What drink has monk fruit? Discover popular brands and DIY recipes

December 16, 2025 •

4 min read

Native to southern China, monk fruit was originally cultivated by Buddhist monks centuries ago and is now prized for its intensely sweet, zero-calorie properties. When asking "what drink has monk fruit?" you will find the answer includes a wide variety of commercial products and countless homemade concoctions, from prebiotic sodas to natural liquid drops for custom beverages.

Quick Summary

An overview of drinks containing monk fruit extract, covering commercial brands like zero-sugar sodas and lemonades, plus simple instructions for creating homemade beverages using monk fruit liquid and powder sweeteners.

Key Points

Pre-packaged Options: Several commercial brands, including Zevia, Bubz, and Swoon, offer sugar-free sodas, prebiotic drinks, and lemonades sweetened with monk fruit.
DIY Versatility: Monk fruit can be used to sweeten homemade beverages like lemonade, herbal teas, and simple syrups using liquid drops or powder.
Blended Formulas: Most commercial monk fruit sweeteners are blended with other sugar alcohols, like erythritol, to reduce intense sweetness and improve texture.
Flavor Profile: Monk fruit is known for its intense sweetness and clean taste, though some perceive a mild aftertaste depending on the blend and concentration.
Safety Considerations: The FDA recognizes monk fruit extract as generally safe, but consumers should be mindful of additives like erythritol, monitor for potential allergic reactions (especially if allergic to gourds), and consult a doctor with any health concerns.
Customization: Liquid monk fruit drops (e.g., from SweetLeaf or Splenda) and concentrated drink mixes allow for easy, custom sweetening of any drink.

Commercial Brands Featuring Monk Fruit

As a popular natural zero-calorie sweetener, monk fruit extract is increasingly found in beverages from many different brands. These products offer a convenient, sugar-free way to enjoy a sweet taste without the added calories or glycemic impact.

Monk Fruit in Sodas and Sparkling Beverages

Many brands now offer sugar-free sodas and sparkling drinks that use monk fruit as a primary or complementary sweetener. These are a great alternative for those looking to reduce their sugar intake from traditional soft drinks.

Zevia: This brand is well-known for its zero-calorie sodas, often using a blend of stevia and monk fruit extract to achieve a balanced flavor.
Bubz Prebiotic Soda: This brand uses monk fruit to naturally sweeten its prebiotic sodas, which also contain fiber for gut health.
AlluSoda: This zero-sugar craft soda is sweetened with a blend that includes monk fruit, allulose, and Reb-M, making it a keto-friendly option.
Jing Soda: A super herb cola concentrate that uses monk fruit extract for sweetness.

Juices and Refreshers

For those seeking a fruity option, several brands have introduced monk fruit-sweetened juices and refreshers.

Swoon Pink Lemonade: Offers a sugar-free, keto-friendly, strawberry lemonade made with monk fruit and real lemon juice concentrate.
Homemade Variations: Many people also make their own sweetened juices, such as the No Sugar Mango Dragonfruit Lemonade, by adding monk fruit sweetener to fresh ingredients.

Water Enhancers and Drink Mixes

For the ultimate in customization, many companies sell monk fruit as a liquid drop or powdered drink mix that can be added to plain water or other beverages.

SweetLeaf: This brand provides monk fruit-based squeezable liquid sweeteners in various flavors.
Splenda Zero: Offers a line of zero-calorie liquid sweeteners, including a monk fruit option, for easy, on-the-go use.
Lakanto: Known for its range of monk fruit sweeteners, Lakanto also produces powdered drink mixes like a drinking chocolate that is sweetened with monk fruit and erythritol.

Creating Your Own Monk Fruit Drinks at Home

Making your own monk fruit-sweetened drinks gives you full control over ingredients and sweetness levels. The extract is stable at high temperatures, making it suitable for both cold and hot beverages.

