It’s Q & A Saturday! This is a special weekly post of answering reader questions in more elaborate detail.
This weeks question comes from a reader in New Zealand who asks,
"What should I look for when purchasing stevia?" What brands do you recommend?"
My response:
While I've researched quite a bit about Stevia I am by no means an expert, but I do know there are certain ingredients that I choose to steer clear of when purchasing stevia. I look for as few ingredients on the label as possible. I stay away from brands that have additives like rebiana, dextrose and maltodextrin and here's why:
Rebiana- is the trade name for high-purity rebaudioside, also known as Reb-A. It is a 42-step procedure to derive Rebiana from the stevia leaves, using chemicals such as acetone, methanol, acetonitrile, isopropanol, tert-butano. Rebiana is a chemically modified form of stevia, it is NOT pure stevia.
Maltodextrin- Usually made from rice, corn, or potato starch, maltodextrin is produced by cooking down the starch. It is a processed additive. It is considered safe by the FDA, which is not the same thing as healthy. It is a basically a filler with no nutritional value. It is one of the first two ingredients in Splenda. My post "3 Splenda Myths Busted" is all about why I no longer use Splenda at all and therefore stay away from maltodextrin as well.
Dextrose- Dextrose, fructose, and glucose are all monosaccharides, known as simple sugars. These sugars can combine to form more complex sugars, including the disaccharide known as sucrose, or table sugar. I personally need to stay away from white table sugar because of the way it negatively effects me. Read this post about my sugar free journey for the reasons I've eliminated white flour and white sugar in my life.
Here are my top 3 brands of stevia I use because they do not contain any of the above ingredients. If you do not see the product listed in liquid or powder it is because it either had one of the above ingredients or contained alcohol which I find produces a terrible aftertaste.
1. Sweetleaf Stevia in liquid or powder (any flavor)
2. NuNaturals, vanilla, liquid form, alcohol free
3. Now Foods BetterStevia, 75 packets
Hopefully this post was informative for you to at least question the ingredients on the label when purchasing stevia. You may have been turned off from using it in the past because one of the above ingredients caused an aftertaste.
Just because products have the label stevia on them, does not mean they are all created equal.
Here's my personal STEVIA CONVERSION CHART for you to view and pin which shares how to exchange the different forms of stevia in liquid, packets, powdered and pure extract. Needing some help in reducing your sugar consumption? Here's 5 steps to take to reduce or eliminate how much sugar you consume!
Have you tried any of my top 3 brands? If so, your thoughts?
About Brenda
Brenda Bennett is a certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, certified Sugar Detox Coach, certified Keto Coach and certified Life Coach. She has been Sugar Free & Refined carb free for 17 years and has written 2 cookbooks, Sugar-Free Mom, and Naturally Keto and her 3rd book The 30-Day Sugar Elimination Diet, is a four part program to help you detox from sugar, eliminate cravings, balance blood sugar and lose weight all while eating a delicious, nutrient dense whole foods. Meal plan offers two tracks to follow, low carb or keto. She is the founder of the Sugar Free Fresh Start course and Sugar Free Tribe weight loss membership. Learn more.
Jessica
Hi Brenda, very informative article, it really helped me figure out what to look for and what to avoid when purchasing Stevia.
I noticed that many commenters are worried about silica (silicon dioxide) being dangerous as an added ingredient. I just wanted to clear up that silica is only dangerous when inhaled over long periods of time. This results in a serious respiratory illness called silicosis but is only really a concern for potters working with clay (which contains silica-when dry/dust will go into the air and be inhaled), among other occupations. What it does is absorb a lot of moisture, which it will do in the lungs and over time and enough exposure will result in difficulty breathing. It is also not expelled from the lungs, so once it's in there it's not coming back out. But it would only happen after 30+ years working without a respirator.
I believe the silica is likely added to the powder in small amounts to keep it dry while stored, and since you're not sniffing the stevia there would not be any problems caused by it.
Brenda
Thanks for the fantastic explanation Jessica!
