What is Truvia?

The FDA has recently approved two versions of the purified extract of stevia rebaudiana. One is to be used in beverages hitting store shelves under the brand name of Truvia, developed by Cargill and the Cocoa-Cola Co. The other is called PureVia, and is a subsidiary of Mersiant, Whole Earth Sweeteners.

What is stevia, you ask? Well, natural food enthusiasts have been on to this sweet, sugar-replacing extract for some years now, but most of the general public is still unaware of it.

Stevia is a plant native to Paraguay and is very sweet and surprisingly, noncaloric. It has a slightly licorice taste that leaves a slight aftertaste, though in processing to a fine powder, most of that seems to be removed. Since it was approved by the FDA in the Dietary Supplement Health And Education Act (DSHEA) as a supplement, people have enjoyed this sweetener as an alternative to sugar or chemical sweeteners.

As its popularity increases, in part due to its recent FDA approval for use in beverages, you are probably wondering, is it safe?

Several Studies have been done on stevia. Most of them have concluded that stevia is safe in reasonable doses, but have been done on animals - which have a different genetic make-up and autoimmune response than we humans. Still, most agree that stevia is a healthier alternative than chemical sweeteners. Compared to sugar, stevia has a lower glycemic load -- meaning, the insulin response is slower and less severe when it hits your bloodstream, which makes stevia a good alternative to chemical sweeteners for diabetics.

As with any supplement, do your research and make an educated choice.