Allulose: Here’s Everything You Need To Know
Allulose is a sugar sweetener that all the bakers out there can use in place of standard sugar. Here are all the fun facts, special dessert recipes, and everything you need and want to know about this sweetener!
While living on a low carb diet, many people tend to come to the conclusion that they no longer are able to have any sort of sweet treat and dessert again. But, that’s not true! There are many sugar substitutions you can use when you are baking or cooking that can easily fall in line with your diet.
It’s true—there is a way to enjoy a yummy sweet treat every once in a while and still maintain your health. You can keep all of your sugar and insulin levels where they need to be and have a cupcake. Win-win!
Today, I am going to be sharing with you all a sweetener that I frequently use in many of my dessert recipes: allulose. Since I started using it, it has quickly become a staple of my low carb pantry.
With so many misconceptions out there on the internet, I wanted to take a moment and share some helpful information I have learned about allulose and other types of sweeteners that can replace regular table sugar.
Frequently Asked Questions About Allulose
With that being said, here are a few questions I get from readers about allulose.
What Is Allulose?
Allulose (also known as D-psicose) is a kind of sugar that is typically used in a low calorie/ low carb diet. It can be used as a sugar replacement to lower the sugar content for those who are on the keto or diabetes-friendly diet.
What Does Allulose Taste Like?
Allulose has a nice sweetness to it, just like regular white table sugar. Thankfully, it doesn’t have any weird after taste!
How Is Allulose Made?
Allulose is known to be a monosaccharide (also known as simple sugar). This type of sugar is not metabolized by the body like standard sugar is.
Fun Fact: Allulose has the same chemical structure as fructose, another type of simple sugar! Unlike fructose, it is actually absorbed by the body into the blood so it is considered to be a low-calorie option (sometimes even zero calories!) and not used for energy.
It has also been shown that this sweetener can be made by converting fructose from corn and some other plants.
What Is The Nutritional Value of Allulose?
Allulose contains about 1/10 (or 10%) of the regular calories you will find in white table sugar. That equals out to be 0.4 calories per gram compared to its sugar equivalent of four calories per gram.
Is Allulose Considered To Be Natural?
Somewhat, yes. This kind of sweetener is what is known as a “rare sugar”, which can be found naturally and in small quantities in various ingredients such as:
- Wheat
- Figs
- Jackfruit
- Raisins
Is Allulose Safe To Consume?
Yes, it is!
A couple of years ago, it was added and identified by the FDA (The United States Food and Drug Association) as safe. Although, you won’t find it listed under added sugars. You will actually find it labeled as a carbohydrate!
This is because of its chemical structure (which I mentioned above under how allulose is made).
With that being said, I recommend using this sweetener wisely and not consumed in large quantities because it is not absorbed in the same way glucose would be.
Is Allulose A Sugar Alcohol?
No, it isn’t. Since allulose is actually a simple sugar, it is considered as such.
Is Allulose Keto Friendly?
Yes! With its low calories and the way it is absorbed, it is considered an amazing option for those who are following the keto diet.
It can be used to sweet baked goods, sauces, coffee, etc.
Does It Raise Blood Sugar Levels?
No, quite the opposite actually.
Many people who have diabetes or watch their blood sugar levels use allulose to help sweeten some of their food.
According to Healthline, it has been found to help naturally lower blood sugar and the risk of developing type two diabetes by protecting some of the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas which is very important for a healthy body.
Can You Bake With It?
Since allulose tastes and acts like table sugar, it works perfectly in a lot of baking recipes. And, with it being a low-calorie substitution for sugar, it can be used in a lot of keto or low-carb recipes when it calls for something sweet. Allulose will caramelize, thicken, get sticky, and will not crystalize when cold like many other sugar substitutes. For this reason, it’s a really great sweetener for low carb baking.
Where Can I Find Allulose?
Now that it is becoming more popular, many companies that produce monk fruit and stevia products have started selling allulose in bulk for many people to use in their own homes. Amazon (US) now has a variety of different brands to choose from. If you are outside of the US it is possible that Allulose has not yet been approved in your area. Canadians, for example, will find Allulose very difficult to find as it is still going through approval with Health Canada.
