subject: Stevia? What is the big deal? [print this page] Stevia? What is the big deal? Stevia? What is the big deal?
If you are a diabetic patient, chances are, you've already explored the domain of alternative sweeteners. Many people know that they must avoid sugar and therefore they depend on alternative sweeteners when they feel like having the odd glass of coffee or tea.
There are two types of artificial sweeteners.
Natural sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners
Stevia is one of the most commonly used natural sweeteners. It is a South American herb with sweet leaves. The extract taken from the leaves of this plant is much sweeter than sugar. However, it has very few calories and being natural, the side effects associated with stevia are minimal. This must make stevia one of the best options for people with diabetes, right? Apparently not.
So what's the big deal about Stevia?
Well, the FDA approved stevia in 2008. However, quite recently, stevia appeared in the news again in a different light. In a recent letter, the FDA chastised Hain Celestial Group for using stevia as a food additive. The FDA pointed out that it was too premature to consider stevia as being completely safe. They even pointed out that some reports have actually raised concerns that stevia could have undesirable effects on the reproductive, renal and cardiovascular systems. They also suggested that enough is not known about the effect of stevia on blood sugar. These warnings of the FDA are drawing support from The Center for Science in the Public Interest too. However, they were more concerned about the wide use of stevia in processed foods and soft drinks, and not about its use by diabetics.
It must be kept in mind that even though there are concerns about the continued use of stevia, lots of people, particularly diabetics, are using stevia in their foods on a regular basis. The reasons are obvious.
In general, natural sweeteners are less harmful when compared to artificial sweeteners. Also, stevia contains a number of nutrients. Thus, it may be beneficial to the body. It is free of calories and will therefore not add to the weight of the person.
It is easy to use stevia because it is available both as a powder and a liquid. As stevia is significantly sweeter than sugar (about 20 to 30 times sweeter), people who use it need only to add very small amounts to make their foods sweet.
There is a flip side. Stevia is quite expensive almost three times as costly as sugar. Some brands are even more expensive. However, some people have started growing stevia on their own. Stevia is easy to grow and is being increasingly found in mainstream gardening.
The bottom line is: Although stevia works well as a natural sugar alternative, it is not recommended that diabetic patients go overboard with the use of this herb. Little is known about possible side effects and until new information comes in, it is always better to use the product with discretion.
