What is allulose and how does it compare to Monk Fruit?
Monk fruit and allulose solve different problems. Monk fruit is better when you want strong sweetness in tiny amounts, while allulose is usually better when you want sugar-like bulk and browning in baking. Which one is better depends on the job.
What is the short answer?
- Choose monk fruit for drinks and small-amount sweetening.
- Choose allulose when baking performance matters more.
- They are complements more than direct substitutes.
If you've been researching sugar alternatives lately, you've probably come across allulose. It's getting a lot of attention, especially in the US, where it's widely available and popular in keto and low-carb products. But what actually is it, and how does it compare to monk fruit?
What is allulose?
Allulose (also called D-allulose or D-psicose) is a rare sugar. It occurs naturally in very small amounts in foods like figs, raisins, and wheat, but the allulose you find in products is manufactured through an enzymatic process that converts fructose from corn starch into allulose.
It looks and tastes a lot like sugar, which is its main selling point. It dissolves the same way, browns in baking, and has about 70% of sugar's sweetness. Your body only absorbs about 10-15% of it as energy, so it has roughly 0.4 calories per gram compared to sugar's 4 calories per gram.
Is allulose available in the UK?
Here's the practical issue: allulose is not currently approved for sale in the UK or the EU. It's classified as a novel food, meaning it would need to go through the full approval process before it can be legally sold as a food ingredient.
As of early 2026, no application for allulose has been approved in either the UK or EU. You might find it sold online through US-based retailers, but it's not legally authorised for the UK market.
This is one of the key practical differences. If you're in the UK and want a natural, low-calorie sweetener you can actually buy legally, monk fruit decoction is available now.
How do they compare?
Taste: allulose tastes very close to sugar because it is a sugar — just a rare one your body doesn't fully absorb. Monk fruit has a lighter, cleaner sweetness with no aftertaste.
Calories: allulose has about 0.4 calories per gram. Monk fruit has negligible calories per serving because you use such a tiny amount.
Blood sugar: both have minimal impact on blood glucose. Allulose has a very low glycaemic index. Monk fruit has a glycaemic index of zero.
Baking: allulose performs better in baking because it behaves more like sugar. It browns, adds bulk, and retains moisture. Monk fruit doesn't caramelise or add bulk, so some baking recipes need adjustment.
Availability in the UK: Monk fruit decoction is legally available. Allulose is not.
Processing: allulose is manufactured through enzymatic conversion of corn-derived fructose. Monk fruit decoction is made by simmering the whole dried fruit in water.
What about Monk Fruit allulose blends?
In the US, monk fruit and allulose blends have become popular because they combine monk fruit's intense sweetness with allulose's sugar-like bulk and baking properties. Brands like Besti and Lakanto offer these blends.
These products are not available in the UK because of allulose's novel food status. If and when allulose gets approved in the UK or EU, blends may become an option here — but for now they're a US-only product.
Why choose Zilch?
If you're in the UK and looking for a natural, low-calorie sweetener that's legally available and actually made from a real food, Zilch Monk Fruit Infusion Powder is the practical choice. A traditional decoction paired with soluble tapioca fibre, non-GMO, vegan-friendly, and made in the UK.
No need to wait for regulatory approvals or import products from overseas. For a broader comparison of options, see our natural sweeteners ranked guide.