Stevia: what it is, benefits and how to use the sweetener

Alternative to replace white sugar, the stevia it is a sweetener made from a natural plant from South and Central America called stevia rebaudianatoday cultivated mainly in Paraguay, Kenya, China and the United States.

Used for many years by native Latin peoples, it has become quite popular because, in addition to having low calories and not having restrictions on consumption, it offers a series of health benefits.

Learn more about this natural sweetener below.

benefits of stevia

With the power to sweeten about 300 times more than table sugar, stevia is a natural sweetener that is gaining ground in people’s diets because it offers several benefits, starting with low calorie levels. That’s because, while a regular sugar sachet, with 6 grams, has 24 calories, a stevia sachet has 0.81.

In addition, studies carried out by the National University of Asunción, in Paraguay, indicated that it has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, which provided a notable improvement in the production and secretion of insulin in patients with diabetes, being indicated for them without restrictions, in addition to being beneficial against hypertension, kidney problems and even to control cavities.

There was also research published in the International Journal of Food Science and Technology which confirmed that, during the process of extracting and purifying the stevia extract, the steviol glycosides do not undergo changes. This, in turn, makes the product safe for use by children, pregnant women, people with diabetes and the general population.

So there are no contraindications?

According to nutritionist Andrea Teixeira Pires, from Rio de Janeiro, stevia has no restrictions.

“Moderate use is even allowed for children and pregnant women, with the recommendation of a doctor or nutritionist, as in general both are not advised to consume sweeteners”, she says.

This is only possible because, according to some studies, stevia does not cross the placenta and does not even become part of breast milk, being eliminated in the urine.

Even so, it is important to remember that being accompanied by a nutritionist during pregnancy and breastfeeding is essential for both the health of the mother and the baby.

It is also worth warning that, like any other sweetener, it can indirectly favor weight gain, since the brain does not interpret sweetener intake as a sweet.

As a consequence, the lack of glucose can stimulate the production of neurotransmitters that increase the desire to eat cakes, sweets and sweets, leading to weight gain.