How to Get Rid of Stevia Aftertaste (9 Tips That Work)
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If stevia tastes bitter or has a strange aftertaste, you’re not imagining it—and you’re definitely not alone.
For some people, stevia tastes perfectly sweet. For others, it has a strong, lingering bitterness or even a slightly metallic flavor that can ruin a drink or recipe.
The good news?
There are simple ways to fix it.
In this guide, you’ll learn exactly why stevia has an aftertaste—and the most effective ways to get rid of that bitter taste so it actually tastes good.
When many people first try stevia, the experience can be surprising—in a not-so-good way. What seems like a great sugar alternative can come with a strong, bitter aftertaste that’s hard to ignore.
If that’s been your experience, you’re not alone. The good news is that there are simple ways to fix it—and once you know how to use stevia properly, it can be a great option.
I actually liked stevia when I first started using it. I was thrilled to have a low-carb way to address my sweet cravings. But over time I realized that in some recipes, it could easily become too strong or develop an aftertaste if not used carefully.
Learning how to balance it made a huge difference.
How to Get Rid of Stevia Aftertaste (Quick Fixes)
Here's a quick list of how to get rid of stevia's aftertaste. Scroll down for more information about all of these.
- Use less stevia (too much = bitterness)
- Choose a better-tasting brand
- Add acid (like lemon juice or vinegar)
- Combine with another sweetener
- Use liquid stevia instead of powder
- Add fat (like cream or coconut milk)
- Chill or freeze foods
- Use strong flavors (like chocolate or vanilla)
- Let taste buds adjust
What is Stevia?
1. Stevia is a natural sweetener derived from the Stevia rebaudiana plant and can be up to 300 times sweeter than sugar (the typical range is 200-300). As a result, stevia can be difficult to use as a sweetener.
2. Stevia is a zero calorie sweetener that does not contain any sugar or carbohydrates, nor does it feed candida.
3. Easy on your digestion–stevia lacks the unpleasant tummy-lurching side effects that are a characteristic of some other low-carb sweeteners like xylitol, erythritol, and allulose.
4. Stevia comes in many forms with varying amounts of processing. Among theses are: homemade extracts, powder extracts, liquid stevia, and ground whole leaf stevia.
– Homemade extracts, also known as “teas”, are made by steeping the leaves of the stevia plant, which can often be found at local greenhouses.
– Liquid or powdered extracts are made by using either water or alcohol to extract two types of glycosides from the leaves of the stevia plant (Stevioside and rebaudioside A).
– Ground Leaves – The third process simply involves the grinding of dried stevia leaves into a green powder with no extraction process.
Does Stevia Taste Like Sugar?
While stevia and sugar share sweetness, there are some big differences. Stevia tastes different than sugar for the following reasons:
- Other compounds: Stevia, whether you are using the whole leaf or an extract, has other compounds in it that affect its taste.
- No bulk: Since stevia is so much more concentrated than sugar, that leads to its bitter taste/aftertaste.
- Taste receptors: Due to how stevia interacts with taste receptors, it tastes different than sugar and also tastes different to different people.
What Does Stevia Taste Like?
Stevia, again is super sweet but also super strong. It tastes sweet up front, but then can have a bitter, licorice, or even metallic taste for some. How it tastes varies by person based on genetically influenced taste receptors, similar to how different people feel about cilantro's taste.
Why Does Stevia Have an Aftertaste?
Our taste buds have receptors that identify sweet, bitter (and also sour and salty) flavors. Interestingly, there is only one receptor that identifies sweet tastes, but there are 25 different receptors for bitter ones! One reason for stevia's bitter taste is that the stevia plant has chemical compounds that interact with both the sweet and bitter receptors, leading to its signature bitter aftertaste.
However, if you get quality stevia (and also follow the tips in this post), a lot of that bitterness can be mitigated.
What Stevia Has the Least Aftertaste?
If you’re struggling with stevia’s taste, switching types or brands can make a big difference in your experience.
- Liquid stevia tends to have a smoother, less bitter taste (especially in drinks).
