Abstract

Nutraceuticals 2020: Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni: a natural alternative sweetener and its benefits on glycemic response of type 2 diabetic patients

Author(s): Hajifaraji Majid

The researchers concluded that stevia is safe for people with diabetes to use as a substitute for sugar and other sweeteners. A 2013 study in rats reported that using whole stevia leaf powder as a dietary supplement led to lower blood sugar levels. Stevia is great for people with diabetes and will not raise blood sugar levels. It’s actually my sweetener of choice. So, what is Stevia? Stevia is a completely natural sweetener since it’s simply an extract from the leaves of the plant species Stevia Rebaudiana. Though widely available throughout the world, in 1991 stevia was banned in the U.S. due to early studies that suggested the sweetener may cause cancer. ... In December 2008, the FDA accepted this argument, declared stevia GRAS, and allowed its use in mainstream U.S. food production. The body does not react to stevia as it does with sucrose from sugar so there is no insulin production; the steviol glycosides passes unchanged through the body (as opposed to sugar) down to the colon where the glycoside is removed in stages by hydrolysis, resulting in the formation of steviol. Stevia is probably the healthiest