Stevia sweetened soft drinks come to U.S. market
For years, the FDA has dragged its heels on approving stevia, an herbal zero-calorie sweetener, citing questions about its safety. (It has a long history of safe use in other countries.) Rumor had it that food industry giants were opposed to the introduction of a product that might undermine sales for brands like Equal, Splenda, and diet products using them--and use their muscle to tie up the approval process.
Stevia's been availabe in the States for some time, of course. But, because it had not yet been approved as a sweetener, it has been coyly marketed as a "dietary supplement."
Now, Coca-cola and Pepsi both have stevia-sweetened sweeteners ready for the market and--presto!--the FDA has "no objection" to stevia as a sweetener. (F.D.A Approves Two New Sweeteners, New YorkTimes.) This will certainly open the door for more stevia-sweetened products to hit the U.S. market.
Stevia is considered by many to be a far more natural and safer zero-calorie sweetener than Equal and Splenda. To be sure, the leaves of the stevia plant are naturally sweet and naturally calorie-free (although the commercial sweeteners produced from stevia are highly refined and concentrated). And, unlike Equal and Splenda, stevia seems to have beneficial effects on blood sugar control. (Reference)
But one of the charges leveled against Equal and Splenda is that intensely sweet but calorie-free sweeteners may somehow stimulate the appetite or otherwise screw up the body's metabolic or hormonal response to sugar (discussed in this post). If that is indeed the case, I'm wondering why the same wouldn't apply to stevia?
More will be revealed, I suspect.
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Posted by: Sue | Mar 3, 2009 9:05:07 AM
NuStevia is the best of the lot. No bitter after taste and sweetens wonderfully. I switched to this product after a year of using Equal. In that year I had severe vertigo, and numerous other problems and the doctors thought I had MS. I believe God led me to investigate Equal. After reading horror stories of bad reactions like mine, I immediately quit Equal and every symptom stopped and has not returned. The yellow, pink, and blue packets contain poison. One of components in Equal which when heated in a hot beverage, changes to Formic acid in the body. That's the same poison fire ants use to sting
their prey. Anyway, NuStevia is the best and can be purchased at GNC stores or online at Swanson Vitamins. You can find out more about these artifical sweetners as well as the benefits of Stevia at Dr. Mercola's site or just type into a search engine something like, bad reactions to Equal. Hope this helps someone out there.
Posted by: Amy | Jan 31, 2009 11:13:53 AM
I have been using stevia for over a year now. I buy the a box of the little packets that I find at the grocery store.
A friend from Germany took me on a tour of Wal-mart and showed me all the sugar and additives that were in commercial processed foods, so a little over a year ago I changed my diet.
I stopped buying things with added sugars, and started using stevia to sweeten my cereal or oatmeal or whatever I wanted sweet (I have a sweet tooth).
I have not noticed a stimulation of appetite.
I did drop about 5 pounds (from 120 lbs to 115 lbs). However, the most noticable difference is my energy skyrocketed.
I'd always been active, known for my energy, but now I'm like the energizer bunny.
I contribute this to the cutting out of sweets and other additives...that was the only change I made.
Posted by: Denise | Jan 13, 2009 9:29:58 AM
I use Stevia only because it is the natural state. No bleach and other processing which is how white sugar and many of the other sweetners are made. I am thrilled that businesses such as Pepsi and Coke cola will be using Stevia so some of us who only do health foods and enjoy a pepsi or coke again.
Posted by: EGGIE! | Jan 13, 2009 6:49:21 AM
Anyone heard of TRUVIA? It has something called Erythritol in it. I've noticed it on the supermarket shelves until my local TV news channel called it a miracle non-sugar sugar. It is now gone from the shelves. Oh well. Ce la vie?
Posted by: PETE | Jan 12, 2009 10:40:55 PM
IF THE JAPANESE HAVE BEEN USING IT IN PLACE OF TABLE SUGAR FOR OVER 40 YEARS, AS WELL AS THE AZTECS IN THE MEXICO AREA, WITH NO APPARENT SIDE EFFECTS DON'T YOU THINK THEY WOULD HAVE APPEARED BY NOW? ALSO, IF THE CHEMICAL ONES ARE AS DANGEROUS AS THEY APPEAR ANYTHING WOULD BE AN IMPROVEMENT. I READ IN ONE ARTICLE THAT THE SWEETENER USED IN COKE ZERO WAS TESTED AND CAUSED HOLES TO BE EATEN IN RATS BRAINS. CAN THAT BE GOOD FOR US?
Posted by: Catherine | Jan 12, 2009 8:32:11 PM
"But one of the charges leveled against Equal and Splenda is that intensely sweet but calorie-free sweeteners may somehow stimulate the appetite or otherwise screw up the body's metabolic or hormonal response to sugar (discussed in this post). If that is indeed the case, I'm wondering why the same wouldn't apply to stevia?"
After 2+ months of diet soda, Splenda, etc. I've found that, yes, my appetite is stimulated to the point that I am getting almost all of my daily requirements of fruits, veggies, and grains! My metabolism has balanced itself and I lost 15 pounds by the end of the year.
Gee, if Stevia is as "bad" as Splenda I say "bring it on!!!!"
