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Pros & Cons of Stevia Sweetener

The new kid on the low-calorie sweetener block might have an advantage over its neighbors. Rather than being made in the laboratory, stevia sweeteners are extracted from a South American bush called Stevia rebaudiana. This had marketers touting stevia as a safer, natural alternative to synthetic sweeteners. Like other sweeteners, however, stevia comes with its pros and cons.

  1. Sweeter Than Sugar

    • A little bit of stevia goes a long way. Like other forms of alternative sugar, stevia is actually sweeter than table sugar. Stevia is between 250 and 300 times sweeter than a comparable amount of table sugar, according to American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). In plant form, the leaves of the stevia plant are 20 to 30 times sweeter than table sugar, according to Whatcom County Extension.

    Offers Sweetness Without Sugar Side Effects

    • Stevia contributes zero calories and doesn't increase glucose levels in diabetic people, according to the International Food Information Council foundation (IFIC). The sugar substitute also doesn't contribute to the development of cavities and tooth decay like foods that contain sugar do. The IFIC also notes that stevia might aid in weight loss if stevia replaces calorie-containing sugars in your diet.

    Cooking with Stevia Might Be Tricky

    • Stevia has disadvantages when it comes to baking, lacking many of the properties that sugar has. Sugar contributes to texture, yeast formation and carmelization in baked goods, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension notes. Some people also might experience a bitter aftertaste when consuming products with a high concentration of stevia. When cooking with stevia, precisely follow recipes for the best results, adds the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension.

    Some Aren't Sure About Long-term Safety

    • Researchers are still deliberating stevia's safety. Stevia has only been on the market since December of 2008, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. Some universities and organizations, like the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), argue that stevia was not adequately tested before it was deemed generally recognized as safe by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The CSPI believes that food additives, including stevia, should be tested on rats and mice for at least two years before being released to the public.

    Bottom Line

    • Stevia is on the market under the names of Truvia, PureVia, SweetLeaf and other brands. The general consensus is that sweeteners with stevia are safe to consume in moderate amounts. Although stevia is considered natural by marketers, stevia doesn't have any clinical advantages over other alternative sweeteners, according to the American Dietetic Association.

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