Stevia: Safe or no
- Dietitian.Lauren Hmede
- Apr 19, 2019
- 2 min read
Is Stevia Safe? Diabetes, Pregnancy, Kids, and More
Stevia is often touted as a safe and healthy sugar substitute that can sweeten up foods without the negative health effects linked to refined sugar.
Use of stevia is linked to some health benefits like reduced calorie intake, blood sugar levels, and risk of cavities.
However, there is a concern about the use of stevia in some people who tend to be more sensitive.
Stevia is a zero-calorie sweetener. Commercial varieties are often highly processed and mixed with other sweeteners.
Stevia safety in certain populations
Some people groupsd and ages need to be mindful about stevia use and health effects.
Diabetes
According to research stevia is safe to be used for diabetic patients but you need to be careful about the type as stevia is sometimes mixed with other sweeteners like maltodextrin or dextrose which both increase blood sugar.
When stevia is consumed with meals it shows a greated reduction in blood suagr.
Using these products in moderation or opting for pure stevia extract can help maintain normal blood sugar levels if you have diabetes.
Pregnancy
There is limited evidence considering the use of stevia in pregnancy.
Additionally, various regulatory agencies consider steviol glycosides safe for adults, including during pregnancy.
Due to the limited evidence it is better to stick to FDA-approved products that contain steviol glycosides rather than whole-leaf or raw products.
Children
Stevia can cut down the amount of added sugar consumed by children.
Added sugar consumption has been linked to heart disease and high level of triglycerides.
Swapping added sugar for stevia could potentially minimize these risks.
Steviol glycosides like Reb A have been approved by the FDA while whole leaf and raw extracts are not.
However, it’s especially important to monitor intake in kids as they can easily reach 1.8 grams/ pound which is the recommended level.
It is better to lower intake of stevia and other sweetners in order to prevent side effects.
Stevia may disrupt your levels of healthy gut bacteria. Counterintuitively, some evidence even suggests that it could increase food intake and contribute to a higher body weight over time.
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