Truvia is a sweetener made with the plant extract stevia that has no calories, yet is sweeter than sugar. As a no-calorie substitute for sugar, Truvia and other stevia-based products can reduce the amount of sugar you ingest, and are also safe for diabetics. While the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, has approved stevia for use as a sweetener, and it considers the substance safe for human consumption, potential side effects should be noted.
Truvia Background
Stevia manufacturers often market the product as a "natural" alternative to artificial sweeteners such as saccharin (Sweet N Low) and aspartame (NutraSweet). Like other stevia-based sweeteners, Truvia, manufactured by Cargill, is produced from a naturally-created sweetener that is found in the Stevia rebaudiana shrub commonly found in parts of South America. The human digestive system is unable to absorb stevia, though humans can still taste its sweetness, which is why the sweetener has zero calories.
Calorie Reduction
Stevia-based sweeteners such as Truvia have the potential to greatly reduce the amount of calories people consume each day. Many sugary drinks contain a lot of calories based largely on the presence of sweeteners such as high fructose corn syrup. Products like Truvia might be able to produce the same sweet taste without the accompanying caloric content, thus reducing the number of calories a person consumes and potentially decreasing obesity rates.
Diabetes
People with health conditions that make it unsafe or risky to ingest sugars, such as those with diabetes, can safely ingest Truvia and other stevia-based sweeteners. Truvia does not pose negative side effects for diabetics, according to a study published in the February 2010 edition of the "International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition." The study reviewed the literature surrounding stevia and found that it is also potentially helpful to children, who are notorious for desiring sugary foods.
Other Risks
The Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, initially rejected stevia as a sweetener in the 1990s when research revealed that the stevia plant was associated with higher rates of infertility and cancer in laboratory rats. However, the FDA has since approved the substance as other studies have revealed no evidence that stevia poses a risk to humans.
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