrup uses sucralose and acesulfame potassium, which contains no carbs, fats, or calories. That said, it utilizes artificial sweeteners rather than organic options. Torani also sells a variety of packs of sugar-free syrup in many flavors, such as hazelnut, vanilla, chocolate macadamia, and peppermint. 

4. Maple Grove Farms Vermont Sugar-Free Syrup - Best for Supporting Sustainability

product image of a bottle of Maple Grove Farms sugar free syrup

The Maples Groves brand is sourced directly from the saps of the maple trees themselves. 

They’ve been around for 100+ years and have implemented many initiatives to help support sustainability, including charitable donations and incorporating zero-waste standards. While they’re known for their regular maple syrups, they now offer a sugar-free option to help satisfy diabetics and sugar-conscious people. 

They use a variety of artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols like:

  • Sorbitol
  • Aspartame
  • Sucralose

While it does contain additives, it also includes some healthy vitamins and minerals like vitamins A, C, calcium, and iron. 

5. DaVinci Sugar-Free Gourmet Caramel Syrup - Best for Restaurants or Cafes

product image of a bottle of DaVinci sugar free syrup

DaVinci is popular for its sugar-free products, including syrups, beverage mixes, and sauces. 

One of their most popular sugar-free products is the DaVinci Gourmet Sugar-Free Caramel Syrup. This syrup is made with natural flavors and sweeteners and is free from calories, sugar, and carbohydrates.

It has a rich and creamy caramel flavor that pairs perfectly with coffee, tea, and other beverages. The syrup is gluten and kosher-free and doesn’t contain high-fructose corn syrup, making it a viable substitute for people with diabetes or those with food restrictions. It comes in a 25.4 fluid-ounce bottle.

If you prefer other flavors, they offer: 

  • Vanilla
  • Almond
  • Hazelnut
  • Blood orange
  • Peach
  • Burberry
  • and more.

6. Jordan’s Skinny Syrups (Vanilla) - Best for Cocktails and Other Drinks

product image of a bottle of Jordans skinny syrup

Jordan’s is a brand that focuses on creating syrups for drinks such as cocktails, coffee, milkshakes, and smoothies. To date, their skinny margarita mix has sold over 75 million bottles. 

For example, their Keto syrups use a blend of erythritol, monk fruit, stevia, and a dose of MCT oil. This helps fuel a healthy lifestyle while getting the flavor you love. The MCT oil is quickly absorbed and metabolized by the provider, making it an efficient energy source. It can also help with weight loss since it may increase feelings of feeling full, which decreases appetite. 

They’ve got plenty of unique flavors to choose from, including:

  • Butter toffee
  • Cherry
  • Peach
  • White chocolate
  • Coconut
  • Raspberry
  • Cotton candy
  • and many more

7. Starbucks Naturally Flavored Vanilla Coffee Syrup - Best for Coffee

product image of a bottle of Starbucks Naturally Flavored Vanilla Coffee syrup

If you’re in the market for a syrup specifically designed for coffee, you can’t go wrong with choosing Starbucks-branded syrup

Starbucks’ sugar-free vanilla syrup is a popular and iconic choice in the world of syrups. 

Each bottle contains 12.17 fluid ounces of syrup, enough to make multiple servings of coffee or other beverages. The vanilla flavor is subtle yet distinct, adding a delicious and aromatic touch to your morning cup of joe.

However, they do use sucralose as their choice of sweetener. While sucralose provides sweetness, some people detect a slight aftertaste. 

This syrup pairs perfectly with Starbucks coffee, but it can also be used to sweeten other hot or cold beverages, such as tea, milkshakes, and hot chocolate. However, it’s quite thin, which blends smoothly with drinks, but not as versatile for food treats or baked goods. 

8. ChocZero’s Maple Syrup - Best for the Breakfast Table

product image of a bottle of ChocZero Maple syrup

Most sugar-free syrups don’t give the same sense of consistency as regular syrup. This makes it unenjoyable and leaves many people returning to their traditional syrup. 

However, the ChocZero offers a thick and rich texture, so you can pour it all over your pancakes or waffles. It only contains four ingredients

  • Soluble corn fiber
  • Monk fruit extract
  • Natural caramel color
  • Natural maple flavor. 

Unlike other brands, there are no added additives or preservatives. 

The product contains 15g of fiber, helping to improve digestive health and control blood sugar levels. This ChocoZero maple syrup is the perfect all-natural replacement to add to your breakfast table. 

9. Lakanto Sugar-Free Maple Syrup - Great for Dieters

product image of a bottle of Lakanto sugar-free maple syrup

Lakanto is a brand that focuses on helping people live healthier lives with sugar-free products. They use monk fruit and erythritol as their primary sources of sweeteners. Combining these two ingredients help to closely match the texture and flavor profile of regular sugar without any nasty aftertaste. 

Generally, both ingredients are highly digestive tolerant, reducing the likelihood of laxation or gas. 

Also, they don’t spike blood sugars and support dental health, especially when used instead of table sugar. 

Each bottle is 13 fluid ounces and works for all sorts of foods, such as:

  • Waffles
  • Oatmeals
  • Granolas
  • Salad dressings

Now that you have our top picks for syrups, let's dive into what exactly is sugar free syrup and its benefits!

What is Sugar-Free Syrup?

Sugar-free syrup is an alternative to regular syrup, which typically contains high amounts of sugar. 