Posted by: Dorothy L. Snell | Jan 12, 2009 7:38:54 PM
Yes, cheap Stevia has a horrid after taste! The drops are nasty too! However there is a brand called: "NuStevia, White stevia, pure Extract." by: The NuNatural Company. This Stevia has no carbs or calories in it. This kind of Stevia tastes GREAT! It is so refined that it has no after taste of any kind. I love to diet with it. So far I have lost over 50 lbs using it as my main sweetner. Heavenly to use and you only need use the smallest little pinch. Just another proof that you get what you pay for in this world! No, I get nothing for telling you about it. I pay the same exact price that everyone else pays for this Stevia. YOU can buy the seperate packets cheaply. I do buy a lb of this great Stevia at a time, but, a lb also lasts a year for my chunky family. This is cheap compaired with buying tiny bottles and boxes of other products that taste terrible when you eat them.
Posted by: Pati | Jan 12, 2009 6:33:12 PM
Charli, I too dislike stevia. It has an awful taste and aftertaste. I have never had a product made with stevia, so I can't comment how a product made with stevia would taste. The stevia powder or drops themselves is AWFUL!
Posted by: Valerie O'Connor | Jan 12, 2009 5:19:27 PM
I was an avid sweet eater for many years! Chocolate, soda, candy, anything with sugar or caffine. Recently when I stepped on the scale I realized what damage sugar (not in moderation) had done to me! Two months ago I stopped eating/drinking anything with sugar or high fructos (sp?) corn syrup and replaced them with all things Splenda. It was an adjustment at first but I lost 22lbs in 2 months by only cutting out sugar! So HOORAY for a new natural 0 calorie sweetener! FINALLY!
Posted by: Grace | Jan 12, 2009 4:49:06 PM
The study on referred to in the blog used stevia LEAVES which contain many compounds in addition to the ONLY stevia compenent, rebaudioside-A, that was given the FDA green-light. In studies involving rebaudioside-A and the other sweet-tasting molecule in stevia, stevioside, the former does not have a positive impact on blood glucose while the latter significantly reduces it as well as reducing triglycerides and blood pressure with continued, moderate use. You can buy and use stevia extracts that contain both compounds.
Posted by: Peter | Jan 12, 2009 4:47:27 PM
Only one draw-back with this kind of thinking. Stevia in its natural form has a licorice taste. The manufacturers out there in order to remove the licorice taste add a chemical....POOF! No more natural. It is also said that this chemical proves in some doses to be carcinogenic. Licorice anyone?
Posted by: Donna | Jan 12, 2009 4:43:49 PM
Have you heard of Zevia? It is an all natural soft drink brand that uses stevia and erythritol and no artificial ingredients. I bought it on line.
Posted by: charli | Jan 12, 2009 4:24:19 PM
oh my...am I the only one who doesn't like Stevia? To me, it wssn't sweet and left a taste in my mouth. I am not a sweets person - but I do use Splenda in my coffee, tea, and sometimes on a sweet potato with cinnamon. I never use sugar for anything. I thought Splenda was totally different than Equal without the dangers...oh boy...
Posted by: Pamela's Healthy Pantry | Dec 22, 2008 2:01:10 PM
You're right Susan. And I totally recommend drinking water. I should have said that while I am very excited over the use of Stevia...and the acceptance of the herb as a natural sweetener...Diet soft drinks still have many things in them, such as high levels of sodium and other additives that don't make them a great choice. However, the serious ramifications of the use of artificial sweeteners has yet to be completely known...so at least using stevia is a step in the right direction..In my opinion.
And, I agree with Glenn...real sugar is better than the chemical alternatives for those with normal endecrine systems. God didn't create sugar for us to eat hundreds of tablespoons of it every year.
Posted by: Glenn | Dec 22, 2008 8:54:52 AM
I'm a long-time Stevia user and am glad that the FDA has finally loosened its grip, even if the approval was for a patentable Stevia derivative, and not the whole, natural plant.
As for sugar, after totally eliminating added sugar from my diet, over time I came to the conclusion that real sugar is better for you than any of the artificial alternatives. It becomes a problem when you overdo it, just like anything else, including water. You can die from drinking too much water.
Posted by: Susan | Dec 20, 2008 8:44:01 PM
GOD created sugar too and we all know how good that is for you.
Just Drink Water - Thats A Natural Beverage.
Posted by: Pamela's Healthy Pantry | Dec 19, 2008 11:27:09 AM
Oh Happy Day! Stevia is a natural food, so our bodies are created to use it. It is not Lab created, it is God created...if you don't believe in creation then it is naturally occuring. None the less, not from a chemical mutation of the molecular structure of anything. Thus, I believe our bodies process it in useful ways, rather than wasteful ways. I have used all three of these sweeteners...Stevia is the only one that does not leave me with cravings for more sweet foods. So, from a case study of one...I'm convinced.
Posted by: Fooducate | Dec 18, 2008 4:45:47 PM
A summary of how we got from sugar and honey to here:
The (un)Natural History of Sweet - From Sugar to Stevia
http://www.fooducate.com/blog/2008/12/18/the-unnatural-history-of-sweet-from-sugar-to-stevia/