Connie
Hi Brenda! Love all this info on Stevia! I bought Trivia ( without all this info) and it made at husband and I both sick. I did a search for pure dtevia and this is one that came up.
http//www.amazon.com/BulkSupplements-Pure-Stevia-Powder-500g/dp/B00DSQZNEG/ref=sr_1_38?ie=UTF8&qid=1393266137&sr=8-38&keywords=stevia
Any info or opinion? I can't read ingredients list. Thank you!! Connie
Connie
Hello Connie,
Just read your post on pure powder stevia on Amazon from Bulksupplements.com. I went to their website and searched for stevia. I saw the pure stevia powder and the only ingredients listed are 3 extracts Stevia, Steviosides, and Rebaudiosides which all come from the stevia plant. Under "other ingredients" the word "none" is listed.
Sincerely,
Connie...too 🙂
Karen McKeown
has anyone tried Skinny Girl Stevia drops?
Karen McKeown
No one has asked about the flavored Stevia. We are looking for something to flavor our brewed ice tea other than lemon. Any thoughts?
Brenda
I purchase all my flavored stevia through iherb.com and my discount code is YAJ035. I like to use lemon flavored stevia for tea but you could also get berry flavored,etc. I have a "fruit punch" for my kids and if my daughter thought it was tea wouldn't drink it so I brew it when she isn't around LOL! They love it! https://www.sugarfreemom.com/recipes/homemade-sugar-free-kool-aid-fruit-punch-with-no-artificial-sweeteners/ and this is the lemon thyme iced tea recipe: https://www.sugarfreemom.com/recipes/sugar-free-lemon-thyme-iced-tea/
Karen McKeown
Do you use the crystals or the liquid drops?
Nancy Hill
Hello,
In the past I've always ued the band KAL Pure Stevia and it did NOT contain anything but stevia. All new bottles contain Maltodextrin. When I called the company their comment was "we don't make it with only stevia only anymore." Just thought I would pass this along to those of you using it. We really have to watch those labels for "new & improved" products. They are usually not improved at all as you can see with this item.
Andie
HI. I didn't read every post, so I'm not sure if this was addressed: I have only tried stevia a couple of times because I didn't like the taste. Not the aftertaste, but the chemical taste. To me it tastes more artificial than the artificial sweeteners. Is there any one brand that others really like the taste of?
Thanks
NC
http://www.swansonvitamins.com/en_US/images/ItemImages_SW/images_Xl/PYR002_Xl.jpg
This is what I buy, is this an ok stevia to get?
Brenda
This is baking stevia which will be easy to replace with recipes that call for white sugar. In my recipes I use natural pure stevia and they are not the same here. I mostly use liquid stevia extract or powder for most of my recipes so very little is needed.
Renee
I used KAL stevia (loved the taste) through June and July. By July I had no energy and was needing a nap everyday. It wasn't just a regular tired feeling, but that extremely tired feeling that I get when I take Benadryl. In August I quit using it for a couple of weeks, started feeling better, went back to it and started feeling tired again, quit using it and tried it one last time with the same results. Is there something in KAL that is negatively affecting me or do some people just have this trouble with stevia or was I just using too much? The label reads "Pure Stevia Dietary Supplement, Natural Extract" and on the back it says, "Stevia Extract (Stevia rebaudiana) (leaf) 42mg. Thanks for your help. I really would like to find out what the problem is so that I can use stevia.
TONYA
I really like the convenience factor of Sweet Leaf. Some others I like are Stevita, especially their gum. I also LOVE this Canadian company, http://suedehills.com/ (they have the best raw organic and really green stevia with no bitter aftertaste) and fresh grown (which is easy to grow) and then dehydrated. I just grind the leaves right into my tea, etc.
GiGi Eats Celebrities
Hi Brenda, question: how do you feel about the new stevia formula nunaturals has been using. I've been usin their 100% pure white stevia extract for 12 years and this year they changed stevia supplier and sadly it now tastes terrible!
Now I'm on the hunt for a new stevia powder, that's 100% free of other ingredients, what do you recommend other than NOW? I've tried NOW and it's not quite what I'm looking for!
jaydee
Thank you GiGi Eats Celebrities....I was looking for an explanation as to why NuNatural stevia powder seemed to suddenly be very weak, I though I had developed some kind of resistance. Now I realize it started with the new bottle I bought recently. Too bad, I also have used it for many years. Thanks for posting your comment. Saved me a lot of wondering and thinking I'm just weird !!! Guess I will look into Sweetleaf. Any one tried growing their own ??
