Truvia--good or bad?

agbaeb
agbaeb Posts: 179 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I'm really considering going paleo. I'm really focusing on long-term health and less on a quick-fix for any weight issues I have. In doing so, I have cut out 99% of my caffeine (rare cup of tea), any artificial sweeteners, and any foods that are not healthy in the long-run. We are moving towards natural/organic foods and even my husband is focused and avoiding things that are unhealthy for him.

My question involves Truvia. Is that an artificial sweetener? I know that it's a mix of stevia and something else. What are your thoughts?
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Replies

  • sun33082
    sun33082 Posts: 416 Member
    There are better version of stevia out there, but harder to find. If that's all you can find, then it's probably better than an all-artificial sweetner, but yes truvia is processed and mixed with other things.
  • JMPerlin
    JMPerlin Posts: 287 Member
    I will check the label again but I was under the impression that Truvia is just a brand name a company gave to Stevia. I didn't think it was a blend.
  • agbaeb
    agbaeb Posts: 179 Member
    It's mixed with eryithrol?
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    Stevia is an artificial sweetener, so Truvia is an artificial sweetener.
  • pixelish
    pixelish Posts: 54
    I think you'd be better off getting used to a diet without additional sweeteners. The more artificial sweetners you use, the more you crave sweet things. If you get used to foods with fewer added sweeteners, you'll find you don't crave them so much and you'll be able to drop the use of most of them, artifical or otherwise.
  • That_Girl
    That_Girl Posts: 1,324 Member
    Stevia is an artificial sweetener, so Truvia is an artificial sweetener.

    Actually stevia isn't artificial.
  • stroken96
    stroken96 Posts: 436 Member
    So what to use?
  • That_Girl
    That_Girl Posts: 1,324 Member
    Google is awesome.

    http://truvia.com/about/ingredients/
  • sirabe
    sirabe Posts: 294 Member
    I can hardly call Stevia artificial since its a herb. You can grow it in your own backyard. So definitely not an artifical sweetener. That would be just like calling sugar an artificial sweetener.

    I just use Stevia drops no after taste like truvia. Plus you can carry it around with you. only 1 drop or 2.
  • callmeBAM
    callmeBAM Posts: 445 Member
    Stevia is an artificial sweetener, so Truvia is an artificial sweetener.

    You obviously have NO IDEA what you are talking about.
    I grow STEVIA. It's a plant.
  • That_Girl
    That_Girl Posts: 1,324 Member
    Stevia is an artificial sweetener, so Truvia is an artificial sweetener.

    You obviously have NO IDEA what you are talking about.
    I grow STEVIA. It's a plant.

    lol Yes.
  • WhittRak
    WhittRak Posts: 567 Member
    Stevia is an artificial sweetener, so Truvia is an artificial sweetener.

    Negative. It is a plant.
  • JMPerlin
    JMPerlin Posts: 287 Member
    It's mixed with eryithrol?

    Thanks, I really didn't know this.
  • Royaltvii
    Royaltvii Posts: 160 Member
    It is better than refined sugar, it is not bad...I prefer xylitol...tastes better. I am usung Ideal right now.
  • Machdude
    Machdude Posts: 136 Member
    Personally I prefer Stevia in the Raw, which does not contain erythritol, a sugar alcohol used in Truvia. Check out their website www.steviaintheraw.com.
  • Christine1110
    Christine1110 Posts: 1,786 Member
    Stevia...and they even had flavored ones : )
  • VanessaGS
    VanessaGS Posts: 514 Member
    Stevia is an artificial sweetener, so Truvia is an artificial sweetener.

    Actually stevia isn't artificial.

    I agree. Stevia is a plant. I would suggest going with Stevia rather than Truvia because Truvia has added things.
  • Royaltvii
    Royaltvii Posts: 160 Member
    It's mixed with eryithrol?

    Thanks, I really didn't know this.

    erythitol is a sugar alcohol made from corn.
  • Aperture_Science
    Aperture_Science Posts: 840 Member
    Stevia is an artificial sweetener, so Truvia is an artificial sweetener.

    Actually stevia isn't artificial.

