The 7 benefits of Stevia

1. Stevia is a natural sweetener derived from the Stevia Rebaudiana plant that was discovered centuries ago by the indigenous people of Paraguay. It was not until the nineteenth century that the plant was discovered by a Swedish researcher, who then took it with him to Europe.

1. Stevia is available in many forms. The most popular version is a white powder, an extract, but also the dried and ground leaves are available as well as a liquid version. In the AH you can also get tablets for in your coffee.

1. Stevia may taste sweet, but it is very different from sugar. There are countless reasons why Stevia is a much better choice. In this article I'm going to go through some with you.

1. Let's get started ...

1. Stevia is incredibly powerful

1. The raw leaves of the stevia plant are about 40 times sweeter than sugar, and the powdered sweetener is up to 200-300 times sweeter. In short, you only need very little Stevia to replace a much greater amount of sugar. In addition, Stevia has a shelf life of up to 5 years, so you can use it for a very long time without having to worry about throwing it away quickly.

2. The raw leaves of the stevia plant are about 40 times sweeter than sugar, and the powdered sweetener is up to 200-300 times sweeter. Basically, you only need very little Stevia to replace a much greater amount of sugar. In addition, Stevia has a shelf life of up to 5 years, so you can use it for a very long time without worrying about throwing it away quickly.

2. Stevia contains no calories

1. There is no denying it; refined sugar makes you fat. Sucrose is high in calories and there are so many sugary products these days that it seems like an almost impossible task to avoid them. As a result, we are getting heavier together. Even children are increasingly overweight.

2. There is no denying it; refined sugar makes you fat. Sucrose is high in calories and there are so many sugary products these days that it seems like an almost impossible task to avoid them. As a result, we are becoming increasingly heavier together. Even children are increasingly overweight.

1. Three times as many people now suffer from obesity as opposed to people 30 years ago. A good way to counter this trend is to replace sugar with a natural sweetener that contains no calories. Stevia is the perfect choice. Although Stevia is not sold as a weight loss product, it can certainly be useful for this. And because the plant is completely natural, you don't have to worry about unpleasant side effects!

3. Stevia helps prevent appetite

1. As we all know, sugar is addictive. Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame or sucralose may contain no calories and have a glycemic index close to 0, yet they still stimulate the sweet appetite. Not to mention the numerous side effects that accompany it, ranging from headaches and dizziness to rashes and stomachaches. However, stevia has shown in studies that it suppresses precisely this sweet craving.

2. As we all know, sugar is addictive. Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame or sucralose may contain no calories and have a glycemic index close to 0, yet they still stimulate the sweet appetite. Not to mention the countless side effects that accompany it, ranging from headaches and dizziness to rashes and stomachaches. However, stevia has shown in studies that it suppresses precisely this sweet craving.

1. In Japan, stevia is the most commonly used sweetener ever and the Japanese also have one of the lowest rates of overweight in the world. And all this without unwanted side effects!

2. In Japan, stevia is the most commonly used sweetener ever and the Japanese also have one of the lowest obesity rates in the world. And all this without unwanted side effects!

4. Stevia is good for your teeth

1. When you eat a lot of sweet stuff, you often notice this immediately on your teeth. When you eat sugar, a layer of bacteria is formed on your teeth, causing plaque and later also cavities. So-called "sugar alcohols" (also called "polyols") such as xylitol and sorbitol, are popular ingredients in chewing gum and toothpaste because the bacteria in your mouth cannot ferment them and thus your teeth stay nice and healthy.

2. When you eat a lot of sweet stuff, you often notice this immediately on your teeth. When you eat sugar, a layer of bacteria is formed on your teeth, which causes dental plaque and later on also cavities. So-called "sugar alcohols" (also called "polyols") such as xylitol and sorbitol, are popular ingredients in chewing gum and toothpaste because the bacteria in your mouth cannot ferment them and thus your teeth stay healthy.

1. The disadvantage of these sugar alcohols is that they are still high in calories and some varieties also have a high glycemic index, which is again harmful to diabetics. In addition, many people are very sensitive to these substances and can suffer from bloating, stomach pain and diarrhea. Stevia has the same benefits as these polyols, but does not cause the same inconveniences.

2. The disadvantage of these sugar alcohols is that they are still high in calories and some varieties also have a high glycemic index, which is again harmful to diabetics. In addition, many people are very sensitive to these substances and they can suffer from bloating, stomach pain and diarrhea. Stevia has the same benefits as these polyols, but not the same inconveniences.

5. Stevia is perfect for diabetics

1. The reason why sugar is so bad for diabetics is because it consists of a lot of simple carbohydrates that quickly get into your blood and then cause a spike here. To show which foods are suitable for diabetics, the "glycemic index" was developed.

2. The reason sugar is so bad for diabetics is because it consists of a lot of simple carbohydrates that quickly get into your blood and then cause a spike here. To show which foods are suitable for diabetics, the "glycemic index" was developed.

1. This index shows which foods have little impact on your blood sugar level and which foods cause it to rise too much, so you can better avoid them. The lower the impact, and thus the index, the better. For example, apples have an index of 39. French fries on the other hand have a high index of no less than 95. Table sugar has an index of 80, as opposed to pure glucose with an index of 100. Stevia has an index of 0. In short , it does not affect your blood sugar in any way. Thus, it is the ideal sweetener for diabetics and anyone looking to control their weight or already suffer from insulin resistance.

6. Stevia lowers blood pressure

1. For generations, indigenous tribes in South America have used stevia to sweeten their herbal teas. Stevia thus not only provided a nice tea, but also lowered blood pressure. Nowadays there are also medicines for high blood pressure that contain Stevia. Research has also shown that Stevia has no lowering effect in healthy people, so you can safely continue to drink Stevia without having to worry about low blood pressure.

7. Stevia counteracts candida

1. Candida is a natural type of yeast that is in everyone's intestines. But in some people, this yeast can grow until it spreads outside of the intestines. When this happens we speak of "candidiasis" which causes symptoms such as diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. The yeast is fed by sugars, so many nutritional programs that claim to be able to combat candida avoid sugars altogether.

1. Stevia cannot be fermented by candida and therefore does not stimulate candidiasis, so it is completely safe to use in place of sugar. The best choice for stevia is the unprocessed version, so choose the dried and ground leaves (a green powder) rather than the extract (a white powder). Also remember to buy the pure Stevia. Some brands mix Stevia with additives, such as maltodextrin, to make the sweetener the same strength as sugar. However, these additives can feed the candida.

Finally ...

1. If you are used to sugar, the taste of stevia probably takes a little getting used to.

1. The plant contains two sweet components; stevioside and rebaudioside A. Try to find products based on the latter at the beginning, as stevioside has a bitter aftertaste that not everyone likes. Then you can switch to the pure, unprocessed version, because then your taste buds are already used to the new taste.

1. Which brand you choose often makes a big difference, so don't give up right away because you've tasted a product and don't like it. The countless benefits of Stevia outweigh the temptations of sugar. Try it out and let me know what you think in the comments!