However, most online low carb grocery stores in the US do have it for sale. You can also easily find it on Amazon.com.
I’ve tried many different brands and they all seem to be the same, so look at the prices before you buy.
Recipes To Make Where You Can Use Allulose
Since you can use allulose as a replacement for sugar in baking, you can replace it at a 1:1 ratio with table sugar in many recipes.
Want to give it a try? Here are a couple of recipes where I have used allulose in the recipe because it was the best choice. These are recipes that really shine when allulose is used as the sweetener.
Sticky Keto Caramel Sauce
This yummy Keto caramel sauce is awesome on top of some delicious low-calorie ice cream and muffins!
To make this caramel sauce, you need:
- 1 cup of allulose
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 tsp vanilla
… and a few other ingredients to make this topping sauce. It tastes exactly the same as regular sugar-laden caramel sauce. Thick, gooey, and no graininess.
Keto Lemon Cheesecake With Lemon Curd Topping
Who doesn’t love a tart and lemony slice of cheesecake on a hot summer’s day? Even better, it doesn’t have refined sugars- it has a couple of low-calorie sweeteners!
In the meringue part of this recipe, it contains egg whites, a little bit of vanilla and some allulose to give it that hint of sweetness it needs. Because allulose was used in the lemon curd, the cheesecake can be refrigerated without worrying about it crystalizing. Also, since we used allulose in the meringue, you can toast it just like you would meringue made with sugar.
Between the sweetness of the meringue and the tartness from all of the lemon components, this dessert will make all of the lemon lovers in the world extremely happy!
Homemade Keto Marshmallows
We all remember this childhood favorite as being that fun, fluffy sweet snack to sneak afterschool. What we don’t remember (or likely acknowledge) is all of the sugar it contains.
With this keto marshmallow recipe, you can replace the table sugar with allulose to make the sugary syrup you need to make this treat.
No Added Sugar Strawberry Jam
If you didn’t know store-bought jams and jellies can be full of a lot of unnecessary sugar and send your blood sugars through the roof.
With this strawberry jam, (or blackberry) I tried so many different sweetener options but allulose was the best one to use in this recipe. Not only did it have the traditional sticky, jam-like texture, but the flavor was on point!
I used 1 1/3 cup of allulose to make 5 (8-ounce) jars and you honestly can’t even tell the difference. Actually, it tastes even better!
Can I use allulose liquid in place of corn starch when making keto pecan bars?
Hey Shelly, allulose does not replace a thickening agent in a recipe, it’s a sugar replacement. Liquid won’t make a difference from the granular version.
Hello I just got allulose by Splenda as it had pretty good reviews. It seems a bit on the powder size than granular like sugar is, is this normal?
Not my post but yes this is normal. Besti (a very popular allulose brand) was the same way but SO much more expensive. I buy the Splenda one as well bc it’s $8 for 2lb vs $15 for half that. They even had them at this discount store near me for a bit and they were only $3 for the 2lb bags and I literally bought them all it was like 6 bags but it would have been the same as buying 1 bag online lol. I’m not keto and still consume sugar but will replace half with this usually or I use it in frostings and stuff where you’d normally need a shit ton of sugar. I’m just trying to limit for health reasons.
I am so jealous that you guys are able to find different brands and prices. We’re up in Canada, and it’s not even approved here; I have a “guy” who I get mine from. Totally back alley stuff. I am not even kidding. Thanks so much for leaving the comment about prices and brands, readers appreciate it!
Yea. It is powdery rather than granular like sugar.
I want to try a recipe but, I don’t have any allulose. What is the amount of the substitution for monkfruit? How much monkfruit replaces 3/4 c of allulose for your pumpkin cookies? Thanks
Hi Linda you can replace allulose with monk fruit 1:3 so 1/4 cup monk fruit. With that said the texture will be a bit different, you will lose some of the chewiness that allulose creates but it will work. Be sure that your monk fruit isn’t blended with something else like erythritol because that will change the ratio required significantly. Allulose is a 1:1 replacement for sugar – so check your bag or packaging to see what they recommend as a ratio for sugar replacement – it will be the same to replace the allulose. Hope that helps!
