Stevia is a plant derived from South America. Stevia.com reports that stevia was utilized as a sweetener by Native Paraguay and Guarani Americans and has since been used as an alternative way to sweeten foods and lose weight. According to MSNBC, the daily recommendation for sugar is 10 tsps., and the average American consumes twice this much each day. Stevia, like other sweeteners, is used in place of sugar typically for weight loss. However, certain risks are associated with the various types of stevia available on the market.
Function
Stevia is marketed as an "all-natural" way to sweeten foods without adding extra calories. MSNBC reports that stevia is purportedly 300 times stronger than regular sugar and does not have any calories.
Types
Stevia is the ingredient found in the supermarket brand sweetener called Truvia. Food manufacturers use Truvia to sweeten their products without adding whole sugar. According to MSNBC, Truvia is used to make Sprite Green, Odwalla juices, Trop50 by Tropicana orange juice and SoBe Lifewater. Stevia itself is also sold as supplements, extracts, powders and liquids in natural food stores. Stevia extracts are also used for cooking and are available in different flavors such as chocolate and vanilla.
Benefits
Replacing sugar-laden foods and drinks with sweeteners in your diet may result in weight loss over time. Foods with sweeteners such as stevia can also help you control your weight by reducing the amount of calories you consume. According to the Mayo Clinic, there are virtually no side effects associated with stevia. However, if you exceed more than 50 grams per day, you may experience gastrointestinal effects such as bloating and diarrhea.
Safety
As of October 2010, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not approve of the safety and usage of whole stevia products. This includes Stevia supplements and cooking aides. Such products are those sold in natural food outlets. Instead, the FDA does approve refined versions of stevia that are sold as sweeteners such as Truvia. According to MSNBC, early testing of whole stevia in the United States during the 1990s revealed concerns about infertility and cancer linked to the plant.
Considerations
Although consuming products with stevia will save you calories compared with real sugary products, the weight loss effects may only be temporary. MSNBC explains that depriving your body of whole, natural foods and replacing them with substitutes may actually trick your body and lead to weight gain in the long-term. You may also be left feeling hungry and indulge in other high-calorie foods. Still, the adverse effects have not been studied on stevia as of 2009, according to MSNBC.
Member Comments