Stevia rebaudiana, commonly known as "stevia," is the name of a plant native to South America that is used around the world as both a natural sweetener and traditional medicine. A review study published in a 2010 issue of the "International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition" found that products made from the stevia leaf, which are calorie-free and up to 300 times sweeter than white table sugar, may be beneficial for people with diabetes and anyone trying to cut back on calories.
Safety
Since 2008, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of several products made with rebaudioside A, a processed and purified form of a sweetening compound found in stevia leaf, for use as an all-purpose sweetener in foods and drinks. The FDA has not approved use of the whole-leaf stevia or any products marketed as "stevia" as sweetening ingredients because of a lack of safety information and concerns about raw stevia's effects on heart, kidney and reproductive health.
Availability
Commercial brands of rebaudioside A, such as Truvia and PureVia, are sold in health food stores, some supermarkets and on the internet. These products are available in spoonable containers and individual serving-size packets. Whole-leaf stevia products are sold as dietary supplements in the form of powders and liquid extracts.
Uses
Rebaudioside A products are used as sugar substitutes to sweeten coffee, tea and other beverages. You can use it to sweeten yogurt, cereal and baked goods such as muffins and cookies. Follow package directions for substituting stevia products for sugar in recipes. Rebaudioside A is also approved for use in commercial products such as processed fruits and fruit juices, soft candy, toppings and syrups, snack foods, dairy products and dairy substitutes.
Taste
Although stevia is an alternative sweetener, it also tastes slightly bitter at first. It is a taste you may have to adjust to if you use stevia as a substitute for sugar. Because its sweetness is highly concentrated, you only need a small amount of stevia to get the same sweetening effect as sugar.
References
- "International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition"; Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana) a Bio-Sweetener: A Review; S.K. Goyal et al.; 2010
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Is Stevia an "FDA Approved" Sweetener?; 2010
- University of Missouri Extension: Stevia -- How Sweet It Is!; Janet Hackard; 2009
- New York University Langone Medical Center: Stevia
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