Hello. I just found your website today and subscribed by email. I have been trying without much success to find the ratio to make my own blend similar to the Lakanto Golden blend. I have the pure monk fruit powder from Julian bakery and I have all the other sweeteners, allulose, erythritol and xylitol. I would prefer to use allulose with the monk fruit as sometimes the erythritol burns my throat..lol I have a dog in the house and don’t want to use xylitol. Any suggestions or have you published an article/recipe for this and I just haven’t located it yet on your website. Any guidance would be appreciated in my continuing search for an all purpose, easy to convert, gas free sugar replacement for baking…lol
Thanks, Donna
Hi Donna, the golden blend is tricky. It has that tiny bit of maple flavoring to mimic the molasses in regular brown sugar, but I don’t know where it is coming from – my guess is during the monk fruit making process they create a slightly raw version? The only ingredients are erythritol and monk fruit and no mention of additional flavoring. Right now I am using a 50% -50% split between erythritol and allulose with 1/4 tsp of maple flavoring (sometimes I use caramel flavoring depending on the recipe) for my brown sugar substitutes per cup of mixed sweeteners. It would work the same if you used the monk fruit in the place of erythritol. The allulose is a great addition because it caramelizes far better than any of the other sweeteners and adds that caramel flavor that brown sugar would impart. I hope that helps.
What do you use for a brown sugar version?
Hi Millie, for a brown sugar substitute I usually use regular allulose and add a touch of maple flavoring or caramel flavoring – if I really need to punch up the flavor I will caramelize my allulose a bit before adding to the recipe – that adds a tiny bit of additional depth to the recipe. I haven’t found a true brown sugar replacement because nothing really tastes like molasses except molasses (what gives brown sugar its flavor and color). I hope that helps!
Hello. I have Allulose made by Splenda. I am having a hard time getting it to caramelize
Hi Gail, I am in Canada, and I haven’t yet been able to test Spendla allulose, but after doing some research, I think I know why you are having challenges. On Splenda’s site, they state, ” Allulose by itself is only 70% as sweet as sugar. We blend it with a small amount of natural sweetener to make sure that Splenda Allulose bakes, weighs, and measures the same as sugar“, but what I cannot find what it is blended with, and that is likely the cause of your caramel not carmelizing. Because it is not 100% allulose and is mixed to be sweeter than allulose, it will also cause issues if people try to swap it 1:1 for 100% allulose. I hope that helps! Honestly, I am kinda disappointed that it’s not pure allulose.
I’m a fan of allulose because of its properties : tastes like sucrose, carmelizes, gets sticky.
The price is coming down and big name players are getting in the game selling it. I love using it as part of my keto lifestyle.
With the utmost of respect, I’ve learned a couple properties, however, that make it a little different from sugar that folks should be aware of (and I’ve verified this thru online research in the past): 1) While it tastes the same as sugar, and in baking/dry measure applications it can be substituted 1:1, it doesn’t taste as intensely sweet as sugar. Your end product won’t be as sweet. I’ve found I have to add 30-50% more allulose to boost the sweetness, OR add something like pure monk fruit extract or stevia to boost the sweetness without increasing the volume.
It has a higher humectancy (liquid holding) property than sucrose. This will make your baked goods stay moist longer. However, I’ve struggled with making cookies crisp vs chewy when using allulose in some recipes. I’m still experimenting.
Allulose melts at a lower temperature than sucrose. (110 deg C vs 160 C). It also browns/burns at a lower temperature (have trouble finding the numbers here). So keep a close eye on those baked goods so they don’t overbrown or char. Similarly, when I use allulose to make BBQ sauce or teriyaki sauce, I keep the grill or broiler at a lower temp and/or keep my food away further away from the burner and watch it carefully as the sticky, yummy glaze forms.
Allulose loses some sweetness in some hot applications- such as coffee, and you may have to use a LOT more of it (very expensive) to achieve the same sweetness.
