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Q. In your book, Best Choices from The People's Pharmacy, you said that the no-calorie sweetener Stevia rebaudiana was not approved for use in the United States. I have some great news for you!
I found it in a nonsugar sweetener in the supermarket under the brand name of "OnlySweet." It is made by Sunwin Stevia International Corp., and their website is www.onlysweet.com.
I am a type 2 diabetic with high blood pressure. Not only does this sweetener lower my blood sugar, it also helps reduce my blood pressure. I am enthusiastic!
A. Thanks for the alert. The FDA has just approved a stevia extract for use in soft drinks. Both CocaCola and Pepsi are expected to introduce drinks containing this product within a short time.
Unfortunately, the product the FDA approved, rebaudioside A, does not seem to lower blood sugar or blood pressure in animals (Review of Diabetic Studies, Summer 2005). A different stevia extract, stevioside, brought both blood pressure and blood sugar under control in rat experiments. We were not able to determine which extract is found in the OnlySweet product you are using.
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I purchased a Trader Joe's brand of '100%' Stevia. In reading the label, though, it is stevia rebaudiana. It says it is made from the whole leaf. Thank you for explaining what we can and cannot expect in the way of benefits from this type of stevia. Where else would we get such useful information.
I have been using stevia at the advice of one of my physicians for quite a long time. I actually have two brands. One uses rebaudiana; the other package says "standardized to a minimum of 90% Steviodes, including 40% Rebaudiode A". The brand name is Sweet Leaf and I found it in a health food store.
I have been using Sweet Leaf Stevia for a few years, use it instead of sugar in my coffee. I thought Stevia was a natural herb? I read the posts about Rabaudioside, what is that? Is it harmful? Please someone explain.
PEOPLE'S PHARMACY RESPONSE: THE FDA RECENTLY APPROVED REBAUDIOSIDE, DERIVED FROM STEVIA, AS A SWEETENER. IT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE DANGEROUS.
Sweet Leaf is great. I was hoping it was safe; so that is encouraging that Coke and Pepsi are using it! go figure. Thanks for all the research
Information on compounds of stevia is very confusing. The vitamin sales websites I order from use the word stevioside simply as a name for stevia, no distinction between stevioside and rebaudioside.
Does this mean stevioside is not for sale in the US
or do all stevia products contain stevioside &
rebaudioside? I am interested in a product that
might lower BP.
PEOPLE'S PHARMACY RESPONSE: THE ACTUAL LEAF WOULD CONTAIN BOTH. THE NEWER EXTRACTS APPROVED BY FDA ARE REBAUDIOSIDE A.
I came across a great all natural sweetener called Stevia Extract in the Raw. I love the taste of it. I recently switched over from Splenda as I wanted to stop using products with aspartame in it. I use it to sweeten all my drinks as well as bake with it. You can find it at your local grocery store.
I've used stevia as a sweetener for several years,
I'm 73 years old and b/p is 129/82.
I've been using stevia for sweetening homemade sports drinks. I also use stevia as a flavor enhancer in my fruit-ade homemade sports drink whenever the diluted fruit juice needs a flavor boost.
Does anyone have any information on Stevia and if it reacts with cholesterol medicine/statins?