Stevia

 

What is Stevia and General Information on sweeteners. Want to know more about Stevia? What is Stevia History of Stevia Rebaundiana Conversion chart How bad is sugar?! Usefull links Books Cost Comparison Did you know studies have linked sugar with obesity, diabetes and heart disease? Sugar may also contribute to candidiasis (an infection caused by yeast-like fungi), suppress the body's immune system and aggravate some types of asthma, allergies, and arthritis. To learn more about what sugar may do to your body please visit www.rheumatic.org/sugar.htm. Or read www.nexusmagazine.com/articles/sugarblues.html Artificial sweeteners like aspartame and Splenda have been reported to contribute to certain forms of cancer, cause headaches and may even inhibit weight loss! It could be argued that the recent success of Splenda may stem from the fact that consumers mistakenly believe this form of artificial sweetener is natural because it is derived from sugar. While it is true Spenda is derived from sugar, it is also true that a lot of chemistry is used to modify the sugar to make it calorie-free. Essentially three hydrogen-oxygen groups on the sugar molecule are replaced with three chlorine atoms. Read about the health concerns associated with Splenda (sucralose) and aspartame. Please visit www.truthaboutsplenda.com. and www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/nutraswt.htm Sweet! Now imagine an all natural product that is up to 300 times sweeter than sugar (sucrose), has no calories, no carbohydrates and is perfectly healthy. Does such a product exist? The answer is yes. Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni) is a herb indigenous to the valley of Rio Monday in North Eastern Paraguay. It has been used as a sweetener for approximately 1500 years in parts of South America and has become a popular sweetener in many Asian countries. In fact, in Japan where aspartame has been banned because of health concerns, stevia is now widely used as a sweetener in products like gum, soda and ice cream. Stevia is the #1 sweetening agent in Japan accounting for approximately 50% of the sweetener market share. Interestingly, Japan has the highest life expectancy of any country in the world (World Health Organization, 2005). In North America and Europe, the decline of consumers' health and the subsequent movement towards more natural foods has created a great deal of public interest in stevia. The sweetness of stevia is found in the leaves. There are four sweetening agents in stevia called "steviol glycosides". They are stevioside, rebaudioside A, rebaudioside C and dulcoside C. Stevioside is the most plentiful of the sweetening agents but carries the bitterest flavour. Rebaudioside A is equally sweet but does not carry the same bitterness as stevioside. Rebaudioside A is used in Krisda brand stevia. On the market, stevia is available in several forms; the less refined being the most nutritious. It can be purchased in dried leaf form, stevia leaf powder, tea or as a liquid tincture extract and concentrate. The leaves and powder are light to medium green and are not water-soluble. Stevia in this form is approximately 15 to 30 times sweeter than common table sugar (sucrose). The liquid forms made from the whole leaf are very dark in color (dark brown to almost black) and come in different purities and strengths depending on the type and manufacturer. Blended stevia is also available. Blended stevia contain primary ingredients such as maltodextrin, inulin fiber or erythritol. The refined forms of stevia come in a white powder or a clear extract. Like any refined product they do not retain all of the health benefits of the unrefined products. Refined stevia is generally 200 to 300 times sweeter than sugar. The refined stevia extracts are safe and far superior to artificial sweeteners or sugar. Why isn't stevia more widely used? The widespread commercial use of stevia in North America and Western Europe has been blocked by two forces. First, the financial and thus political strength of the sugar and artificial sweetener industries enable them to successfully lobby against the classification of stevia as a "sweetener". The FDA in the United States of America and Health Canada both recognize stevia as a dietary supplement, but not a sweetener. What does this mean? Stevia can be bought and consumed in its raw form, but it cannot be added to a product and subsequently labeled as a sweetener. The second force blocking the widespread use of stevia is the packaged goods industry. Driven primarily by profit margins, the packaged goods industry embraces the most cost effective method of sweetening its products. The production cost of stevia is still exceedingly high compared to sugar and artificial sweeteners. However, given the significant health benefits of stevia there is little doubt that stevia and products sweetened with stevia will gain in popularity. Group Krisda - Stevia of Canada is dedicated to delivering consumers the benefits of stevia by 