Instead, sugar-free syrups are designed to minimize the sweetness, flavor, and texture of traditional syrups without using table sugar. They also offer fewer calories and carbs. 

Generally, they use two types of sweeteners for their syrups – artificial or natural sweeteners. 

  • Artificial sweeteners include options like aspartame, sucralose, or saccharin. While they provide sweetness, they’re processed and can leave an aftertaste. 
  • Natural sweeteners are derived from natural sources like plants. Common natural sweeteners include stevia, xylitol, or erythritol. They’re organic and contain antioxidants and vitamins.

infographic showing pros and cons of artificial and natural sweeteners

image credit: mdanderson.org

When Is Sugar-Free Syrup Most Commonly Used? 

For some, syrup is a MUST-HAVE in their food and beverages. It adds a sweet and viscous texture to many foods and beverages, making them enjoyable. Plenty of flavors fit every palette, whether it’s chocolate syrup, maple syrup, or fruit-flavored syrup. 

If you’re already one to use syrup, replacing your existing syrup with a sugar-free one is a healthier choice. Here are a few ways to consider using your syrup: 

  • Breakfast foods: Sugar-free syrup can be drizzled on top of waffles, pancakes, oatmeal, or French toast, adding a touch of sweetness without the excess sugar. 
  • Coffee or Tea: Some prefer sweetening their hot beverages with syrups rather than regular table sugar or flavored creamers. 
  • Desserts: Sugar-free syrups are popular in desserts like cheesecakes, ice cream, fruit salads, and frozen yogurt. 
  • Baking: Syrups can be glazed over baked goods to help retain moisture contributing to a soft and tender texture while also serving as a natural sweetener.

Benefits of Sugar-Free Syrups 

If you want to reduce your sugar intake, sugar-free syrup can be like a cheat code for healthier desserts. They satisfy your sweet tooth and are healthier. 

Here are the biggest benefits of sugar-free syrups: 

  • Tastes like regular sugar: Some sweeteners, especially organic ones, taste the same as regular sugar because they don’t have the chemical or bitter taste as other artificial sweeteners. 
  • Low in Calories: Many artificial sweeteners contain a fraction of the calories per gram compared to table sugar. Sugar substitutes aren’t absorbed by the body as sugar does, meaning those measly calories don’t count. 
  • No effect on insulin: Most sweeteners don't cause insulin or blood glucose spikes, making them a great substitute for those with diabetes. 
  • Approved by the FDA: Sugar substitutes, like other ingredients, have been approved for consumption under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. 
  • Doesn’t cause tooth decay: Natural sweeteners like stevia and allulose aren't metabolized into your mouth, keeping cavities, gum disease, and other dental problems at bay. 

Natural Sugar-Free Sweeteners 

Natural sugar-free sweeteners are derived from plants. The most commonly used ones are: 

  • Stevia 
  • Monk fruit 
  • Allulose 
  • Yacon syrup 

Many sweeteners like Stevia are over 250 times sweeter than sugar while being calorie and carb-free.

They have distinct fruity flavors that some people don’t like. However, many manufacturers will add sugar alcohols to help retain the sweetness with little aftertaste. 

Also, there’s no evidence that natural sugar-free sweeteners have any side effects.

Sugar Alcohols 

Sugar alcohols are also natural, but they’re processed in the body differently, so they belong in a separate category. They add calories and carbohydrates to sweetened food or drink while still being sugar-free. 

The most common sugar alcohols used in processed foods are: 

  • Erythritol
  • Xylitol
  • Sorbitol 

It’s important to note that the gut doesn’t absorb sugar alcohols well.

Sugar alcohols are incompletely digested in the human small intestine.
The residual amounts reaching the colon are digested by colonic
bacteria or excreted in stools. Clinical tolerance and energy value of
sugar alcohols are related to their respective rates of digestion in the
small intestine and the colon.

 

That means those with digestive disorders may find these sweeteners to cause gas, bloating, or other types of digestive distress. It’s important to consume them in moderation.

These sweeteners tend to leave no aftertaste but do have acidity behind the sweetener.

Artificial Sweeteners 

Artificial sweeteners are artificially produced and are highly intense in sweetness levels. The most common forms of artificial sweeteners are: 

  • Aspartame 
  • Acesulfame potassium
  • Aspartame-acesulfame salt
  • Neotame
  • Sucralose 
  • Saccharin 

These types of sweeteners are controversial since some have been linked to cancer or potential risk of gut health when consumed in high amounts. Many studies were performed on rats or animals, not human subjects.

Also, some people may taste an unpleasant bitterness once the sweetness has subsided.

What Is Your Best Sugar-Free Syrup?

There’s nothing more deliciously tempting than indulging in your favorite sugary treat. When you’re absolutely craving sweets, sometimes, you just feel the need to give in. 

If you want to add sugar-free sweets to your diet, LivingRatio is the perfect place to get your fix. 

You can find a variety of sugar-free options like luxurious:

  • Butter fillings
  • Chocolates
  • Truffles
  • Candy bars
  • and more!

All ingredients are organically sweetened with only the highest-quality ingredients like Monk Fruit, Stevia, and organic erythritol. Unlike other brands, our organic chocolates contain super herbs and raw plant foods, providing nutritional value to your sweets. 

Indulge a little and try our sugar-free products today!

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