Stevia - Is NOTHING safe?

kylielouttit

Someone posted a yummy looking recipe for a fat-free cheesecake ice cream and I figured I could use Stevia instead of Splenda. After all, it's all natural right? Even if it is, I did a little bit of research and found this article:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/stevia-is-sweet-but-is-it-safe/article1333389/

Genetic mutations? Reproductive problems? I guess I expected Stevia to be totally guilt free....

Do you use it? What do you think of it?

elzettel

I hear ya! A friend shared with me some info on aspartame so I've just started to kick the diet pop but the stuff is in EVERYTHING! Crystal light, sugar free fat free pudding, and even my light & fit yogurt! Ugh!

Sunsh1ne

That article is just specific enough to be scary, but too vague to be reliable. If they linked to the studies, or even named the studies, I'd be more inclined to trust them, but as it is, you just have to take their word for it, without knowing the species studied, the extracts stuidied, or the scale of the studies. That said, sugar isn't evil and it's probably best to just eat real sugar in moderation rather than artificial sweeteners in excess. Evolutionary biology says we crave sugar not because it's good for us, but because for most of the time humans have been around it has been hard to find, and the taste signals a calorie-rich food we can use to create better fat stores for the lean times.

Also - aspartame is really nasty stuff. My dad tried using it in his coffee when I was a kid, and he lost like five pounds, but he also lost sensation in his extremeties and didn't get it back until he'd been off the stuff for a year and a half.

hungreeteacher17

I think all sugar substitutes are unhealthy & unsafe. I use real sugar in moderation. Seems like the best fit for me.

questionablemethods

I still think the best thing to do is to cut back on sugar and sugar substitutes of all kinds. A little bit of real sugar, a little bit of fake sugar, a bit of fruit -- everything in moderation, but learning to go without a lot of added sweetener overall makes moderation easier.

Vegebel

I don't trust any sugar substitutes. They look more like lab experiments than food to me. If you're looking for a sugar alternative, opt for unprocessed honey, organic maple syrup, or agave nectar and just use moderation.

iRun4wine

I think there are certain choices that are better than others. However, I also think that you can use Google to make ANYTHING true, ANYTHING bad for you, and ANYTHING good for you if you look hard enough. Problem is, anyone in the world can publish an "article" with "facts" on the internet. In a book or scientific publication, there are guidelines as far as who can contribute and what constitutes a "study". I think we all have to make the best choice for us looking at the actual FACTS (which can be difficult).

HealthyChanges2010

I think there are certain choices that are better than others. However, I also think that you can use Google to make ANYTHING true, ANYTHING bad for you, and ANYTHING good for you if you look hard enough. Problem is, anyone in the world can publish an "article" with "facts" on the internet. In a book or scientific publication, there are guidelines as far as who can contribute and what constitutes a "study". I think we all have to make the best choice for us looking at the actual FACTS (which can be difficult).

agreed!

andyxbear

Stevia isn't artificial like Splenda, Sweet-n-Low and others. People in China (I believe that's where if I remember) have been using it for decades because it's natural. It's just extracted from plants. It's not processed or carcenogenic like Splenda.


Plus, you can't believe EVERY article you read. Every single thing on this planet probably has some pro/con article written on it. Just do whatever suits you.

elmct57

i grow my own stevia plant; they do fine in tx.

Nina74

Stevia isn't artificial like Splenda, Sweet-n-Low and others. People in China (I believe that's where if I remember) have been using it for decades because it's natural. It's just extracted from plants. It's not processed or carcenogenic like Splenda.


Plus, you can't believe EVERY article you read. Every single thing on this planet probably has some pro/con article written on it. Just do whatever suits you.

Thank you! Stevia is NOT artificial, been used for 1000's of years, but you do need to read the packaging of the stevia you buy. If you find it cheaply, chances are there are artificial fillers in there (one brand I bought once had a corn filler). Opt for pure stevia whenever you can.

It is much safer than splenda and all the other artificial sugars.

Stevia plant? Where do you get one/what kind of climate does it need to grow?

lilmissy2

I agree that you can't believe everything you read but the fact that the UK bans stevia sets off alarm bells for me.

I don't really understand the 'it is natural so it's not harmful' argument, arsenic is natural but it's still poison!

MissyMorganFit

I just quit buying ANY artificial sweeteners for my family. None are actually good for you. I use to use Splenda until finding out how bad it was. So I changed to Equal which had the best taste by far, only to later find out it is unhealthy. Ive tried natural Stevia but the aftertaste is awful. I simply have limited my drinking of hot tea, iced tea, or anything I need to sweeten. My health is not worth the compromise. However when I treat myself to these drinks, I splurge with a bit of pure natural sugar OR my new find......RAW COCONUT CRYSTALS! It has calories just as sugar but at least a healthy option. It is made from the coconut tree sap. It does not taste of coconut. Simply sweet like sugar & with no after taste!

fivefatcats

Some of my 'organic' friends use xylitol. Costs more than sugar but in bulk is cheaper than stevia/splenda for baking I think.

You'll have to google it for more info - I'm a lousy resource on it.

hartterjw

My mom and I found Stevia plants at the Home Depot this spring! She was very shocked to find them, and snatched one up right away. She has been using Stevia for quite a while now, and is even turning me on to it.

Fausttt

Some of my 'organic' friends use xylitol. Costs more than sugar but in bulk is cheaper than stevia/splenda for baking I think.

You'll have to google it for more info - I'm a lousy resource on it.

Xylitol (and most of the "-tols" are sugar alcohols. They will have a minimal impact on blood sugar, but if you take too much, will have a laxative effect. yuck.

as far as the "natural is better" crowd, there are tons of natural things that are VERY toxic and carcinogenic, and plenty of chemical substances that are perfectly safe and inert. The natural vs artificial is a faulty argument. It is mostly a problem of studying the effects of ANY chemical being put into the body thoroughly. While it is true Stevia has been used for thousands of years, studies were not performed during those thousands of years. For all we know it HAS been quietly killing them for centuries.