STEVIA ´´Your Sugar Substitute´´ Health Benefits, Facts, Side Effects & More...

Sugar is one of the most dangerous ingredients on the market today. It’s addictive and is in almost all processed foods, it causes overweight, depression, and can cause deadly diseases if it’s used in excess.

However, for many of us is a relief to know that new natural sweeteners have appeared on the market that is not harmful to our health. Let’s talk about stevia, which is known for regulating diabetes, controlling blood pressure and improving circulation, among many other beneficial effects.

Our goal is to show you the many benefits from Stevia against Sugar, so sit down, drink a tea and enjoy the reading.

What is Stevia?

Stevia is a green sweet herbal plant native to South America, in general, do not exceed 80 centimeters in height. It belongs to the family of sunflowers and its leaves are naturally sweet. In fact, the indigenous people used to chew them for their sweet taste and used them to sweeten the drinks naturally. Therefore, the leaves of stevia can be used to sweeten smoothies, ice cream, desserts and sweets of all kinds such as biscuits, muffins, cakes, we can use it in tea, coffee, etc.

Its scientific name is Stevia Rebaudiana and as we have pointed out before, it’s rapidly becoming a fundamental food in our days; The plant that is South American and Central American origin, has already invaded a large part of the grocery stores of the entire planet among some large cultivation areas around the world.

Let’s review a bit of history about Stevia: For several years people known as ''Guaranies'' in Paraguay and Brazil used 'ka'a he'ẽ' as a natural sweetener, however, it was not until a Swiss naturalist Moisés Bertoni first to describe it scientifically in Alto Paraná. Subsequently, the Paraguayan chemist Ovidio Rebaudi discovered in 1900 a glycoside in this plant species, hence its name: Rebaudiana Bertoni. In that year he published the first chemical analysis of the plant. this sweetening glycoside was capable of sweetening 200 times more than refined sugar, but without the counterproductive effects that common sugar produces in the human body.

The Many Properties and Benefits of Stevia

As we have mentioned before, stevia is an ingredient that is responsible for strengthening the immune system, which is recommended to those suffering from hypertension by reducing blood pressure derived from its consumption and which is suitable for weight loss.

In the same way, stevia help with your digestion process, since it also cooperates with the digestive system, is diuretic and antioxidant, and it has a powerful healing and bactericide widely used in toothpastes in order to eliminate bacterial plaque.

Why is Stevia Better Than Sugar?

Stevia is a 100% natural product, has zero calories and a large number of health benefits that have been scientifically confirmed. There are multiple differences that make stevia a perfect substitute for refined sugar.

So, if you have diabetes or just want to start living a healthier lifestyle, read on and learn about the properties of this magnificent natural sweetener.

1. Stevia Doesn’t Make You Fat. (Stevia To Lose Weight)

This is a fact scientifically proven in studies and research with animals: stevia consumption supposes a feeling of satiety for those who ingest it and its caloric contribution to the organism is not minimal, but it is non-existent.

The harmful effects of refined sugar in our body are obvious and undeniable. Due to its high caloric content, sugar makes you fat. In addition, it is practically impossible to avoid its consumption because today there is a large amount of sugary products.

In contrast, stevia does not contain any calories at all. You read well, zero calories.

2. Stevia Prevents Bacterial Plaque (Oral Health)

When you consume sugar, a layer of bacteria that adheres to your teeth, causing the appearance of dental plaque and tooth decay in the long term. Chewing gums and toothpastes contain ingredients called "sugar alcohols" or "polyols", such as erythritol, sorbitol and maltitol, which prevent the adhesion of dental bacteria to your teeth: bacteria can not ferment these components.

But sugar alcohols can be harmful to health. They contain many calories and some of them have a high GI not recommended for diabetics. In addition, they cause swelling and gas in individuals prone to it. Stevia has the same positive effects as polyols but without any side effects.

In addition, Its power to dissolve dioxin, nicotine and histamine make it a powerful antiallergic that, helps to strengthen the immune system and defenses, improves resistance to colds and colds and is healing and bactericidal in applications against burns, wounds. Want more?

3. Stevia Has A Glycemic Index Of 0 (Stevia Againts Diabetes)

The glycemic index (GI) measures the amount and speed with which a food is able to increase an individual's blood sugar.

Foods with a glycemic index value below 50 are considered relatively safe for diabetics. The lower the value, the better. To give you an idea: sucrose has an IG of 89 and glucose an IG of 100. This makes the "sweet leaf" the ideal product to keep the symptoms of diabetes at bay without having to sacrifice the sweetness in your meals. So taking into consideration that stevia can sweeten up to 200 times more than sugar itself, which is artificial, addictive and harmful to health, but also does not get fat because it is hypocaloric, The plant stimulates the production of insulin and provides the balance needed regarding this element, it’s clear that we are talking about food and ideal complement for diabetics.

