Julian BakeryPure Monk | v25% Monk Fruit Extract | Sweetener | Sugar Free | 3.5oz | 100 Servings

I love this stuff. It sweetens without the strange after taste-most of the time.The one time I got a weird aftertaste was when I used too much of the sweetener. I used 1/4 tsp of it in a 12-16 oz glass of iced tea. Then I got a brief, odd taste after. I couldn't drink it because it was too sweet for me. Mind you, everyone is going to be different as well all have different levels of taste sensitivity.I read here where the manufacturer states that 1 Cup of sugar=3/4 tsp monk fruit sweetness factor. For my tall glass of tea I use about 1/16th-1/32nd of a tsp and it's plenty sweet for me. I shudder to think of how I'm going to adjust for a small cup or mug of hot tea. A teensy pinch, maybe.Yes, the cost is high at first, but since the sweetness is concentrated, I'd say it would probably even out to be equal to, or maybe even less, than other sweeteners on the market. So it ends up to be pretty cost effective unless you plan to bake with it on a regular basis. Even then, using 3/4 tsp. in place of a cup of sugar will not use it up too fast unless you bake for a living. (I don't know how well it works in baking and cooking. I haven't tried.)One very big thing for me-I have diabetes which I control with diet and exercise these days. I rarely have anything sweet, but I do miss sweet teas. I hate the chemical tastes that most sweeteners impart. I'd never noticed them until I stopped using them completely for months, then had a diet soda. Yeesh. They don't raise my blood sugar, but they do taste nasty. And Stevia does raise my glucose a bit. So I tried the monk fruit.I wanted to see if the monk fruit extract had an impact on my glucose levels. So, not too scientifically, but enough to satisfy me, I tried a little experiment. For three mornings before eating anything, I checked my blood sugar levels then drank a glass of tea sweetened with the monk fruit, then 2 hours later, check it again. (This is a time when blood sugar often peaks after ingesting foods and drinks.) It didn't raise the blood sugar. That makes me feel even better about this product.

Was a 5 Stars now 3 Stars for no longer having prime membership shipping. I love it but I dont care to be FORCED to pay extra for shipping for snail mail. This is already on the expensive side not having free shipping makes changes thing. I am forced to try other brands now.ORIGINAL REVIEWLost 127 Pounds! This products will help you kick those sweet cravings!Delicious! A little pinch goes a long way! Some say it taste bad... well it taste different at first. My best advice is not to give up on it. I did not start using this product expecting to love it off the back. I was nervous because of stevia and other natural products. If you find the taste different start slow and ween your way into using it. Give your taste buds a fair chance to love it. You wont be sorry. To be honest I LOVE IT NOW. I use it in all my holiday baking and no one in my family ever complains (or notice I've gotten double the compliments) and I have had to double my baking because they eat all their sugar things (that I cut the sugar down with this monk fruit) and most of my sugar free baking which I make with the monk. I also use it in my childrens sweets to cut the sugar down and they dont even know it. I have lost 127 and this product has help me so much because I love things that taste sweet and thanks to this food I don't have to give sweets up. Lost thing I made with it was sugar free (low carb) chocolate covered strawberries for valentines day! It was a HIT for everyone even who didnt need to eat sugar free chocolate. The kids loved it too... I only got 2 :-( out of the batch of 30!

Update: I opened my new package, well I ordered it a few months ago so I wouldn’t be without my Monk Fruit. It smells like burnt plastic, is a much darker color than ever and even has a weird taste. The scoop is also small and awkward. I need more to sweeten my drinks and foods with this one, than with all the other ones I’ve used. Very disappointed. Am going to contact Julian Bakery and see if there’s something we can do about this.The monk fruit is a great alternative to sugar. I keep a small container of it in my purse. 1 small scoop (included in the container) is equal to 1 cup of sugar. I've noticed, if I use too much of it, the taste is bitter and there's an after taste. Not a lot is needed to sweeten my coffee or tea. My Dad takes a toothpick and just swirls it in the monk fruit then stirs it into his coffee. That is, literally, how little is needed. I also enjoy black coffee now, instead of needing to use coffee creamer in my coffee.The negatives: 1) my last container came with the seal not placed correctly and it spilled the monk fruit all over. I had to throw it away. Amazon refunded me. 2) The color is not the same. My first container was a dark tan. My second container was a light tan color, I'm not sure what that means, if anything. 3) There is an "organic" option offered that is $10 more, than the one I got, but both are suppose to be from the same place? How can one be organic and the other not? Why is there a $10 difference if they are the same source??