Stevia is a natural, low-calorie alternative to sugar that can help you manage and lose weight. Stevia is healthy for you as long as you consume it in moderation, according to dieticians. However, too much Stevia may cause gas, nausea, and inflammation in the kidney and liver.
Stevia is safe for most people to use. However, since stevia can have blood pressure– and blood glucose–lowering effects, as well as diuretic effects, those taking certain medications or who have certain health conditions should talk with their healthcare provider before consuming significant quantities of Stevia.
Using stevia can reduce calories in foods and drinks, but it may also have some adverse effects. Possible side effects include nausea, bloating, low blood pressure, and hormone disruption. Stevia is a non-nutritive or zero-calorie sweetener made of steviol glycosides.
The review found that people who regularly used stevia and other non-nutritive sweeteners had some weight gain, along with a higher average BMI and a higher risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome and heart disease.
Whole stevia leaves and crude stevia leaf extracts are not approved food additives because there is not enough toxicological information available, according to the FDA. However, the use of stevia leaves and crude stevia leaf extracts in dietary supplements are not subject to FDA food additive regulations.
In addition, FDA considers three plant- or fruit-based high-intensity sweeteners to be generally recognized as safe for use as sweeteners in the United States: stevia, luo han guo (also known as Swingle fruit or monk fruit extract), and thaumatin.
Though widely available throughout the world, in 1991 stevia was banned in the U.S. due to early studies that suggested the sweetener may cause cancer.
A high dose of stevia may decrease fertility and cause kidney issues. The stevioside in stevia may irritate your stomach and cause gastrointestinal issues. Stevia may interact with antidiabetic medications and lower your blood sugar levels too much.
Results showed that stevia might lead to microbial imbalance, disrupting the communication between Gram-negative bacteria in the gut via either the LasR or RhlR receptor proteins of P. aeruginosa. However, even if stevia inhibits these pathways, it cannot kill off the bacteria [36].
“Stevia leaf extract is safer than many other sugar substitutes, especially aspartame and sucralose,” Lefferts says. Research has linked sucralose, aspartame, and saccharin with cancers. That said, there is still a need for more research around stevia.
The body does not react to stevia as it does with sucrose from sugar so there is no insulin production; the steviol glycosides passes unchanged through the body (as opposed to sugar) down to the colon where the glycoside is removed in stages by hydrolysis, resulting in the formation of steviol.
Both come from the stevia plant, but Truvia is a bit more processed and has additional ingredients including erythritol and natural sweeteners. Otherwise, there are minimal differences; both products are calorie-free and do not cause tooth decay seen with other sweeteners.
However, if you want a safer option, then monk fruit sweeteners may be a better choice. They have many health benefits, and studies have found no side effects. On the contrary, stevia sweeteners have been found to cause digestive problems and allergic reactions in some people.
In fact, stevia does not contribute to increased glucose and insulin levels.
Truvia is not the same as stevia. Stevia leaf extract is a key ingredient in Truvia sweeteners, and each delicious taste contains purified extract made from the best-tasting parts of the stevia plant.
Do all stevia sweeteners have erythritol? No, but most do. I've found about sixty stevia erythritol blends and list them here. Erythritol (Ah-REETH-ra-tall) is currently one of the most popular sweeteners.
The WHO, based on its own research, advises against the consumption of artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, acesulfame K, cyclamates, neotame, saccharin, sucralose, stevia and stevia derivatives.
The FDA approved only the purified form of stevia, called stevioside, as safe to use. Products considered safe contain words in their ingredient list such as stevia extract or Stevia rebaudiana. If you see whole stevia leaves or crude stevia extracts at your local natural foods store, don't buy them.