Thoughts on stevia?

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Hausisse1
Hausisse1 Posts: 165 Member
in Food and Nutrition
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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  • wizzybeth
    wizzybeth Posts: 3,573 Member
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    I think it's vile and disgusting. Tastes horrible. Will never willingly consume.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,556 Member
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    Safe for usage, but like any other artificial sweetener, taste will matter.

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  • erockem
    erockem Posts: 278 Member
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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.
  • westcoastgrl21
    westcoastgrl21 Posts: 172 Member
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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.
  • themedalist
    themedalist Posts: 3,212 Member
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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.
  • alliesgettinghealthy
    alliesgettinghealthy Posts: 87 Member
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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. :)
  • annette_15
    annette_15 Posts: 1,657 Member
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    I used it for a while but I've realised I just prefer Splenda so I switched back lol
  • teephil
    teephil Posts: 135 Member
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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!
  • LoupGarouTFTs
    LoupGarouTFTs Posts: 916 Member
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    I dislike it. I am used to the taste of saccharine and that is what I will continue to use.
  • Sweets1954
    Sweets1954 Posts: 506 Member
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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.
  • HeySwoleSister
    HeySwoleSister Posts: 1,938 Member
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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.
  • puraze
    puraze Posts: 55 Member
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    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...
  • Hausisse1
    Hausisse1 Posts: 165 Member
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    EWJLang wrote: »
    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.
  • bloody88
    bloody88 Posts: 120 Member
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    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.
  • LoupGarouTFTs
    LoupGarouTFTs Posts: 916 Member
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    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.
  • lindsayh87
    lindsayh87 Posts: 167 Member
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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/
  • LoupGarouTFTs
    LoupGarouTFTs Posts: 916 Member
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    Food Babe has absolutely no credibility.
  • benmclin331
    benmclin331 Posts: 10 Member
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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.
  • hstull82
    hstull82 Posts: 116 Member
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    Love it in my coffee!
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,943 Member
    edited April 2015
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    Hausisse1 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.

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