This is a guest post from Vani Hari (a.k.a. The Food Babe) and New York Times Best Selling author. You can read more about her take on the food industry in her second book, Feeding You Lies!
Sugar is one of the most dangerous ingredients on the market. It's addictive, added to almost every processed food, and will make you overweight, depressed and sick if you eat too much. In fact, Americans eat close to 130 pounds of the stuff per person per year (4 times more than the recommended daily allowance), likely because it is so addictive.
That's why it's exciting to know there are alternative sweeteners made in nature, like "stevia," that don't wreak havoc on your health - or do they? That's what I went on a quest to find out. Here's what happened...
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What Is Stevia?
For those of you that are hearing about stevia for the first time, it is a plant that is typically grown in South America, and while its extract is 200 times sweeter than sugar, it does not raise blood insulin levels. That's what makes it so popular.
However in 1991 the FDA refused to approve this substance for use due to pressure from makers of artificial sweeteners like Sweet n' Low and Equal (a one billion dollar industry). But in 2008, the FDA approved the use of rebaudioside compounds that were derived from the stevia plant by Coca-Cola (Cargill) and PepsiCo - hmmm doesn't that sound suspicious?
Not until a major food company got involved did stevia become legal, and only after it had been highly processed using a patentable chemical-laden process...so processed that Truvia (Coca-Cola's branded product) goes through about 40 steps to process the extract from the leaf, relying on chemicals like acetone, methanol, ethanol, acetonitrile, and isopropanol. Some of these chemicals are known carcinogens (substances that cause cancer), and none of those ingredients sound like real food, do they?
The whole leaf stevia that you can grow in your backyard (and has been used for centuries in countries like Brazil and Paraguay) remains a non-approved food additive by the FDA.
However, rebaudioside A (the stevia extract) that was approved by the FDA has not been used for centuries and long term human health impacts have not been studied and are still unknown. The sweetener/sugar industry wields powerful influence over what is ultimately approved at the FDA, and this is just another example where they are influencing decisions that don't make sense.
How can a chemically derived extract be deemed safe in processed food and a plant from mother nature not?
What Kind Of Stevia To Avoid
The 40-step patented process used to make Truvia should make you want to steer clear of this stevia product alone, but there are two other concerning ingredients added (not only to Truvia but other stevia products as well).
First, erythritol is a naturally occurring sugar that is sometimes found in fruit, but food manufacturers don't actually use the natural stuff. Instead they start with genetically engineered corn and then go through a complex fermentation process to come up with chemically pure erythritol. Check out the manufacturing process below:
"Natural flavors" is another ingredient added to powdered and liquid stevia products, likely due to the fact that once the stevia leaf is processed it can develop a metallic taste. Manufactured natural flavor is contributing to what David Kessler (former head of the FDA) calls a “food carnival” in your mouth. This makes it difficult to stop eating or drinking because the flavors they have synthesized will trick your mind into wanting more and more.
When companies use manufactured flavor, they are literally “hijacking” your taste buds one-by-one; that's why I recommend putting products that contain "natural flavors" back on the shelf.
"Stevia in the Raw" sounds pure and natural, but when you look at the ingredients the first thing on the label is "dextrose" - so it's certainly not just stevia in the raw. And Pepsi Co's "Pure Via," also pictured above, isn't exactly pure either with this ingredient being first on the label, too. Dextrose is a sweetener that's also derived from genetically engineered corn and has a long complicated manufacturing process, just like erythritol.
Even certified organic stevia can have sneaky ingredients added, like this one above which has more organic agave inulin than the stevia extract itself. Agave inulin is a highly processed fiber derivative from the blue agave plant.
Also on the ingredient list is an item you are probably familiar with from those little packets sometimes found in boxed goods - silica (pictured). It is added to improve the flow of powdery substances and is the same ingredient that helps strengthen concrete and creates glass bottles and windowpanes. It may cause irritation of the digestive tract (if eaten) and irritation of the respiratory tract (if accidentally inhaled).
While it is non-toxic and probably won't kill you in small quantities, it's definitely not a real food ingredient I would cook with or that I want to be putting in my body.
