Thoughts on stevia?
Hausisse1
Posts: 165 Member
I generally don't trust non-caloric sweeteners and wondered how others felt about stevia in particular. I found this blog post http://empoweredsustenance.com/is-stevia-bad-for-you/ but it seems like it's deemed as being "safe" by other places. How do you guys feel?
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I think it's vile and disgusting. Tastes horrible. Will never willingly consume.0
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Safe for usage, but like any other artificial sweetener, taste will matter.
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Tossed a packet in my unflavored oatmeal today with some cinnamon for the first time. I would definitely use it again.0
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99% of "stevia" products are actually a tiny bit of stevia blended with sugar alcohols, which is what really lends the sweet flavor. Stevia on its own has a bitter aftertaste that most people don't like. Just so you know.0
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To me, it's perspective. My health is overwhelmingly determined by my food choices, activity choices, whether I smoke, use seatbelts, have preventative health checkups, and sit in a chair or purposely get up and move throughout the day. Those are the huge factors that impact my health. What sweetener I sometimes use in my tea is so inconsequential compared to those factors that I don't give it as second thought.0
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I use a few drops of liquid stevia in my Greek Yogurt along with mixed berries. I like it, and I certainly don't consume enough to the point that it would cause negative health effects. I do think that the powdered stevia is gross though. Quite honestly anything you consume can have negative health effects if consumed in sufficient quantities.
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I used it for a while but I've realised I just prefer Splenda so I switched back lol0
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I like it, haven't grown a third arm or anything yet. Just don't go overboard or it gets bitter!0
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I dislike it. I am used to the taste of saccharine and that is what I will continue to use.0
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I tried it and just like the other non sugar sweeteners it has a nasty aftertaste. I will use sugar, honey, or real maple syrup and account for the calories in my daily allowance.0
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Stevia-the-plant is natural, but not approved by the FDA for human consumption. Doesn't make it dangerous, but it is less tested than other alternative sweeteners.
Stevia drops or powder contain a chemical synthesized from the plant. This chemical HAS been approved by the FDA after usual testing. Which basically means that it's as safe as aspartame (Nutrasweet) or sucralose (Splenda) but NOT more "natural," despite what you may hear desperate "clean eating" types try to argue. Stevia drops or powder are as close to the herb as aspartame is to fruit peels or sucralose is to sugar cane....which is to say...not much.
Personally, I don't use any of them, but it's not out of safety concerns....they just all taste terrible to me.0 -
annette_15 wrote: »I used it for a while but I've realised I just prefer Splenda so I switched back lol
I used to use Splenda in my coffee, shortly after I started I began developing blisters on my mouth and didn't know why. I googled possible causes and found someone who had the same problem and it stopped when they quit Splenda. I stopped and they cleared up right away, so now I just don't sweeten my coffee:)
I do know of people, especially diabetics that use it without issue though...0 -
Stevia-the-plant is natural, but not approved by the FDA for human consumption. Doesn't make it dangerous, but it is less tested than other alternative sweeteners.
Stevia drops or powder contain a chemical synthesized from the plant. This chemical HAS been approved by the FDA after usual testing. Which basically means that it's as safe as aspartame (Nutrasweet) or sucralose (Splenda) but NOT more "natural," despite what you may hear desperate "clean eating" types try to argue. Stevia drops or powder are as close to the herb as aspartame is to fruit peels or sucralose is to sugar cane....which is to say...not much.
Personally, I don't use any of them, but it's not out of safety concerns....they just all taste terrible to me.
Hmm, okay, thank you for your informative response. In that case I think I'll stick to cane sugar and honey, haha.0 -
My brother participated in a program that was trying to introduce stevia as a new form of crops where i live. I happened to be there the day it was planted. So many chemicals were used before they plant it. The roots,because that's the form it's planted, had to stay in those chemicals for 1-2days.
Because the chemicals were used before the plants were planted and not while the plants were growing up,the crop was considered clean...
I am not implying that chemicals are not used in other sweeteners, but i would personally stay away from stevia.0 -
You know that commercial growers (and even some amateur gardeners) use a rooting compound, right? It's either a hormone that occurs naturally in the plants or an extract of willow bark--which is why some amateur gardeners add a crushed aspirin to water in which cuttings are immersed. I still don't like stevia, but chemikillz used to grow it are no reason to avoid it.0
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I use stevia quite regularly but only the organic "sweet leaf" brand. Some of the other brands aren't pure and have some other ingredients you don't want. And as to the whole fda thing it is really a lot of politics. This article is a good read about it though!
http://foodbabe.com/2013/04/25/stevia-good-or-bad/0 -
Food Babe has absolutely no credibility.0
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For now... everything in moderation is key. Personally, I just use locally bought honey every one in a while... Just don't over consume anything. If it causes adverse effects such as imflammation___ give it up.0
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Love it in my coffee!0
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I generally don't trust non-caloric sweeteners and wondered how others felt about stevia in particular. I found this blog post http://empoweredsustenance.com/is-stevia-bad-for-you/ but it seems like it's deemed as being "safe" by other places. How do you guys feel?
