The New Sweeteners - Stevia
I was in the organic food store the other day, checkout out their “natural” sweetners section. There is huge controversy on the artificial sweeteners … aspartame vs saccharin vs splenda etc.
The “natural” line of sweetners have been around for eons, but are they safe and which ones pass the taste tests?
I’ll start off by doing mini-reviews, recaping my research findings on the following four. By the time I’ve finished with them, I’ll probably have found more.
Agave
Whey Low
Stevia
Lo Han
I’ll start with STEVIA because I have used it for years and it seems to be the most publicized.
What is it? Stevia is an extract from a South American plant. It is billed as being 300 times sweeter than sugar.
Where can you find it? Most health food and natural food stores carry several versions (liquid and tablets … and I’ll provide some Internet sources below.
Taste test. Yes it is very sweet, but can leave a bit of a metallic aftertaste in your mouth.
Health benefits or concerns: Some studies have found that Stevia lowers blood sugars and helps control blood pressure. Studies indicate that it is safe for humans, but high doses have caused fertility and metabolic problems in animal studies. [In these animal studies “high” means really HIGH!]
In Japan they are using Stevia commercially in food products and in diet drink products. So why isn’t it as prevalent here? The sugar and aspartame lobbies are doing their best to keep this natural product out of the main stream.
For more information: Check out CBC’s Marketplace report
Stevia Sweet Recipes: Sugar-Free-Naturally
Order Stevia and try it!
SweetLeaf Liquid Stevia, Vanilla Crème, 2-Ounce Bottles (Pack of 2)
SweetLeaf SteviaPlus Fiber Packets, 100-Count Boxes (Pack of 2) 