The Scoop On Stevia

[imagood1]

This was part of my Diabetes Newsletter which I received today

The Scoop on Stevia

by Marci Sloane, RD, CDE

In December 2008, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Rebiana, also known as Reb A or rebaudioside A, found in the stevia leaf. Stevia is derived from the leaves of a South American shrub and has been used to sweeten foods in Brazil, Paraguay, Japan, South Korea and China for many centuries. Reb A is one of two compounds; the other being stevioside, found in the stevia leaf. Reb A is less bitter and sweeter than stevioside. Rebiana is approved by the FDA as "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS).
Stevia previously had been sold only in health food stores as a dietary supplement. Due to some studies indicating that stevia may reduce fertility or cause genetic mutations that could lead to cancer, it was banned as a food ingredient in the US and approved only as a dietary supplement. Supplements, similar to GRAS substances, are not required to be scrutinized as much as foods are.
Today, Truvia and PureVia are available in packets similar to other sugar substitutes such as Splenda, Equal and Sweet n' Low, and will soon be seen in a growing number of sugar-free products. The main ingredients are Reb A (from the stevia leaf) and Erythritol (a sugar alcohol with no effect on glucose levels and little or no laxative effect).
Truvia™
Truvia can be found at Whole Foods, Walmart and other grocery stores.

• <LI style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">A Coca-Cola and Cargill product <LI style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">Over 200 times sweeter than sugar <LI style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">Ingredients: Rebiana, Erythritol, natural flavors <LI style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">Rebiana or Rebaudioside is the sweet extract from the stevia leaf – for sweetness <LI style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">Erythritol is a sugar alcohol derived from fruits like grapes and melons to improve taste and reduce bitterness <LI style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">Natural flavors to enhance flavor <LI style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">Found in products such as: sweetener packets, Sprite Green and Odwalla juice drinks
• Zero calories and no effect on glucose levels

PureVia™
PureVia can be found at grocery stores.

• <LI style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">PepsiCo and Whole Earth Sweetener co-product <LI style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">Over 200 times sweeter than sugar <LI style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">Ingredients: Rebiana, Erythritol, natural flavors <LI style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">Rebiana or Rebaudioside is the sweet extract from the stevia leaf to improve sweetness <LI style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">Erythritol is a sugar alcohol derived from fruits like grapes and melons to improve taste and reduce bitterness <LI style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">Isomaltulose (found in honey and sugar case juice) <LI style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">Cellulose powder is a dietary fiber to enhance texture <LI style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">Natural flavors to enhance flavor <LI style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">Found in products such as sweetener packets and SoBe Lifewater
• Zero calories and no effect on glucose levels

Use moderately. Moderate use is 4 servings a day: 4 packets or food servings similar to food exchanges (8 ounce drink, etc.)

[Browneyedmelly]

Re: The Scoop On Stevia

I do not like the after taste of Stevia, or equal, or any of them... I have a whole cabinet full of low cal sweeteners that I could barely taste much less use them.. I can handle Sweet N Low and Sugar Twin.. but now someone was telling me that Sweet N Low and Sugar Twin, are both known to cause cancer.. and if this is the case than I am out of luck with the Atkins diet.. cause those are the only two low cal sweeteners I can handle...anyone else hear the same???

[imagood1]

Re: The Scoop On Stevia

I used Equal before starting Atkins. When I read the book I changed over to Splenda - I use Splenda and liquid Stevia occassionally.

[C0NNIE53]

Re: The Scoop On Stevia

I have been wondering about the use of Agave nector. It is said that it does not raise glucose levels, but I think it might be a "your milage may vary" kind of thing. I was given a bottle of it about a year ago, before I was always testing my BG and I used it and really liked it, but have not bought any of it for myself. I tried Truvia and at first I thought it was OK, but after a few times using it, I began to hate the way it smells! It can smell up the whole kitchen, and is a sickly sweet smell, that started grossing me out. Splenda has it's nay-sayers as well, but recently, I have turned back to it for that bit of sweetness that I like. Anyone know anything about the nectar??? A discussion of that might shed some light!

Connie

[mizski]

Re: The Scoop On Stevia

Agave nectar has calories and carbs similar to honey...which means too much for Atkins during Induction and OWL. It supposedly has a lower GI which is why it is suggested on South Beach and other diets...NOT Atkins.

[C0NNIE53]

Re: The Scoop On Stevia

Thanks for the input, Mizski! It is rather sweet, and probably why I liked it so much! I was using it on my morning cereal way back when, and I also put it in plain yogurt to jazz that up a bit. I really liked it, so of course it must be off limits! LOL! Hopefully as time goes by, my sweet tooth will go away!

Connie

[imagood1]

Re: The Scoop On Stevia

It's best to stay away from sweets during induction Connie -- that way you can kill the sweet tooth immediately. I have had quite a time killing mine because I used Splenda during induction and past ---- after all this time I've finally stopped using it in my coffee and rarely use it on a daily basis - but it was rough.

[Aways2Go]

Re: The Scoop On Stevia

Pre-Atkins, I tried Agave Nectar once since it was a natural product but found it to be like syrupy sugar water. And of course it did have calories, etc. So I just went back to honey and stevia, thinking at least in honey it was a very local product (bought at the farmers market) and I was getting some nutritional benefits I would not have been getting with the agave syrup. I have no idea what the glycemic count on honey is versus agave, just tried not to use too much and used stevia more often though it wasn't local because it had no calories.

[yoda]

Re: The Scoop On Stevia

FYI, stevia has amazing health benefits, so if you are worried about getting nutrients when you use stevia, don't be. You're doing your body good with just stevia, you don't even need the honey! Not all brands of stevia are equal though. The best is SweetLeaf.

[yoda]

Re: The Scoop On Stevia

SweetLeaf stevia also comes in packets and does not have an after taste, like other brands. After tastes comes from the chemicals that are used during the extraction process. The stevia leaves do not have that bad taste or smell people are describing here. It's just the brand you have used. SweetLeaf uses only pure water during extraction, so the natural sweetness from the leaf stays. My advice would be if the stevia you try is not good, it's your brand. Because of the amazing benefits it can give you, it's worth trying again. I will only use SweetLeaf. Period. I had smoothie today with one packet of SweetLeaf stevia in it, and believe me, it was soooooo good! SweetLeaf has 0 calories, 0 carbs, and a 0 glycemic index!To the one who went back to splenda, or anyone who is considering it: Do any of you know that slpenda has chlorine in it, and the reason it has chlorine is because it was originally used as an insecticide? Food for thought.

[mizski]

Re: The Scoop On Stevia

SweetLeaf stevia also comes in packets and does not have an after taste, like other brands. After tastes comes from the chemicals that are used during the extraction process.

I found SweetLeaf to have that licorice type aftertaste similar to other stevia brands. Not saying it is a bad product but the aftertaste is probably a personal preference or tolerance. I remember completely ruining a cheesecake made with SweetLeaf stevia...that funky aftertaste was so strong, it was inedible (and a huge waste of expensive ingredients).