Leslie Udvardi
In regards to the rebaudiana vs rebiana issue, I found the following:
http://blog.evokeelegance.com/2011/01/stevia-imposters.html
According to scientists who analyzed Truvia, it is 9/10 of 1% Rebiana and masking agent. Rebiana is not an ingredient in the stevia plant, nor is it found in nature. It is produced by the action of chemicals and stringent alcohols on various stevia glycosides. Rebiana is simply the trade name Cargill gave their chemically derived product in 2008. The FDA “No Questions” letter states that Rebiana contains residues of ethanol and methanol.
Rebiana is commonly confused with Rebaudioside-A (Reb-A). Reb-A is one of the 11 glycoside compounds naturally within the stevia leaf and is about 400 times sweeter than sugar. So a little goes a very long way! Reb-A is produced by the action of sunlight on the leaves. Do you think they named it similarly as a mere coincidence?
Sherry Hogan
I just purchased some original Now Better Stevia, and rice maltodextrin is listed as well as silica.
Brenda
If you click the link to the Now Better Stevia you will see no rice maltodextrin is listed in the ingredients.
Jessica
But silica is not safe, either ... Which was a deterrent to me in terms of purchasing the Now product.
Angie
Silica is actually a necessary trace mineral. It is necessary for collagen and GAGS formation, skin elasticity and wound healing. When ingested, it has a median lethal dose of 5000mg/kg. This would mean that someone weighing 150 lbs ( about 68 kg) would have to consume about 12 ounces (about 340,000mg), at one time, to kill them. That would be a heck of a lot of powdered stevia.
Silica is only truly dangerous when inhaled into the lungs.
Quit the fear mongering.
Erik
I work in the stevia industry for an organic company so maybe I can shed some light on this issue. Stevia Rebaudiana is the name of the plant, Rebaudiosides are just extracts of the plant. Reb A is the sweetest of the extracts and is what is found in retail products. I can tell you that all the products you suggested do contain Reb A, but listing it as "stevia leaf extract" is not incorrect. Reading labels is VERY important, but also remember that the companies trying to sell to you also know about this. Especially in the organic and natural trade where the consumers are more inclined to care about labels, companies are going to do everything they can to make the products sound nice for the consumer.
Reb A is perfectly safe to consume, but if you are worried about how the processing is done I would go with an organic certified Non-GMO verified product.
Another comment brought up erythritol. This is also a great sweetener and is naturally found in nature in small amounts. It is 0.2 calories per gram (calorie free per serving), has zero glycemic effect, about 70% the sweetness of sugar, and no glycemic effect like all the other polyols like xylitol. Until recently most of the erythritol has been processed from GMO corn. The company I work for is constantly trying make these great alternatives available to label conscious people like myself and so we just launched the first Organic and Non-GMO Project verified erythritol. We are currently only selling to food and beverage manufacturers but will make it available with our other retail products next year.
All quality and standards aside, if you are just starting you healthier lifestyle journey, it may not be as important nit pick the label just yet. If you are in need of losing 100lbs, then the benefits to your life from losing the weight will out way any small negative of a slightly processed ingredient(still look out for the big bad bunch). Once you have made it to a sustainable goal and are comfortable with making changes and not falling backwards, THEN take the next step in scrutinizing the labels.
Jess
Thank you Erik for enlightening us about these factors.. I'm in France and Stevia is not very common yet... What's your thought about the dried green leaf powder? Do you think it'll give the bitter aftertaste? Thank you so much in advance!
dee+davis
ERIC!!! WHOO HOO exactly what I tired to explain when someone stated that Rebaudiana is BAD don't use it .
I researched it and found just as you posted, that Rebaudiana is the name of the plant, as you stated , and best to use that in its Organic non GMO form, is the BEST way to go, IMO, .
I wont use Truvia or stevia , I use the exact ingredient of REBAUDIANA which provides the leaves its sweetness.
Well done !
Karen
I recently found SweetLeaf in little tablets (SteviaTabs). It lists and ingredient called Cellulose. Can you comment on what this is? Should I avoid it?
