
Stevia Products Are Often Adulterated
If you want to use stevia, make sure you read the list of ingredients on the label.
Truvia, a popular brand of sweetener that claims to contain stevia, also contains erythritol, a sugar alcohol, and “natural flavors.”
Pyure, another stevia product, also contains dextrose, a starch-derived glucose that is often extracted from corn, wheat, or rice.
Stevia Blend and SweetLeaf contain sugar alcohols that can change your intestinal bacteria to favor those that increase risk for weight gain. When stevia is used to sweeten foods and drinks, manufacturers often add other sweetening ingredients as well.
All No-Calorie Sweeteners Lie to Your Brain
I suggest trying to break the habit of sweetening drinks and learn to quench your thirst with water or a nonsweetened beverage, such as tea or coffee.
Stevia is unlikely to be any more beneficial than any of the “artificial” sweeteners for weight loss, weight control, or prevention of diabetes. Many research papers show that no-calorie sweetened drinks are associated with increased risk for weight gain, diabetes, and heart attacks.
Of 66,188 women followed for 14 years, those who used diet drinks rather than sugar-sweetened drinks had a higher risk of diabetes. Interestingly, the women who drank artificially-sweetened drinks took in more (average of 2.8 glasses per day) than those who took sugared drinks (1.6 glasses per day).
The San Antonio Heart Study showed that drinkers of artificially-sweetened beverages consistently weigh more than those who do not drink diet drinks.
An American Cancer Society study showed that no-calorie sweetened drink users gain far more weight than nonusers.
These studies do not show that no-calorie sweeteners cause weight gain, heart attacks, or diabetes; people who are overweight are likely to be using these products in an effort to lose weight and decrease their risk for diabetes or heart attacks. However, other studies show that the artificial sweeteners may be harmful rather than helpful for people who are trying to lose weight.
