Stevia’s health benefits have been known for centuries in South America and promises to be useful in treating obesity and hypertension. Unlike other artificial sweeteners, Stevia is a healthy natural sweetener without any known side effects. Millions of Japanese have been using Stevia for over thirty years with no reported or known harmful effects.

What is stevia, rebaudiana, rebaudioside, reb A and rebiana?

Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni is the official Latin name of the entire plant. Put 1 or 2 in leaves in your mouth and you will taste a strong sweetness produced by (weight % of the entire plant):

• 2 to 4% rebaudioside A (which is the most sweet – 350 to 450 times stronger than sugar – and the least bitter of these 4 chemically called ‘steviol glycosides’)
• 5 to 10% stevioside (which is 250 to 300 times stronger than sugar)
• 1 to 2% rebaudioside C
• 1/2 to 1% dulcoside A.

Reb A and Rebiana are tradenames for rebaudioside A or its extracts. It is sold as a component in the following consumer brands:

• PureVia: Reb A with erythritol (found in fruits like melon and grape), isomaltulose (found in sugar cane juice and honey), natural flavors and some cellulose powder to give it the look and feel of real sugar, by PepsiCo and Merisant: contains carbohydrates!
• Truvia: made of mostly erythritol with added Rebiana and natural flavors, by Cargill and The Coca-Cola Company: contains carbohydrates!

Enliten is a purified solution from steeping stevia leaves in water, high in rebaudioside A and low in the more bitter stevioside, no other flavors or sweeteners are added, by is Corn Products International’s

Is Stevia safe?

For centuries south Americans have been using stevia to treat type 2 diabetes. 30 years ago the Japanese introduced this sweetener in their country and so far no harmful effects have been noted.

Studies and recommendations about stevia have seen much controversy. A 1985 study labeled steviol as possibly mutagen. However the data seemed to be mishandled in such a way that a similar study could claim that even pure distilled water could induce a genetic mutation.

In 2006, the WHO (World Health Organization) examined studies both held on humans and animals. It concluded that:

• nor stevioside nor rebaudioside A are genotoxic nor in vitro, nor in vivo
• the genotoxicity of steviol and some of its oxidative derivatives seen in the labs was not experienced outside the lab
• there is no true evidence of carcinogenic activity
• there is no true evidence of other stevia dangers.

The WHO did state that stevioside shows evidence of pharmacological effects in patients with type 2 diabetes or with hypertension and suggested that further studies need to be conducted to determine a healthy acceptable dosage.

In December 2008, the FDA gave a "no objection" approval or GRAS – Generally Recognized As Safe – status to Truvia (developed by Cargill with The Coca-Cola Company) and PureVia (developed by PepsiCo), both of which are patented extracts from the Stevia plant.

This FDA’s approval concerning Stevia’s safety changed after 20 years. In 1991 the FDA controversially labeled the sweetener to be an "unsafe food additive" because the then available toxicological information was found inadequate to demonstrate stevia’s safety. However: the FDA guidelines do state that when there are no reported negative effects, it should Generally Recognized As Safe.

To add to the controversy: Stevia was from 1991 banned in the US, except when it was labeled as dietary supplement. Note that the 2008 regulation doesn’t approve the entire stevia plant anymore but only a rebaudioside A extract to be used as food additive.

The 1991 ruling is said to be inspired so stevia would not compete with the existing trade of then available artificial sweeteners and sugar substitutes.

The plant may by law be grown in most countries. Some countries still do restrict or ban its use as a sweetener.

Benefits of Stevia

The health benefits of Stevia have been known for centuries by the indigenous peoples of Paraguay, Bolivia and Brazil. Simply called ‘sweet herb’ in their language, stevia was use in medicinal teas to treat minor ailments like heartburn. Modern day medical research shows that the plant has promising qualities to treat hypertension (high blood pressure) and obesity.

Unlike alcohol sugars like sorbitol, xylitol or mannitol, stevia doesn’t contain carbohydrates and as such doesn’t have an effect on your blood sugar level. On the contrary: research indicates that stevia enhancing a person’s tolerance to sugar. This makes this natural sweetener ideal for diabetics or anybody else who is following a carbohydrate controlled diet.

Studies on chickens have shown that birds fed with added stevia to their food have their eggshell breakage reduced by up to 75%. Some unverified studies claim that fed with Stevia extract show their meat having an increase of 50% in calcium. The idea is to use these studies as a start to treat osteoporosis.

Stevia side effects summarized

Unlike other natural sweeteners, Stevia has no known side effects apart from a bitter or licorice-like aftertaste when consumed in high concentrations. Stevia is widely used as a sweetener in Japan, and it is now available in Canada as a dietary supplement. There aren’t any studies that show proof of serious stevia side effects. Be informed that popular consumer brands Truvia and PureVia aren’t pure stevia extracts.