Allulose loses sweetness (and sometimes adds a savory component in my experience) when combined with acids, such as vinegar in a sauce, so you have to add more. It’s not apparent right away, however. So I now let these mixtures sit and ‘meld’ for a while, a few hrs or overnight and then add more allulose and salt (if necessary at all). I don’t purport to know the exact chemistry behind this, but I recall reading it online about 2 yrs ago when I started researching it’s safety before using it myself.
I love that it doesn’t have the cooling effect of erythritol which can be disconcerting in a room temperature chocolate chip cookie, for example, but is great in a mojito or a salad dressing.
Hey Jeff, great observation, and I am sure my readers will appreciate your detailed comment. I’ve burned a LOT of recipes with allulose, like caramel (so bad, if you let it burn) and cookies – I find cookies especially require a double sheet pan to get a perfect bottom. It’s tricky, but it’s such a great sugar replacement for all the reasons you listed. Thanks again, great comment, very much appreciated.
Laura, I’ve been thinking about making some divinity candy with allulose. Because divinity reqires heating to 260 degrees, do you think allulose, or any other keto-friendly sweetener, will respond properly to that high heat?
Hey TJ, you know what’s funny? I accidentally made a divinity-like candy when I tried to make boiled icing with allulose. So yes, you can for sure, but it might take a bit of testing and mucking about with the temperature. I’d go for a really slow low heat boil until I got up to temperature and maybe test it around 240-250 before going all the way to 260. Allulose will burn super quick and if there is any allulose on the sides of the pan they will burn and fall down into the syrup, causing a very nasty bitter flavor. If you go really slow without stirring you should be able to bring it up to temp for a texture like divinity (seriously that failed boiled icing was just the right texture!) without burning any bits. I hope that helps! I’ve had zero luck trying to get any other sweeteners to perform correctly in this kind of recipe without getting some really weird results, allulose (or bocca sweet) would be the two I believe would work best.
My alluose has thickened on me twice in my hot chocolate but only when I seem to slightly over mix it and when I have an extra added ingredient like banana or pb. I can’t find anything online about this.
That sounds really odd Katherine. Is the alluose 100% allulose? Is there any other ingredient in there besides the allulose? I have personally never had this happen so I am curious what brand you are using?
For the holidays I like to make candied nuts using sugar on the stove top. The end result is the nuts are encrusted with sugar crystals and the remainder of the sugar is a dry powder. Every other sweetener I have tried only results in a brittle where the nuts are either suspended in a hard candy or are coated in a sticky goo. Will allulose caramelize in this way like sugar?
Hi Justin, yes Allulose will work for what you want. You need to keep a very careful eye on it, and candy those nuts much slower than you would sugar (allulose burns quickly at high heat and tends to go bitter) – but if you go slow with a lower temperature you should get very similar results to sugar. Cheers!
Hello.. Good day.. I just want to ask.. In 1 cup of erythritol how much cup of allulose should i use.. Thank you and god bless
Can I preserve lemons with Allulose?
Hi Alyssa, can you specify what you mean by preserve lemons. Do you mean in a jam? I’ve preserved lemons with salt before in a jar, but never sugar. If it’s lemon jam or lemon marmalade you can absolutely use allulose but you may need a bit of no sugar-required pectin like Pomona’s. Ball makes low-sugar pectin as well.
Hi, do you mainly use powdered allulose? Or is granulated good for the majority of recipes? …Think I may have just ordered the wrong thing to the UK :(jas
Hi Jas, I use powdered, but when I don’t have it on hand, I will use granulated. I find for some recipes, where the allulose is going to be a primary ingredient, like fudge, powdered seems to have a better texture, for things like cakes or muffins, you can use granular. Cheers!
Very anxious to try allulose. But I do have a question… will it work in fermentation? I make wines and sodas from scratch. Itsure would awesome to be able to brew some fresh gingerale and Kvass. I tried looking for the information online but since it is new there isn’t any supporting answers…
I don’t think it will, it doesn’t feed yeast, so I am doubtful it will work in fermentation. You can contact any of the allulose suppliers directly and ask them, I have found them to be very good at answering questions and for troubleshooting. Cheers!
