Stevia : KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN

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WarmDontBurn
WarmDontBurn Posts: 1,253 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Why?

I use splenda and after reading quite a bit about sweetners went out and bought some Stevia. I brought it home and went to use when I noticed:

Caution: Not recommended for pregnant women, children or those who have a low blood pressure. KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN.

I googled a bit but can only find info that says it causese infertility issues, it is a mutagen and a bunch of FDA warnings. When someone posts about aspartame/sucrolose they are generally directed towards Stevia but from what I am reading it doesn't sound much better. There is no warning on Splenda to keep away from children or if you are pregnant why Stevia?

If anyone has an article that explains it please let me know :)
Guess I should have read more before I bought it...lol.

Replies

  • FearAnLoathing
    FearAnLoathing Posts: 4,852 Member
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    Thats odd,I use truvia and there is not a warning like that on the box.
  • SarahNicole317
    SarahNicole317 Posts: 302 Member
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    In all actuality, they probably do not know either. There is probably not enough information one way or the other so for liability purposes they exclude those populations.
  • WarmDontBurn
    WarmDontBurn Posts: 1,253 Member
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    Ok I did find this:
    http://www.foodsafetynetwork.ca/aspx/public/publication_detail_global.aspx?languageid=1&contenttypeid=5&id=51

    This part is copied from under the chart where Stevia is bolded:

    There has been some evidence to suggest that Stevia may be harmful to a certain sub-set of the population. As a result, the NHPD requires a warning label on all natural health products containing Stevia warning consumers that the product is not recommended for pregnant women, children, or people with low blood pressure. It can also be used as a sweetener in natural health products; however the dose must not exceed the ADI.


    That is all I could find so far.
  • FemininGuns
    FemininGuns Posts: 605 Member
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    Ok I did find this:
    http://www.foodsafetynetwork.ca/aspx/public/publication_detail_global.aspx?languageid=1&contenttypeid=5&id=51

    This part is copied from under the chart where Stevia is bolded:

    There has been some evidence to suggest that Stevia may be harmful to a certain sub-set of the population. As a result, the NHPD requires a warning label on all natural health products containing Stevia warning consumers that the product is not recommended for pregnant women, children, or people with low blood pressure. It can also be used as a sweetener in natural health products; however the dose must not exceed the ADI.

    That is all I could find so far.

    Not many studies have been done on Stevia. The main reason why there is warnings is because they did not want to endorse the product as a 'weight loss' or 'diet supplement' is what I was explained. The minuscule amount of studies that have been done says that it helps with lowering blood pressure and this may be why the warnings are on the box.
  • CalorieNinja
    CalorieNinja Posts: 645 Member
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    I didn't know much about Stevia until I just did some research on it. Unfortunately the reports are so conflicted 1/2 say its safe Native Americans have been using it for years and the reason its banned in food but not in dietary supplements is because the sugar companies made a big deal out of it in the US. The flip side people are saying it causes cancer (but remember that has also been said about hot dogs, tomatoes, milk etc.)

    So, I think for right now your going to have to develop your own opinion since there isn't any cold hard facts out there about it.
  • That_Girl
    That_Girl Posts: 1,324 Member
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    Why would anyone eat this stuff. To save some calories? I don't get it. Sugar is good in moderation. All those chemicals are just garbage.
  • FearAnLoathing
    FearAnLoathing Posts: 4,852 Member
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    Why would anyone eat this stuff. To save some calories? I don't get it. Sugar is good in moderation. All those chemicals are just garbage.

    stevia is natural as natural as cane sugar.
  • FearAnLoathing
    FearAnLoathing Posts: 4,852 Member
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    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevia
  • jenX1174
    jenX1174 Posts: 154
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    The stevia plant is natural. By the time it gets to your supermarket shelf, it is highly processed.
  • That_Girl
    That_Girl Posts: 1,324 Member
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    Why would anyone eat this stuff. To save some calories? I don't get it. Sugar is good in moderation. All those chemicals are just garbage.

    stevia is natural as natural as cane sugar.

    It grows from the ground?
  • FearAnLoathing
    FearAnLoathing Posts: 4,852 Member
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    Why would anyone eat this stuff. To save some calories? I don't get it. Sugar is good in moderation. All those chemicals are just garbage.

    stevia is natural as natural as cane sugar.

