Stevia Risks?
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Should I be concerned for my health if I use stevia?"
I've been asked this question numerous times, so it's time to set things straight.
Listen my friends. Stevia is totally safe.
It's a naturally sweet tasting herb that has been used for thousands of years in other parts of the world.
I've done quite a bit of reading on the health benefits of stevia and the claims of so called
"stevia risks".
Why? Simple.
I would not want to recommend something to my own clients, or my loved ones that may be harmful to our health!
The data is in. Rest assured, you can use it without worry. I've personally been using stevia since 2004 with no ill effects at all. In fact, I feel great!
These days I really love to have a glass of lemonade or iced tea flavored with stevia. It's refreshing and delicious. Even on an empty stomach.
Let's finally lay to rest the worries
about potential stevia risks.
Take a quick look at Japan, for instance. After extensive research on not only the safety of stevia, but actual health benefits of it, as well as perfecting flavor extraction techniques - stevia has been used in the mainstream food supply of Japan since the early 1970's to flavor all sorts of foods and drinks - from sodas to soy sauces, from ice cream to bean paste. No problems, only tasty foods without the sugar.
China and Korea are both producing a lot of stevia products as well.
Stevia has none of the unhealthy drawbacks associated with artificial sweeteners or sugary sweeteners.
When we lived in Europe I was able to purchase, from a naturopathic doctor, the whole leaf extract form of stevia (a thick, dark green liquid, boiled down from the leaves of the plant "as is", with no extra concentration of glycocides or steviocides) which is actually used to help stabilize blood sugar levels when taken as a drink mixed with water.
No joke. This is good stuff.
Stevia Risks? Don't believe the hype.
I think the myth of stevia risks has been perpetuated mostly due to the fact that stevia is not on the FDA's G.R.A.S. (Generally Regarded As Safe) foods list. This is not due to any studies proving that stevia is unsafe, but rather because of heavy handed big businesses (namely sugar producers and artificial sweetener producers) pushing hard to keep stevia out of the U.S.'s food supply.Stevia is safe, it has excellent health benefits. It's a versatile herb for which we should be truly thankful. Explore the different kinds of stevia available and find one (or a few) that is right for you. There are some varieties that are really quite tasty!
If you want to purchase stevia solely for its health benefits, look for whole leaf stevia concentrate. In addition to its use as a blood sugar stabilzer, it has excellent properties as a skin toner when applied as a mask, soothes sore throats, cuts and burns, and it has actually been shown to help prevent plaque buildup and tooth decay when used in food and drinks, since it is not a sugar.
There's much more to be said about the utter lack of stevia risks, but I hope that in the interim this brief introduction to a few of its uses and benefits will help alleviate some worry.
Stevia Risks - Back to Homepage
Stevia Risks - no worries! Try a delicious low-cal drink flavored with stevia.
More stevia recipes