    In the same way that Whey Powder isn't artificial?

    Although stevia is a type of plant the method of extracting the sweet stuff by solvent extraction or column extraction and filtration is what most would understand as artificial.

    Not that this makes it bad in my opinion... I'm not fussy. Veg patch, lab or chemical plant.... I'll still probably eat it.
  • Royaltvii
    Royaltvii Posts: 160 Member
    Stevia is an artificial sweetener, so Truvia is an artificial sweetener.

    Actually stevia isn't artificial.

    I agree. Stevia is a plant. I would suggest going with Stevia rather than Truvia because Truvia has added things.

    Ditto..it is a plant, it is best to go with it. If you can stand the taste.
  • wombat94
    wombat94 Posts: 352 Member
    After trying many different variations of stevia in the last year, I've settled on Truvia as my preferred sweetener.

    It is a mix of erythritol and stevia extract (rebiana).

    Erythritol is a sugar alcohol distilled from glucose that is very low calorie... it is allowed to be labeled as 0 calorie in the US for small serving sizes, though it does carry some calories.

    I find the combination of ingredients in Truvia to be pleasant tasting in my tea - I normally will have one or two packets of trivia per day, one in my morning cup of tea and one in a glass of iced tea later in the day.

    It is "all natural" in the sense that there are no artificially synthesized ingredients. From all of my reading there's no real downside to Truvia (or any of the other main stevia sweeteners) compared to the main artificial sweeteners like aspartame, acesulfame K, saccharine, etc.

    I think Truvia is fine, as are any of the other stevia-based sweeteners (the green stuff) in the grocery aisle. Certainly much better than the pink, yellow or blue stuff if you still want added sweetness in your drinks.

    I keep hoping there will be a soda (cola and/or ginger ale) that will become mass marketed with stevia as the sweetener. Until then, I have limited myself to either the (very) occasional full-sugar bottle of Coke, or the (slightly less) occasional glass of diet soda at a restaurant. I have almost eliminated artificial sweeteners from my diet thanks to Truvia.

    Ted
  • MicheleVersion2
    MicheleVersion2 Posts: 8
    Regular straight up Stevia without anything added to it is not artificial, as others have mentioned, it's a plant. However, I've read arguments on both sides. Some paleo-eaters swear by using Stevia and others claim it can also have negative effects on blood sugar levels as well as cause cravings for sugar. I personally stopped using it because it was making me crave sweet things and diet pop a lot.
  • nill4me
    nill4me Posts: 682 Member
    i love truvia. cant stand stevia.
  • HunterKiller_wechange
    HunterKiller_wechange Posts: 369 Member
    Truvia is a good substitute as all the ingredients are natural. http://truvia.com/about/ingredients/
  • cydonian
    cydonian Posts: 361 Member
    I prefer Stevia in the Raw if you're going clean, or just buy the plant yourself from Home Depot and grow it on your windowsill!
  • agbaeb
    agbaeb Posts: 179 Member
    Stevia is an artificial sweetener, so Truvia is an artificial sweetener.


    http://www.stevia.com/Stevia_Article/Frequently_asked_questions_FAQ/2269

    It's from a leaf...how is it artificial?
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    Stevia the sweetener is artificial, there are over 200 varieties of the stevia plant, only 1 of which is sweet. Most commercial stevia is made by soaking the leaves in methanol to extract sweet compounds, then crushed into powder. If it isn't artificial, then neither is Splenda, which is just sugar soaked in chloride (which, I might add, is healthier than methanol.)
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    Stevia is an artificial sweetener, so Truvia is an artificial sweetener.


    http://www.stevia.com/Stevia_Article/Frequently_asked_questions_FAQ/2269

    It's from a leaf...how is it artificial?
    Splenda is made from sugar, how is it artificial?
    Aspartame is made from protein, how is it artificial?
    Everything comes from a "natural" source. Even products made in factories are derived from natural source materials.
  • brittigno
    brittigno Posts: 193 Member
    I personally don't like the taste of Truvia. I prefer PurVia, but I never read up about what else was in it. :\
  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
    It's gross.

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