    It grows from the ground?


    yes it grows from the ground
  • FearAnLoathing
    FearAnLoathing Posts: 4,852 Member
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    this is whats in truvia

    Erythritol ((2R,3S)-butane-1,2,3,4-tetraol) is a natural sugar alcohol (or polyol) which has been approved for use in the United States[1] and throughout much of the world. It was discovered in 1848 by British chemist John Stenhouse.[2] It occurs naturally in fruits and fermented foods [3]. At the industrial level, it is produced from glucose by fermentation with a yeast, Moniliella pollinis[1]. It is 60–70% as sweet as table sugar yet it is almost non-caloric, does not affect blood sugar, does not cause tooth decay, and is absorbed by the body, therefore unlikely to cause gastric side effects unlike other sugar alcohols

    Rebiana is the trade name for high-purity rebaudioside A[1], a Steviol glycoside which when used as a non-nutritive sweetener is 200 times sweeter than sugar.[2] It is the primary source of sweetness in the Truvia sweetener brand. Rebiana is derived from Stevia leaves by steeping them in water.
  • That_Girl
    That_Girl Posts: 1,324 Member
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    Interesting. I am not one for other sweetners (we use honey a lot here)...I just don't like something that should be kept away from children...seems odd.

    But if you like it, rock it! I'll stick to my raw sugar and honey.
  • kateslife
    kateslife Posts: 39
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    In all actuality, they probably do not know either. There is probably not enough information one way or the other so for liability purposes they exclude those populations.
    agreed
  • dlaplume2
    dlaplume2 Posts: 1,658 Member
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    Why would anyone eat this stuff. To save some calories? I don't get it. Sugar is good in moderation. All those chemicals are just garbage.

    stevia is natural as natural as cane sugar.

    It grows from the ground?

    I'm sorry but it grows from the ground is a poor argument. Tobacco grows from the ground, so does pot.


    It is still highly processed and by the time it gets to the table who knows what is in it.
    I would be cautious.
  • lovepink768
    lovepink768 Posts: 2
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    stevia is all natural, so it's a ok for everyone unless you're getting a chemically treated version of it. and on a side note, don't always listen to the FDA.. they're a major money making government related industry that wants their products they are paid MILLIONS to test to be advertised as safe..
  • lovepink768
    lovepink768 Posts: 2
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    Why would anyone eat this stuff. To save some calories? I don't get it. Sugar is good in moderation. All those chemicals are just garbage.

    stevia is natural as natural as cane sugar.

    It grows from the ground?

    I'm sorry but it grows from the ground is a poor argument. Tobacco grows from the ground, so does pot.


    It is still highly processed and by the time it gets to the table who knows what is in it.
    I would be cautious.

    it's only highly processed if you get a brand that highly proccesses it.. there are plenty of natural stevias out there, but they won't generally be found on regular grocery store shelves.

    stevia is great because it doesn't spike blood sugar-which all real sugar will, and as everyone probably knows, sugar imbalances and unnecessary and/or not enough insulin production can cause weight gain
  • WildFlower7
    WildFlower7 Posts: 714 Member
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    Been using Stevia for months now and just went and grabbed my box, and there is nothing on my box that says anything about keeping it away from children or pregnant women. Now I don't know if what I'm using is the same as Stevia now, I always thought it was until taking a closer look, It says "Pure Via" made from pure Stevia extracts, contans no aspartame and has no warnings...I just assumed it was the packet form of Stevia, my concern is that my sister who is pregnant with twins uses the same thing and I would like to know anything you all have to say about this!
  • FearAnLoathing
    FearAnLoathing Posts: 4,852 Member
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    Why would anyone eat this stuff. To save some calories? I don't get it. Sugar is good in moderation. All those chemicals are just garbage.

    stevia is natural as natural as cane sugar.

    It grows from the ground?



    I'm sorry but it grows from the ground is a poor argument. Tobacco grows from the ground, so does pot.


    It is still highly processed and by the time it gets to the table who knows what is in it.
    I would be cautious.



    whats wrong with pot...
  • rosebarnalice
    rosebarnalice Posts: 3,488 Member
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    WebMD says it's "likely safe",l but that not enough is known about its effects on breastfeeding and pregnancy.

    http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-682-STEVIA.aspx?activeIngredientId=682&activeIngredientName=STEVIA

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