Better Than Sugar? Deep Look Into Stevia

Many of us have heard the term stevia, but how much do we actually know about it? For those of you out there who are unaware of this, the market for stevia sugar in Malaysia is truly on the rise at the moment. The market in Malaysia is now truly adapting and accepting the changes being brought about through this stevia sugar. We are all well aware of the fact that sugar is not healthy, especially in excess, but the increased awareness about the problems with sugar consumption has led to the development and the use of sugar substitutes. A few of these substitutes are harmful, and some are actually beneficial alternatives.

Most of the alternative sweeteners on the market are artificially created and carry a host of side effects. Others, such as honey or even maple syrup, have slightly more health benefits in comparison to processed sugar but are still relatively high in naturally occurring kinds of sugar such as fructose. One sweetener does tend to get lost amid the confusion is the stevia sugar. And a lot of you guys out there may be wandering what is this stevia sugar? Well basically, stevia is a type of herb, which originates from South America, though it is now being grown throughout the world. It is naturally very sweet and is also considered to be 100 to 200 times sweeter than sugar, but it does not raise your blood sugar levels the way sugar and also the other artificial sweeteners do.

It has been used and it is being used as a sweetener and a medicinal herb in various cultures around the world for centuries but the stevia sugar has only gained modern popularity in these recent couple of years. But unfortunately, while the stevia leaf whether it is in fresh or dried form, is a natural herbal sweetener, and many of the modern forms of the stevia based sweeteners are also powdered and even processed. As a matter of fact, the popular powdered stevia sweeteners will go through dozens of steps during the processing all the way from bleaching to chemical alteration.



There are two main compounds in the stevia which are responsible for the sweetness that it brings which are stevioside and also rebaudioside A. Rebaudioside A is more frequently and more often extracted and used in stevia powders and sweeteners, but it is not mainly the only ingredient. As a matter of fact, most stevia sweeteners currently on the market contain added erythritol from corn, dextrose or and also other artificial sweeteners. Stevioside only makes up about 10% of the sweetness in the stevia but it also has the unusual bitter aftertaste that many people tend to dislike in stevia. It also contains the most of the beneficial properties of stevia that are linked with the health benefits and is also the most well studied.

THE BENEFITS OF USING STEVIA
Stevia sugar is known to be a nonnutritive sweetener. What this means is that it has almost no calories. If you are trying to cut down on your weight, this aspect of stevia may seem appealing. But, do note that to date, the research done is inconclusive. The impact of a nonnutritive sweetener such as stevia on an individual’s health may be dependent on the amount that is consumed by the person, as well as the time of day that it is consumed. If you happen to have diabetes, this stevia may help you to keep your blood sugar levels in check. During a 2010 study of 19 healthy, lean participants and also 12 obese participants found out that stevia significantly lowered the insulin and the glucose levels. It also left the study participants more satisfied and full after eating, despite the lower calorie intake.

However, one noted limitation in this study is that this took place inside a laboratory setting, rather than being in a real life situation or in a person’s natural environment. And according to a 2009 study, stevia leaf powder may help a person in managing their cholesterol. Study participants consumed about 400 milliliters of stevia extract on a daily basis for one month. The study then revealed that the stevia lowered total cholesterol, LDL which is the bad cholesterol, and also triglycerides with no negative side effects on the individual. It also increased HDL the good cholesterol. It is unclear if the occasional usage of stevia in a lowered amount would have the same impact or not.



SIDE EFFECTS CAUSED BY USING STEVIA
The FDA says that stevia glycosides, such as Reb-A, are for the most part generally recognized as safe. They have not approved the whole leaf stevia or crude stevia extract for it being used in processed foods and also beverages due to a lack of safety information. There is also some concern that the raw stevia herb may potentially harm your kidneys, reproductive system, and even your cardiovascular system. It may also drop people's blood pressure too low or interact with medications that could lower blood sugar. Although for the most part stevia is considered safe for people with diabetes, brands that happen to contain dextrose or maltodextrin should be treated with a little more caution. Dextrose is a glucose and then maltodextrin is a starch. These ingredients tend to add small amounts of carbs and also calories.

The sugar alcohols may also slightly tip the total amount of carb count. If you happen to use stevia every now and again, it may potentially not be enough to impact your blood sugar. But if you tend to use it throughout the day, the carbs will add up. A study in 2015 reported a possible connection between nonnutritive sweeteners, including stevia, and the disruption in beneficial intestinal flora. The same study also suggested that nonnutritive sweeteners may possibly induce glucose intolerance and also metabolic disorders. As it goes with most of the nonnutritive sweeteners, a major downside of it is the taste. This stevia tends to have a mild, licorice like taste that is slightly bitter. Some people tend to enjoy it, but it is a turn off for other people. In certain people, the stevia products made with sugar alcohols may have caused digestive problems, such as bloating and even diarrhea.

IS STEVIA SAFE TO BE USED DURING PREGNANCY
Stevia made with Reb-A is safe to be used in a moderate quantity during pregnancy. If you are sensitive to sugar alcohols, try going for a brand that does not contain erythritol. Whole leaf stevia and crude stevia extract, including stevia you have grown at home, are not safe to be used if you are pregnant. It may seem odd that a highly refined product is now considered safer than a natural one. But this is a common mystery with these types of herbal products. In this case, Reb-A has now been evaluated for the safety during pregnancy and also otherwise. But the stevia in its natural form has not been evaluated yet. Currently, there is not enough evidence that the whole leaf stevia or even the crude stevia extract will not harm your pregnancy.

THE LINK BETWEEN STEVIA AND CANCER
To some extent, there is some evidence that suggest that stevia may help fight against or even prevent some types of cancer. According to a 2012 study, a glycoside called stevioside found in stevia plants helped boost the cancer cell death in a human breast cancer line. Stevioside may also help reduce some mitochondrial pathways that tend to help cancer grow. A study conducted in 2013 then supported these findings. It was found that many of the stevia glycoside derivatives were toxic to specific leukemia, lung, stomach, and even breast cancer cell lines.

USING STEVIA AS A SUGAR SUBSTITUTE
Stevia can be used in place of your regular table sugar in your favorite foods and also beverages. Just a pinch of stevia powder is equal to almost one teaspoon of table sugar. The tasty ways to use stevia also includes in coffee or tea, in homemade lemonade, sprinkled on some hot or cold cereal, in a smoothie and also sprinkled on some unsweetened yogurt. Certain stevia brands, such as Stevia in the Raw, can take the place of table sugar teaspoon for teaspoon, as in sweetened beverages and sauces, unless you are using it in baked goods. You can also bake with stevia, although it can give your cakes and cookies a licorice aftertaste. Stevia in the Raw recommends you to replace half the total amount of sugar that you use in your recipe with their product.

Thank you.