- Powdered stevia extract can taste stronger and more bitter if even slightly overused.
- Some brands are noticeably cleaner tasting than others.
- Blends (like stevia with monk fruit or erythritol) often reduce aftertaste due to the bulk and combining tips mentioned below.
Why I Didn’t Like Stevia at First (and What Changed)
9 Tips to Fix the Stevia Taste Problem
1. Use Less Stevia (Overuse Causes Bitterness)
Don't one day decide to put it in everything, on everything. Instead, start with a little bit of stevia and increase your use with time.
Using too much stevia at once causes an overload of the bitter receptors in your mouth and also a plateau effect where the sweetness of stevia plateaus and you end up sensing the bitterness more instead.
2. Buy a Good Brand
Stevia extracts are not created equal. I have purchased my share of brands and while some are palatable, others just don't make the cut. However, as you learn to like stevia you will likely be more tolerant of even the most unpalatable brands. Here are some better tasting brands to start with.
Now Brand Better Stevia
Many people love Now's Better Stevia. I seems to need more stevia to get the sweetness level that I want, but the taste is better than most.
NuNaturals
My personal favorite used to be new NuNaturals. Sadly, they had to change their formula, but they still have a smooth flavor with minimal to no aftertaste.
Got a brand of stevia you love? Let me know and I might add it to this list.
3. Let Taste Buds Adjust
Stevia can be an acquired taste. Many people find that the more they use it (especially when used correctly), the less noticeable the aftertaste becomes over time.
4. Combine with Other Sweeteners
Especially in baking, use stevia along with other sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, fruit juice, coconut sugar, molasses, xylitol, erythritol, erythritol / monk fruit blend, monk extract, allulose, bocha sweet, or some other option that works for your diet.
When stevia is mixed with another sweetener, the taste is greatly reduced and often not even noticeable. This is also true when there is fruit in the recipe (the fruit being the other sweetener), like in fruit crisp or this mixed berry chia pudding. The stevia taste is much less, if at all, noticeable.
Slowly, steadily, each subsequent time you prepare something, decrease the other sweetener and increase the stevia with the potential goal of cutting out the other sweetener completely over time.
5. Freeze It
If you added too much stevia to a recipe or if the stevia taste is too strong, don't throw out your hard work. Instead, freeze it for a day or two (letting it sit in the fridge works well too).
Chilling helps mask the strength of both the stevia sweetness and the bitterness on your tongue.
6. Add an Acid
Adding an acid like lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, or citric acid can help mask stevia’s aftertaste—especially in drinks and fruit-based recipes. In baked goods, it can help slightly, but it’s usually more effective when combined with other strategies.
7. Add Fat
Fat smooths out the bitterness of stevia. Adding coconut milk to coffee or coffee substitute, using cream or butter in drinks, and avoiding fat-free or reduced-fat baked goods are another way to help with stevia's aftertaste.
8. Use Liquid Stevia
Liquid stevia often tastes smoother than powdered versions, especially in drinks.
One big reason is that it’s easier to control the amount. Using drops instead of a scoop makes it easier to get the right level of sweetness without overdoing it.
Liquid stevia also mixes more evenly, which can help prevent strong pockets of flavor that make the aftertaste more noticeable.
9. Add Flavor
Adding strong flavors like chocolate, coffee, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and more can help mask stevia's aftertaste issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does stevia suddenly taste worse to me?
Stevia can seem to taste stronger over time, especially if you start using more of it or using it in different types of recipes. It’s also easier to notice the aftertaste in certain foods, like baked goods, compared to drinks.
Why does stevia taste fine in drinks but bad in baking?
In drinks, stevia dissolves evenly and is often balanced with acidity, which helps reduce bitterness. In baking, it’s easier to use too much and harder to balance flavors, so the aftertaste can stand out more.
There you have it, my tips for helping you like stevia.
As a result, why not go and try out these stevia-sweetened Dairy-Free Fudgesicles and Sugar-Free Lemonade soon!
Have any of these tips worked for you?
