How much stevia is okay to have in a day?

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dbendett
dbendett Posts: 9
in Food and Nutrition
Does anyone know if there is a limit to how much stevia is too much? I know there aren't measurable calories or sugar grams, but I tend to use ALOT to sweeten my coffee and plain yogurt with tart berries. I buy the packets at Costco and use about 10 or 12 a day. Some experts say that even sugar substitutes set our brains up for sugar cravings. Should I be concerned?
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Replies

  • Playingwithfire89
    Playingwithfire89 Posts: 87
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    Yea somebody needs to answer this.............I drink the mega big gulps of "diet." soda and dont know how to log it..................
  • myfitnessval
    myfitnessval Posts: 687 Member
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    as much as you want, its a natural plant extract that has no studied effect on insulin levels.
  • _VoV
    _VoV Posts: 1,494 Member
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    I hope this helps:

    http://nutritionfacts.org/video/is-stevia-good-for-you/
  • VogtAndrea
    VogtAndrea Posts: 236
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    It's listed as one gram of carbs per packet.
  • cowpacino
    cowpacino Posts: 77 Member
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    I tend to stay away from stevia because of the lack of scientific studies on it, although it is GRAS by the FDA. Some studies on rats have shown that Stevia causes reduction in sperm count in males and smaller offspring in females.

    If I had to choose a artificial sweetener, I'd stick to good old aspartame, but then again, I like my coffee black.

    also, "a lot" is two words http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/04/alot-is-better-than-you-at-everything.html (/grammar nazi)
  • AntWrig
    AntWrig Posts: 2,273 Member
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    It's listed as one gram of carbs per packet.
    Most packets are cut with maltodextrian. Use consume enough and you can have a large insulin spike. That being said, moderation is key.
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
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    It's listed as one gram of carbs per packet.
    Most packets are cut with maltodextrian. Use consume enough and you can have a large insulin spike. That being said, moderation is key.

    mine is straight up stevia in the raw and says no other ingredients. hoping this is so because pink and blue give me migraines, yellow and sugar bloat my ibs, stevia is the only thing that doesnt spike my sugar.

    Dang, I am a mess!! :laugh:
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    I would limit your intake to less than 4mg/kg bodyweight.
    Also, be aware that this is only one study but I wouldn't worry too much about hunger causing effects of stevia. If you think you are overeating (which you can track due to using MFP) and want to eliminate stevia thinking it's the cause, you can always go ahead and try that:
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2900484/?tool=pubmed
  • PercivalHackworth
    PercivalHackworth Posts: 1,437 Member
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    I received a letter from the FBI the day I had 3,5 tbsp, and from the CIA over 5.
    There are stuff out there you wouldn't mess up with, trust me
  • makeoverpm
    makeoverpm Posts: 117 Member
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    If I had to choose a artificial sweetener, I'd stick to good old aspartame, but then again, I like my coffee black.

    Are you serious? Aspartame is one of the worst things you could possibly ingest. Do some research!
  • 1swlg1948
    1swlg1948 Posts: 15 Member
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    True stevia is plant based and it doesn't work like usual artificial sweeteners. It is good for you. As usual moderation in all things. Hope this helps. I have been using it for years and won't use anything else. Have a great day now. Judy In Virginia
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    Are you serious? Aspartame is one of the worst things you could possibly ingest. Do some research!

    Please share research you have indicating that aspartame is harmful at normal human dosages. I HAVE done research on this and it's quite safe if you don't have Phenylketonuria and if you don't get migraines from it. Aspartame breaks down into phenylalanine and aspartic acid, these are two amino acids found in chicken and bananas and it has methanol as a byproduct.

    None of this is harmful if you don't have the previously mentioned disorder and if your consumption levels are well under ADI.
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
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    If it's natural it is always better. like sure. :huh:
  • taylor5877
    taylor5877 Posts: 1,792 Member
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    Are you serious? Aspartame is one of the worst things you could possibly ingest. Do some research!

    Please share research you have indicating that aspartame is harmful at normal human dosages. I HAVE done research on this and it's quite safe if you don't have Phenylketonuria and if you don't get migraines from it. Aspartame breaks down into phenylalanine and aspartic acid, these are two amino acids found in chicken and bananas and it has methanol as a byproduct.

    None of this is harmful if you don't have the previously mentioned disorder and if your consumption levels are well under ADI.

    Well, to fan the flames of the alarmist fire, methanol does end up getting metabolized to formaldehyde...
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    The stevia plant is one of the safest plants in the plant kingdom to consume. Don't let anyone tell you any different. It also has potentially positive medicinal effects, including helping your body to regulate your blood sugars.
  • cbrrabbit25
    cbrrabbit25 Posts: 384 Member
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    I don't use it since it has been shown to cause cancer in Rats. Since i do research and know how similar rats are to humans internally, i don't take any chances.
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
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    The stevia plant is one of the safest plants in the plant kingdom to consume. Don't let anyone tell you any different. It also has potentially positive medicinal effects, including helping your body to regulate your blood sugars.

    First off, Stevia is over 200 different species. It is not one plant.

    Second of all, even if it was "one of the safest" plants what people eat is a refined extract. Stevia, the extract has an LD50 (that is to say, it kills half the population of rats fed) of about 5 g/kg. So safety is always (ALWAYS) a concern with refined products. At regular doses of less than 5 mg/kg you are fine.

    As a reference Belladonna has an LD50 of about 600 mg/kg for rats (going from memory - data is is about 20 years old, so someone might want to check); in other words Stevia has a toxicity of less than 10x that of Belladonna.

    Research on possible positive effects of Stevia is as worthless, so far, as the research on the mutagenicity of Stevia.

    It would be nice if people stopped cheery picking research results to prove one point or another.
  • julimonster
    julimonster Posts: 243 Member
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    Oh, I like Stevia a lot - but not the powder, I use the drops, 5-8 drops usually is enough for me. Lucky Vitamins has a great selection of flavored stevias in a doable price range. I use it in coffee, yogurt sometimes - it's really helped me break a long standing sweet tooth!:bigsmile:
  • dbendett
    dbendett Posts: 9
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    thanks this is the answer I've been looking for...probably having too much.
  • dbendett
    dbendett Posts: 9
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    good to know

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