4. Stevia Reduces High Blood Pressure.

For generations, the native tribes of South America have been using stevia as a method to reduce blood pressure in people suffering from hypertension. For all these reasons, stevia tea can be considered a natural remedy against high blood pressure for you to take into account, as long as you have consulted with your doctor previously.

However, several exhaustive tests have revealed that stevia does not reduce blood pressure in healthy individuals.

5. Stevia Is Not Addictive Like Sugar

In addition to all the calories it contains, sugar is addictive and encourages the desire to consume sugary products. There are artificial sweeteners, such as sucralose or aspartame, which barely have calories or GI (Glycemic Index), but still have the same disadvantage as sugar: they stimulate the desire for sweetness.

Also, negative side effects associated with the consumption of artificial sweeteners have been observed: headaches, dizziness, stomach pains and even rashes. Morover, it has been shown that stevia is not addictive and also eliminates cravings.

6. Stevia Is Extraordinarily Sweeter.

The leaves of the stevia plant are about 40 times sweeter than sugar and the sweetener powder that is extracted from them up to 200-300 times sweeter. In addition, the so-called "sweet leaf" can be preserved without losing its properties for a period of approximately 5 years.

7. Stevia Can Treat Infections Caused By Fungi.

Candidiasis is an infection caused by a type of natural yeast present in the intestines of all humans. This yeast is called candida albicans and when it grows in excess causes candidiasis, whose symptoms are nausea, diarrhea and vomiting.

The occurrence of candidiasis is due to the fermentation of sugar in the intestine carried out by the candida albicans. But what happens when this yeast tries to ferment natural stevia? Can not. Candida albicans is not able to ferment stevia and, therefore, does not cause candidiasis.

For this reason, it is totally safe to replace sugar with stevia in people with this problem. However, always consult a doctor before modifying your diet and be careful when using 100% pure stevia alone.

These Seven points are top properties of stevia if you’re looking to change the sugar for this natural sweetener, you have to keep in mind that the taste of stevia can be a bit bitter. Avoid products that contain stevioside, one of the sweet elements of stevia responsible for that bitterness. Give stevia a chance and try it out!

How Can I Use The Stevia?

You can use the green leafy herbal plants to prepare a liquid stevia sweetener whenever you feel to sweeten your drinks using it as a substitute for sugar for example for coffee, tea, smoothies, juices, etc.

· Stevia or sweet herb can be also used by preparing an infusion with its leaves. Simply Add 1 teaspoon of cut stevia leaves to your loose leaf tea or herbal blend prior to steeping. Heat your water to the directed temperature for the tea you are preparing and immerse your loose leaf stevia mix, wait for 10 minutes. Then use a filter to get just the water or a teabag. This will work just as well for your coffee, iced tea, and many other kinds of beverages.

· You can also cut the stevia leaf by pieces and add it to the jar or bottle of water that you bring with you to go to school, to work, to play sports, etc. and so give a sweet and pleasant touch to the water.

· Stevia can also be used for dairy products such as yogurt, and ice-cream, packed foods pickles, sauces, soft drinks, and candies and baked products – bread, cakes, and deserts.

Side Effects of Stevia

The first thing that should be explained when talking about the side effects of stevia, is that, for the most part, these are problems that might only occur when the use is excessive. The contraindications of stevia sweetener are not entirely clear and ambiguous because they are surrounded by controversy. Large companies of artificial sweeteners fighting against the growing fame of this plant, and both make reference to the toxicological nature of the plant.

Among the possible issues that may be caused by stevia; reduction in fertility and allergic reactions. Since Stevia is now really popular around the world, it is crucial to note the quality of stevia that you use or decide to purchase, since there’s already a large variety in the market.

A study published in 1968 by Professor Joseph Kuc of Purdue University in Indiana, USA, initiated the discussion. Prof. Kuc detected a contraceptive effect with a reduction in fertility of up to 79% on female rats when they were fed high amounts of Stevia. (Planas, G.M. & Kuc, J. "Contraceptive properties of Stevia rebaudiana." Science, Washington, 162, 1007, 1968). While the result of this study was not confirmed by other scientific groups, in a study published in 1999 by Prof. Melis of the University of São Paulo, he confirmed the results of the Kuc group and a decrease in male sperm was observed after the application of high doses of Stevia glycosides.

People with pre-existing allergies to chrysanthemums, marigolds, ambrosia or daisies are at greater risk of a reaction to stevia. In some cases, stevia can cause a severe allergic reaction called anaphylaxis, but this occurs relatively rarely.

It has been said that it can be contraceptive and even cause infertility, while on the other side, it’s referred to as genotoxicity, which means that it can affect genetics. Finally, at ease to Stevia users, there has been never a study that has shown a carcinogenic or mutagenic effect due to concentrations of sweetener application.