Stevia
Tiny leaves that pack some sweet punch
As previously discussed, sucralose is chemically altered from the sugar molecule and, although safe, it is also very processed. As food and beverage products evolve, the desire for more plant-based, natural sweeteners increases. Stevia, is an example of a plant-based sweetener that is very little processed; in fact, its sweetness is derived straight from a plant. Stevia Extract is from the plant, Stevia rebaudiana, which is native to South America, Asia, and other tropical climates and has been used for hundreds of years to sweeten beverages and medicines. Like other plants, the stevia plant is made up of hundreds of different molecules. The molecules that make the plant taste sweet are a group of compounds called steviol glycosides. Together, these steviol glycosides can be 200-400 times sweeter than sugar, yet contain no calories.
To extract the steviol glycosides, the stevia leaves are first harvested and dried. The dried leaves can then be processed in several different ways. The most common way is to soak the dried leaves in hot water (similar to tea) where the sweet components are extracted and filtered out. Other ways include added an enzyme treatment or soaking the dried leaves in alcohol where the steviol glycosides are isolated and concentrated. There are three main types of steviol glycosides--Rebaudioside A, Rebaudioside D, and Rebaudioside M. Rebaudioside A is the most popular of the three and is commonly found in food and beverage products.
The FDA approved the use of Rebaudioside A stevia as a general sweetener in 2008. Since then, the agency has approved other forms of stevia—Rebaudioside D, Rebaudioside M, and enzyme modified stevia. Stevia is typically listed on an ingredient statement as “Stevia (Leaf) Extract”, “Reb A Stevia”, “Enzyme Modified Stevia”, and/or “Steviol Glycosides”, depending on how and what steviol glycosides were extracted from the leaf. Unlike sucralose that passes through the body without being absorbed, stevia is absorbed into the blood stream. Studies have shown that stevia’s absorption might be able to lower insulin and A1c (a long-term marker of blood sugar). Additionally, other studies have shown that it might lower inflammation, blood pressure; and decrease cholesterol and markers of fatty acid liver disease.
Some of the “negative” side effects of stevia are linked to its use in popular grocery store brands like Truvia, Stevia in the Raw, KetoseSweet, and Sweet Leaf. Like sucralose in Splenda, these grocery store brands contain stevia plus fillers like maltodextrin, erythritol, allulose, and/or dextrose. (Stevia is 200-400 times sweeter than sugar and it is necessary to add these fillers to dilute its potency.) Multiple studies have shown that maltodextrin, dextrose, and erythritol may be linked to increased blood sugar and/or gastrointestinal issues. Other preliminary studies have shown that stevia might cause kidney damage or act as an endocrine disruptor. These small studies are either animal-based or use stevia at a concentration that is higher than what the FDA recommends as a maximum dosage. (The FDA recommends 4 milligrams/kilogram of stevia per day. For a 150-pound person, this equates to 272 milligrams per day. The amount of stevia in a standard food or beverage serving is between 3-100 milligrams.)
Do you eat/drink food and beverages that contain stevia? If so, do you think that stevia is better for you than sucralose?