Simple DIY Monk Fruit Recipes:

Classic Lemonade: Combine fresh lemon juice, water, and granulated monk fruit sweetener (such as Monk Fruit In The Raw® or Lakanto®) to create a simple syrup. Mix with additional water and ice.
Herbal Tea: Brew your favorite herbal tea and, while still warm, stir in liquid monk fruit drops or a dash of pure monk fruit powder to taste.
Sugar-Free Boba Tea: For a low-carb boba tea, combine brewed black or herbal tea, unsweetened almond milk, cooked tapioca pearls, and a few drops of monk fruit or stevia to taste.
Fruity Punch: Create a festive, no-sugar punch by mixing fruit-infused syrups (made with monk fruit) with sparkling water, prosecco, and fresh fruit.

Monk Fruit vs. Other Popular Sweeteners

Choosing a sweetener often comes down to taste, health considerations, and intended use. The following table compares monk fruit with another popular natural, zero-calorie alternative, stevia.


Feature	Monk Fruit	Stevia
Source	Small, round fruit native to China.	Plant native to South America.
Sweetness	100-250 times sweeter than sugar.	200-300 times sweeter than sugar, depending on the glycoside.
Aftertaste	Generally mild, described as clean.	Some people perceive a slightly bitter or licorice-like aftertaste.
Blends	Often blended with erythritol or allulose to balance intense sweetness and aid in baking.	Commonly blended with other sweeteners to mask off-flavors.
Temperature Stability	Very stable at high temperatures, good for baking and hot drinks.	Stable at high temperatures, also suitable for cooking.

Important Considerations for Monk Fruit Sweetened Drinks

While monk fruit extract is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the FDA, it is important to be mindful of a few details when choosing products.

1. Check for Additives: Many commercial monk fruit products are blended with other sweeteners, often erythritol, to enhance texture or moderate sweetness. Recent studies have raised concerns about a potential link between high blood erythritol levels and cardiovascular events, making it important to read labels carefully if this is a concern. For those sensitive to sugar alcohols like erythritol, pure monk fruit extract exists in liquid or powder form, though it can be intensely sweet and requires very small amounts.

2. Potential Allergies: While rare, monk fruit is a member of the gourd family, so individuals with allergies to other gourds (like pumpkin, melon, or squash) might have a higher risk of an allergic reaction.

3. Long-Term Studies: As noted by sources like Healthline, while monk fruit has a long history of use in Traditional Chinese Medicine, modern research on its long-term effects is still developing, particularly regarding how processed extract affects the gut microbiome. For reliable information on ingredient safety, consult resources like the International Food Information Council (IFIC).

Conclusion

From zero-sugar craft sodas to flavored water enhancers and countless homemade recipes, a wide range of drinks has monk fruit as a primary sweetener. It offers a versatile, zero-calorie, and natural alternative for those looking to reduce their sugar intake. By checking product labels for other ingredients, consumers can choose the perfect monk fruit beverage to suit their taste and dietary goals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Brands like Zevia, Bubz, and AlluSoda offer zero-calorie, sugar-free sodas and sparkling drinks that are sweetened using monk fruit extract, often in a blend with other natural sweeteners like stevia or allulose.

Historically, Coca-Cola has explored limited-edition products using monk fruit. However, the standard Diet Coke formula is sweetened with aspartame and acesulfame potassium, not monk fruit extract.

Yes, monk fruit sweetener is heat-stable and can be used to sweeten hot drinks like coffee or tea. It is available in granular form, liquid drops, and concentrated powder for easy use.

Whether monk fruit is 'better' than other sweeteners depends on personal preference and health goals. It is a natural, zero-calorie option, but some people prefer stevia's flavor profile, while others may be concerned about additives sometimes blended with monk fruit, like erythritol.

Yes, some brands like Swoon offer monk fruit-sweetened lemonades. Additionally, you can create your own monk fruit-sweetened juice alternatives by adding the sweetener to fresh-squeezed juice and water.

Liquid monk fruit sweetener drops are available at many grocery stores and online retailers. Brands such as SweetLeaf and Splenda offer convenient liquid options that are ideal for sweetening drinks on the go.

Monk fruit extract is Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) by the FDA for all populations, including children and pregnant women, but more long-term research is needed. It's important to be aware that many products are blended with other additives, so always read the ingredient list carefully.