Hi Laura,
Any idea of how to make a sweetener blend of Allulose and monkfruit in bulk? Or Allulose, stevia, and monkfruit together ?
Hi Michelle, sorry for the late reply; we took a mini-vacation! The challenge with monk fruit is its concentration – in the States, I know that monk fruit can be sold in high concentrations but in Canada (for instance) it can’t be and needs to be bulked out with something else, so the challenge is knowing what the monk fruit concentration is before starting your blend. If you email me I can give you a hand. But with the stevia, I honestly have no idea because I never ever use stevia because I have such a strong reaction to the taste even in small quantities. If you still need a hand, shoot me an email sugarfreesprinkles@gmail.com. Cheers!
This is all so helpful! Do you have any experience making merengue cookies with Allulose? My experiments with erythritol and xylitol have been disasters so far.
Hi Caroline, you know meringue cookies have not turned out well with allulose. I’ve tried to adapt a few recipes, but they have not worked well. Allulose tends to over brown when exposed to high temperatures. Although meringues bake at a lower temp, I have still found the outer parts of the cookies over brown, and that is likely due to the high concentrations of allulose. I have tried to blend the sweeteners, but they were all disasters, as you said. I eventually gave up because I never landed on a recipe that actually worked well (some were ok, but not really great). I did lower the temperature in the oven to 200, and that worked kinda, the cookies were dry and brittle, and never had that merengue texture but they were tasty.
Thank you so much for the quick response! If I find a magic solution I will let you know 🙂
I have used granulated allulose and love it. I just bought liquid allulose and wonder if I can substitute the liquid for dry, or how I can use it? I am interested in using it in homemade ice cream in the ninja creami ice cream maker if possible. Many of their recipes call for Karo syrup, and the “lite version” substitutes Agave syrup along with some monk fruit or stevia for the granulated sugar. Thanks for any insights you can share.
Hi Melissa, yup yup, you can use that liquid allulose in ice cream recipes, it actually creates a WONDERFUL texture. I have finally been able to get my hands on liquid allulose and I am testing recipes with it now (I’m in Canada and allulose is not sold here yet). As far as the replacement I’d check the package or the brand, sometimes they are a bit different, but they should give you the liquid-to-dry ratio. As far as using it in other recipes, like cake, or muffins, I wouldn’t. It will throw off the liquid-to-dry ratio and change the texture. But for recipes that call for corn syrup, yup, it works great. Just keep in mind that allulose will burn and turn bitter fast, so if you’re replacing corn syrup in a recipe for something like caramel, cook it very low and slow.
TYPO on your site:
“Fun Fact: Allulose has the same chemical structure as fructose, another type of simple sugar! Unlike fructose, it is ~~~NOT~~~ actually absorbed by the body into the blood so it is considered to be a low-calorie option (sometimes even zero calories!) and not used for energy.
It has also been shown that this sweetener can be made by converting fructose from corn and some other plants.”
Oh man, thanks for pointing that out. Super appreciate the heads-up on that one!
Hi I have been trying to use allulose in baking cakes instead of sugar but otherwise leaving the recipe alone (still using cake flour etc). I’m having issue with my cakes baking really dense. I have tried 3 recipes so far. Do you have any idea what causes this or how to fix it?
Hi Mary, I have also experienced this in baking for my friends and family who do not do low carb but want low sugar. I’ve found adding an extra egg and making sure those eggs are whipped light and airy makes a huge difference. Alluose is very similar to sugar but has a few interesting quirks. And I wanted to add an apology for such a late reply, we’ve been out of commission for a few weeks.
Can you allulose in canning fruits or jam and jelly? Or maybe canned homemade ketchup?
Hi Tannis, YES! Allulose is far superior to any other sweetener in canning. That said, you must ensure the pH level is adequate for safe canning, as allulose does not provide the same bacterial protection as sugar in canned goods. You can buy pH testing strips from Amazon. Allulose makes the jam sticky and gooey, and I swear it tastes just like the real deal.