In current circumstances, most people are concentrating on their well-being and are trying to consume less sugar. An increase in consumption of sugar leads to various conditions like diabetes and obesity. However, most of the sugar content generally comes from beverages and food. 

For this reason, there has been a demand for producing low content or zero-calorie sweeteners and especially use those in beverages. This has been possible with the incorporation of all-natural zero-calorie sweeteners. There are two types of zero-calorie sweetener, the one being a synthetic one including aspartame, sucralose, and saccharin, and the other one is a natural sweetener which includes stevia, erythritol, monk fruit, etc. So let us understand some in detail.

Erythritol: This is a sugar alcohol that is found in melons and grapes. It has a very low calorific value, like about 0.2kcal/g, so it doesn't affect blood sugar. Since it does not taste very differently from table sugar, It is also used popularly in various beverages so as to balance taste and texture. Moreover, it is also quite easily digestible and not being too hard on the stomach.

Stevia: This is a sweetener leave that is extracted from the Stevia rebaudiana plant, which is found in South America. Stevia (Sweet Tulsi) is sweeter than sugar but has no calories. Since stevia has a bitter aftertaste for some people, it can be combined with other sugar or other sweetness and then used in beverages. According to data, it has been found that there has been an increase of stevia in soft drinks that has been going up directly.

Blends: Most beverage manufacturers are launching products with natural sweetener blends. This allows beverage creators to make consumers feel the taste of traditional sugar without sugar The combination of all these natural sweeteners helps to incorporate sugar, honey with other caloric sweeteners helps in keeping the right balance of taste as well as calorie count.

Monk Fruit: Generally, in most fruits’ sweetness comes from fructose; however, in monk fruit, the sweet taste comes from mogroside, which tastes really sweet but has almost nil calories. It is used with bulking agents like erythritol so as not only to be used in beverages but also for dispersion in manufacturing.

Low-calorie sweeteners and zero-calorie sweeteners are sweeter than sugar, so even if you put less amount, it will achieve the same level of sweetness.  According to research, it has also been said that zero-calorie sweeteners also keep your body healthy.

In order to choose the best natural sweetener for your beverage production, try to research various potential sweetener and analyze it through sugar content, caloric content as well as the glycaemic index.  You can also try out new developments like blends made from a range of natural ingredients.

It is quite important you select a natural sweetener for your beverage production as it would not only maintain the taste of it but also keep you healthy. As listed above, these are some of the natural zero-calorie sweeteners that can be used.  These natural sweeteners can be used standalone or mixed with any other element to be used in beverages.