How To Choose The Right Kind Of Stevia
Luckily there are ways to enjoy this sweet leaf closer to it's natural state... because let's be honest, the no-calorie artificial sweeteners out there are really dreadful, and no one should consume them (check this post for the low down on those). So here's what you can do:
- Buy a stevia plant for your garden (luckily it's totally legal!) or purchase the pure dried leaves online - you can grind up them up using a spice grinder (or use a mortar and pestle) for your own powdered stevia.
- When choosing products already sweetened with stevia, look for “whole leaf stevia” on the ingredient label. For example my favorite protein powder is made with “whole stevia leaf” instead of rebaudioside a or stevia extract.
- Add fresh or dried leaves directly to tea or drinks for natural sweetness (note the straight stevia leaves are only 30-40 times sweeter than sugar, vs. 200 times using the extract).
- Make your own liquid stevia extract (see graphic below for recipe).
- If you are not up for getting a stevia plant of your own or making your own extract, remember to look for a stevia extract that is 100% pure without added ingredients (Trader Joe's has a version in a small bottle).
And when all else fails, choose a suitable alternative and forget stevia altogether.
Lisa uses honey and pure maple syrup, and I personally prefer coconut palm sugar, since it is low glycemic (making it more diabetic friendly) and one of the most natural unprocessed forms of sugar available. It is naturally high in amino acids – has 10,000 times more potassium, 20 times more magnesium and 20 times more iron than conventional sugar. I use it all the time in my baking, from pound cake to muffins to a recent delicious cookie that is low in sugar - check out all those recipes here!
Comments have been closed on this article, which was written by Vani Hari. If you have a question or comment you can reach her at http://FoodBabe.com.
Eileen @ Phoenix Helix says
Great article! I shared it on Facebook.
Bear Field says
Most of the other ingredients in the commercial stevia-derived products are added to provide bulk. Being 200 times sweeter than table sugar (sucrose) means that to get the equivalent amount of sweetening you would use 200 times less of the stevia extract. Have you ever tried to measure a two-hundredth of a teaspoon? Unless you're using laboratory grade measuring equipment, it would be quite difficult. Also, to be technical, erythritol is NOT a sugar, it is a "sugar alcohol," as is xylitol and any of the other sweeteners whose names end in "-ol." The dextrose mentioned in the article is a naturally occurring sugar--its other name is glucose. Calling it dextrose distinguishes it from its stereoisomer, levulose, which is not found naturally in living things, although synthetic methods of producing glucose tend to produce equal quantities of both isomers.
Gabriella says
What do you think about Xylitol? I know they make it from GMO corn too, but I use the one made out of Birsh tree.
Debra says
Hi Vani,
I would like to know more about the ingrediant carrageenan? sp?
I've been told it is harmful and causes seizures in children as well as other neurological disturbances. Are you familiar with this?
Thank you.
Debra says
I have a question about the Trader Joe's version of Stevia Packets. I just noticed the package says it is Trader Darwin's, not Joes...??? And it lists the ingrediants as; Rice Maltodextrin, stevia rebaudiana extract, (stevioside) and silica. This is a powder form in individual packets. Is the liquid from Trader Joes better for you because it has no silica? Thanks for your reply and a great site! Keep up the great work!
Critical Reader says
To all those who are wondering why many (every?) stevia product has additional ingredients: the purified extracts are about 250 times sweeter than sugar. A pure extract would be difficult to dose, and therefore it is diluted with something like inulin, lactose, erythritol, etc.
Kolleen says
Sweet Leaf Stevia has been my one and only since it came out in the mid-90s. Love it and it doesn't have any of that nasty stuff in it. If you can't grown your own, support the good guys :-)
Susan says
Trader Joe's Stevia extract (powered form) list a Lactose (milk) as other ingredient . Good or bad for you?
Fernanda says
What is your opinion about sweet leaf stevia?