Ha! I got here because I googled ” I dont like stevia what else is there?” I made my first keto dessert today and the mix of stevia and coco powder was just horrible.. I almost vomited.. needless to say it went down the disposal and i was upset to have wasted a stick of butter! Butter is expensive lol I’ll try your tips as i have a huge bag of stevia i dont want to throw out… Thanks!
Ha! Welcome! I so hope it works for you. Blending w/ other sweeteners really helps so maybe make 1 batch w/ xylitol or erythritol and don’t throw it out! I love it in drinks :). Please let me know. What brand did you buy?
this stuff is disgusting and the super sweet taste just lingers WAY to long. the only way i can choke this down it to mix it with pure cranberry juice.
Sorry you feel that way. Maybe you chose a bad brand. I like it!
I was so dissapointed the first time I tried Stevia. After reading about it I had been thinking, who would ever use anything else! Til I tried it. Then I now thought, who would ever use this! That was years ago. I decided to try again. I tried a liquid, Stevita. One drop. In a cup of decaf. It was perfectly fine. Pleasant even. I also added half and half. Now I have another variation I like very much. To my decaf I add a half teaspoon of baking cocoa and a pinch of salt and of course the Stevita. It’s great! Then I tried a generic brand from Walmart, Great Value. I liked it also, not as much, but it wasn’t bad at all.
NuNaturals Stevia DOES have maltodextrin in it. Maybe it’s in there now after the formula change.
Their Reb99 product doesn’t have any.
You should do more research on Stevia. Very bad for your reproductive system :-/
Yes, I did that already. This post might be of interest. https://wholenewmom.com/health-concerns/is-stevia-safe-is-stevia-bad-for-you-stevia-infertility/
Do you know of any books on how to cook with “green” stevia. (Not making the extract. Just using it ground up.) I grow it and it isn’t as sweet as store bought. Store bought tend to have a sugar alcohol in it.
Hi Anna! I think this has some. Let me know what you think! (affiliate link) https://amzn.to/2iEwJYT
To make the liquid stevia the ground leaves do not seem to dissolve. After it sets for 24 hours will straining it affect the sweetness? I don’t like the powder in my drinks.
Hmmmm..that’s interesting. Are they ground fine enough? We haven’t had that problem.
Hi. I’ve been experimenting with Stevia, Xylitol, and Erythritol in my baking lately. Last night was my first go at chocolate/oatmeal cookies using both Stevia and Erythritol. (Using coconut flour, oatmeal, and amond flour.) When they came out of the oven they were pretty much inedible – they looked fine & had a decent (if dense) texture, but with a nasty bitter flavor. Surprisingly, after 24 hours, a lot of the bitter seems to be gone. I’ve had this happen when using only Xylitol – there’s something going on with the chemistry as the goodies cool off. I’ve always been a “super-taster” for things bitter, but even my daughter could taste the funkiness there yesterday and says it’s much less today. Anyone know what it is that’s going on?
I have never heard of this but this post did mention freezing stevia as a way to make it more palatable so maybe that’s a clue?
Hi. Obviously it’s the time and lack of heat factoring in here somehow. I have a box of low-carb brownie mix that cautions to let it cool off and stand for some time before eating, so the manufacturer obviously knows what is going on – I may write to them and see if I can pry that info out. I’ve never used the Erythritol before, so I am wondering if that is what’s twinged my taste buds this time – but since I also used Stevia it could still have been that. . (I’ve used the Stevia previously in a very similar recipe and got a bit of bitter, but nothing like this.) In any event, it’s been several days now and I can barely taste the offensive twang. So molecules must be rearranging as it cools down, I guess? I
The cooling could also be b/c it will fall apart easily otherwise and the texture improves. Giving me something to think about for sure….
I just LOVE Now Foods Better Stevia, and Truvia! Sweet leaf liquids has a more aftertaste than I would like. I really love the fact than Better Stevia doesn`t have alcohol in it. Also, stevia`s aftertaste is masked with certain foods: dark bitter chocolate, liquorice and anise
Thanks for sharing!! I like their Better Stevia as well.
