Stevia is a natural sweetener that does no harm to health and can be used to replace sugar in juices, teas, cakes and other sweet preparations. It is produced from the Stevia Rebaudiana Bertoni plant and has also been used in various industrialized products such as soft drinks, processed juices, chocolates, gelatines and teas.
Stevia is made from the steviol glycoside, which has no calories and has a sweetening power up to 300 times more than ordinary sugar. It can be found in powder or in drops, being available in supermarkets and natural products stores. To avoid the bitter taste you normally feel when consuming stevia, you should buy the stevia extract, made only based on rebaudioside, which is the sweetest compound of the plant. See other natural and artificial sweeteners.
How to use
Stevia can be used on a daily basis to sweeten any food or beverage, such as coffee and tea, for example. Moreover, since stevia's properties remain stable at elevated temperatures, it can also be used in the process of making cakes, baking cookies, for example.
It is important to remember, however, that 1 gram of stevia equals 300 grams of sugar, ie, it does not take many drops or stevia spoons for the food or drink to be sweet. In addition, it is recommended that the use of this natural sweetener be done as directed by the nutritionist, especially if the person has a basic disease such as diabetes or hypertension, or is pregnant, for example.
Benefits of Stevia
In comparison to artificial sweeteners, such as sodium cyclamate and aspartame, stevia has the following advantages:
- Help regulate appetite by reducing hunger;
- Assist in weight loss because it has no calories and helps reduce craving for sweets;
- It can be used in preparations that will be cooked or baked in the oven, because stevia remains stable in temperatures up to 200ºC;
- Help control problems like diabetes, hypertension and obesity.
The price of stevia sweetener ranges from $ 4 to $ 15, depending on the size of the bottle and where it is purchased, which is cheaper than buying plain sugar, as only a few drops are needed to sweeten the food, making the sweetener last a long time.
Side effects and contraindications
In general, the use of stevia is considered safe for health, but in some cases side effects such as nausea, muscle pain and weakness, dizziness and allergy may occur.
In addition, it should only be used in children, pregnant women or in cases of diabetes or hypertension as advised by the doctor or dietician because it may cause a reduction in blood sugar or blood pressure that is greater than normal, putting the health of the person at risk.
Another side effect of stevia is that it can affect kidney function and should be used with caution and only under the doctor's control in cases of kidney disease. See the 5 most common questions about stevia sweetener.
