Sep

19

Stevia, The Zero Calorie Alternative To Sugar

Filed Under stevia |

Many people never heard of stevia, but it’s the source of a lot of controversy. Stevia is a natural herb that is 100’s of times sweeter then sugar and it have 0 calories. The problem is the FDA will not allow stevia to be sold as a sweetener because they claim it’s unsafe.

Those who support stevia say otherwise. More recent research has shown that stevia is perfectly safe. Some studies have even shown it improves insulin sensitivity. The supporters armed with proof that stevia is a safe, and even healthy claim that stevia’s banning from store shelves is all about money.

The average American is now consuming over 100 pounds of sugar a year, and the Chinese market for sugar is booming. With so much money at stake it leads people to question why this seemingly safe product with so much upside can not find its way on to grocery store shelves.

While both sides continue to argue their side of the story consumers are forced to search outside their grocery store if they want stevia because even though it is not allowed to be sold as a sweetener stevia can be sold as a “dietary supplement” which can be found in some specialty health food stores or online.

While forcing stevia to be labeled and sold as a dietary supplement has crippled the products visibility and kept it unknown to most consumers the news of stevia is spreading. Many diabetics are now turning to stevia as an alternative to sugar.


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2 Comments so far

  1. Jack Payne on October 4, 2007 10:11 pm

    I’ve been using Stevia for years. It is everything you say it is.

    I write extensively on con men and their scams, and am amazed at how they are going beyond pills and diet for health lately.

    Examples for weight loss: Slim Slippers (walk on magnets, and with the aid of reflexology control your weight), caffeine tights (of all things), caffeine sun screens. I just wrote a blog article on this weird stuff. Incredible.

  2. Mary on December 18, 2007 1:16 am

    I’m always a little bit concerned about zero calorie sugar substitutes. If it turns out to be safe after 10 or more years I’ll consider using it.