clean eaters--opinions on Stevia?

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Amy_B
Amy_B Posts: 2,323 Member
in Food and Nutrition
What are your opinions on the sweetener Stevia? Is it okay for those who try to eat cleanly?

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  • acureese
    acureese Posts: 169
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    I've done a lot of research on it in the past and have tried it in desserts. I like it and prefer it definitely over artificial sweeteners. :) I think with some baking agave nectar works even better though, and definitely recommend it if you haven't tried it, too, it's yummy!
  • SarahJoy_79
    SarahJoy_79 Posts: 107 Member
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    I use Stevia now to sweeten my tea. But for baking I either use agave nectar or organic pure cane sugar. Stevia is all natural and nothing artificial about it, so I say as with anything it's ok in moderation.
  • cheri03
    cheri03 Posts: 172 Member
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    I would never use Stevia. It has chemicals like the others (to remove its bitterness). Stevia comes from a plant that can exhibits some birth control effects (google). My doc thinks it has some estrogenic effect so no thanks.
  • stella_star
    stella_star Posts: 25
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    I did a bit of reasearch as I read a few American blogs where they use stevia but it's not available or legal in the UK so I wanted to know a bit more and as far as I've read it's all natural and no negative effects have been proven - there have been studies that have tried but they have been flawed and disproved too many times.
    The brand I use is all natural and I find it OK, only need a tiny amount. Much prefer to use agave nectar, honey or fruit to sweeten things though.
  • stella_star
    stella_star Posts: 25
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    I would never use Stevia. It has chemicals like the others (to remove its bitterness). Stevia comes from a plant that can exhibits some birth control effects (google). My doc thinks it has some estrogenic effect so no thanks.


    some brands might add chemicals (but it's easy to check) they don't need to use chemicals to extract the bitterness, it seems to be commonly done by heating and filtering, but not adding chemicals. you can do it yourself at home with some pure alcohol, heat and filtering (alcohol is evaporated with the heat)
  • cheri03
    cheri03 Posts: 172 Member
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    I would never use Stevia. It has chemicals like the others (to remove its bitterness). Stevia comes from a plant that can exhibits some birth control effects (google). My doc thinks it has some estrogenic effect so no thanks.


    some brands might add chemicals (but it's easy to check) they don't need to use chemicals to extract the bitterness, it seems to be commonly done by heating and filtering, but not adding chemicals. you can do it yourself at home with some pure alcohol, heat and filtering (alcohol is evaporated with the heat)

    the product sold in the US in grocery stores is chemically alterered. You can buy it in health food stores as a liquid and it is not.

    Still a big no no for me. THe potential estrogenic effects are a negative.

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