Stevia is an herb that has no calories, no impact on blood sugar levels and is said to be 300 times sweeter than table sugar. Although many countries have been using Stevia as a sweetener for years, it wasn't until 2008 that the FDA allowed this herb to be used in food and beverages in the United States. Although the FDA labeled Stevia as "generally safe," consuming large amounts could still pose health problems.
Cancer
Stevia may be linked to cancer. According to an article about Stevia by David Schardt, appearing in Nutrition Action Health Letter, laboratory studies done by Ryan Huxtable, a toxicologist from the University of Arizona in Tucson, show that Stevia can cause DNA mutations that promote the onset of cancer. Although these studies have only been done on animals, medical professionals feel this evidence should not be ignored.
Metabolism
Stevia may interfere in the body's ability to metabolize food and efficiently convert it to energy. According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, large amounts of Stevia can block carbohydrate absorption and inhibit the amount of energy that food can produce. This could potentially be very harmful to young children. However, evidence is still insufficient to prove this is true for humans.
Reproductive Health
Stevia has been linked to reproductive health. A study done by faculty in the Department of Physiology at Mahidol University in Bangkok, Thailand, and published in "Drug and Chemical Toxicology," revealed that large amounts of Stevia can significantly reduce sperm counts and in some cases cause infertility in male hamsters. This same study also proved that female hamsters had fewer babies, and their offspring had much lower birth weights when ingesting large amounts of Stevia. Since studies have not been performed on humans yet, concerns exist that this could be a problem.
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