Stevia

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AI1108
AI1108 Posts: 488 Member
in Food and Nutrition
What's everyone's take on stevia / truvia / etc? I've been considering wheening off table sugar, and heard that stevia can actually benefit your health. Does anyone know if this is true? What's the difference between Stevia and Truvia?
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  • Not_Famous
    Not_Famous Posts: 15 Member
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    I've tried the stevia cola... It tasted more like diet soda and had an aftertaste that was somewhere around the aroma of old lady perfume. I don't actually know if it was better than normal soda.
  • ZumbaQueenKelly
    ZumbaQueenKelly Posts: 111
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    I'm not sure what the difference is but I started using Truvia and I love it! Especially in my coffee. A little bit goes a long way with that stuff!
  • garimac
    garimac Posts: 174
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    Stevia ia made from a plant, so its natural, nothing artificial. But be carful the plant is from the same familly as rag weed, so if you are allergic to rag weed you can fimd yourself sneezing!
  • natskedat
    natskedat Posts: 570 Member
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    I use Stevia in my coffee. It's not a sugar derivative, so that makes me happy. I use very little, so it's good. I've also used it in cooking and nobody noticed!
  • McSnoozle
    McSnoozle Posts: 24 Member
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    Stevia just as Stevia is extracted from the plant. I find it has a faintly bitter aftertaste when I use in coffee; in tea and to sweeten recipes, it's just fine. it's closest to a pure state and thus "better" from health perspective.

    Truvia is much more heavily processed (including, I think, some chemicals), but it definitely tastes better. I use it just for coffee.
  • CraftyGirl4
    CraftyGirl4 Posts: 571 Member
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    I agree with the person who said that they don't like it in coffee. I find it has a kind of funky taste, but I love it for tea.
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
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    I'm somewhat on the fence about it. The stevia I have is pure and extremely potent. I believe 1 tsp of it is equivalent to 1 CUP of sugar. It's easy to add too much and when you add too much it tastes weird and the sweetness lingers on the tongue. I think when you add "just enough", it's fine. I made a cheesecake and used 1 tsp for the whole thing, and it came out too sweet.
  • j_cordes
    j_cordes Posts: 7
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    Truvia IS Stevia. Stevia is the plant. Truvia is the brand that it's marketed under. Stevia is ALL NATURAL. Which makes it the only zero calorie sweetener that isn't man made (from chemicals). If you have to choose between the two, Truvia would be your best bet. But I've heard that when you eat anything sweet even if it's zero calorie that your body starts anticipating sugar and reacts to it in almost the same way as if was. (BTW-I happen to like the taste of truvia) :)
  • wickedcricket
    wickedcricket Posts: 1,246 Member
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    stevia is natural ( a plant) so not harmful like aspartame. however -it is VERY strong - a little goes a LONG way and too much can be .. distasteful but that said, I like it
    one thing - ALL sugar substitutes are the same as sugar to your body - over use of diet coke, or any supplement does NOT lead to weight loss as your pancreas digests it the same as sugar. - ppl who only drink diet drinks are just as overweight at those who drink regular - as far as your body knows, SUGAR IS SUGAR - and it HAS TO be restricted. try, as much as possible to omit sugar. use 'natural' sugars like honey, brown sugar, & stevia oh and fruit - fruit can sweeten alot of things BUT adds nutrition too, not just empty caloires
  • Heather75
    Heather75 Posts: 3,386 Member
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    Stevia is gross.
  • tinasullens
    tinasullens Posts: 203 Member
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    http://www.livestrong.com/article/366165-truvia-vs-stevia/

    I use Truvia in my coffee and oatmeal. Tastes just fine, no aftertaste at all. Stevia and Truvia are both better choices than table sugar - and definitely better than Splenda or the others.
  • tinasullens
    tinasullens Posts: 203 Member
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    Stevia just as Stevia is extracted from the plant. I find it has a faintly bitter aftertaste when I use in coffee; in tea and to sweeten recipes, it's just fine. it's closest to a pure state and thus "better" from health perspective.

    Truvia is much more heavily processed (including, I think, some chemicals), but it definitely tastes better. I use it just for coffee.

    Truvia is Stevia...Truvia is just the brand.
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
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    A quick google search reveals that Truvia is NOT "just the brand" for Stevia; it's a different product, which contains erythritol, rebiana (extracted from stevia), and "natural flavors".

    http://www.truvia.com/about/ingredients/
    http://www.livestrong.com/article/366165-truvia-vs-stevia/
    http://mizmasala.blogspot.com/2010/01/truvia-vs-stevia.html
  • mamagooskie
    mamagooskie Posts: 2,964 Member
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    I like stevia.....but I'm not against using splenda, and other fake sugars. I like em all!

    Stevia has a really nice flavor though, I think I prefer it to all the rest!
  • Gut2Glam
    Gut2Glam Posts: 15
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    I love using Truvia. I was using stevia from Trader Joes and it was easy to make things like my coffee too sweet. The truvia packets are great and have more of a real sugar texture.
  • christine24t
    christine24t Posts: 6,064 Member
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    Personally, I would just watch your sugar count in the foods that you do eat and cut out added sugar (like adding it to coffee or sprinkling it on cereal) instead of spending money on a sweetener.
  • theflyingartist
    theflyingartist Posts: 385 Member
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    Stevia is actually a chemical respondent in the body that tricks your tastebuds and your brain into thinking you've just had something sweet, and Stevia is actually bitter.
    That being said, for those of you who don't enjoy the taste, or don't think it's sweet like sugar.. that would explain it!
  • ImperfektAngel
    ImperfektAngel Posts: 811 Member
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    I was told that if you get a bitter taste from it, you have added too much
  • theflyingartist
    theflyingartist Posts: 385 Member
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    I was told that if you get a bitter taste from it, you have added too much

    That could be true too! :)
  • AI1108
    AI1108 Posts: 488 Member
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    hmm okay thanks for the feedback everyone!

    I'm still not 100% sure but I'm going to give it a go.. I would only be using it with my coffee in the morning. It's really the only time I add sugar to anything. I like that it's natural and has been around 200+ years or whatever, not so much about the possible bitter taste and the science behind tricking your tastebuds. I guess we'll see how it goes!

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