Stevia: Sweetening the Past, Present and Future


Stevia has an interesting history beginning with its discovery more than 200 years ago.  It is thought that the indigenous people of Paraguay used the leaves of the stevia plant for its sweet taste.  They would also use it in their beverages and some medicines.

Later, Swiss botanist Moises Santiago Bertoni wrotemore formally about the stevia plant and recorded detailed information about the sweet taste.  This was in the late 1800’s, but it would be over 100 years later before French scientists were able to isolate the stevia glycosides.  (The glycosides are the parts of the stevia plant that give it its sweet taste.)

Fast forward another 100 years and we find the Japanese using stevia as an alternative sweetener. Approximately 10 years later, stevia started gaining popularity in the U.S. As companies and manufacturers worked to isolate the best tasting stevia glycosides and provide research and information on stevia’s safe use, the high purity extracts (or glycosides) of the sweetener were finally given Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status in the U.S. in 2008 and approved by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in 2011.

Today, consumers will find stevia in thousands of products around the world – including baked goods, frozen desserts, dairy products, beverages, sauces and so much more.  While today we use a more refined form of stevia compared with the people in Paraguay hundreds of years ago, the idea remains the same.  No matter where we hail from, people all over enjoy a little sweetness in their life.

With that in mind and especially with the warmer weather months almost upon us, why not try this Acai Berry Lemonade? And as you sip this refreshing beverage think back to those first “stevia users” who may have used stevia to sweeten a similar beverage.  It seems that stevia definitely has a sweet past, present and future.

How Do You Use Stevia?


So you’ve decided it’s time to make some changes in your diet, and the excess calories have got to go. You want to stick to a more natural diet, so you’re ready to give stevia a try. You add it to your tea…and now what? If you are anything like me, aside from using stevia in my coffee and tea, I had no idea how else to use it. Turns out there are endless ways you can include stevia in your diet! The first step is to figure out the stevia equivalent to the amount of sugar you are looking to replace. The manufacturer of the brand of stevia you use should have made conversion charts available on their website. If you are not comfortable replacing all the sugar in your recipe, using a combination of reduced sugar and stevia can still help reduce calories. So now you know how much stevia to use; but where can you use it? The simple answer is anywhere! I’ve found some tasty recipes that are great examples of how you can use stevia in anything from drinks to entrees.

Dips

Dips are a very popular side dish for parties and a kid-friendly favorite, but they can be loaded with calories. Try instead making a lighter dip like this Maple Cream Dip.

Baked Goods

Baked goodies do not have to be off-limits when you are trying to reduce calorie and sugars. Stevia is a zero-calorie sweetener that you can cook with as well. Check out these delicious recipes that can allow you to enjoy a treat while staying on track:  Peanut Butter Cookies and Red Velvet Cupcakes.

Breakfast Dishes

You may only think about desserts and candies when it comes to counting the sugar in your diet, but sugar can be found everywhere—even at the breakfast table. Here are some healthy breakfast items that have replaced sugar with stevia:  Whole Wheat Oat and Apple Cranberry Muffin or Fresh Fruit Oatmeal.

Side Dishes

Dress up any meal with easy and light side dishes. Cucumber Salad and Baked Beans are a great place to start.

Condiments, Dressings and Sauces

Sauces, dressings and condiments can be a sneaky source of calories that we tend to overlook. Making them at home allows you to experiment and create tasty new dishes while controlling the ingredients. Green Apple Salad  and Honey Aioli could inspire your palate.

Drinks and Cocktails/Mocktails

Drinks can rack up calories pretty quickly. These refreshing lower-cal options, Strawberry Lemonade and Mocha Soymilk Frappe, are just a couple of ways to kick back and relax after a hard day.

Now that you have an idea on different ways you can use stevia let your imagination run wild! Replacing sugar in the recipes can help you enjoy a variety of foods without the guilt!

