Stevia: The Safe Natural Sweetener

How can you satisfy your sweet tooth and avoid the dangers of sugar and its evil synthetic cousins? Try stevia. It is up to 300 times sweeter than white sugar (sucrose). It’s all natural. It’s safe.

Stevia by law may not be sold in the U.S. as a sweetener or food additive, but can be sold or used as a dietary supplement. Natural stevia comes from an herb in the chrysanthemum family. Pure white powder stevia and liquid stevia do not contain maltodextrins. Pure stevia is very low glycemic response and does not elevate blood sugar (glucose). Do not look for stevia as a sugar or sweetener. It is branded or labeled as stevia only.

The U.S. government and the sugar/artificial sweetener industry don’t want you to have stevia, or even know about it. In the United States, any consumable food or drink that contains stevia is considered “adulterated.” Since the 1980s, the FDA has labeled stevia as an “unsafe food additive.” The FDA enforcement position has included search-andseizure with “import alerts.”

The FDA has treated stevia as if it were an illegal drug.

Stevia advocates (including yours truly) believe that it is a safe, natural, non-caloric sweetening agent. The Japanese have consumed stevia for many years without adverse reactions.

The charge that American sweet addicts would use more than the rest of the world and thereby use “possible” toxic amounts is ludicrous. Stevia is extremely sweet, and if the pure white crystalline is used, only a very light dust is required to sweeten anything.

As a natural sweetener, those who wish to avoid chemical and non-natural sweeteners prefer stevia. Is the huge sugar trust (including the very big non-calorie sweetener industry in the U.S.) politically blocking the acceptance of stevia? Would you suspect from their record that the powerful sweetener interests do not want the natural, inexpensive, and non-patentable stevia approved in the U.S.?

Stevia is a natural herb sweetener that is up to 300 times sweeter than sugar. Amazingly, though, pure stevia is low glycemic and therefore will not elevate blood glucose. South Americans have used this totally non-caloric sweet herb over 1,500 years. It is widely used all over the world, but as you would guess, it cannot be sold as a sweetener in the United States because of pressure from lobbyists for the artificial sweetener cartel and the FDA. It can be purchased only as a dietary supplement. So what?

“In addition to its natural, powerfully sweet taste, (you only use a very mild, light dusting) research shows that stevia actually regulates blood sugar and reduces high blood pressure. It’s an extremely effective aid in weight loss and weight management because it contains no calories. It also reduces your desire for alcohol and tobacco use,” said Dr. James Balch in his newsletter Prescriptions for Healthy Living.

Stevia has no glycemic index, which means that it does not affect insulin in any negative way. This is good news to a nation of diabetics. It’s a miracle as a food supplement for everybody.

A very small amount goes a long way; in fact, far less than other so-called sugar substitutes and it has a neutral taste. Research in Japan has found stevia to be perfectly safe for use in any food recipe, chewing gum, or mouthwash. The Japanese use it for cereals, herbal teas, coffee, and anything else that needs a touch of sweetness.

Stevia is high in chromium (which helps to stabilize blood sugar), manganese, potassium, selenium, silicon, sodium and vitamin A. It also contains iron, niacin, phosphorus, riboflavin, thiamine, vitamin C and zinc. So you see, stevia is an excellent food dietary supplement.

Stevia (far more powerful than sugar) is consumed around the world.

Research has demonstrated that stevia liquid concentrate inhibits the growth and reproduction of harmful bacteria and other infectious organisms, including those that are a problem for the food and cosmetic industries. Stevia also inhibits the growth of gum disease bacteria and tooth decay, and in many countries it is used in oral hygiene products.

You can make your own concentrated stevia liquid by diluting stevia powder with water. Simply swish in your mouth and swallow. This ability of stevia to destroy infectious organisms may help explain why stevia users report fewer colds and flu.

Less known but no less remarkable is the ability of waterbased stevia concentrate to help heal numerous skin problems, including acne, seborrhea (discharge of sebaceous matter on the head causing dry scales or dandruff), dermatitis, and eczema. It has also been observed that placing it on cuts and wounds brings more rapid healing without scarring. It may cause a severe stinging for several seconds, but is followed by a significant lowering of pain. Physicians have reported using stevia concentrate to heal psoriasis and burns, while others have reported that it is extremely helpful in healing various lip sores.

Daniel Mowrey, Ph.D., a scientist and director of The American Phytotherapy Research Laboratory says, “Few substances as stevia have ever yielded completely non-toxic tests whether used internally or externally. There has never been any known abnormalities in weight change, cell or membrane characteristics, enzyme or chromosome characteristics, no cancer, no birth defects, no acute and no chronic negative effects.”

As a sweetener, it only takes a very light dust of stevia concentrate, making stevia far less expensive than all other sweeteners. Switching to stevia concentrate for all your sweet needs can be an extremely important step in restoring your health and in reversing the aging process.

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