Glucose is the source of life and it’s primarily found in carbohydrates – even though both protein and fats can also convert to glucose. Every cell in your body needs glucose to create energy.
The problem is when you have TOO much glucose and thus, your blood sugar levels are elevated most of the day and your body OVER secretes insulin.
What most people don’t know is that elevated blood sugar and insulin levels are a large contributor causing heart disease, weight gain, accelerated aging, and of course – a major cause of type 2 diabetes.
But I Like Sugar – I Like My “Sweets”
Now, the problem with regular table sugar is that it raises your blood sugar levels sky-high.
And artificial sweeteners such as Sucralose or Aspartame, are just loaded with negative side effects.
So, today I want to talk about Stevia…
- What Is It?…
- Is it safe?…
- Does it raise your blood sugar?…
- If daily use can eventually cause diabetes, like some of the other artificial sweeteners?…
What Is Stevia?
Stevia is a natural product made from a plant that grows in South America. It’s basically an “herb”, so it’s not artificial like other sweeteners such as Aspartame (Equal®), Saccharin (Sweet N Low®) or Sucralose (Splenda®).
The active compounds of Stevia are up to 150 times the sweetness of sugar1 and are heat-stable (good for cooking), pH-stable, and nonfermentable.
Is Stevia Safe?
Stevia has been used for centuries and it’s extremely popular in Japan.
One of the features that make it so famous is that it has virtually no calories and… being sweeter than candy can be a plus for many people.
There are over 90 studies about Stevia’s safety, so the FDA already approved it as a natural sweetener.
Does Stevia Raise Blood Sugar Levels?
Stevia doesn’t just keep your glucose level steady, it can help lower it.
There is quite a bit of research on this, and studies have shown that eating foods prepared with Stevia can lower blood sugar, and even better, increase insulin sensitivity.
This means that with continued use (along with the right diet and supplements), it can actually help decrease your risk for diabetes and may help reverse it!3
Summary & Important Facts
- It doesn’t raise blood sugar, it lowers it. Its glycemic index is zero, which means that it will not be converted into glucose.
- Stevia has no calories.
- It can help lower insulin levels and protect against insulin insensitivity.
- Stevia can help you lose weight because when you use it as a sweetener, your body will be deprived of sugars, therefore it will mobilize fat and burn it for energy.
- It decreases cravings for sweets, so you won’t fall into temptation in the supermarket.
- Stevia is rich in minerals, vitamins, and phytonutrients.1
- It protects you from candida overgrowth, because it is a sweet without glucose in it, so the fungus will just starve to death.
Stevia is a great way to protect yourself from the risks of high blood sugar by using it as a safe alternative to regular sugar and artificial sweeteners…
But it isn’t a get-out-of-jail-free card.
In order to live a healthy life for a long time, you still have to pay attention to your diet, exercise regularly, and consider taking proper supplements (specific herbs, vitamins and minerals) to speed up the results.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevia
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14681850
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2900484/
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1204764
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1490021