Patent Attorney says
Just wanted to point out that the linked reference is not a patent, it is a published patent application. Also, as previous commentators noted, the actual process does not appear to be 40 steps - rather, there are 40 claims (which are the numbered sentences at the end of the application that define the invention).
ashley says
i have been skeptical of the stevia products that are available at the grocery store for the exact reasons you posted... there is more than stevia extract listed in the ingredients list. thanks for posting this and explaining what those other ingredients are. i look forward to growing my own :)
Meghan says
I think you need to be more specific in your first sentence. You are talking about refined, white, table sugar. But the word "Sugar" technically means a whole category of foods. The maple syrup and honey you mention at the end of your post are both sugars. As is the "palm sugar" you mention. Otherwise a good job of shining a light on the fact that the label "Stevia" has started to be applied to some heavily processed foods that may or may not bear any resemblance to actual stevia.
Edward says
You can also go to your whole foods store and buy stevia in bulk. It's a white powder.
Mike Luque says
Great post. A bunch of friends of mine who like to stay away from highly processed foods have been using stevia and I was always skeptical of it's validity as truly a natural food. At it's marketed & sold, it's still an "extract". I had no idea how nasty the process is.
Man, the FDA is a joke. Natural product: DENIED. Heavily processed version of same product: APPROVED. Just plain dumb.
Laura says
I am wondering what Food Babe thinks about this article on the sustainability of coconut palm oil: http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/coconut_palm_sugar.htm
Kerry says
Yes! Thank you for posting this link! What are your thoughts Vani? I am not a big fan of the coconut sugar craze!
Jamie says
Thank you for posting also..I think the environmental consequences of our food choices should be as important as the choices themselves..
Michelle says
What are your thoughts on Organic Blue Agave?
Randie says
What about Xylitol?
tariq ahmad says
Nice article man.keep it up.
susan dutton says
I also want to know about agave sweetener as I love it's flavor and use it a lot. It's become my substitute sweetener.
Didi says
Is agave sweetener safe to use as a sugar subsitute?
Butters Stotch says
I would be interested to hear Food Babe's take on DHM (dihydrogen monoxide). I hear that this chemical compound, which "doesn't even sound like real food" pervades processed food in America, and has been making it's way into organic crops world-wide.
Cathy says
Are you joking or making a point?
Sue says
You mean H2O? Duh.
Sydney says
Hi! I was just wondering about opinions on unflavored gelatin and how it is made. I have seen it in use on several other real food blogs, but I am a little wary about using it due to what I have heard and found regarding how it is made. Do you think it can be used in a real food diet? If so, what should one look for when purchasing? Thank you!p
Sydney says
Actually, never mind. Upon further research I found that most gelatin is made from by products of the beef industry and I don't eat beef, so I do not think I will ever use it. Thanks anyway!
ElleX says
Thank you for this post! I was very confused about Stevia and what is being sold in the stores versus the plant itself. I really like when Vani investigates!!!!
Carrier says
I drink the Stevia soft drink and Love it, is it also bad? I use xylitol for my sugar replacement , just wondering if its a better choice? I cook my baked goods with almond flour and it seems like most of the recipes call for liquid stevia.
Barry Laws says
Zevia uses the same "erythritol/stevia" combination found in Truvia, but Zevia claims to contain no GMO ingredients. I asked Mike Adams from NaturalNews.com if he would do a lab analysis of Zevia in his lab.
Laurie says
Thank you for this very informative post! I had never heard of coconut palm sugar, so I thought I'd do some more research (I'm a librarian; I can't help it) and found this:
http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/coconut_palm_sugar.htm
It raises some interesting points about sustainability as well as whether the claims about coconut palm sugar's benefits are inflated. Would love to get your take on it.
Erin@MommyontheSpot says
Great post! You cleared up a lot of questions that I have had about this. Thanks
Frank says
I really enjoy your web site, and you had my interest in this right up to the part where you said this was produced by COKE AND PEPSI CO. Sorry - but as soon as they are tied to it, the products loose most of my respect. I've been forced to try to be more healthy towards what I eat. The other day I tired a Cocoa coated Almonds - sorry but i don't like the taste of regular. And they were listed as 'natural'. One serving was ok, but the next day i had 2 servings at one sitting and by that evening i was almost doubled over with knots in my stomach. Go through the ingredient listings and what do I find but basically a variation on Stevia. Keep up the great work - but i really think this country has created too large of a problem with all the over processed everything. I can't believe what's on ingredient listings when I read them.
