I am writing this article in response to questions I have been getting about the safety of the sweetener, stevia. Let me start by giving a little background on the issue. Stevia is a non-caloric herb that is native to South America. It is 300 times sweeter than sugar and has been used for more than 1,500 years around the globe. (This alone says a lot about the safety of the plant in question—people have been consuming it for 1,500 YEARS!)
In discussing any sugar substitute, we must first consider what effects consuming sugar has had on the population. Obesity rates are skyrocketing in the US, which has led to an increase of heart disease, type II diabetes, and cancer. What is responsible for the obesity epidemic? Many causes come into play—from too much fast food, the quality of our food in general, and the toxicity of our environment to a more sedentary lifestyle. But one key factor is the excessive amount of SUGAR we consume. This totals about 180 lbs per year for the average person to be exact!
Many people are concerned about lowering their blood sugar count. So you can imagine that commercial use of a non-caloricnatural herb 300 times sweeter than sugar that doesn’t have the same effect as sugar in raising the blood sugar count would be BIG business. And it is; Coca-cola and Pepsi even have their hands on stevia for some of their products. However, this was not always so.
In 1991, an anonymous complaint resulted in the FDA adding stevia to its “unsafe food additive” list. It is thought that this decision was made based on pressure from the artificial sweetener industry, although it is in direct violation with the ruling that a food that has been used before1958, with no reported adverse effects, should be GRAS (generally recognized as safe). Why might the artificial sugar industry apply this pressure? Well, because stevia occurs naturally, thus requiring no patent to produce it. In other words, no one stands to make as much money for a compound that occurs naturally. If stevia continues to become a popular and healthier choice for sweetening food and drink and people can grow it in their backyard, the negative impact on the artificial sweetener business profits would be severe.
In 1995, the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act forced the FDA to revise its stance and to permit stevia to be sold as a dietary supplement. The double standard was created, and stevia could now be sold as a supplement but not as a food additive. This demonstrates that the FDA’s ruling clearly had nothing to do with the consumers’ health or the safety of stevia. In 2008, the Coca-Cola Company and PepsiCo came out with their new line of stevia-sweetened sodas, and the FDA gave “no objection” to the approval of Truvia and PureVia, both which use rebaudioside A, a compound derived from the stevia plant.
Safety
Two of the sweet steviol glycosides include stevioside and rebaudioside. Studies that have been conducted (mostly in lab rats) suggest that certain compounds of stevia may, in fact, be carcinogenic and possibly affect testosterone levels and fertility. However, these studies are flawed in several ways and it is important to note these few key points. Humans are not rats and sometimes when a rat is fed very high quantities of foods completely outside of their natural diet, problems will arise. Also, when compounds are tested in the lab, they are normally individual isolates found within the study compound, otherwise known as the “active compound.” What this means is, the best way to consume stevia is in its whole form found in nature. When compounds are isolated and altered in the laboratory, problems often arise. (One example of laboratories interfering with nature is the production of trans fats.) Stevioside and rebaudioside, however, DO NOT appear in nature in the isolated form. They are part of a whole compound called stevia. It appears in nature this way for a reason and we shouldn’t try to interfere with nature. Nature always wins!
Therefore, when using stevia as a sweetener, use it in its whole form. The ingredient list should have one thing in it: stevia. Period. Or, stevia rebaudiana, which is the herbal name. I prefer that my patients use it in a tincture form, or liquid, which can be found in the nutritional supplement aisle of your grocery store.
How much is too much?
I believe that people should not replace their yearly 180 lbs of sugar with 180 lbs of stevia. This is not the point and NOT a healthy use of stevia! The goal is to reduce the total amount of sugar intake but, when you do want a sweetener, use a healthier option. Cane sugar triggers weight gain, directly assaults your immune system, and leads to chronic disease and premature aging.
Sugar is a very, very addicting substance. If you want to know if you have an addiction to sugar, go without it for 1 week. What this means is that you cannot eat ANYTHING that contains added sugar for 1 whole week. For example, fruit sugar is different because this is naturally derived; however, all sugar in processed foods, condiments, dressings, sauces, snack foods, drinks, baked goods, etc would be off limits. Honey, maple syrup, agave, are also included in this off-limit list for the week. If you can go the entire week without any negative symptoms, cravings, or improvements in health, then you likely do not have a sugar addiction. Most people will find it difficult to go one day without sugar and even have difficulty in choosing what to eat. If this is you, then you need to see a naturopath for nutritional help! For a really interesting and informational article on the dangers of fructose, click HERE.
In conclusion
Under no circumstance would I recommend that anyone use these artificial sweeteners: aspartame, Splenda, Equal, Sweet’N Low, and NutraSweet. These sweeteners are neurotoxins and are responsible for hundreds of negative symptoms. (This is a huge topic for another post, but for now read the book Sweet Deception or watch the documentary, Sweet Misery, for more information.)
Stevia is a great way to sweeten foods, drinks, sauces, dressings, etc; however, as in any food additive, it should be used in moderation. Too much of anything can have a negative impact. For the generally healthy individual, I recommend using stevia, raw organic honey, and organic maple syrup in small amounts for sweetening foods and drink.
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We have been led to believe that sun is bad and should be avoided at all costs by using SPF lotions, makeup, clothing, etc. As a result, we are severely depleting our bodies of this vital nutrient. There is nothing more natural and supporting to life than the sun. It is not the enemy. However, spending too much time in the sun and getting sunburned will increase your risk for skin cancer! But avoiding the sun, also raises your risk for skin cancer. Luckily, the exposure time needed for optimal levels of vitamin D is fairly short. The best place to get the nutrients that provide the skin with natural sunscreen are antioxidants from vegetables!
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