Quality and taste
When it comes to nutritional supplements, taste can be just as important as quality because even the most effective formulas won’t help if they’re unpleasant to take. Natural sweeteners provide a way to make supplements more enjoyable without compromising health or causing unwanted reactions.
By choosing sweeteners rooted in nature, and having a strong track record of safety, supplement formulas can remain both effective and easy to take consistently, helping people get the support they need without unnecessary additives or compromises.
To uphold this standard, Thorne has established a strict “No List” of ingredients that will never appear in our products. This list includes artificial sweeteners, flavors, and preservatives; hydrogenated oils; high-fructose corn syrup; colorants; large fatty acids like stearic acid and magnesium stearate; sulfites; BPA; plasticizers; and irradiated ingredients. We believe these substances are unnecessary or potentially harmful, and we are committed to keeping every one of our supplements free from them.
This dedication reflects Thorne’s guiding philosophy that wellness begins with clean, high-quality ingredients that work in harmony with the body’s natural health processes.
With a focus on integrity and innovation, we carefully select ingredients that can either be found in nature or are thoughtfully derived from natural sources to ensure safety, efficacy, and optimal absorption. From sweetener choices to active ingredients, every decision supports our mission to create pure, effective supplements that empower people to take control of their health with confidence.
This article will explore the different kinds of naturally derived sweeteners used in Thorne products and their benefits in supplement formulas.
Stevia extract (leaf)
Stevia extract comes from Stevia rebaudiana, a small shrub native to Paraguay and nearby parts of South America. Indigenous Guarani peoples used the leaves for centuries to sweeten beverages and as a traditional remedy.
Modern sweeteners derived from stevia are purified compounds (steviol glycosides) extracted from those leaves. Stevia extract has a GI of 0 and has no carbohydrates, calories, or artificial ingredients. Different glycosides vary in sweetness intensity and aftertaste. Stevia is about 200-400 times sweeter than table sugar and is a non-nutritive sweetener. The sweet taste comes from steviol glycosides, chiefly stevioside and various rebaudiosides, particularly rebaudioside A and rebaudioside M.
Rebaudioside A
Purified rebaudioside A (a steviol glycoside) is a near-pure stevia material that comes in either powder or liquid form. It is widely used and has a high sweetness potency, but some people detect a mild bitter or licorice-like aftertaste at higher concentrations. It is used in the following products:
Rebaudioside M
Another steviol glycoside, rebaudioside M is prized for a cleaner, less bitter profile compared to rebaudioside A.
Rebaudioside M is used in the following products:
Mannitol
Mannitol is a sugar alcohol that occurs naturally in small amounts in various fruits and vegetables, such as mushrooms, strawberries, seaweed, onions, and celery. It was first isolated from manna ash tree sap – hence the name – in the 19th century. Its sweetness is about 50-70% that of table sugar. It is often cited as having a GI of 2 or 0 and has about 1.6 calories per gram, making it a lower-calorie option compared to table sugar, which has about 4 calories per gram.
Mannitol is used in the following products:
Xylitol
Xylitol is another sugar alcohol that occurs naturally in small amounts in many fruits, vegetables, and even the human body as part of normal metabolism. First identified in birch tree bark in the late 19th century, xylitol has been widely used in Europe and Japan since the 1960s as a sugar substitute in chewing gum, candies, and oral health products. Today, xylitol is typically manufactured from birch wood or corn cobs. Xylitol is about as sweet as table sugar, has a low GI of 7, and has about 2.4 calories per gram, about 40% fewer calories than table sugar.
Xylitol is used in the following product:
Monk fruit extract (fruit)
Monk fruit extract is a natural sweetener that comes from the monk fruit (Siraitia grosvenorii). The monk fruit is a small gourd native to southern China and northern Thailand. It is also known as luo han guo or 'Buddha fruit,' named for the Buddhist monks who cultivated and used it for centuries in teas and traditional remedies for coughs and sore throat.
Monk fruit extract is considered to be 150-200 times sweeter than sucrose, so only very small amounts are needed. The intense sweetness comes from cucurbitane glycosides called mogrosides – especially mogroside V – that are isolated by water extraction from the dried fruit. Purified monk fruit extract has a glycemic index (GI) of 0 and contributes negligible calories or carbohydrates.
Monk fruit extract is used in the following products:
Bottom line
Thorne’s dedication to quality and purity ensures that each ingredient, including the sweeteners used, is carefully selected for its connection to nature, its efficacy, and its safety. By combining science-supported formulations with ingredients rooted in nature, Thorne makes it possible for individuals to experience supplements that are not only clinically effective, but also clean, trusted, and enjoyable to take.