Substituting stevia for your sugar could be the sweetest decision you've ever made. More than 100 times sweeter than sucrose, chemicals found in the leaves of the stevia plant have recently gained approval as a calorie-free sweetener. All well-controlled research evidence suggest that no known negative side effects come with the use of stevia as a sugar substitute.
About Stevia
Stevia rebaudiana is a relative of the chrysanthemum that is native to tropical and subtropical regions of North and South America. Leaves of the stevia plant contain phytochemicals called glycosides, including rebaudioside A, the active ingredient in stevia-based sweeteners. Although only approved as a food additive by the U.S. FDA in 2008, stevia has been used as a sweetener for centuries.
About Sweeteners
You perceive taste and smell based on the shape of chemicals. Chemicals with structures similar to sugar will taste sweet. You instinctively seek out sweet taste as it indicates a source of easy energy rare in nature. With the rise of industry, sugar has become widely available, but human craving for sweetness hasn't subsided. The high calories that come with sugar consumption can be avoided by using calorie-free sweeteners, chemicals similar in structure to sugar that taste sweet, but are not metabolized into glucose by your body.
Is Stevia Safe?
The U.S. FDA and other national agencies have approved extracts containing rebaudioside A as a food additive. Whole leaves or crude extracts are available as a dietary supplement, but have not been approved by the FDA. Although there had previously been concern over possible mutagenic effects, initial studies were reportedly flawed, and numerous studies have found no negative effects from moderate amounts of stevia.
Substituting Stevia for Sugar
Stevia is available as a pure dietary supplement powder or as a diluted sweetener. The pure powder is more than 100 times as sweet as sugar and can be difficult to measure in small amounts. The diluted sweetener such as that sold under the brand name Truvia can be used 1 to 1 for sugar. Simply using sweeteners instead of sugar is only part of a healthy diet and should be combined with a healthy diet and exercise plan for lasting results.
References
- "Wall Street Journal"; "FDA Clears Use of Herb As Sweetener"; B. McKay; December 18, 2008
- "International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition"; "Stevia (Stevia Rebaudiana) a Bio-sweetener: a Review"; 2010
- MayoClinic.com: Stevia -- Can it Help with Weight Control?
- U.S. National Library of Medicine: Taste Receptors and the Transduction of Taste Signals
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