The skinny on Truvia (and other stevia products)

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vatblack
vatblack Posts: 221 Member
edited May 2018 in Food and Nutrition
Does anyone know of any scientific information on how good this is for a person to use? I know that stevia and such are dangerous to use according to some studies I have read. While sugar, agave, and honey etc. has its problems that can cause diabetes and such, it is deemed to be overall healthier than stevia etc. Where does the stevia products fit in?

At the moment I use agave with and add a spoon of fiber (suggested by my doctor) to balance out the carbs. However, that is 120 calories a day that could be used for food. I find that I need to go over by about 120 a day to feel satisfied. Any advice (and coffee without it I just can't do. I tried many times.)

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  • vatblack
    vatblack Posts: 221 Member
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    I tried to delete this but I could not. I have found my answer here:

    https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/truvia-good-or-bad#section3
  • TrinityR05
    TrinityR05 Posts: 77 Member
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    I have only read good things about stevia, which is what I prefer. I use the sweet leaf stevia brand. I order it online. When I looked at the ingredients at the local food store for truvia, it listed other ingredients other than stevia, so I just stick with the sweet leaf brand.
  • vallary14
    vallary14 Posts: 215 Member
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    I use whole earth brand, it tastes better to me than truvia. I haven’t heard anything negative about stevia either, I mostly use it in tea and the occasional iced espresso beverage (I prefer my hot coffee black)
    I agree with previous person that there are more attributes to diabetes than diet. Some people are predisposed to it and they might be able to avoid complications by improving diet and activity level. But normal sugar consumption alone probably won’t cause diabetes. The body actually needs some sugar whether it’s from fruit, veggies, grains, honey or actual sugar cane.
  • toxikon
    toxikon Posts: 2,384 Member
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    https://examine.com/supplements/stevia/
  • vatblack
    vatblack Posts: 221 Member
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    AnvilHead, you are right. I used the wrong word. What I meant is that it causes spikes in blood sugar, which in diabetics is not a good thing (though agave doesn't spike as much as the rest which is what my daughter's pediatrician recommended we use for her).

    I notice that I should have proofread my post. I must have had my brain turned off. I also meant that sugar etc. is deemed healthier than aspartame, not stevia! haha.
  • vatblack
    vatblack Posts: 221 Member
    edited May 2018
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    My word. Do I feel the idiot! For years and years I have been going this way and that on the safety if “fake sugars”. At this point they know less about the long tetm effects of whole stevia (not Reb a - the processed stuff) than aspartame!

    Thank you for educating me. For someone who prides myself on always thinking through things, this was a huge education in bias.
  • vatblack
    vatblack Posts: 221 Member
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    Okay, so I went on and read on diet sodas as a whole because we have a lot of picnics coming up. Though the sweeteners break down in the body, they may cause a craving for sweet things according to this WebMD article:

    https://blogs.webmd.com/diabetes/2017/10/should-you-ditch-diet-sodas.html

    Furthermore, they are as "harmful" as regularly sugared drinks in terms of gut health and bone density loss. However, it is not a big problem if it is an occasional treat, rather than a daily treat.

    I will take my chances on the sweet things cravings though. When I used stuff like sweet 'n low regularly, I never craved sweet thing more than when I didn't use it.

    I am so relieved to know that I can still go to a party and not be stuck with just water. I mean, I can do it for 2 or 3 times but then it just gets too much. Haha.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,535 Member
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    vatblack wrote: »
    Okay, so I went on and read on diet sodas as a whole because we have a lot of picnics coming up. Though the sweeteners break down in the body, they may cause a craving for sweet things according to this WebMD article:

    https://blogs.webmd.com/diabetes/2017/10/should-you-ditch-diet-sodas.html

    Furthermore, they are as "harmful" as regularly sugared drinks in terms of gut health and bone density loss. However, it is not a big problem if it is an occasional treat, rather than a daily treat.

    I will take my chances on the sweet things cravings though. When I used stuff like sweet 'n low regularly, I never craved sweet thing more than when I didn't use it.

    I am so relieved to know that I can still go to a party and not be stuck with just water. I mean, I can do it for 2 or 3 times but then it just gets too much. Haha.
    Go back to the linked thread that Anvilhead gave you. There's lots of other links in it that refute what the webmd blog posted.
    My experience is that I've drank diet soda DAILY (at least 2) for the past 25+ years now with non of the adverse effects mentioned. But I do also drink a good amount of water daily as well as focus on getting enough nutrients.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • CarvedTones
    CarvedTones Posts: 2,340 Member
    edited May 2018
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    I don't think artificial sweeteners are dangerous, but they do make my cravings for sweetness worse and there are a few studies that says that is pretty common. But it doesn't happen to everyone and some people may have increased cravings but resist them. So you have to evaluate it for yourself - is it helping you avoid sweets or making it harder to? There is no universal answer.
  • vatblack
    vatblack Posts: 221 Member
    edited May 2018
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    I'm good there luckily.
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    vatblack wrote: »
    Okay, so I went on and read on diet sodas as a whole because we have a lot of picnics coming up. Though the sweeteners break down in the body, they may cause a craving for sweet things according to this WebMD article:

    https://blogs.webmd.com/diabetes/2017/10/should-you-ditch-diet-sodas.html

    Furthermore, they are as "harmful" as regularly sugared drinks in terms of gut health and bone density loss. However, it is not a big problem if it is an occasional treat, rather than a daily treat.

    I will take my chances on the sweet things cravings though. When I used stuff like sweet 'n low regularly, I never craved sweet thing more than when I didn't use it.

    I am so relieved to know that I can still go to a party and not be stuck with just water. I mean, I can do it for 2 or 3 times but then it just gets too much. Haha.
    Go back to the linked thread that Anvilhead gave you. There's lots of other links in it that refute what the webmd blog posted.
    My experience is that I've drank diet soda DAILY (at least 2) for the past 25+ years now with non of the adverse effects mentioned. But I do also drink a good amount of water daily as well as focus on getting enough nutrients.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png

    Only one of those links worked and it was above my scientific knowledge. I think it was a chemical breakdown of one or several hormones or something.

    The phosphorus present in colas, sugared or artificially sweetened, can have a negative effect on bone health, especially in women, if it is part of an already high phosphorus diet. Some studies have found it might actually help bone growth in men, and boys with Autism disorder specifically. Being a woman, I prefer to limit my cola drinks. Since I eat a high protein diet, I get a lot of phosphorus from there too.

    Lastly, the gut health issue is that COLA (again cola specifically), can exasperate gut health issues that already exist. It does not cause it. My husband, for example, has had to give up his "soda habit" (as he calls it) because he would get incredibly bad diarrhea from drinking it. The first 20 years of his adult life he remained unaffected, then must have developed a gut issue and now colas make it worse. (And he drank sugared soda, not sweetened).

    Anyway, what it all boils down to is:
    - limit processed foods
    - know your own body's reaction to foods.

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