Stevia

[the_antithesis]

Stevia is a shrub native to South America and has been used as a sweetener there for centuries. It is up to two hundred times sweeter than sugar, so a little goes a long way and it is supposedly calorie-free.

So, does anyone know much about this beyond what I can read off Wikipedia or googling?

[Plu]

All I can see is that it's recently been legalised in Europe to use as a sweetener, but I haven't really heard of it before.

[Mathias]

I regularly use here in Brazil, but many have a percentage of sucrose or aspartame. Pure is much more expensive. Until today I didn't notice any problems in my health, it is not as sweet as sugar and of course has a different flavor.

[stromboli]

Stevia is sold in the stores as Truvia. I use it, because I'm Diabetic. Tastes better than the Aspartame sweeteners, but it is a bit more expensive. Safe as far as I can determine.
http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA400318/I ... eally-Safe

[WitchSabrina]

Stevia is pretty cool BUT you've got to get the real thing.  Many on-the-shelf products have been stomped on like badly cut cocaine and aren't that much better for you had you piled up your cereal with regular sugar.   So........  read those labels, people.   Look for fewer ingredients and words like:

100% Stevia. (Nothing added.)
or
Organic Stevia

here's one of the best product I've found so far
http://www.wholesomesweeteners.com/organicstevia.html

here's another:
http://www.organicstevia.org/stevia-producer.html

We actually use liquid sweetener (stevia) because only 2 drops is plenty of sweet.


Also:
http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplemen ... ame=STEVIA

http://renegadehealth.com/blog/2011/08/ ... via-powder

[the_antithesis]

here's one of the best product I've found so far
http://www.wholesomesweeteners.com/organicstevia.html

Ingredients: Organic Agave Inulin, Organic Stevia Extract (Stevia rebaudiana), Silica.

Silica?!?

[WitchSabrina]

here's one of the best product I've found so far
http://www.wholesomesweeteners.com/organicstevia.html

Ingredients: Organic Agave Inulin, Organic Stevia Extract (Stevia rebaudiana), Silica.

Silica?!?

LOL  Yeah - I dunno.  Its the one the nutritionist recommended to use. I may have posted the wrong link. Sorry
go figure...............

Actually the one in the cabinet right now is:
SweetDrops - Stevia Clear it's called.
http://www.vitacost.com/wisdom-natural- ... teviaclear

we prefer the drops now
 

[Colanth]

here's one of the best product I've found so far
http://www.wholesomesweeteners.com/organicstevia.html

Ingredients: Organic Agave Inulin, Organic Stevia Extract (Stevia rebaudiana), Silica.

Silica?!?

Silica is a non-clumping agent and, in the tiny amounts used in salt and, evidently, this product, it's innocuous.  I'd certainly rather have a trace of silica in my diet than BHA, BHT and all the other really dangerous crap they put in foods these days.  (Any time you eat a fruit or a vegetable, you're eating silica - we evolved to handle it long before we evolved into hominids.)

[NitzWalsh]

I love having access to my school library. I can look up peer reviewed papers on stuff like Stevia.

Here's some stuff I've found at that might be useful.

100-300 times sweeter than sugar.
No calories.
Suited for diabetics as it doesn't affect blood sugar levels.
Non-allergenic.
Can be used for relief of upset stomachs.
It's safety over long term usage has not been determined.

Works cited because I'm on an MLA kick from school.

Goyal, S. K., Samsher, and R. K. Goyal. "Stevia ( Stevia Rebaudiana) A Bio-Sweetener: A Review." International Journal Of Food Sciences & Nutrition 61.1 (2010): 1-10. SPORTDiscus with Full Text. Web. 15 Mar. 2013.

[aitm]

Many on-the-shelf products have been stomped on like badly cut cocaine

 :-s

 :-k


 :-"

[Nonsensei]

Splenda is the only artificial sweetener that works in coffee for me, which is all important.

The rest have an awful aftertaste.

[NitzWalsh]

Splenda is the only artificial sweetener that works in coffee for me, which is all important.

The rest have an awful aftertaste.

Stevia isn't an artificial sweetener though, so you might want to give that a try.

[Nonsensei]

Splenda is the only artificial sweetener that works in coffee for me, which is all important.

The rest have an awful aftertaste.

Stevia isn't an artificial sweetener though, so you might want to give that a try.

I should have said sugar alternative. I have tried it. It doesnt do coffee as well as Splenda.

[NitzWalsh]

Splenda is the only artificial sweetener that works in coffee for me, which is all important.

The rest have an awful aftertaste.

Stevia isn't an artificial sweetener though, so you might want to give that a try.

I should have said sugar alternative. I have tried it. It doesnt do coffee as well as Splenda.

Okay. I personally do have a problem with a lot of the artificial ones and some of the natural ones. Aspartame gives me a headache and then I throw up and HFCS makes my stomach hurt.

[Nonsensei]

Yeah probably a high price to paya to avoid some carbs.