Stevia F.A.Qs

 Many of these are based on Chapter 9 of Stevia Rebaudiana Nature's Sweet Secret by David Richard.

1. Why isn't it more widely known and used in the U.S.?

Stevia is restricted for sale as a dietary supplement in the United States, according to FDA guidelines.  Consequently, it has limited distribution and marketing in health food stores, natural health grocers and the Internet. Since stevia technically cannot be sold as sweetener in the USA, it cannot be used in commercial food applications.  However, after you purchase it, you can use stevia in whatever way you choose at home.

2. How is stevia different from other sugar alternatives?

First, stevia is all natural and derived from an herbal plant grown primarily in Asia and South America, whereas artificial sweeteners are made with chemicals in a laboratory.  Stevia also has no known side effects, whereas other alternatives do.  Reports indicate that aspartame, a well-known artificial sweetener, actually has had the highest number of consumer complaints reported to the FDA.  Second, stevia has also been used the longest, traced back to the Paraguan Indians hundreds of years ago. In modern times, the Japanese have used stevia safely in various commercial applications for over 20 years where stevia dominates the sweetener market with a 52% share.  Third, raw herbal stevia has nutritional value, including about 100 phytonutrients and volatile oils, while the others have no nutritional value.  The nutrients in the white powdered extract will be minute considering the more refined nature of it.

3. What is the FDA's position on stevia?
It is currently legal in the United States as a dietary supplement and must be labeled as such.  In September of 1995, the FDA allowed stevia and its extracts to be imported as a food supplement but not as a sweetener.

4. Can stevia be used in cooking and baking? 
Absolutely! Industrial research in Japan has shown that stevia and stevioside extracts are extremely heat stable in a variety of everyday cooking and baking situations. Please note, stevia does not caramelize nor brown as sugar does.

5. How much stevia is used around the world?
Many thousands of metric tons.

6. Where is stevia cultivated?
Primarily in South America and Asia.

7. How has stevia been used in food applications?
First, as a prepackaged replacement for sugar and artificial sweeteners in countries outside the USA. Second, it has been used in various food products, including the Japanese sugar-free versions of Wrigley's gums, Beatrice Foods yogurts and even diet Coke. It has also been used in Japanese style pickles, dried seafood, fish, meat products, vegetables and seafood boiled down with soy sauce, confectioneries and a host of other products. Whether it will reach into food applications such as these in the U.S. market will depend largely on the FDA's regulatory position and health industry efforts to re-classify stevia as a GRAS (generally recognized as safe) substance.

8. Is stevia safe?
Stevia has been thoroughly tested around the world and found to be completely non-toxic. It has also been consumed safely in massive quantities (thousands of tons annually) for the past 30 years.

For a detailed discussion and informaton on where to find these studies online, visit the Stevia Research page of this website or you can purchase Stevia Rebaudiana: Nature's Sweet Secret by David Richard.

9. Can stevia replace sugar in the diet?
Yes. Refined sugar is virtually devoid of nutritional benefits and, at best, represents empty calories in the diet. At worst, it has been implicated in numerous degenerative diseases. Stevia has none of sugar's or artificial sweeteners' unhealthy drawbacks.

10. Can stevia replace artificial sweeteners in the diet?
Japanese and Brazilian usage indicates stevia offers a safe, all-natural, alternative to chemical sugar substitutes. Industrial usage in Japan proves that this substitution is both practical and economical.

11. How many calories are in stevia?
Virtually none. And the refined stevia extracts are considered to be non-caloric.

12. Will stevia raise my blood sugar levels?
Not at all.

13. Can I use stevia if I am diabetic?
Diabetes is a medical condition that should be monitored and treated by a qualified physician or health care practitioner. Stevia can be part of a healthy diet for anyone, including those with blood sugar problems, since it does not raise blood sugar levels. Always ask your doctor when changing your diet. If they do say no to stevia, ask them politely for the current research to support their opinion.

14. Will stevia harm my teeth?
Two tests conducted by Purdue University's Dental Science Research Group have concluded that stevioside is both fluoride compatible and "significantly" inhibits the development of plaque, thus stevia may actually help to prevent cavities.

All information on this Web site is Copyright 2011, 2006 by Healthy Lifestyle Publishing LLC