Brenda
Please read the commenter above Jessica who has explained in depth about silica and here is an article to support it’s use in small amounts. http://www.vitalhealthzone.com/nutrition/minerals/silica.html
“Silicon Dioxide Safety
Silica is not digested or absorbed in the intestinal tract, which means it poses no risk of toxicity. Silicon dioxide is “generally recognized as safe” — or GRAS — by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Although kidney stones may form with consumption of massive amounts of silica over a long period, the amount of silica in food, pharmaceuticals and supplements is not significant enough to cause stone formation or other side effects” http://www.livestrong.com/article/520897-what-is-silicon-dioxide-in-supplements/
dee+davis
cellulose is a binding ingredient to emulsify a product, its a Chemical not GREAT , but in almost every thing .
BE CAUTIOUS OF SOY PRODUCTS THOUGH!
WE Only eat Non fermented SOY , its in ALL we eat in every sports bar and diet shake etc and cereal .
IT took the place of corn , adn wheat for farmers due to being so much cheaper to farm AND it KILLS and causes many health inflammatory diseases.
we in USA think that SOY , soybeans, soy oil etc , TOFU, is SOOO healthy because we were sold a lie that JAPANESE EAT SOY and causes great long life and no health issues.
Thats half the Truth .
My Very well renowned DR . and Internist, is Japanese.
in Japan they don't eat what we get from our FARMERS , which is NON- FERMENTED SOY PRODUCTS
ItS ALL WE GET ACCESS TO IN USA, in yogurts, diet bars, protein shakes , cereals , bread everything.
The ONLY GOOD SOY IS FERMENTED , and THAT IS WHAT IS eaten by Japanese.
They also mainly eat SEA Vegetables that have naturally occurring SOYs protein and they FERMENT their SOY before eating .
ITS HOW they avoid cancers and diseases killing us , why they are the Healthiest folks in world and live disease FREE.
NON FERMENTED SoY is a USA staple , so cheaply grown, it replaced wheat costs to farm... so farmers in USA became soy bean farmers for profit margins... at first NOT knowing what we know now , about SOY health issues.
ITS in soy ice cream , yogurts, tofu products, soy protein isolate in sports drinks, diet products and diet protein bars , shakes and cereals.
ITS IN all we eat, I can hardly find any thing without soy lecithin or soy bean oil etc. soy in some form
They in Japan , don't get cancers and Celiac diseases , IBS , colitis etc. by avoiding Non fermented soy, we Only have Non fermented soy products in the in USA .
Unless you shop in a small Japanese whole food market , and ask for Fermented soy tofu, oils etc.
I chose to avoid ALL soy even as preservative in vitamins.
I eat NON GMO foods and organic, sugar free, no breads of any kind or sweets, sucralose free, aspartame free and use only pure organic stevia in my daily vice of coffee. no cereals because the body really doesn't need complex carbs like whole grains , if u eat 3/4 cup whole rolled oat meal a day its enough fiber and carbs 3x a week and wont raise Insulin or sugar levels .
No other bread is really needed in our diets that's where the ASIA and Mediterranean diets differ and why OBESITY is not an issue in those countries they Don't eat or h Access fast food or processed foods , that we here LIVE ON.
GOOD Health to you
Angela Statton-Hunt
Hi, I'm at the beginning of a 100 pound weight loss journey. I'm one of those people that if I tell myself I cant have something, I want it more. I'll crave it until there is literally nothing else I can think about. My biggest downfall has been sweet drinks. I love soda! So I went to diet soda until I found out that aspartame turns into formaldehyde at temperatures higher than 84 degrees. People were suffering from MS symptoms and were dying. When research was done these so called MS disgnosis was formaldehyde poisoning, poisoning from drinking diet soda. I just couldn't poison myself any longer. I started my search for a sweet drink that wouldn't kill me. I found out that stevia and crystaline xylitol were the only healthy sweeteners that didn't metabolize in your body like sugar. If you're on a diet and your body is metabolizing these supposed "diet" sweeteners like aspartame just like sugar, guess what your negating everything you're trying to do. I decided tea with stevia was the way for me. However, be very careful, even within the same brand they make the products differently. For example in the raw stevia in the packets does not contain maltodextrin however get it in the big package for baking and it does. I found out my body does not react well to maltodextrin. I get horrible headaches, I had stomach pain, and embarrasing gas. On top of all that I started gaining weight, almost completely negating my hard won 10 pound weight loss. All this from maltodextrin. I haven't tried another brand yet but sweetleaf is my next choice. My only problem is justifing the price compared to sugar. But if the conversions equal out I might be able to justify it.