Stevia is a natural sweetener, it's not a substitute. I use it and love it.
I also use regular sugar and agave nectar.0 -
I use Sweet Leaf brand and like it. I feel it is natural and acceptable to me, even thought I avoid artificial sweeteners like the plague.0
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I feel fine with it in terms of safety.
Most of my stevia experience is with Truvia. To me, it takes like coconut. Not a bad thing, but it messes up the taste of my teas and tisanes. It's also a LOT more expensive than Splenda.0 -
I generally don't trust non-caloric sweeteners and wondered how others felt about stevia in particular. I found this blog post http://empoweredsustenance.com/is-stevia-bad-for-you/ but it seems like it's deemed as being "safe" by other places. How do you guys feel?
Stevia is a natural sweetener, it's not a substitute. I use it and love it.
I also use regular sugar and agave nectar.
No.
As I said earlier, stevia drops and powder are no more "natural" than other substitutes.
Choose what tastes best to you. But don't kid yourself into thinking that stevia is somehow more "pure" than other artificial sweeteners. It's not. Unless, of course, you are using the actual stevia plant. But, that, of course, cannot be sold in the US as it has not been tested and approved as a safe ingredient for food by the FDA. The chemical that they synthesize from the plant (like sucralose is synthesized from sugar cane and aspartame is sythesized from fruit peels) has been approved, however. But, it's no more "natural" than other substitutes.0 -
azulvioleta6 wrote: »I feel fine with it in terms of safety.
Most of my stevia experience is with Truvia. To me, it takes like coconut. Not a bad thing, but it messes up the taste of my teas and tisanes. It's also a LOT more expensive than Splenda.
Truvia is not Stevia though.
I used Truvia and it was nasty. I don't mind splenda, but I'd rather just use sugar.
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I switched from Splenda to Truvia. The gardeners of my buiding's roof garden grow stevia and I've used the leaves on occasion. I don't notice any difference in taste, but I like that it comes from an actual plant to start with.0
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I don't like the flavor. If I want something sweet and don't want the calories of sugar (or any other natural sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, etc) I will use Splenda.0
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HeySwoleSister wrote: »I generally don't trust non-caloric sweeteners and wondered how others felt about stevia in particular. I found this blog post http://empoweredsustenance.com/is-stevia-bad-for-you/ but it seems like it's deemed as being "safe" by other places. How do you guys feel?
Stevia is a natural sweetener, it's not a substitute. I use it and love it.
I also use regular sugar and agave nectar.
No.
As I said earlier, stevia drops and powder are no more "natural" than other substitutes.
Choose what tastes best to you. But don't kid yourself into thinking that stevia is somehow more "pure" than other artificial sweeteners. It's not. Unless, of course, you are using the actual stevia plant. But, that, of course, cannot be sold in the US as it has not been tested and approved as a safe ingredient for food by the FDA. The chemical that they synthesize from the plant (like sucralose is synthesized from sugar cane and aspartame is sythesized from fruit peels) has been approved, however. But, it's no more "natural" than other substitutes.
First of all, just to be clear, I use stevia in the raw, sugar, agave nectar, and splenda. I don't use equal because I don't much like the taste. I have nothing against any alternative sweetener, including sugar, and I believe in moderation.
That said, Stevia comes directly from a plant, just as honey comes from the beehive and sugar comes from the sugar cane plant. Sure they all have been processed some, but look at the ingredient lists of stevia and artificial sweeteners:
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Stevia is great. I have it in my coffee daily.0
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47Jacqueline wrote: »I switched from Splenda to Truvia. The gardeners of my buiding's roof garden grow stevia and I've used the leaves on occasion. I don't notice any difference in taste, but I like that it comes from an actual plant to start with.
I have not tried stevia from the actual plant.0 -
azulvioleta6 wrote: »I feel fine with it in terms of safety.
Most of my stevia experience is with Truvia. To me, it takes like coconut. Not a bad thing, but it messes up the taste of my teas and tisanes. It's also a LOT more expensive than Splenda.
Truvia is not Stevia though.
I used Truvia and it was nasty. I don't mind splenda, but I'd rather just use sugar.
Truvia indeed does have a different taste than Stevia. I choose a sweetener based on my mood.0
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