Eileen says
I've been trying to be more health conscious about the food I put in my grocery shopping cart. I have been reading labels and tried to avoid anything artificial. I had no idea the so called "natural" flavor is actually not all that natural. After reading this post, I will not get anything with natural flavor added anymore.
John says
I always get a kick out of the health nuts that bash FDA approved products and then go on to endorse nutritional supplements that are exempt from any testing and approval process! How do you know that your "favorite protien powder" has actually been processed in a safe manner when they aren't regulated to prove they can back up their claims? The health food / nutritional supplement market is full of false claims and fraudulent products.
Dynamics says
And my grinning did not post!
Dynamics says
Oh Food Babe...Sometimes I really do not like you Here I thought I was doing a good thing. After reading your above article I quickly headed to SweetLeaf...
"SweetLeaf® Liquid Stevia Sweet Drops™, made with stevia leaf extract and natural flavors..."
OMG, NATURAL FLAVORS... Again I find another product that will not go in my mouth. Is Raw Honey a good alternative? But the calories? Time to do additional research. Time to plant Stevia plants. Thanks Lisa. You truly are an Angel!!
Vicky says
Excellent article, however, you should let people know that even natural stevia is high in oxalates, which should not be taken by anyone with a digestive disorder.
Temmaman says
For that matter, beet leaves and roots are also high in oxalates.
temmaman says
There are some broad brush conclusions that are troubling to me.
1. Sugar is not dangerous. Over consumption is unhealthy, and so is over consumption of caffeine, carbs, fat, water, and just about anything.
2. Silicone dioxide, although found in silica gel, is not toxic. It is ubiquitous in a lot of foods and has been determined by the FDA to be virtually non-toxic. Morton's table salt and Metamucil, for example, contain it. Now if you eat sand on the beach, which is also SiO2, you will of course run the risk of tissue abrasion because it is coarse and large in particle size distribution. The reason silica gel you find in electronic and dry packaging is toxic is due to the colorants that are added to it to indicate moisture content. This includes Cobalt Chloride and Methyl Violet. Both of these are not safe for consumption.
3. The sweetener industry might be rich but they have no ultimate influence over the FDA in terms of approvals for food contact. There are series of protocols and tox studies to be fulfilled under GLP conditions that do not bend to lobby or industrial pressure.
jenifer divine says
TO tropical traditions: thank you for your response to my posting; a few things come to mind: 1) i live in the tropics, in Thailand, and we produce more than enough coconut products of all kinds for our own use, as well as export; 2) i do not know about the situation in the Phillipines, but am sure that their usual greed & mismanagement has led to the situation you speak of there 3)those NOT in the tropics should NOT really be consuming tropical fruits, veggies, products, etc- IF IT GROWS NEAR YOU, YOU SHOULD BE EATING IT (providing, of course its organic and non-GMO) 4) not to mention the complete unsustainability of transporting products from the tropics to temperate climates 4)why don't you source your coconut products from YOUR hemisphere, YOUR continent???- Mexico (southern half),Guatemala, Central America, etc- all are much closer... and lastly, 5) you've given me an idea; since my home is already ringed by dozens of coconut trees, i will grow some dwarf trees in my backyard for sugar (i would grow them in my frontyard, but there are already 6 papaya trees that have sprouted up... SUMMARY: it is presumptuous to speak of sustainability in a product you have to go 1/2-way around the world, far away from your climate zone no less, in order to
Critical Reader says
Jenifer, I answered to your other post before I saw that you posted again. I guess, we agree on how ridiculous it is to ship things around the globe and ignore the stuff growing in front of our door. Even more ridiculous, the people resuming to those products are frequently considering themselves as well-informed, conscious about the environment, proud of their "sustainable" life-style. They take an airplane to far-away countries and think they are traveling "sustainably" because they picked a "sustainable" hotel.
jenifer divine says
that's my point exactly; one should eat what grows nearby where they live; if it grows there, and they live there, they should eat THAT... i tried to email "tropical whatever their name is" who responded to me about coconut palm sugar and how they are such a great company- i tried to ask them why don't they at least get their cocnuts from Central America or Mexico instead of the Phillipines; but couldn't send to them because the "security jumble-thingy" kept refusing me...
