Stevia is a plant that grows in Paraguay and Brazil. For years, natives of these countries have used the leaves of the plants as natural sweeteners. In the United States, extracts from the stevia leaves were sold initially as dietary supplements -- meaning you could find them only in health-food stores and the health-food aisles of supermarkets. Three years ago, however, a form of stevia extract was approved as an all-purpose sweetener. With zero calories, stevia is a sugar substitute, and as such, it can be useful in the management of diabetes.
Rebaudioside A
The Food and Drug Administration has approved the stevia-leaf extract rebaudioside A as a sugar substitute. This means the FDA treats rebaudioside A as a food and has tested it for safety. This refined form of stevia does have erythritol, which is a bulk-adding agent and other natural flavorings. Sugar substitutes can be sold on their own and incorporated into foods and sold. For example, food manufacturers can replace sugar in their yogurts, sodas and baked goods with rebaudioside A sweetener.
Effect on Blood-Sugar Levels
When you have diabetes, your physician recommends limiting your sugar. Because it is a carbohydrate, sugar can cause your glucose levels to spike. Stevia in the form of rebaudioside A does not affect your blood-sugar levels, because it is not a carbohydrate. If you have diabetes, you can use this sweetener freely, because it will not affect your blood sugar.
Side Effects
While stevia will not affect your blood-sugar levels, it is possible to experience some side effects, including stomach upset and an uncomfortable feeling of fullness. If you have these side effects, you may have to use less of the sugar substitute.
Considerations
Although stevia itself has zero calories, you must still pay attention to how you use it. Foods sweetened with stevia generally have carbohydrates, protein and fats, all of which you must monitor if you have diabetes. Eating more food because you're using stevia could cause you to gain weight, which could worsen your diabetes. Use stevia, but also stick with your diabetes-management plan.
References
- Truvia; The Scoop on Truvia Natural Sweetener; 2011
- Stevia.com; Stevia Information; David Richard
- MayoClinic.com; Stevia: Can It Help With Weight Control?; Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.; November 2010
- MayoClinic.com; Artificial Sweeteners: Understanding These and Other Sugar Substitutes; October 2010
- FDA.gov; Dietary Supplements; July 2011
- FDA.gov; Has Stevia Been Approved by FDA for Use as a Sweetener?; December 2009
