Artificial sweeteners have long served as a sugar substitute for consumers looking to manage weight and health conditions. Despite limited evidence, some people believe that these alternative sweeteners may come with negative health effects of their own. The stevia plant, which is also sold under the brand name Truvia, represents yet another option for those searching for a calorie-free way to sweeten food and beverages.
Features
Stevia refers to a species of plants native to South America. The leaves of this plant may also be referred to as stevia, and when seeped in tea or other beverages, act as a natural sweetener. Health food and specialty stores may sell the dried leaves of this plant in the form of an herb or a crude liquid extract used as a sugar substitute.
Truvia consists of just a small portion of the stevia leaf. It's made by seeping the leaves to extract the sweetest components, known as rebiana. Truvia manufacturers purify and process the rebiana to form granules or crystals, which resemble traditional sugar.
Expert Insight
The FDA has approved stevia itself, as a whole leaf or herbal product, as a dietary supplement only. It has not been approved or recognized as safe for use as a sweetener. The FDA does recognize some highly-purified stevia extracts as "generally recognized as safe."
The rebiana used to make Truvia represents one of the specific stevia extracts that the FDA recognizes as safe. This means that Truvia has been approved as a sweetener, while stevia has not.
Dangers and Side Effects
During a 1990s review of stevia, the FDA rejected it as a sweetener due to a number of potential health concerns. Some evidence reviewed by the FDA showed a link between stevia and infertility issues or cancer in laboratory animals. According to MayoClinic.com, the FDA also had concerns about how stevia could impact blood sugar, the kidneys and the cardiovascular system.
By stating that rebiana is generally recognized as safe, the FDA suggests that Truvia is not associated with any serious health effects. According to MayoClinic.com, Truvia may cause some mild health effects, such as nausea or a feeling of fullness.
Usage
According to "Focus on Fitness," one packet of Truvia can serve as a substitute for 2 tsp. of sugar. Stevia.com suggests that stevia is roughly 10 to 15 times as sweet as sugar. While exact amounts may differ, users can use about one 10th to one 15th of the recommended amount of sugar in a recipe when substituting with stevia. Like all natural products, stevia often requires some trial and error so that users can determine the desired level of sweetness.
References
- Ohio Diabetes Prevention and Control Program; What is Stevia; Spring 2008
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: What Refined Stevia Preparations Have Been Approved...?
- MSNBC; New Sweetener Not So Sweet For Your Diet; Bridget Murray Law; April 2009
- "Focus On Fitness"; All Natural, Non-Caloric Sweetener; Erin Davis; Feb/Mar 2009
- MayoClinic.com; Stevia: Can It Help With Weight Control?; Katherine Zeratsky; Nov. 2010
- Stevia.com; Questions and Answers About Stevia; David Richard
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