anyone use Stevia?

[angelcakes]

hi everyone. i haven't seen in mentioned on here, but i was wondering if any of you use/have used the sweetener Stevia. a friend of mine did the "Fat Flush" diet which is another low carb, and with that diet Stevia was the recommended sweetener to use in place of sugar. She gave me some, and I have to say i like it - I just hope its okay!

It is an all natural sweetener that comes from some sort of plant. It has no calories and no carbs (though I suppose it could actually be less than 1 carb, like other "no carb" sweeteners) and it 100% natural - its just a leaf extract or something. Anyway, I've found that it isn't as sweet as Splenda, but that it has a more natural taste (i guess it should, right?) and goes well with a cup of coffee.

They sell it at Whole Foods and other health foods stores. Anyone else use this?

[*Emma*]

Re: anyone use Stevia?

Stevia is fine as long as your within the normal 3 servings allowed!

[angelcakes]

Re: anyone use Stevia?

thanks emma... you are so knowledgable, i swear you could do this professionally!!

[sallyseachange]

Re: anyone use Stevia?

The one time I tried it, I didn't go for it. It seemed to have a bittersweet taste to me. But I've heard that if you split it with another sweetner like Splenda, it's a lot better. I also heard that different brands vary a lot tastewise. Some are very good, others (like the one I tried) are poor.

[Hudson]

Re: anyone use Stevia?

Same problem with me - the bitter taste. If you like it, it is probably the best choice for a sweetener.

[Lorgakor]

Re: anyone use Stevia?

We've been using Stevia for years. I find it leaves a bit of an aftertaste in my mouth that I don't like, but my mom hasn't found that at all. We started using it as we prefer to use a natural product over a man-made product such as Splenda. The only difficulty is using it in baking, as you only need a tiny amount and it can be hard to figure out the right amount to use.

Here is a good Wiki article with lots of info.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevia

[DigitalMocking]

Re: anyone use Stevia?

I can't stand the taste, but my wife loves it.

[julirama723]

Re: anyone use Stevia?

I love stevia! I don't find the taste unpleasant at all. I prefer it over splenda and use it as a substitute whenever possible. I do find, however, that it mixes better with certain foods.

[susan423]

Re: anyone use Stevia?

I grow it every summer. Very easy to grow. Just like herbs. In my opinion, it's so much better then Splenda, which gives me terrible headaches.

[Kawispice]

Re: anyone use Stevia?

I use Stevia, the liquid form. Very delicious, I prefer it to sugar any day. The powder kind of Stevia leaves an after taste. You have to choose the right kind of Stevia, try a few types till you get one without the aftertaste.

[Debi2007]

Re: anyone use Stevia?

I use Stevia, the liquid form. Very delicious, I prefer it to sugar any day. The powder kind of Stevia leaves an after taste. You have to choose the right kind of Stevia, try a few types till you get one without the aftertaste.

I have to "ditto" this. I don't find that the liquid leaves an aftertaste. Sugar substitutes can be so harmful, and I think stevia is a good alternative.

[sadie147]

Re: anyone use Stevia?

I grow it every summer. Very easy to grow. Just like herbs. In my opinion, it's so much better then Splenda, which gives me terrible headaches.

I grow it as well...extremely easy to grow (trust me..i'm useless at gardening!) i boil it down with water and it makes a good liquid sweetener, problem is the colour (green)...

I used to use it all the time, in powder form, then stopped recently as i ran out and couldn't affor more..i have been thinking recelty i should start again.

[Chicklady]

Re: anyone use Stevia?

I use the liquid extract, Sweet Leaf brand, and I'm pretty sure I've tried all the brands. That one, according to my tastebuds has the least aftertaste, and I like the idea that it has no glycerine or alcohol. I do also have erythritol in the house for baking, but I rarely bake (I mean rarely-a couple times a year) I also own a bottle of Da Vinci carmel syrup, but I probably will not buy that again----unfortunately, I could get addicted!!