Stevia sweetner - Diet & Nutrition Message Board

Kaycee41 · 12-04-2005, 02:36 PM

I'm trying to break my 5-can-a-day diet soda addiction. I've been concerned that all that artificial sweetner going into my body for all these years may cause health problems down the road. I've been drinking green tea and black tea with Stevia. I don't know too much about Stevia (someone recomended it to me as a sweetner). Does anyone know if it's safe?

pipermac · 12-04-2005, 09:12 PM

It may be....but not a lot of testing has been done on it. IT is completely natural, but just because it is natural does not mean it is safe. It has been used in japan for years, In japan it is actually used in Diet Coke. In North america It has not been approved as a food additive. Which means it can not be Put into foods for Resale and cannot be sold as a "Sweetener" It is classified as a Supplement, Which does not require FDA Approval. There have been some studies that have linked it to Cancer and Low fertility. But these are Few. It is thought by many that the reason it has not been approved is because The Artificial Sweetener and Sugar Industries have been trying to block it. If it were to get approved it could really hurt both industries. Some People think that it is the sweetener of the future.

Personally I would say if you want to try it...Go ahead. I would bet it is fine to take. That Being said......I also think that Artificail sweetners are safe as well....but I wont get into that as there have been other Posts about that already.

Moxie75 · 12-05-2005, 06:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kaycee41

I'm trying to break my 5-can-a-day diet soda addiction. I've been concerned that all that artificial sweetner going into my body for all these years may cause health problems down the road. I've been drinking green tea and black tea with Stevia. I don't know too much about Stevia (someone recomended it to me as a sweetner). Does anyone know if it's safe?

As long as you not a diabetic I would tell you try organic Raw sugar or maple syrup and tablespoon is not many calories and it is natural. I use it and I have not gained weight in fact I am losing weight right now...Lisa

Lenin · 12-05-2005, 07:31 AM

It's PROBABLY quite safe but i would trust Aspartame or Cyclamate a lot more for daily use. But once a day in your tea would be be no problem with Stevia.
If producers submit testing to prove stevia safe enough for use, then it becomes a different story and they'll be able to put it in soda.

For a 5-can-a-day habit, be careful though. You might be getting a bit too much of WHICHEVER you choose, although probably any choice is better than 45 teaspoons of sugar (and the extra 100 pound weight gain

) that you would get from REGUALR soda.
Cut down to 4 and see how it goes...then maybe 3!

How do you like the taste of stevia in your tea? How does it compare to aspartame?

Kaycee41 · 12-05-2005, 07:54 AM

I just use a small amount. I think it is a little bitter tasting, but better than nothing in tea. I have limited myself to one soda a day and I don't miss it as much as I thought I would.