What is stevia, exactly?
Stevia, commonly known as Stevia rebaudiana, is a plant that belongs to the Asteraceae family’s Chrysanthemum subfamily (ragweed family). The stevia you can cultivate at home differs significantly from the stevia you can get at the grocery store.
Truvia and Stevia in the Raw are two examples of stevia products you won’t find whole stevia leaves in. They are created using rebaudioside A, a highly purified stevia leaf extract (Reb-A).
In reality, very few stevia-containing goods actually contain any at all. Table sugar is around 200 times sweeter than Reb-A.
Reb-A-based sweeteners are referred to regarded as “novel sweeteners” since they are combined with other sweeteners, like erythritol (sugar alcohol) and dextrose (glucose).
For instance, Reb-A and erythritol are combined to create Truvia, and Reb-A and maltodextrin or dextrose are combined to develop Stevia in The Raw (Bakers Bag).
Natural flavours are also present in stevia sugar earthomaya.com. The term “natural flavours” is acceptable provided the ingredients are free of synthetics, artificial flavours, or added colours, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Even so, “natural taste” ingredients could contain a lot of processing. Many contend that this proves they are not naturally occurring.
The leaves of stevia plants can be grown inside and used to sweeten meals and beverages. Reb-A sweeteners come in granulated, powder, and liquid forms. Stevia refers to items made with Reb-A in this article.
Are there benefits to stevia use?
A non-nutritive sweetener is a stevia. As a result, it contains nearly few calories. This feature can be appealing if you’re trying to reduce weight.
But the research is still ambiguous at this point. The effect of nonnutritive sweeteners on a person’s health may vary depending on how much is ingested and when during the day.
Stevia may assist diabetics in managing their blood sugar levels.
Stevia dramatically reduced insulin and glucose levels, according to a 2010 study with 12 obese and 19 healthy, lean participants Trusted Source. Despite the lower calorie consumption, it also made study participants feel content and full after eating.
The fact that this study was conducted in a lab environment rather than a person’s actual milieu is one of its highlighted limitations.
Additionally, a 2009 study found that stevia leaf powder may assist in lowering cholesterol. Over the course of a month, study participants ingested 20 millilitres of stevia extract daily.
According to the study, stevia reduced triglycerides, LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, and total cholesterol without causing any significant side effects. Additionally, HDL (“good”) cholesterol was raised. It’s uncertain whether occasionally consuming less stevia would have the same effect.
Are there any negative consequences of stevia?
Stevia glycosides like Reb-A are “generally recognised as safe,” according to the FDATrusted Source. Due to a lack of safety data, they have not approved the use of whole-leaf stevia or crude stevia extract in processed foods and beverages.
There are worries that consuming raw stevia herb could be bad for your kidneys, reproductive organs, and heart. Additionally, it might interfere with blood-sugar-lowering drugs or cause excessively low blood pressure.
Although stevia is thought to be safe for diabetics, those that contain maltodextrin or dextrose should be avoided.
Maltodextrin is a starch, whereas dextrose is glucose. Small amounts of calories and carbohydrates are added by these substances. The carb count may also be slightly tipped by sugar alcohols.
The occasional usage of stevia might not be sufficient to affect your blood sugar levels. However, the carbs build up if you consume them throughout the day.
2019 research
According to Trusted Source, disruption of the good gut flora may be related to nonnutritive sweeteners like stevia. The same study offered the possibility that nonnutritive sweeteners could cause metabolic problems and glucose intolerance.
The flavour is a significant drawback for most nonnutritive sweeteners. A faint, liquorice-like flavour with a touch of bitterness characterises stevia. It appeals to certain people while repelling others.
Some people may experience digestive issues from stevia products created with sugar alcohols, such as bloating and diarrhoea.
Is it safe to consume stevia when pregnant?
When used sparingly throughout pregnancy, Reb-A-based stevia is safe. Select a brand without erythritol if you have a sensitivity to sugar alcohols.
If you are pregnant, you should avoid using whole-leaf stevia and crude stevia extract, even home-grown stevia.
The idea that a highly polished product is safer than a natural one could sound bizarre. This is a typical herbal product mystery.
In this instance, Reb-safety A’s both during pregnancy and outside of it have been examined. Natural stevia hasn’t changed at all. There is currently insufficient proof that whole-leaf stevia or unprocessed stevia extract won’t cause harm to your unborn child.
Does stevia have any connection to cancer?
Stevia may aid in the treatment or prevention of various cancers, according to some data.
A 2012 study by Trusted Source showed that the glycoside stevioside, which is present in stevia leaves, promotes cancer cell death in a human breast cancer line. Stevioside may also aid in reducing several mitochondrial pathways that support the development of cancer.
2013 research
These results had support from a reliable source. Numerous stevia glycoside derivatives were discovered to be poisonous to particular leukaemia, lung, stomach, and breast cancer cell lines.
How to replace sugar with stevia
In your favourite recipes and beverages, stevia can be used in place of table sugar. One teaspoon of table sugar is about equal to one pinch of stevia powder.
Yummy applications for stevia include:
In tea or coffee
Lemonade prepared at home
Sprinkling over cold or hot cereal
Within a smoothie
Sprinkled over plain yoghurt
Unless you’re using it in baked goods, some stevia brands, including Stevia in the Raw, can substitute table sugar teaspoon for teaspoon (as in sweetened liquids and sauces).
Although it could give cookies and cakes a liquorice flavour, stevia can be used in baking. Stevia in the Raw advises using their product in place of half of the recipe’s total sugar.
You’ll need less of the other types because they aren’t designed specifically for baking. To compensate for the lost sugar, you should increase the liquid content of your dish or add a bulking ingredient like applesauce or mashed bananas. To find the texture and sweetness you prefer, some trial and error may be necessary.
The conclusion
Even for those who are pregnant or have diabetes, stevia products manufactured with Reb-A are regarded as safe. Side effects from these products are rare. To provide definitive data on weight control, diabetes, and other health conditions, further studies must be conducted.
You won’t need to use as much because stevia is considerably sweeter than ordinary sugar.
Although whole-leaf stevia hasn’t been given the go-ahead for commercial use, you can still cultivate it at home. Despite the paucity of data, many individuals contend that whole-leaf stevia is a safe substitute for either table sugar or its highly refined counterpart.
While occasionally putting a raw stevia leaf into a cup of tea is unlikely to hurt you, you shouldn’t use it if you’re expecting.
Ask your doctor’s permission before frequently using whole-leaf stevia until further research is done to discover whether it is safe for everyone to use, especially if you have a severe medical condition like diabetes, heart disease, or high blood pressure.