Sugar is one of the most dangerous ingredients on the
market. It’s addictive, added to almost every processed food, and will
make you overweight, depressed and sick if you eat too much. In fact,
Americans eat
close to 130 pounds of the stuff per person per year (4 times more than the
recommended daily allowance),
likely because it is so addictive. That’s why it’s exciting to know
there are alternative sweeteners made in nature, like “stevia,” that
don’t wreak havoc on your health – or do they? Is Stevia safe? That’s
what I went on a quest to find out. Here’s what happened…
What Is Stevia?
Stevia Plant
For those of you that are hearing about stevia for the first time, it
is a plant that is typically grown in South America, and while its
extract is 200 times sweeter than sugar, it does not raise blood insulin
levels. That’s what makes it so popular. However in 1991 the FDA
refused to approve this substance for use due to
pressure from makers of artificial sweeteners
like Sweet n’ Low and Equal (a one billion dollar industry). But in
2008, the FDA approved the use of rebaudioside compounds that were
derived from the stevia plant by Coca-Cola (Cargill) and PepsiCo – hmmm
doesn’t that sound suspicious? Not until a major food company got
involved did stevia become legal, and only after it had been highly
processed using a patentable chemical-laden process…so processed that
Truvia (Coca-Cola’s branded product) goes through about
40 steps to process
the extract from the leaf, relying on chemicals like acetone, methanol,
ethanol, acetonitrile, and isopropanol. Some of these chemicals are
known
carcinogens (substances that cause cancer), and none of those ingredients sound like real food, do they?
The whole leaf stevia that you can grow in your backyard (and
has been used for centuries in countries like Brazil and Paraguay)
remains a non-approved food additive by the FDA. However,
rebaudioside A (the stevia extract) that was approved by the FDA has not
been used for centuries and long term human health impacts have not
been studied and are still unknown. The sweetener/sugar industry wields
powerful influence over what is ultimately approved at the FDA, and this
is just another example where they are influencing decisions that don’t
make sense. How can a chemically derived extract be deemed safe in
processed food and a plant from mother nature not?
What Kind Of Stevia To Avoid

The 40-step patented process used to make Truvia should make you want
to steer clear of this stevia product alone, but there are two other
concerning ingredients added (not only to Truvia but other stevia
products as well). First, erythritol is a naturally occurring sugar that
is sometimes found in fruit, but food manufacturers don’t actually use
the natural stuff. Instead they start with
genetically engineered corn and then go through a
complex fermentation process to come up with chemically pure erythritol. Check out the manufacturing process below:
Credit: Cargill

“Natural flavors” is another ingredient added to powdered and liquid
stevia products, likely due to the fact that once the stevia leaf is
processed it can develop a metallic taste. Manufactured
natural flavor
is contributing to what David Kessler (former head of the FDA) calls a
“food carnival” in your mouth. This makes it difficult to stop eating or
drinking because the flavors they have synthesized will trick your mind
into wanting more and more. When companies use manufactured flavor,
they are literally “hijacking” your taste buds one-by-one; that’s why I
recommend putting products that contain “natural flavors” back on the
shelf.

“Stevia in the Raw” sounds pure and natural, but when you look at the
ingredients the first thing on the label is “dextrose” – so it’s
certainly not
just stevia in the raw. And Pepsi Co’s “Pure
Via,” also pictured above, isn’t exactly pure either with this
ingredient being first on the label, too. Dextrose is a sweetener that’s
also derived from genetically engineered corn and has a long
complicated manufacturing process, just like erythritol.

Even certified organic stevia can have sneaky ingredients added, like
this one above which has more organic agave inulin than the stevia
extract itself. Agave inulin is a highly processed fiber derivative from
the blue agave plant. Also on the ingredient list is an item you are
probably familiar with from those little packets sometimes found in
boxed goods – silica (pictured). It is added to improve the flow of
powdery substances and is the same ingredient that helps strengthen
concrete and creates glass bottles and windowpanes. It may cause
irritation of the digestive tract (if eaten) and
irritation of the respiratory tract
(if accidentally inhaled). While it is non-toxic and probably won’t
kill you in small quantities, it’s definitely not a real food ingredient
I would cook with or that I want to be putting in my body.
How To Choose The Right Kind Of Stevia
Luckily there are ways to enjoy this sweet leaf closer to it’s
natural state… because let’s be honest, the no-calorie artificial
sweeteners out there are really dreadful, and no one should consume them
(
check this post for the low down on those). So here’s what you can do:
- Buy a stevia plant for your garden (luckily it’s totally legal!) or
purchase the pure dried leaves online – you can grind up them up using a
spice grinder (or use a mortar and pestle) for your own powdered
stevia.
- When choosing products already sweetened with stevia, look for “whole leaf stevia” on the ingredient label. For example my favorite protein powder is made with “whole stevia leaf” instead of rebaudioside a or stevia extract.
- Add fresh or dried leaves directly to tea or drinks for natural
sweetness (note the straight stevia leaves are only 30-40 times sweeter
than sugar, vs. 200 times using the extract).
- Make your own liquid stevia extract (see graphic below for recipe).

- If you are not up for getting a stevia plant of your own or making
your own extract, remember to look for a stevia extract that is 100%
pure without added ingredients (Sweet Leaf & Trader Joe’s have versions).
And when all else fails, choose a suitable alternative and forget
stevia altogether. Lisa uses honey and pure maple syrup, and I
personally prefer coconut palm sugar, since it is low glycemic (making
it more diabetic friendly) and one of the most natural unprocessed forms
of sugar available. It is naturally high in amino acids – has 10,000
times more potassium, 20 times more magnesium and 20 times more iron
than conventional sugar. I use it all the time in my baking, from
pound cake to
muffins to a recent delicious
cookie that is low in sugar –
check out all those recipes here!
If you know someone who uses artificial sweeteners or stevia, please share this post with them.
Wishing you the best health life has to offer,
Food Babe
http://foodbabe.com/2013/04/25/stevia-good-or-bad/
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