Any one use Stevia

i have had to stop useing splenda and other sweetners for it messes with my suger levels

now i have heard a few talk about stevia.........anyone on here know anything about this sweetner?

I use stevia. Its a natural extract from the leaf of the stevia plant.  Stevia is several hundred times more sweet than sugar.  With that in mind you only need a very very small amount. 

I use a brand called "sweet leaf stevia".  It come in small packets and also has inulin (natural plant fiber). I use about half a pack at a time coffee, grapefruit. 

 

HTH.

 

Denise

I use it I love it, its amazing in chai tea

Its pretty good. I use it all the time now.

In re: your question, I've read (see below) that it has almost no effect on and may improve glucose tolerance. 

Some of the extracts out there may have a bitter aftertaste in higher concentrations. Some of the products advertise that they have "no aftertaste," so you might want to look out for those.

I've recently read a book, Healing With Whole Foods, where the author warns to "Obtain only the green or brown [whole] stevia extracts or powders [wild oats, health food stores esp. have this]; avoid the clear extracts and white powders, which, highly refined and lacking essential phyto nutrients, cause imbalance."

I don't want to scare mounger BUT Stevia has not been approved by any EU country, so I'm guessing there must still be some doubts over it (and please, no conspiracy theories. The entire of the European Union isn't being bribed by the sugar industry)

I use stevia all the time, in my coffee and i make lemonade w/ it. It's awesome and completely natural..

I use the (white powder) stevia and it's great. Never experienced any problems or side effects. I also have no interest in what governments approve, especially the EU. It's best to do your own research and use discretion.

I use it only in my coffee.  It takes some getting used to but it helped me break my sugar addiction (I used to put a tablespoon of sugar in my daily coffee!)

Splenda and I don't get along, it gave me awful stomach cramps.

Would just giving up sugar be an option?  If you make a concerted effort to kick your sweet tooth by avoiding sweet/starchy foods all together for a while, you may find you lose your taste for foods sweetened with anything at all.  

Original Post by brown_paper_bag:

I don't want to scare mounger BUT Stevia has not been approved by any EU country, so I'm guessing there must still be some doubts over it (and please, no conspiracy theories. The entire of the European Union isn't being bribed by the sugar industry)

No but they are being bribed by the Aspertame and Sucrolose industry...

 

J/K

Denise 

^ :P

Heres a report I found on the internet about it: "The data considered by the Committee indicated that the extract has the potential to produce adverse effects in the male reproductive system that could affect fertility and that a metabolite produced by the human gut microflora, steviol, is genotoxic (ie. damages DNA)." off http://www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/webpage/ste via Obviously this is just one set of tests findings, so could be completely incorrect

I think it tastes horrible.  But, then, I don't really have much of a sweet tooth, so I just do without. 

If you do try it, I would suggest using it sparingly, as it is a really strong flavor.

I have to say that I am not a big fan of stevia... I have tried different varieties and it always leaves a putrid taste in my mouth... ick.  I did notice a comment about bribing by sucrolose and aspartame companies in the EU and would like to bring attention to people in the U.S. that the food lobby in the United States spends as much money as pharmaceutical industries when lobbying congress.... and they ain't lobbying to make things healthier.

I use stevia as my only sweetner. I use the KAL brand. It has no additional ingredients (fiber as a filler) so you get th emost for you money. Also, you don't need much. As with any change, it take a bit to get used to, but I love it now and hate the the pink, blue and yellow stuff. I mostly use it in drinks,..green tea and such, but it has helped me to stop drinking soda and lose 45 pounds by keeping my blood sugar levels fairly level. A great little mix is equal parts of stevia, cinnamon and cayenne pepper. put it in a spice shaker add add it to stuff. All are good for blood sugar regulation and cayenne is good for circulation and metabolism. I add it to french toast, salmon, vanilla protien shakes, oatmeal..etc. I say try it, what do you have to lose?

I have been using Stevia as a sweetener for a couple of years now.  I have seeds on the way and am planning to plant several stevia plants around the place.  They are said to grow as an annual in my climate, so I am also planning to plant one or two in my greenhouse to over-winter.  I want to try it fresh and am also planning to dry a bunch of it to use it dry.  I don't mind a little bit of leafy debris in my tea so I am thinking that I can just crumble some into whatever I am drinking and it will be all good!  I am thinking that it might be the best way to avail myself of all those good phyto goodies that I am missing in the refined stevia. ♥

Just remember to use it sparingly, because it is so sweet.  You might want to start with less than you think you need to use and go from there.  ♥♥♥

Do they sell it inthe US?

Yes.  I get mine at my local, hometown health food store.  They usually have it available in several different forms and brands. 

They sell it as a herbal supplement. Its is amazing!!

They come in different concentrations too. I buy one thats 1/40 of a teaspoon equals the sweetness of one teaspoon of sugar. I buy another that is 1/4 a teaspoon = one teaspoon of sugar and has 4g of Fiber tooo!

Very good in Oatmeal, coffee and smoothies!  Not so good to dip strawberries in or stuff like that.

They cost between $10 and $20 but they last forever cause so little goes such a long way.

I use it.  You need to use a lot less then you would sugar because it is MUCH sweeter but it sweetens really well.

well, I had a stevia plant and I read that it was sweeter than sugar and used in other cultures for sweetening and chewing on and what have you, but I never sweetened anything with it myself.  I just looked at it! :)

  I have actually never heard of stevia extracts or powders.  I don't understand.  how it is different from refined sugar if its a plant refined into a powder?  Let me know what you find out. 

Original Post by travija:

well, I had a stevia plant and I read that it was sweeter than sugar and used in other cultures for sweetening and chewing on and what have you, but I never sweetened anything with it myself. I just looked at it! :)

I have actually never heard of stevia extracts or powders. I don't understand. how it is different from refined sugar if its a plant refined into a powder? Let me know what you find out.

 

Its different because it has zero calories per serving, and its natural.  If I have to pick 0 calories in my coffee or 30 calories in my coffee ..I am going go with the Zero cal