Improving The Health Of America
Q. Dear Terry, “I noticed that stevia is being used to sweeten natural soda/soft drinks. Is stevia fit for human consumption? I’m a little concerned, because it doesn’t taste right and has no calories. What’s your opinion? Thanks in advance.” — Debbie R., Champlin, MN
A. Dear Debbie, Stevia, which comes from an herb in the chrysanthemum family called Stevia rebaudiana, is very safe and has over 20 years of research behind its safety record and acceptance as a sweetener. Native to the rain forests of Brazil and Paraguay, the leaves have been used for centuries by native people to make sweet teas, or to sweeten other foods, with no evidence of harm.
While it does have an off taste that most people need to get accustomed to, if you find the taste acceptable it’s quite safe to use. Personally, I don’t like it because of the taste. My preference is for good, raw unheated honey.
Healthy Regards!
Terry . . . Naturally
Tags: Blood Sugar Balance, chrysanthemum, honey, stevia, sweetener
Q. Hello Terry, “I have been trying to avoid sugar and all simple carbohydrates. My friend suggested that I use fructose as a sweetener. Supposedly this is different from sugar. What do you think?” — Amanda G, Pasco, WA
A. Dear Amanda, My answer is straightforward and simple. Don’t use any sweetener, but get your natural sugars from the fruits and vegetables you eat. If you absolutely must use a sweetener for coffee or tea, I would suggest using honey or stevia. I would never use fructose. It is a simple carbohydrate and has a very negative impact on measures of the glycemic impact of food. Lots of folks think fructose is great because fructose is in fruit. However, in fruit, the fructose is very complex and is metabolized quite differently than the fructose you find on the grocery store shelf. It is not a natural sugar. Fructose is usually produced from corn, and one particularly bad form is high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). HFCS is unnatural and has been linked to many health concerns. Please avoid all artificial sweeteners as there is nothing good to say about them.
Healthy regards!
Terry . . . Naturally
Tags: carbohydrates, corn, fructose sweetner, fruits, General Health, glycemic impact, HFCS, High fructose corn syrup, honey, natural sugars, stevia, sugar, vegetables
Tags: dextrose sugar, fructose, fruits, honey, maple syrup, molasses, stevia, sweetener, unprocessed foods