STAY HEALTHY THE STEVIA WAY

Stevia is 300 times sweeter than regular sugar, with minimal aftertaste. Stevia extract has no calories. Stevia extract is suitable for diabetics and those with high blood pressure. Children can use stevia without health concerns. Stevia does not cause tooth cavities. Stevia is heat stable and thus could be used for cooking and baking. Stevia extract is a great alternative to synthetic sweeteners. Can be easily blended with other sweeteners, such as honey. Stevia is already widely and safely consumed in many countries around the world for decades.

This remarkable, no-calorie sweetener called stevia is, unfortunately, not a household name. It should be. I believe that eventually stevia will be one of the most popular and widely used no-calorie sweeteners in the world. With the availability of stevia extract there seems to be little reason to use artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and saccharin.

We all have a craving for a sweet taste and often satisfy this craving with sugar or fat-filled foods. Even “natural” sugar substitutes, such as honey, maple syrup or molasses, can be unhealthy if over-consumed since they can markedly elevate blood sugar levels. Hence, stevia can be advantageous to practically everyone whose diet contains sweeteners. Although stevia can be helpful to anyone, there are certain groups who are more likely to benefit from its remarkable sweetening potential. These include diabetics, those interested in decreasing caloric intake, and children.

Stevia for Diabetes

The availability of artificial sweeteners has been of enormous benefit to those with diabetes. However, there’s always been a concern that over consumption of these synthetic sweeteners may cause some unknown harm to the body. Could stevia substitution be a good alternative for those with diabetes? We believe so. Stevia leaves have been used as herbal teas by diabetic patients in Asian countries. No side effects have been observed in these patients after many years of continued consumption (Suttajit, 1993). Furthermore, studies have shown that stevia extract can actually improve blood sugar levels (Alvarez, 1981, Curi, 1986).

Stevia and Weight Loss
It would seem quite obvious that substituting a no-calorie sweetener to sugar would help reduce caloric intake and thus contribute to weight loss. If you are the type of person who adds sugar to your morning coffee or tea, or to iced tea, lemonade, and a variety of desserts and baked goods, then, over time, the elimination of these refined sugar calories could make a significant difference.

Sweet Teeth with No Cavities
Even a five-year old child knows that sugar causes tooth cavities. There are certain bacteria in our mouths, particularly streptococci mutans, that ferment various sugars to produce acids. These in turn eat through the enamel of the tooth causing pockets or cavities. For a long time, scientists have searched to find alternative sweeteners that are not fermentable by bacteria and hence do not cause cavities. Artificial sweeteners have been helpful in this regard. The chemicals within the stevia plant that impart its sweetness are not fermentable, and thus do not cause tooth cavit

Use in Children
Candies, sodas, ice cream, pies, cakes… it’s disturbing how many sweet products are ingested by children on a daily basis. All that sugar can lead to tooth cavities and obesity. We believe that partially substituting with stevia can help children satisfy their sweet tooth while decreasing the risks from excessive sugar intake.

If you’re a parent, you can take advantage of the many recipes provided in The Stevia Cookbook to provide your children with tasty sweets that will satisfy their sweet teeth but not cause damage to the teeth. Obesity in children is a growing problem in this country and any method we have of helping children reduce their caloric intake will be greatly beneficial.

We also are concerned with children overconsuming excessive amounts of artificial sweeteners. The potential, long-term health consequences of saccharin and aspartame ingestion are currently not fully known, but they do need to be kept in mind. Eliminating all artificial sweeteners will be a frustrating enterprise since they are extremely prevalent. However, by partially substituting stevia in homemade desserts, you can significantly reduce your children’s exposure to these artificial chemicals.

Hopefully, with time, stevia can be added to a variety of sodas, candies, gums, and other foods in the US, just like it currently is in Japan and other countries.

Anti-Aging potential
We know from numerous animal studies that reducing caloric intake leads to life span extension. Since stevia can substitute for sugar, and we know excess amounts of this sweetener can contribute to high blood sugar, obesity, and have other unhealthy effects on the human body, it would seem likely that substituting stevia for sugar could have a positive effect on longevity. This effect would be most apparent in those who normally have a high intake of sugar.

With references from Ray Sahelian, M.D.