I am using that product and the bitterness drowns out any sweetness. The more I add the greater the bitterness. I am sure I will get used to it.
Oh no. Sorry – did you try the techniques in this post? And what stevia are you using? NuNaturals?
Better Stevia the drops. I have now tried cutting it with Saccharin. I know but I am on a keto diet so no carbs. Once the bitterness is removed, wow two drops and one Saccharin tablet and it was like drinking syrup. So one drop Stevia and one NectaSweet tab and thus far all is good. Just wonder how long before I can dump the artificial.
Thanks for taking time to reply.
PS I drink two mugs of coffee a day, but my tea consumption knows no bounds. Living in China and coming from the UK it is kind of expected I guess. 🙂
I have never tried that – I have their powder but it isn’t my favorite. I do like the Now Flavored drops, however.
Have you tried NuNaturals or Trader Joe’s? Might be a better taste for you. I love tea as well and used to live in Japan and my father is from Dublin so I feel your pain.
Hi,
No the vendor I am using is based in Australia. The Chinese have embraced the Wests diet, but as of yet the obesity has not kicked in, so alternatives to sugar are unheard of here. Try explaining fasting here is like, well…. speaking Mandarin 🙂
I left the UK ten years ago and moved to Texas..” Hot tea with milk? Are you insane?”, So two years later I finally got used to Iced Tea…. Yes feel my pain, but hopefully you will never experience my terrible belly I picked up state side. 160 UK 275 USA, go USA lol. Well close to 200 now so I need this to work for me. I have gout and Artificial sweeteners are up there with sugar.
Anyone reading and interested. Celery and tart Cherries, both you can find in tablet form work wonders. But juicing the real thing is the best.
Dublin unfortunately never visited it, but I did visit Dublin Texas the evil home of Dr Peppers.
I love China they still have repair men and little independent restaurants. And one day mime will not be a major part of my dialogue lol.
I see. My husband lived in China for 2 years. Never in Texas. Have you heard of the Trim Healthy Mama plan and T Tapp? I know you aren’t a female and some of the foods are quite intricate but the plan is sound – not mixing carbs with fats is the basic.
300X sweeter than sugar? Please! I wonder where this is derived from, For me it seems 1/10 as sweet if that. The aftertaste makes it even less sweet than that!
It is commonly mentioned in literature about stevia. Possibly the figure is likely 200-300 times so I will add that to the post. I think some have more of an aftertaste than others. More in this post: https://wholenewmom.com/health-concerns/is-stevia-safe-is-stevia-bad-for-you-stevia-infertility/
In my experience, erythritol is a much better sugar substitute than stevia. It tastes just like sugar though only 70% as sweet. It looks just like sugar. Though people often have gastrointestinal issues with other sugar alcohols, they rarely do with erythritol because it is absorbed before it reaches the colon and thus is not fermented there which would otherwise cause problems. Erythritol is also easy to cook with. Just make sure you get 100% pure erythritol. Some brands mix it with either stevia or fructooligosaccharides. Both of those just ruin the flavor.
Another great option (though expensive) for situations where you might use molasses is Yacon syrup. Hard to find in stores but easy to purchase on the Internet.
I have heard of blends of eryth with xyl and stevia that are quite good – have you tried that?
I don’t think it is a good idea to blend xylitol with erythritol. Xylitol has more g.i. Tolerance problems. It is less expensive than erythritol which is why they do it but I’d rather pay a little more and not have cramps and diarrhea. I have had a blend of stevia and erythritol. It was awful. Bitter and not sugar like at all. I’d rather go without sweetener at all than put up with the taste of stevia.
I guess it depends on your issues. Some have issues w/ xylitol and others don’t. If you don’t I think it’s a good idea. One of my practitioners said she really liked mixing sweeteners so that if it is ever discovered that one of them has a serious problem, then you can feel better knowing you diluted the effects of all of them. I personally really love stevia, but in baked goods it needs to be mixed w/ something.