5 Benefits of Consuming Stevia

Stevia is also known as Stevia rebaudiana and it is a plant that is a member of the chrysanthemum family, a subgroup of the Asteraceae family (ragweed family). Some people buy stevia from the market and some grow at home, one should know that there’s a difference between the two.

Stevia products found in grocery stores include- Truvia and Stevia in the Raw which do not contain whole stevia leaf and they are prepared from a highly refined stevia leaf extract called rebaudioside A (Reb-A).

Few stevia products have very little stevia in them and the extract, Reb-A is about 200 times sweeter than table sugar. Sweeteners made with Reb-A are considered “novel sweeteners” since they are prepared after blending them with different sweeteners like erythritol (sugar alcohol) and dextrose (glucose).

According to US NIH, few stevia sold in the market are termed as “natural flavors” since they have no added colors, artificial flavors, or synthetics. But their ingredients may be highly processed.

You can grow stevia plants at home and you can use their leaves to sweeten foods and beverages. Reb-A sweeteners are available in liquid, powder, and granulated forms. Let’s have a look at the benefits and side effects of stevia.

1. Stevia is a nonnutritive sweetener, meaning it has no calories thus it can be helpful in losing weight as compared to using table sugar. Though the impact of nonnutritive sweeteners on an individual’s health may depend on the amount and time of consumption.

2. According to Healthline, stevia can help keep blood sugar levels in check for diabetic people.

3. According to PubMed Central, stevia leaf powder may help manage cholesterol as proved by a study in which participants consumed 20 milliliters of stevia extract daily for one month. The study found stevia lowered total cholesterol, LDL, and triglycerides with no side effects. It also increased HDL.

4. According to MedicalNewsToday, stevia contains many sterols and antioxidant compounds like kaempferol that can reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer by 23 percent.

5. According to US NIH, stevia contains certain glycosides that dilate blood vessels and may increase sodium excretion and urine output thus it could potentially help lower blood pressure. Stevia plant might have cardiotonic actions that help normalize blood pressure and regulate the heartbeat.