To effectively compare the sweeteners stevia and sugar, you first need to understand where each comes from, its nutritional value and its affect on health. In many cases, the stevia and sugar can be used interchangeably, with slight adjustments in amount. In some cases you might need to alter your recipe to accommodate the differences between the two.
Definitions
Sugar can be refined from either sugar cane or sugar beets and typically comes in the form of a white granular substance. The chemical name of table sugar is sucrose. Stevia comes from the leaf of the plant Stevia rebaudiana. Refined commercially-available stevia preparations contain only the compound rebaudioside A. Other compounds from the stevia plant are not FDA approved for use as a food additive, although those compounds can be purchased or sold as dietary supplements which are not regulated by the FDA. Stevia is up to 300 times sweeter than sugar.
Nutrition and Health
Sugar contains 16 calories per teaspoon and has virtually no other nutrients. Stevia is calorie free but does have protein, iron, zinc, calcium, potassium, sodium and vitamins A, B and C. Because sucrose is rapidly converted into glucose in the body, sugar consumption can quickly raise blood sugar levels, triggering a subsequent insulin spike. This can pose a danger to diabetics, for whom blood sugar control is crucial. Stevia and products made with stevia do not raise blood sugar at all.
Weight Control
Sugar contributes to obesity in a few different ways. The calories in sugar can add to your daily calorie count and cause weight gain. In addition, the insulin spike generated by the blood glucose response to sugar can cause the body to store excess blood glucose as fat, increasing the body's fat reserves. After an insulin spike, the rapid drop in insulin can also trigger hunger, causing you to consume even more calories. Stevia does not affect weight since it has no calories and does not affect blood glucose or insulin.
Usage
Stevia and sugar can both be used as an additive to precooked foods and drinks, including tea and coffee. They can also be used in baking. One packet of stevia is equivalent to 2 tsp. of sugar. A 1/2 cup of sugar can be replaced with 12 packets of stevia. Because stevia does not add bulk to recipes as sugar does, you might need to add a small amount of applesauce, yogurt or other thickening agent to get the same consistency and amount of final product.
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