Stevia is a natural sweetener obtained from the Stevia Rebaudiana Bertoni plant that can be used to replace sugar in juices, teas, cakes and other sweets, as well as in various industrialized products, such as soft drinks, processed juices, chocolates and jellies.
Stevia is made of steviol glycoside, called rebaudiside A, which the FDA considers safe and can be found in powder, granules or liquid and can be purchased in supermarkets or health food stores.
- It is also possible to grow the plant and use its leaves to soften it.
- But this use is not yet regulated by the FDA due to lack of scientific evidence.
- Stevia has the sweetening power of 200 to 300 times more than normal sugar and has a bitter taste.
- Which can slightly alter the taste of food.
Stevia can be used daily to sweeten any food or drink, such as coffee and tea, for example. In addition, as the properties of stevia remain stable at high temperatures, it can also be used in the process of making cakes, biscuits that go into the oven, for example.
However, it is important to remember that one gram of stevia equals 200 to 300 grams of sugar, i.e. it does not take many drops or tablespoons of stevia for food or drink to sweeten. In addition, it is recommended that the use of this natural sweetener be done according to the nutritionist’s guidelines, especially if the person has a basic disease such as diabetes or high blood pressure, or is pregnant, for example.
An adequate daily intake of stevia per day is between 7.9 and 25 mg / kg.
Compared to artificial sweeteners, such as sodium cyclamate and aspartame, stevia has the following benefits:
The price of the stevia sweetener ranges from R$ 4 to R $ 15.00, depending on the size of the bottle and where it is purchased, which ends up coming out cheaper than buying normal sugar, since it only takes a few drops to sweeten the food, so the sweetener lasts a long time.
In general, the use of stevia is considered safe for health, but in some cases side effects such as nausea, muscle pain and weakness, abdominal swelling and allergy may occur.
In addition, it should only be used in children, pregnant women or in cases of diabetes or high blood pressure, as it may result in a lower than normal drop in blood sugar or blood pressure. , putting the person’s health at risk.
Another side effect of stevia is that it can affect kidney function and should be used with caution and only under the control of the doctor in case of kidney disease.
Discover other ways to soften food naturally.