Ending Stevia Nix
If you’ve ever read the Atkins New Diet Revolution or tried to rid your life of sweeteners because of weight or diabetes you may have already come across the name Stevia. Stevia is a sweet herb with zero calories, zero carbohydrates and no affect on blood sugar. It’s also supposed to be 300 times sweeter than sugar.
So why aren’t we already sucking this stuff down already? In the past the product could only be sold as a dietary supplement and the FDA banned the sale of Stevia as a food additive. If you wanted to give the sweetener Stevia a try you had to make a special trip to a health food store. You’ve got to be a pretty serious low-carber or health food devotee to know about Stevia and actually use it. You can go your own way but I’m not a big “go to the health food store” type.
Well stand back because Stevia could be the next big sweet thang. Some giant companies like Cargill and Coca Cola are calling Stevia a ”sweetener” and have taken out numerous patents on possible products sweetened with Stevia derivatives. It looks like the food and beverage giants are betting the Stevia Nix from the FDA will soon be over. And actually the FDA generally approved the product as safe. We could be seeing Stevia sweetened soft drinks by the end of year.
So if you worry that aspartame and Splenda aren’t the right choice for you since they aren’t “natural” Stevia products may be a tasty option. Experts say since it’s an herb it is natural. You can actually grow it yourself, you can’t get more natural than that. If Stevia can satisfy the sweet tooth and at the same time keep carbohydrates, calories, cravings, AND blood sugar under control without chemicals expect a landslide of dieters buying the Stevia sweet stuff.
I’m going to head to my local health food store and drop a dime on some Stevia. I’ll give it a whirl and report back. I’ll be all for it if it can make me look sexy in my leather and lace? Better than dropping a little bella donna in my coffee.
And if anyone falls in love with Stevia already and has some insights… let we gypsies know.
(Okay I’ll stop with the Stevie Nicks song puns now that I’m like on the edge of seventeen of them or something.)
Stevia Nicks…that was brilliant. I haven’t heard of this thanks for the heads up.
I think it’s too sweet, but I don’t have a sweet tooth. I have a wine tooth. And a cheese tooth.
This just might be the miracle I’m looking for! (Not a Stevie Nicks pun…but the best I could do song related!) Anyway, I am hypoglycemic, so the no effect on blood sugar sounds simply delicious to me!
Stevia is fabu. Sweeter than other sweetners, so go easy and not exactly primo for baking unless you get the amounts perfect, but once you work out the kinks it’s worth the hype.
Love the Stevie Nicks puns!
I haven’t heard of this before. Interesting . . .
I, also, have not heard of this before.
I’ve used it for a while, it is strong, you really only need a drop in a cup of coffee
Ooo Ooo Pick me! Pick me! (starting to look like the class nerd aren’t I?) Yes…I had a Stevie Nicks T-shirt AND I happen to have a stevia plant in my garden this year! Can I have two gold stars?
I’ve used the powder packets of stevia as well as the liquid drops. Go easy on this stuff. I too had to work out the kinks in my iced tea. I was warned so I used very little at first….then I upped the ante and almost spit it out. It’s not too sweet when you overdose, it’s quite bitter.
Chewing on the leaves is my daughter’s fav past time while I’m hoin’ around. It’s not like chewing on sugar cane or anything but it is sweet. I crushed a few leaves in my tea the other day and wasn’t impressed. If you are going all DIY, I think you are supposed to dry the leaves and then powder them. I used to get the sweetleaf newsletter too. Nerd – I know. But one day I’ll be appreciated for my nerdom – one glorious day. http://www.sweetleaf.com
I heart them.
The singer and the sweetener.
The latter probably more.
Which is pathetic I realize.
MizFit
Based on this I am to use just a touch. Can you cook with it? I’m intrigued.
And Angela you are ALWAYS in the know on this stuff. I already appreciate you in your own time!
I’ve heard of Stevia, because I lost some weight on the Atkins thing about…like 10 years ago. I never tried it though, it seemed like too much work to try and find it at the time. I think it’s easier to come by now. You can go your own way, but right now I’m still sticking with Diet Coke. Damn Nutra Sweet addiction. But don’t stop, giving us this information. If you like it, I just might try it!
Shelley I love the stevie puns.. don’t stop…
And thinkin’ about tomorrow Greta’s workin up humbugdinger.
I love Stevie Nicks SOOO much! Like, a lot. Like almost
as much as Dolly, so thanks for the Stevie Puns.
I am intrigued by the Stevia. Go forth, to the health
food store and please do report what you learn.
One of my bosses is pretty dedicated to health food. She
uses stevia and I think she wears clothes from the
juniors department. Maybe there’s a connection there.
I did read her stevia package once and it sounded pretty
intimidating. Like if you mix it into a hot beverage,
you have to do it a certain way. Sounded like too much
work. I’ve found I can just drink my coffee without
any sweetener. Yeah I am pretty lazy.
Very interesting post here… I am not a “carb cutter”, but I’ve been having quite the problem with sugar making me feel dizzy… So, if I want the sweet, may need to get summa that Stevia… Nix… now I gotta always say Nix, cuz that’s just too funny!
I was told about Stevia and since I am addicted to the “pink” stuff I thought this would be a great alternate.
Headed into Whole foods for a box of 100 rushed home to break my new find open and “marry” it with my waiting Ice Tea only to discover that I would be in divorce court fast. The taste was very bitter and left an after taste (huh just like my ex-husband) So I went back to Whole foods and traded it for a better model..Again like my ex-husband…
Cheers
Cathy
http://www.wheresmydamnanswer.com