Stevia is a natural sweetener, not lab-created, which originates in South America. It is available in different forms; as a granular powder, dried leaves, or as an extract. Obesity is on the rise in the USA, so more and more people are turning away from sugar and looking for sugar substitutes. There are a number of reasons why stevia is better for the population than artificial sweeteners and refined, processed sugar.

• Stevia has no calories. Refined sugar has many calories, and while man-made artificial sweeteners do not have the calories, they do have many negative side-effects. I’ll discuss these more later.
• Stevia is not addictive. We all know that sugar is addictive, and artificial sweeteners promote cravings. Stevia may actually suppress cravings. I have been using stevia in my coffee for several years and my taste for sweets has definitely decreased. I no longer feel the need to have a sweet treat with my coffee. I also drink much less coffee than I used to, with much less stevia than I initially started with. 
• Stevia lowers blood pressure. The studies seem to prove that it lowers blood pressure for those who struggle with heightened blood pressure issues, not in people who have regular or low blood pressure. (1, 2)
• Stevia is great for diabetics. It has a glycemic index of zero! Refined sugar has a GI of 95. The higher the number, the worse it is for diabetics. A study comparing “fake” sweeteners with stevia also determined that using stevia reduces blood glucose and insulin after a meal. 
• Stevia is beneficial for oral health.  Consuming sugar allows bacteria to form on teeth, which causes plaque and cavities. Stevia will not coat teeth or allow the bacterial action that sugar does.
• Stevia does not have negative side effects in most people. There have been many reports through the years of headaches, dizziness, rashes, and stomach pains in people who use artificial sweeteners. These are just the most common issues reported, but there are more serious concerns (dementia, cancer, heart disease, etc) to be aware of when consuming synthetic “sugars.”  Dementia and cancer run in my family. This is the biggest reason I choose to use raw stevia rather than other sweeteners. 

Always use raw, pure stevia. Some commercially available brands add inulin or maltodextrin to their products. Read the ingredient lists on your boxes and bottles. I really am thankful for the choices we have in safe alternatives for sugar. I bake with raw stevia and add it to coffee and tea. I use about half the amount that a recipe calls for because it is really sweet and a little goes a long way. Add this ingredient to your pantry if you haven’t already!