Stevia - Nature's Zero Calorie Sugar Replacement

The herb Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni), native to Paraguay and Brazil, is extracted from the leaves of the plant. Also called "sweet leaf" or sugar leaf", this highly concentrated sweet tasting extract is available in both liquid and powder form. The liquid is said to be 70 times as sweet as sucrose and the powder is up to 300 times sweeter. And best of all, it is non-toxic with zero calories and zero glycemic index, an important note for those watching their blood sugar levels.¹

Don't feel uninformed if you haven't heard of Stevia. Its release is steeped in controversy and politics² since the FDA banned its use in the U.S. as a food additive in the early 90's. Until recently, it was only available if labeled as a natural health supplement. That has changed. Coca Cola, in partnership with Cargill, developed Rebiana,³ a "new" sugar substitute that comes from, you guessed it, Stevia.

Stevia has been commercially used in Japan as a food additive sweetener since the 1970's⁴ and has been used in South America for centuries, having been discovered 200 years ago by the Guarani indians indigenous to Paraguay. Today it is widely consumed in Asia and parts of South America and Israel, with Japan accounting for 40% of its market. Interestingly, Stevia is found in the Coca Cola that is sold in Japan.

Dr. Joseph Mercola lists the damaging effects of the artificial sweetener aspartame in his online article, "Aspartame: What You Don't Know Can Hurt You",listing it as the "most dangerous" food additive on the market. For example, when aspartame enters the small intestine, methanol, a poison, is gradually released and then is broken down into formic acid and formaldehyde, the latter recognized as a "deadly neurotoxin."⁵

For those on healing protocols for Lyme Disease or other vector illness, it is imperative to stay away from known toxins.

If you are using sugar or artificial sweetener in your beverages or foods, consider replacing it with Stevia. I use the liquid form in my beverages, and two or three drops equal about one teaspoon of sugar!

The properties in Stevia are being researched⁶ for oral and IV application in the treatment of diabetes, high blood pressure, and cancer.

Paula Upton has been researching and recommending herbs and supplements since 1993. Read more about me at www.paulaupton.byregion.net

Sources:

1,2 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevia
3 http://www.cargill.com/food/na/en/news/2009/NA3011834.jsp
4 http://www.cookingwithstevia.com/stevia_faq.html#anchor01
5 http://www.mercola.com/article/aspartame/dangers.htm
6 http://www.steviainfo.com/?page=articles