Beth says
I have 3 Stevia plants growing in my raised beds right now. I've had them for 4 years. They are a hardy plant in NC. I dehydrate the leaves that I do not use immediately and store them in a glass jar. I also have several bottles of Stevia liquid in my freezer. I made those with alcohol, but have found a video that just uses water. I would much rather use this than any other sweetener. I thought I was doing good with Truvia, but just recently saw just how over processed that was and unhealthy for us. That is now out of the house.
Let me just add, just one dehydrated Stevia leaf will sweeten a glass of iced tea. I let it sit in the iced tea. However, the longer it sits, the sweeter it became.
Tara says
I'm not sure coconut palm sugar is a good recommendation: http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/coconut_palm_sugar.htm
Kate Upton says
I was looking for health related website to review many issue. Now I've found your blog site with lots of amazing information. You did really excellent work. I'll read your blog regular basis.
sabina says
Thank you for this info i had no idea this product has been adulterated! i just checked my stevia brand and it has inulin fiber as an ingredient....googled it and there are mixed reviews on this...what is your opinion?
SallyAshus says
Inulin also has a sweet taste to it, and our bodies don't digest it, so its calories don't count! If you have a tendency to get constipated, inulin can help end THAT problem--sometimes too well!
DJ says
Hi, just wanted to share an article I found that talks about the pros and cons of inulin. I was curious about it since it is the main ingredient in SweetLeaf. Hope it helps!
http://www.naturalnews.com/022356_inulin_food_ingredients.html
Jim says
As usual, it is always good to get such useful insights from this website, and I look forward to learning more. But seriously, "Sugar is one of the most dangerous ingredients on the market"?!? That is more than a few steps toward inflammatory rhetoric. And then it goes on to say that we can make our own stevia extract by soaking it in vodka. Vodka, which contains alcohol. Alcohol, which is both carcinogenic and toxic. And which does not get completely "burned off" by cooking. I believe that the truth of a thing is in need of no exaggeration. And I believe that you are doing a fine job without resorting to that.
Michelle Ritchie | Delicious Karma says
Oh, you have soooooooooo gotten me on this one! Stevia is my ULTIMATE food peeve...an ingredient I utterly despise. Why you ask? It tastes terrible. It has a bitter taste that I can pick out no matter how little is used. So, I would never eat products with Stevia simply because of that. But frankly, its also because IT IS NOT REAL FOOD!
What you find in all commercial foods is highly processed, as you've pointed out. It may have originated from a real, live plant, but it is no longer that...it is basically fake food masquerading as real food all through marketing. I was/am a food marketer. I have been at companies that have used Stevia and have been a part of food development. I am no expert, for sure, but I do know a thing or two about how its used and how its marketed.
In the end, if you need to sweeten something, use real suger. Or use agave. Or honey. Just use something real and use less of it. It's amazing how you can slowly cut sugar out of your diet if you really try. Most things don't even need as much sugar as you think. In some cases you can use fruit or even spices like cinnamon to add a natural sweet flavor without any added sugar.
In the end, I just believe in eating "real" foods that are as close to nature as possible. If you do, you'll be better off. OK, I may be dating myself, but do you remember the day when margarine was thought to be a better alternative to butter? As we now know, it is not! In fact, butter has some clear heath benefits (as long as it is used sparingly). So, best to stick with real food eaten in appropriate quantities.
SallyAshus says
Bless you, Michelle, for stating truth so well! We Americans are so used to having so much sugar and salt in our food, we often don't know what it actually tastes like.
Michelle Ritchie | Delicious Karma says
Thanks Sally! I SO agree! And, scarily, processed food manufacturers purposefully develop "crave-worthy" food items that contain lots of both...only so we crave more of it. It's a terrible cycle that can only be broken by not eating any of it (or at least very little). Thankfully I was raised by a very health-conscious mother who maintained a completely organic garden with everything possible in it. She froze, canned, and made everything from scratch; never ever anything from a box of or a can. And no soda or sweets or sugared cereals anywhere! At the time I wasn't happy about it, but now I am thrilled as it gave me the basis for my eating habits today...and made me much more knowledgeable. That is another thing so many folks don't know much about...where their food comes from, how it is grown, and what it should really look like, smell like and taste like!