[mcgruff]

My wife and I have a dubious opinion of artificial sweeteners and aren’t inclined to use splenda or other such sweeteners, but I am interested in stevia, given that it’s natural. Of course, natural doesn’t necessarily mean healthy or safe. Sugar is natural but isn’t healthy for anyone in large quantities; the mushrooms in my lawn are natural, but they might be deadly. Anyway, I’ve heard that stevia is unsafe and I’ve heard that it’s totally safe, but I haven’t heard a lot about it from any impartial source (i.e., from someone who sells neither stevia nor a competing sweetener). So, given that many people here use stevia, I’m wondering what your opinion of it is, both whether it’s completely free of health concerns and whether you just like using it, given its cost, taste, ease of use, etc. Thanks.

 

[Shanny]

I tried stevia and I don't use it. My sweeteners of choice are liquid sucralose (EZ-Sweetz concentrated drops) and granulated erythritol. Neither of these affects my blood sugar and both work well in cooking/baking. Neither is "beefed up" with other ingredients. By that, I refer to the popular granulated sucralose Splenda and its siblings, which consist primarily of maltodextrin, which spikes me. If I remember right, the particular stevia product I tried was also combined with maltodextrin.

 

[jwags]

I am on an organic diet and the only sweetner they allow is stevia because it comes from a leaf. I use only a little at a time because I think it is overly sweet. I tend to drink things like coffee black. When I make baked goods or my low carb waffles I throw in a little Torani flavored syrup or unsweet coconut.

 

[Checochinican]

My wife and I have a dubious opinion of artificial sweeteners and aren’t inclined to use splenda or other such sweeteners, but I am interested in stevia, given that it’s natural. Of course, natural doesn’t necessarily mean healthy or safe. Sugar is natural but isn’t healthy for anyone in large quantities; the mushrooms in my lawn are natural, but they might be deadly. Anyway, I’ve heard that stevia is unsafe and I’ve heard that it’s totally safe, but I haven’t heard a lot about it from any impartial source (i.e., from someone who sells neither stevia nor a competing sweetener). So, given that many people here use stevia, I’m wondering what your opinion of it is, both whether it’s completely free of health concerns and whether you just like using it, given its cost, taste, ease of use, etc. Thanks.

I see Stevia recommended by most of my books on diabetes, above all others.

 

[mediaman]

My wife and I have a dubious opinion of artificial sweeteners and aren’t inclined to use splenda or other such sweeteners, but I am interested in stevia, given that it’s natural. Of course, natural doesn’t necessarily mean healthy or safe. Sugar is natural but isn’t healthy for anyone in large quantities; the mushrooms in my lawn are natural, but they might be deadly. Anyway, I’ve heard that stevia is unsafe and I’ve heard that it’s totally safe, but I haven’t heard a lot about it from any impartial source (i.e., from someone who sells neither stevia nor a competing sweetener). So, given that many people here use stevia, I’m wondering what your opinion of it is, both whether it’s completely free of health concerns and whether you just like using it, given its cost, taste, ease of use, etc. Thanks.

I regularly drink stuff with stevia. Zevia soda and Steaz brands of green tea based sodas. It's delicious and doesn't spike my sugar at all.