 

Carolyn ReynaudCarolyn Reynaud, MS, RD, LD is a licensed registered dietitian and a paid contributor to SteviaBenefits.org. She received her BS in nutrition from Michigan State University and her Masters and Certificate in Public Health from Georgia State University. She has experience working in several avenues of health care including corporate wellness, clinical disease management, research, and health promotion. She has been working as a health coach specialist for close to 6 years, where she counsels patients on preventative healthcare and helps them meet their health goals. Follow her on Twitter @ReynaudCari.

Living Naturally with Stevia

Stevia spoon cropped

What exactly is stevia? Stevia is a South American plant, Stevia rebaudina, native to Paraguay that has been used as a natural sweetener for centuries. In Asia and South America, it has long been a common ingredient in products such as ice cream, breads, beverages and other tabletop products. China and Brazil are the countries where Stevia is primarily grown and harvested.

When shopping, you may see many products labeled “Stevia;” however, the word “stevia” actually refers to the stevia plant. The whole stevia plant is actually not sweet. Rather, it contains sweet components called steviol glycosides, which are extracted to create the Stevia-labeled products that you purchase. Steviol glycosides are approved for use in Australia, Brazil, China, Japan, Korea, New Zealand and Paraguay and is GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) in the US.

The benefit of stevia is that it is a naturally occurring sweetener that is between 250 and 300 times sweeter than sucrose. Since stevia is much sweeter than sugar, it requires a lot less of it to reach the same level of sweetness than sugar. Stevia also contains zero calories, making it a great option to sweeten foods and beverages with fewer calories. Furthermore, research has shown that stevia does not add calories or carbohydrates to the diet, nor does it affect blood glucose or insulin response. This makes it a great natural sugar alternative for diabetics or for those just looking to reduce extra sugar in their diet.

 

Carolyn ReynaudCarolyn Reynaud, MS, RD, LD is a licensed registered dietitian and a paid contributor to SteviaBenefits.org. She received her BS in nutrition from Michigan State University and her Masters and Certificate in Public Health from Georgia State University. She has experience working in several avenues of health care including corporate wellness, clinical disease management, research, and health promotion. She has been working as a health coach specialist for close to 6 years, where she counsels patients on preventative healthcare and helps them meet their health goals. Follow her on Twitter @ReynaudCari.

All about All-Natural Stevia


So you’ve probably been hearing a lot about Stevia lately, a new zero calorie sweetener that’s becoming pretty popular. Earlier this month we talked about the difference between stevia extract and stevia whole leaves. But is it a safe alternative to other low-cal sweeteners?

The word “stevia” refers to the entire plant and its components, only some of which are sweet. The sweet tasting components of the stevia plant are called steviol glycosides or rebaudioside A.

Stevia has been used as a sweetener in South America for hundreds of years and it’s been widely used for decades as a sweetener in Japan and Paraguay . In the US, stevia sweeteners are primarily found in tabletop products and reduced calorie beverages.

Recent studies, including human studies on safety, metabolism and intake, have shown that stevia sweeteners are safe to use. The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) has conducted a thorough scientific review of the existing scientific data on steviol glycosides and concluded that they are safe for use in food and beverages.

Based on the wealth of published research, independent scientific experts in both the U.S. and globally have concluded that stevia sweeteners are safe for people of all ages and populations and an Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) of four mg/kg body weight (expressed as steviol) has been established. The estimated intake of steviol glycosides even among the highest consumers does not exceed the ADI.

Clinical studies have also shown that steviol glycosides, meeting purity criteria established by JECFA, have no effect on either blood pressure or blood glucose response, which means people with diabetes can use stevia. Another benefit of stevia sweeteners: there are no known allergies to stevia sweeteners.

As an all-natural sugar substitute with zero calories, stevia sweeteners can help reduce or replace calories in foods and beverages and offer low and no calorie alternatives for people looking to lose and control weight. Consuming beverages and foods with stevia sweeteners as part of a healthful diet and lifestyle, including regular physical activity, can assist with weight control and weight loss.

What’s the Difference Between Stevia Extract and Stevia Leaves?


