Stevia?

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natajane
natajane Posts: 295 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Just wondering about this sweetener, is it ok?

My husband reckons stevia isn't a chemical like most sweeteners so it could be a good alternative to me using sugar in my tea. I usually have about 3 teaspoons of sugar a day though so it's no big deal to change.

Just curious!

Replies

  • mhasita
    mhasita Posts: 93 Member
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    Real stevia is a good natural sweetener. I personally can't stand the taste so I use raw honey.

    Beware of commercial "stevia" (like truvia) that has like 3% stevia and the rest is chemical stuff.
  • arguablysamson
    arguablysamson Posts: 1,706 Member
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    "Chemicals" are everywhere and in everything. The objection is nonsense. Stevia, like at Walmart - along with Splenda - I have used to drop my weight since day-1. No ill effects at all.

    Just use whatever artificial sweetener you want. It's better than sugar, and losing weight is a lesser-of-evils business anyway, so no point in even attempting to make an issue of it.
  • mhasita
    mhasita Posts: 93 Member
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    "Chemicals" are everywhere and in everything. The objection is nonsense. Stevia, like at Walmart - along with Splenda - I have used to drop my weight since day-1. No ill effects at all.

    Just use whatever artificial sweetener you want. It's better than sugar, and losing weight is a lesser-of-evils business anyway, so no point in even attempting to make an issue of it.

    While I understand your point of view, some people have valid reasons to avoid artificial sweeteners, I, for example, am intolerant to some of them (like maltitol, xylitol, etc.) if I take them I'll get bloated.
  • sweetiecorn
    sweetiecorn Posts: 115 Member
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    My mum buys raw stevia in drop form (brand name Better Stevia) and has been happily consuming it for years.
  • MKEgal
    MKEgal Posts: 3,250 Member
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    Just wondering about this sweetener, is it ok?
    My husband reckons stevia isn't a chemical like most sweeteners so it could be a good alternative to me using sugar in my tea. I usually have about 3 teaspoons of sugar a day though so it's no big deal to change.
    Yes, it's perfectly safe. (But yes, it's a chemical just like everything else around us.)
    It's made from a shrub and has been used in Japan & south america for decades.
    Has no effect on blood sugar.
    Seems to be sweeter if it's used with a little bit of sugar, somehow tricks the body.

    It also has some antioxidant & anti-inflammatory properties.
    Here are over 300 studies on stevia: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=stevia

    Specifically, 23 studies on safety: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=stevia+safety

    Shown safe up to 2 mg / kg per day (which is a bleep of a lot): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23766392

    And an overview of papers looking at its safety:
    "high purity rebaudioside A (rebiana) produced to food-grade specifications and according to Good Manufacturing Practices is safe for human consumption under its intended conditions of use as a general purpose sweetener"
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18555576
  • MKEgal
    MKEgal Posts: 3,250 Member
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    some people have valid reasons to avoid artificial sweeteners, I, for example, am intolerant to some of them (like maltitol, xylitol, etc.)
    Neither of those are artificial, nor is stevia.

    "Xylitol is naturally found in low concentrations in the fibers of many fruits and vegetables, and can be extracted from various berries, oats, and mushrooms, as well as fibrous material such as corn husks and sugar cane..."
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xylitol

    Maltitol is another sugar alcohol.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maltitol
  • handyrunner
    handyrunner Posts: 32,662 Member
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    I use it in liquid form...You have to be careful because if you add to much it can have a bitter after taste...but otherwise its ok (though nothing tasts as good as sugar in my opinion)
  • purplemama16
    purplemama16 Posts: 6
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    Sweet Leaf is another brand that is pure stevia, with no added Xylitol. It's harder to find products with no additions than you might think!
  • cheripugh1
    cheripugh1 Posts: 357 Member
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    Just wondering about this sweetener, is it ok?

    My husband reckons stevia isn't a chemical like most sweeteners so it could be a good alternative to me using sugar in my tea. I usually have about 3 teaspoons of sugar a day though so it's no big deal to change.

    Just curious!

    Hate the taste it leaves in my mouth... try Truvia I love it, go slow though just one packet at a time I use it just the same amount as sugar though because it taste the same and never leaves a taste in my mouth!
  • rebeccaplatt21
    rebeccaplatt21 Posts: 175
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    Beware of commercial "stevia" (like truvia) that has like 3% stevia and the rest is chemical stuff.

    i did not know this!!! ^^ thank you!
  • leahraskie
    leahraskie Posts: 260 Member
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    I really like stevia, it tastes natural even by itself. If you want to know what unnatural tastes like, eat some packets of sweet n low and the others. They had us do that in high school for an experiment. It's gross btw lol.

    Even if it's not 100% stevia IT WON'T HURT YOU. You might not think you get the ingredients that are in it, but they come in every day things you eat or they are broken down into amino acids, you just don't know about it. The "it's full of chemicals" crap really angers me. As everything is a chemical and truly natural things may in fact break down in your body poorly and turn into harmful things. The double standard is real.

    Sorry about the rant lol.
  • wizzybeth
    wizzybeth Posts: 3,573 Member
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    I dislike the taste of it. The only sweeteners I like are sugar and honey so I make room for them in my food plan.
  • TheHeathBar
    TheHeathBar Posts: 22 Member
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    Interested in answers. I use the same amount of sugar in my tea for the day. It only adds up to 45 calories though. is it something that needs to be eliminated? I think I'd just rather drink plain tea though. I have a tub of Truvia, but it tastes like coffee creamer to me and leaves a weird film in my mouth. Should I skip the sugar even if I am having a hard time meeting my calorie goals most days?
  • wizzybeth
    wizzybeth Posts: 3,573 Member
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    I would not skip sugar if you can fit it in to your daily plan....I like honey in tea, myself...so I sometimes have a cup of green tea with honey.

    I would prefer to have real sugar (or honey) over any other substitute.

    I have been learning to drink hot tea without any sweetener because I personally prefer not to drink my calories...lol. But if I'm in the mood and have the calories to spare, yes, I consume the sugar. Yum! :)
  • Airportchick
    Airportchick Posts: 30 Member
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    I have my own little Stevia plant. Love it!!
  • Megais
    Megais Posts: 28 Member
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    I'm curious about this. Hoping it could be the solution that allows deserts back into life :)
  • eaglelakebill
    eaglelakebill Posts: 120 Member
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    For me sugar is like everything else!
    Ok in moderation. I use 1 sugar in my coffee.
    I drink about 3 cups of coffee a day.
    Most of the other sugar in my diet comes from
    fruit. I do not like the taste of artificial sweeteners.
    I have lost 20 pounds and for this to be a lasting
    change for me and not a "diet" I have to enjoy
    what I eat and drink.

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