The makers of the artificial sweetener, Splenda, recently released a new sweetener, Nectresse, which is being marketed as a natural, zero calorie, healthy alternative to artificial sweeteners and sugar. Is it really natural or is it just tricky marketing to target health-minded consumers? We’ve done some research to help you make an educated decision.
The Nectresse website claims that the product is 100% natural and made from monk fruit. Monk fruit is an Asian melon that releases its sweetness when heated and is 150 times sweeter than sugar. The process to create Nectresse is described on their website as the following:
- The monk fruit is picked fresh from the vine.
- The fruit is then crushed to access the sweet extract.
- The crushed fruit is then soaked in hot water to release its sweetness.
- The monk fruit-infused water is filtered and dried to create monk fruit extract.
- The extract is then blended with other natural sweeteners to create NECTRESSE™ Sweetener.