1) working to reduce stevia production costs, 2) develop great tasting, healthy and high quality stevia products, and 3) by improving the availability and visibility of stevia in retail outlets. History of Stevia rebaundiana Leaves of the stevia plant, a perennial herb that grows to 50 to 60 cm in height, have been used as a sweetener for approximately 1500 years by the Guarani natives of Paraguay. It was also collected to treat diabetes, hypertension and to keep skin looking young. Stevia first came to the attention of Europeans in 1888 when it was discovered in the Paraguay highlands. In the 16th century the conquistadors had reported stevia to the Spanish, but it remained a mystery until 1889 after the first studies were done by botanist Moises Santigo Bertoni. He "discovered" stevia after seeing it used by Guarani natives, and his studies showed that stevia is 200-400 times sweeter than sugar (sucrose) without the negative health effects. In the early 1900's stevia was being widely used throughout Paraguay, and had earned the attention of other countries. By 1941 it was being grown in Britain as a sweetener to combat the shortages brought on by the Second World War. In the mid 1950's Japan started growing stevia, and by the 1970's after extensive studies Japan began marketing it as an alternative to aspartame. Today, health conscious Japan is one of the world's largest users of stevia. It is used in gum, diet soda and in a large multitude of other products. Is sugar bad for our health? Refined sugar gets called “white death” for a reason: it’s one of the worst things we can do for our immune system, weight, and total health. Are you addicted to it? "If it’s white, it’s killing you," has become the rallying cry of many holistic doctors when it comes to the dangerous impact of sugar on health. It may be overly simplistic, but the statement does sum up the situation when it comes to sugar and its impact. Not all sugars are unhealthy; certain sugars have minimal or no negative impact, and remarkable health benefits. But refined white sugar, the table sugar that most people use every day, is harmful, even in small amounts. White sugar suppresses the immune system. It has been shown to decrease the vitality and number of white blood cells, the body’s immune response to invaders. Sugar also depresses the body’s energy field and makes your blood more acidic, both of which result in vulnerability to toxins, bacteria and viruses. Sugar feeds bacteria like candida and yeast infections. Refined sugar is an extremely high glycemic food; it hits your bloodstream hard and can have severe impact on blood sugar, insulin levels, digestive enzyme count, weight, and the pancreas. Taken from Victoria Anisman-Reiner's article "Sugars: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly."   Read more on http://naturalmedicine.suite101.com/article.cfm/sugars__the_good   Sugar to Stevia Conversion Sugar Granulated Artificial Sweeteners Krisda* (Packets) Krisda* Crystals Clear Stevia Liquid (Stevia diluted in water) Pure Steviosides (S100X) 2 tsp. 2 tsp. 1 packet 1 tsp. 1/4 tsp. tip of a knife 1/4 cup 1/4 cup 6 packets 1/8 cup 1/2 tsp. a pinch 1/3 cup 1/3 cup 8 packets 1/6 cup 3/4 tsp. 1/8 tsp. 1/2 cup 1/2 cup 11 packets 1/4 cup 1 1/4 tsp. 1/6 tsp. 3/4 cup 3/4 cup 17 packets 12 tbs. 1 3/4 tsp. 1/4 tsp. 1 cup 1 cup 22 packets 1/2 cup 2 1/2 tsp. 1/2 tsp. 2 cups 2 cups 44 packets 1 cup 5 1/4 tsp. 1 tsp. Comparing costs : Although stevia is more expensive than table sugar, we have to compare it to other Low-Calorie Sweeteners. Considering that a fraction of a teaspoon equals a full teaspoon of sugar, stevia is thus very advantageous compared to other sweeteners. But of course that is only one of the advantages. Comparison with artificial sweeteners:  Equivalence factor= 1 cup of sugar (25 g sweetener) Aspartame (NutraSweet)    5.59 / 100g 1.40$ Sucralose (Splenda)    5.99 / 110g 1.37$ Cyclamate (SugarTwin)    2.99 / 80g 0.94$ Stevia extract 100 x    12.45$ / 40g (1 t.sp = 1 cup) 0.16$ Other links : http://res2.agr.ca/London/faq/stevia_e.htm (gov. of Canada) http://www.arc.ab.ca/Index.aspx/ARC/2485 (gov. of Alberta) http://www.freestevia.de/was_ist_stevia/franz.htm http://www.iirhb.org/fr/nutrithe/stevia.htm http://www.greenfacts.org/fr/aspartame/niveau-1.htm defending aspartame http://www.sweetpoison.com/ http://www.formerfatguy.com/articles/stevia.asp http://www.holisticmed.com/sweet/ http://www.earthrainbownetwork.com/NancyMarkleFR.htm http://www.wnho.net/bio-bmartini.htm http://www.mindgallery.com/hiddenroom/aspartameMartini.html http://www.mercola.com/article/sugar/dangers_of_sugar.htm# http://www.nancyappleton.com/pages/damages.html http://www.aromalves.com/article.php3?id_article=294 sugar http://www.truthaboutsplenda.com/   Books : Sugar Blues by William Dufty The Stevia Story  by Linda Bonvie, Bill Bonvie, and Donna Gates Sugar-Free Cooking With Stevia: The Naturally Sweet & Calorie-Free Herb (Revised 3rd Edition) by James Kirkland Many more can be found on Amazon