“Toxic”, “poisonous”, “addictive”… The current fear frenzy surrounding refined sugar has triggered a rise in popularity of sweetening alternatives. Here, we investigate Stevia – touted as a healthy, natural sweetener and a solution to the sugar overload of the Western World. But what exactly is it?
What is it?
Stevia rebaudiana is a South American plant, native to Paraguay, and of the same species family as sunflowers and chrysanthemums.
The leave of the Stevia plant are intensely sweet, due to the presence of eight glycosides – organic compounds containing sugar – in each leaf.
The natural sweetness of the plant’s extract has attracted global attention recently. However, the indigenous people of Paraguay have been using Stevia to sweeten drinks and medicine from as early as the 16th century.
The extraction process involves crushing the leaves, extracting with water, filtering and separating the liquid from plant material, further purifying the extract with water or food grade alcohol and drying the product to obtain a high purity.
Why it’s a healthy alternative
Calorie counters rejoice! Stevia has no calories! It’s also been shown to contribute no carbohydrates to the diet, and to have no affect on blood glucose or the body’s insulin response.
One study – a randomised controlled trial conducted over 16 weeks – had 112 participants take four doses of approximately 330mg of Stevia equivalent each day. Compared to the control group, there was no impact on blood sugar levels.
Similarly, a paper by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics examined five trials using stevia. These studies reported minimal to no effects on blood glucose, insulin levels, hypertension and body weight.
Speaking of body weight… What was that about zero calories?
The western ‘obesity’ epidemic has been attributed to a number of factors – one of them is refined sugar. The intake of added sugars has been shown to contribute an average of 16 per cent of the total calories in the American diet, and has been linked to weight gain and diabetes.
Stevia – with zero calories and no impact on blood sugar – is a viable alternative. Indeed, replacing 25g of sugar with Stevia can provide up to a 100-kilocalorie reduction.
But the benefits of Stevia extend beyond its use as a replacement. Some studies have shown it can reduce the blood glucose response after eating in diabetes patients, compared to placebo. Other research has found Stevia works to dilate blood vessels, boost sodium excretion and increase urine output, which all contribute to lowering blood pressure. And the antioxidants in Stevia have been linked to a reduced risk of pancreatic cancer – by up to 23 per cent.
