Stevia and Obesity

Stevia is a no-calorie sweetener that's growing in popularity in the United States. Because added sugars represent an enormous source of calories, and are contributing to the country's obesity crisis, sugar replacements are an attractive solution to contain calories. Part of stevia's appeal is also that it's all natural and comes from a plant, unlike artificial sweeteners. Evidence is growing that stevia may be a powerful weapon in the battle of the bulge too.

Obesity in the United States

Obesity is defined as having too much body fat. In 2007 and 2008, the overall adult obesity rate was 33.8 percent in the United States. Rates have been growing continually for the last few decades, and a higher grade of obesity, commonly referred to as morbid obesity, is also growing. Moreover, overweight and obesity among children sparked national attention in the late 2000s and early 2010s, with a task force commissioned to institute policies that would solve childhood obesity within a generation. Many factors may contribute to the obesity epidemic. Although eating too many calories initiates an energy imbalance, some food and beverage choices may play a bigger role than you think. For example, added sugars comprise roughly 16 percent of all calories people consume. Sodas, fruit drinks and energy drinks contain high amounts of these sugars, and they are the Nos. 3 and 4 calorie suppliers in the American diet for children and adults. In addition, as liquid sodas don't often satisfy, you may not adequately compensate for the calories in your drink with the calories you eat. It's one of the most inconspicuous sources of added weight.

Stevia Facts

Stevia is more formally known as Stevia rebaudiana, from a family of shrubs native to Central and South America. The species, often called sweetleaf or sugarleaf, is widely grown for its intensely sweet leaves. From these leaves, stevioside is extracted and manufactured into the calorie-free sweeteners you see cropping up on your supermarket shelves. An article published by Texas A&M University's AgriLife Extension Services reported that pure stevia leaves almost no accumulation of the substance behind as it's metabolized, and therefore adds no calories to your diet. Possessing a higher intensity sweetness than regular table sugar, stevia has been the belle at the sugar ball and in much demand from people like diabetics and obese populations looking for alternatives and low-carbohydrate food products.

Food Intake, Hunger and Satiety

Food intake and your sense of fullness may play a significant role in your weight and level of body fatness. A group of researchers from the University of Florida and Louisiana State University tested whether consuming a pre-load containing stevia and other sugars before a meal had an effect on how much participants ate and their level of satiety afterward. The pre-load was a small meal of tea and crackers with cream cheese containing the tested sweeteners. The study also compared the glucose and insulin response in participants, 19 lean and 12 obese men ages 18 to 50. Publishing in the journal "Appetite," the authors concluded that those who consumed the lower-calorie stevia pre-load didn't eat more food at lunch and dinner, but the table-sugar pre-load group did. The table sugar pre-load contained 203 more calories than the stevia pre-load, and the results suggest regular sugar indeed does not increase satiety. The researchers concluded that using stevia instead of table sugar on your diet may be an effective strategy to manage food intake.

Anti-Obesity Effects?

As a result of an animal study, researchers from Korea's Chonbuk National University said stevia might have an anti-obesity effect. They differentiated among 40 mice by feeding them two different types of diet, one being high in fat and stevia extract and another high in fat and regular sugar. The sugar-fed mice gained significantly more weight than the stevia-fed mice. Moreover, the stevia group suffered less problems with blood lipids, cholesterol and triglycerides. Anti-obesity effects include lower food intake, weight and weight gain, as well as increased calorie expenditure. Additional research is needed to know whether stevia will produce these results in people.