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.
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