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Wouldn't it be great if you could reach for a sweetener that would
not only satisfy your craving, but endow you with healthful properties
too? Before you dismiss the thought as fantasy, take a moment
to learn about stevia. This sweetener is derived from a plant
and not associated with any of sugar's less desirable qualities.
Though it is enjoyed as a sweetener, stevia is very unlike white
sugar, which is a menace to anyone whose health is compromised.
In countries
such as Brazil and Paraguay, stevia has long been used to sweeten
the native drink, yerba mate. People use stevia to help make
bitter medicinal teas more palatable, but also for the qualities
it provides. Stevia is helpful in treating obesity, heartburn
and other serious conditions such as high blood pressure.
Japan is
reported to use the highest amount of stevia as a food sweetener.
In the 1970s, when the popular sugar substitutes cyclamate and
saccharin were suspected of being carcinogenic, Japanese researchers
became interested in stevia as a natural substitute. Now it
is widely used in soft drinks, foods and for table use. Although
some European studies suggest that more research is needed,
the Japanese maintain that stevia causes no major health concerns
in its millions of users. It accounts for about 40% of the food
sweetener products use in Japan.
Stevia
is much sweeter than sugar. A little tiny spoonful of powder
packs a potent punch, so be conservative with use. It is a handy
sweetener for those of us who are watching our weight, because
it contains nowhere near the calories of sugar or honey. When
using it in any recipe, be sure to adjust your amounts. Taste
it to see how sweet it is. Stevia comes in powder and extract
form, and in green or brown powder or extract, as well as in
white or clear. You'll be getting much more of stevia's nutritional
qualities with the green or brown type.
Sad but
true, white refined sugar and many of its chemical substitutes
will more than likely help ruin your teeth, add fat and weaken
your immune system, making it harder for you to ward off colds
and flus. Stevia seems to be a much sweeter choice, because
the evidence seems to point out that it's even good for you. |
