Popular Stevia Products

It seems that virtually everyone today is looking for an alternative to sugar. One of the most common ones is Stevia. Stevia is not only the name of a sweetener, but also the plant that it's extracted from. In fact, for hundreds of years the Stevia plant has been cultivated in South America. It's native to Paraguay and Brazil.  

During the first part of the 1900s, the popularity of Stevia exploded. However, since then, there's been some debate about whether the sweeter is a healthy substitute to sugar, or whether consumers should avoid using it.  

What's the difference between Stevie and sugar? One noticeable difference is that Stevia is significantly sweeter than other types of sweeteners. So much less is required in order to sweeten foods and beverages. Stevie is also virtually calorie-free, which makes it a popular sweetener with dieters. Yet another main benefit of Stevie is that the body processes it extremely slower, thus lowering the risk of a "sugar high." Some clinical studies have shown that Stevia could even be healthy for diabetics.

So with so many benefits, what are the criticisms of Stevia? Some research has indicated that Stevia could cause cancer and reproductive malfunctioning. However, it's interesting to note that Stevia is already used widely throughout South America and Asia, and no clear side-effects have been observed. So it's highly likely that more clinical studies will be conducted on the product. 

Here are some common products on the market that contain Stevia: 

Purevia: Purevia is a sweeter that contains the Stevia plant. It has been available in the United States since December, 2009. The USA's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has verified that the sweetener is as safe as any other substitute for sugar. Purevia is contained in various types of products, such as certain Pepsi Co. products.  

Sobe Lifewater: Are you drinking enough water? Many so-called "diet" drinks are actually unhealthy, due to dyes and high-calorie sweeteners that they contain. Sobe Lifewater is different, since it contains zero calories, as well as several vitamins and minerals. That includes antioxidants, which help to defend your body against certain illnesses and diseases.  

Truvia: Truvia is a natural sweetener that also contains extracts from the Stevia plant. The result is a basic, zero-calorie sweetener that can be used for a myriad of products. In fact, a single packet of Truvia contains an equal amount of sweetener as two teaspoons of ordinary sugar. Recently, a spoonable variety of Truvia was introduced on the market.   

Zevia: Zevia is zero-calorie soda that's advertised as a type of diet soda that Mother Nature has produced. This drink has the traditional taste of soda. However, Zevia is all-natural, and contains no artificial flavors, sweeteners, or preservatives. Is also contains natural caffeine contained in the kola nut and coffee. Zevia also lacks the calcium-depleting ingredient of phosphoric acid, and instead contains natural tartaric acid found in grapes.  

Already used for hundreds of years, Stevia is becoming increasingly popular throughout the world, as a sugar substitute. While clinical studies continue, it seems to be a viable zero-calorie alternative to sugar.