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When it comes to sweets, some people would just find it hard to say no. Meal after meal, many would just like to consume something sweet like ice cream, chocolate or candy for dessert especially when they are outside of their homes.
Just take for example in the US, 39 percent of their consumers can’t help but to eat desserts at least once a week in restaurants or other food chains. These consumers are people aging between 18 and 24 years and 25 to 34 years of age (Statista Research Department, 2012).
Sugars are not solely bad for our body however if taken too much it can lead an individual to various health conditions such as obesity and diabetes. Obviously, when you have these conditions whether you like it or not you have to refrain from eating a bunch of your favorite sweets. But thanks to science and technology because they have discovered various sugar substitutes like the stevia to allow people to satisfy their sweet tooth with no guilt.
What is Stevia?
Stevia basically came from the components of a perennial shrub called stevia which is being cultivated in many places in the world (Ahmad et al., 2020). It usually comes in powdered form packed in various sizes of sachets. It is said to be 20 to 30 times sweeter than beet sugar and cane but it contains no calories, carbohydrate, and fats thus it is considered highly nutritious (Singh and Rao, 2005).
Is it safe?
Stevia is often known as a safe and healthy sugar replacement used to add sweetness to foods without bringing harmful effects to the body just like refined sugar does. It is actually recognized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as safe. This means that this kind of sugar substitute can be marketed and used as an artificial sweetener on various foods and beverages. However, only those stevia products which have stevia extract or stevia rebaudiana on their ingredients list are safe to consume. While products with whole stevia leaves or crude stevia extracts are prohibited because of their possible side effects in the body (Zeratsky, 2018).
It basically came from the components of a perennial shrub called
stevia which is being cultivated in many places in the world (Ahmad et
al., 2020). It is said to be 20 to 30 times sweeter than beet sugar and cane
but it contains no calories, carbohydrate, and fats thus it is considered
highly nutritious (Singh and Rao, 2005).
Is it good for people with diabetes?
According to some research, stevia is very helpful for people with diabetes. Researchers claim that it is safe and effective in managing blood glucose level of people specifically with type 2 diabetes because it does not contain calories and carbohydrates that would cause a spike in blood sugar level. There was actually a group of researchers who conducted a small study about the effectiveness of the sugar substitute. From the 12 participants with type 2 diabetes, they found out that stevia led to a greater decrease in blood glucose level compared to the control group who received corn starch in the same amount as the stevia (Gregersen et al., 2004).
Does it help in weight loss?
As we all know, the more calories we take in, the more energy our body absorbs. And so, when you consume calories more than you need, you will most likely gain weight. Now, if you use stevia instead of refined sugar in every sweet food you eat, you are also minimizing your consumption of calories because as mentioned stevia itself has no calories unlike other sugars.
However, we need some clarification about the use of stevia in weight control. It is true that stevia is very helpful for people trying to manage their weight but this does not mean that it is the solution for everyone to successfully lose weight. Everybody must understand that stevia only aids in cutting down the calories that you may consume from your food. It is not the sole key to lose weight. It is still important for someone trying to lose weight to undergo some lifestyle changes like regular exercise and proper diet (Harvard Health Publishing, 2020).
Bottomline
Stevia is safe and really gives so many health benefits as long as you consume the ones that are approved by the FDA. When using it, bear in mind that it is not a solution or cure for your health problems. It is just one of the helpful science discoveries that would aid you in managing your health condition like diabetes and obesity. Although experts say that it is calorie free, we advise you to take it in moderate amounts because as people say everything that is too much yields no good for us.
References
Ahmad, J.,
Khan, I., Blundell, R., Azzopardi, J., &
Mahomoodally, M. (2020, June). Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni.: An
updated review of its health benefits, industrial applications and safety.
ScienceDirect.com | Science, health and medical journals, full text articles
and books. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0924224420304593
Gregersen, S.,
Jeppesen, P., Holst, J., & Hermansen, K. (2004,
January). Antihyperglycemic effects of stevioside in type 2 diabetic
subjects. PubMed. Antihyperglycemic effects of
stevioside in type 2 diabetic subjects
Harvard
Health Publishing. (2020, June 17). Do sugar substitutes help you lose
weight? Harvard Health. https://www.health.harvard.edu/diet-and-weight-loss/do-sugar-substitutes-help-you-lose-weight
Link, R.
(2019, April 19). Stevia safety: Forms, dosage, and side effects.
Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/is-stevia-safe#bottom-line
Singh, S.,
& Rao, G. (2005, March 1). Stevia: The herbal sugar of 21 St
century. Sugar Tech. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF02942413
Statista
Research Department. (2012, October). Comparison of age groups
regarding the consumption of desserts 2012. Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/244068/percentage-of-people-ordering-dessert-at-least-once-a-week/
Zeratsky, K.
(2018, November 7). https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/stevia/faq-20057856#:~:text=Refined%20stevia%20preparations%20(Pure%20Via,loss%20over%20other%20nonnutritive%20sweeteners
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