For the past few years you haven’t been able to talk about dieting and healthy eating without hearing about stevia, natural sweetener that’s becoming popular in the United States. Stevia rebaudiana is a South American plant native to Paraguay that has traditionally been used to sweeten beverages and make tea. The word “stevia” refers to the entire plant and its components, only some of which are sweet. So what’s the difference between the whole stevia leaf and the stevia you end up putting in your coffee?

Whole leaf stevia has been used as a sweetener in South America for hundreds of years.  The stevia leaves were collected, dried and milled into a fine powder. Because whole leaf stevia contains both sweet and non-sweet components, it often has an licorice-like aftertaste.  Over the years new technology has made it possible to extract the naturally sweet components of stevia and minimize the aftertaste to provide the type of products that we see on grocery shelves today.

In the US, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recognizes stevia sweeteners, composed primarily of rebaudioside A and stevioside, as Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) for use  in foods and beverages.  However, the FDA has not approved, nor accepted as  GRAS , the whole leaf stevia or the use of crude stevia extracts as sweeteners. Whole leaf and crude extracts of stevia remain under review because there is inadequate safety information.   Whole leaf and crude extracts of stevia, therefore, can only be sold as dietary supplements in the US.

As an all-natural sugar substitute with zero calories, stevia sweeteners can help reduce or replace calories in foods and beverages and offer low and no calorie alternatives for people looking to lose and control weight. Consuming beverages and foods with stevia sweeteners as part of a healthful diet and lifestyle, including regular physical activity, can assist with weight control and weight loss.

Keep the Holiday Spirit, Not the Seasonal Weight Gain – Preparing Favorite Holiday Foods with Stevia Instead of Sugar Cuts Calories


December often means a calendar packed with holiday parties and high-calorie foods. While in the thick of the holiday season, many can find themselves getting thicker around the middle.

Weight gained over the winter holidays is not typically lost during the following year. Experts say that the average one pound gained between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day can add up to five, ten, even 20 extra pounds over the years. However, making some new changes to favorite recipes can help cut calories and keep weight gain at bay. Award-winning author, culinary expert and internationally-recognized chef Amy Riolo recommends substituting stevia, a zero-calorie sweetener, in place of sugar in some holiday classics, such as pumpkin pie.

“With the holidays here, it’s always a struggle to eat right. By replacing the added sugar with stevia, we’ve already cut way down on calories,” said Riolo. In the new video series at SteviaBenefits.org, Riolo prepares several recipes with stevia, including pan-Seared ahi tuna, fresh fruit yogurt parfait and whole wheat oat apple cranberry muffins as well as the holiday favorite. The website also features other holiday favorites with stevia as a sugar substitute such as cheesecake, brownies and red velvet cupcakes.

While used abroad for many years, stevia has more recently caught on in the United States as a sweetener. And in November, the European Commission approved stevia as a sweetener in foods and beverages. “Stevia provides the food and beverage industry with a wider repertoire for delivering zero-calorie sweetness and offering additional variety and choice for consumers,” said Haley Stevens, Ph.D., President of the Calorie Control Council, a non-profit international trade association of manufacturers of low-calorie and sugar-free foods and beverages.

Made from leaves of a plant of the Chrysanthemum family, the stevia plant (Stevia rebaudiana) is native to Paraguay and is grown today in many countries around the world. Steviol glycosides are found in the leaves of the stevia plant and each has a particular taste profile and sweetness intensity. Rebaudioside A is one of the many steviol glycosides in stevia leaves that provide sweetness.

As a safe zero calorie alternative to sugar in foods and beverages, experts also say stevia works well for individuals with diabetes because it doesn’t affect blood glucose levels.

For more information about stevia and how it can be used in recipes, visit steviabenefits.org

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The Calorie Control Council, established in 1966, is an international non-profit association representing the low-calorie and reduced-fat food and beverage industry. Today it represents 40 manufacturers and suppliers of low-calorie, low-fat and light foods and beverages, including the manufacturers and suppliers of more than a dozen different dietary sweeteners, fat replacers and other low-calorie ingredients.