There has been a lot of buzz lately on the effects of Stevia - the natural alternative to sugar. Is it safe? Does it cause inflammation? Does it affect our reproductive system? And what’s with the weird after taste? Does it have anti cancer effects? What about its affects on blood sugar? There are many health practitioners on both sides of the debate when it comes to the use of stevia. And with all the conflicting information out there, what is the real truth.
What is Stevia?
Stevia is a perennial shrub/plant that was known to be used as far back as the 16th century in Spain to sweeten teas and bitter drinks. Europeans started using this herb in the late 19th century and in the the 1920’s large quantities of this plant was being cultivated in Brazil and Paraguay. During WWII, stevia was used widely in the United Kingdom due to sugar shortages. In the 1970’s stevia was introduced in Japan and research was initiated and conducted to evaluate its health benefits. Japan is one of the major producers of stevia in addition to Brazil, Paraguay and it is even commercially cultivated in the Ukraine.
Stevia belongs to the ‘Asteraceae’ family so it is closely related to chrysanthemums and marigolds. It is known to be between 50 to 400 times more sweeter then sugar depending on the specific compound of the plant that is being used.
There are 2 main compounds - stevioside and rebaudioside A
Stevioside is sweeter with a bitter after taste
Rebaudioside A is sweet without the bitterness
Most raw stevia will contain both compounds but the highly processed stevia only contains rebaudioside.
This gets us to the topic of …
Not All Stevia is Created Equal
This is where I think stevia gets a bad rap. The processing of stevia and the different forms available are not always detailed in products that you purchase and it all gets painted with the same brush when it is not. There are many counterfeit versions and many with unwanted ingredients that are most likely the guilty culprits when it comes to negative effects on the body. There are also many products that use a high quality form of stevia.
Crude Stevia is the least processed. This is when leaves of the plant are dried and ground into a powder. The final product is only 10- 15 times sweeter then sugar and is a combination of stevioside and rebaudioside.
Purified Stevia Extract - This is the compound rebaudioside A in its pure form or a slightly altered blend. As per the FDS, this blend must be at least 95% of the pure rebaudioside A and no other forms of stevioside or rebaudioside
.
Altered Stevia Blends - By the time this product is in the hands of the consumer, there is very little stevia actually in the product. Companies use processes that contain chemical solvents such as acetonitrile (which is a known nervous system toxin) and add a corn based derivative - erythritol (that is GMO and highly processed). At this point this stevia product can be classified as an artificial sweetener as there is more filler and additives then there is stevia compounds.
Erythritol or monk fruit is added to stevia to counteract the bitter after taste. Some products will even add natural flavours to enhance the sweetness.
It is important to read labels and look for organic stevia extract which is organically grown without herbicides and pesticides and is non GMO without fillers such as inulin or dextrose.
Important to note - FDA does recognize Stevia as GRAS (generally regarded as safe) but this only applies to the altered blends and not the leaf or crude extracts. These 2 products can only be sold a dietary supplements.
The Pros and Cons of Stevia
This is where things start to get interesting. The debate of the positive and negative heath benefits. I personally believe that this has to do with the form of stevia that you are using. Most people are using the altered, low quality form of stevia in the product purchased from the grocery store (which as per above mentioned, isn’t even stevia at this point) such as Truvia or Stevia in the Raw and not the raw extract that you would get from your local health food store.
Stevia has been shown to
Possibly have anti cancer abilities
Does not spike blood glucose levels and increases insulin sensitivity
Supports weight loss
Improves cholesterol levels
Antibacterial activities
But it has also shown to cause bloating, nausea and allergic reactions in some people. Unlike sugar, stevia is not fermented by gut bacteria and studies are inconclusive in regards to being a disruption to reproductive hormones.
So Is Stevia Safe?
In all that I have read and researched, generally stevia is safe but there are some people who may react negatively to it. (And and of course this depends on the amount you use). I am not going to tell you yes or no when it comes to using stevia as this really becomes a decision for you to make, once you have all the information. FDA says that consumption is safe when ingesting maximum 4mg/day per body weight.
As an example a 150 lb person can safely consume 600mg (approx. 1/8 tsp) of high quality stevia extract per day. This is not the highly processed stevia from the grocery store.
Stevia has become the go to sweetener when it comes to sweetening natural health products as well as certain ultra processed foods instead of using artificial sweeteners like sucralose or aspartame. In my opinion, high quality stevia extract is a much better option then the chemical alternatives BUT it is so important to do your homework and read labels to make sure it is of high quality. Stevia is an ingredient used in more products then we think. Do I think you should be using stevia on the daily as a sweetener…NO. But I think you can use it in moderation. There are other natural sweeteners that you can also use like honey, natural maple syrup, coconut sugar. Do I have/use products with stevia in it? Yes. But I am not worried about safety as I research my products extensively and am content with my choices and the choices that those companies make.
Some resources for further reading
What is stevia, and is it healthy?
Stevia: Is it safe, Proven Benefits, Side Effects (Science Based)
Stevia Benefits, Types and Potential Side Effects - Dr. Axe
Have any questions, let me know if the comments below.
Danni
I wrote a Stevia article on Medium! We think alike - us nutrition gals! I have a hard time with the aftertaste, but it got me through with my coffee when I did Sarah Gottfried's elimination eating plan.
Oh thank you for this. I have stayed away from stevia because of not liking how it made me feel after