Brenda
Thank you for sharing and good luck on you journey, thanks for joining me here.
Mary Kay
I really like this site. It is great to see others' responses in using such a wonderful product. I have used just plain Sweet Leaf white powder Stevia (no inulin)for several years now. I read that green is much better, so I will switch, but may still use the white powder from time to time, to keep cost down. I use a tsp to sweeten my 2 qt. container of fresh mint ice tea with every year.
I have read WebMd.com information on Stevia. This is a very credible site. Here is their link. http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-682-STEVIA.aspx?activeIngredientId=682&activeIngredientName=STEVIA
I hope you find it very informative as much as I did.
The only thing I can say is the whiter the product, the more it has been messed around with and I have found a website that grows their own organic Stevia plants and alfalfa plants in Canada. Their green powder Stevia is healthy according to them. You can be the judge. It is a little pricey, but I am looking to purchase some products. Here is their link:
http://suedehills.com/
Good luck everyone in your search for healthier alternatives for sugar. I will stay with Stevia.
Elizabeth
I enjoyed reading your webpage concerning Stevia. Very very informative. I do have one question please. Option #3 The organic BetterStevia...that you gave as being safe, contains silica ( aka sand). This is not a safe additive for human consumption. Just curious why you listed this product as a healthy alternative?
Diana
So ,Brenda skipped your question? I see she reply others after you asked.i though this article was very informative ,not so much after avoiding your question.
Brenda
That's because I already answered it for another commenter and now I just posted it again.
Brenda
Please read the commenter above Jessica who has explained in depth about silica and here is an article to support it’s use in small amounts. http://www.vitalhealthzone.com/nutrition/minerals/silica.html
“Silicon Dioxide Safety
Silica is not digested or absorbed in the intestinal tract, which means it poses no risk of toxicity. Silicon dioxide is “generally recognized as safe” — or GRAS — by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Although kidney stones may form with consumption of massive amounts of silica over a long period, the amount of silica in food, pharmaceuticals and supplements is not significant enough to cause stone formation or other side effects” http://www.livestrong.com/article/520897-what-is-silicon-dioxide-in-supplements/
Jeanne
I use two kinds of stevia one from Trader Joe's Stevia Extract which has Rice Maltodextrin & Silica in it & Wholesome Sweetner Organic Stevia from DeCicco's which has Organic Agave Inulin, Organic Stevia Extract
(Stevia rebaudiana), Silica. I gained a lot of weight within the last year like 40 lbs & haven't increased my food intake, matter of fact, I am eating less food but drinking more cups of tea w/stevia in them. Can this be the cause of my weight gain especially the stomach area?
Melanie
Agave can cause you to put on fat.
Donna
Thank you Brenda for sharing this info with us. I came upon your site wanting to make sure I had the best Stevia,because I too saw that the stevia I was using had dextrose with it. We have to read people.
I use stevis to make bread,smothies,on yogurt.
whatch out for frozen fruit flavor greek yogut ,they have maltidexrin and other bad sugars. We plan on making our own. Just when you thought they have a great product they go ahead and srew it up with chemicals.
Look before you buy people! And Brenda you are a gem.
Brenda
Thank you Donna! I appreciate you!
Isabel
Very pleased with all the info. Thanks Brenda! Great to see consistant feedback u give too.
wendy myers
All of the nunaturals products contain maltodextrin. Their microfiber baking products contain maltodextrin and dextrose. You may want to take it off your recommended list. I'm sure the maltrodextrin is GMO as there is no mention on their site boasting that they use non-GMO corn to make the maltodextrin.
Brenda
No you are incorrect. The alcohol free liquid version I shared above does not contain maltodextrin.
Elizabeth
Rebiana- is the trade name for high-purity rebaudioside, also known as Reb-A. It is a 42-step procedure to derive Rebiana from the stevia leaves, using chemicals such as acetone, methanol, acetonitrile, isopropanol, tert-butano. Rebiana is a chemically modified form of stevia, it is NOT pure stevia. SO I AM CONFUSED IS Stevia rebaudiana BAD THEN? I HAVE USED BETTER NOW BUT THE ONE I PURCHASED HAS MALDEXTRIN. fyi
Robin
I have been using Trader Joes stevia. It doesn't have a bad aftertaste as some brands do. The only other ingredient listed is lactose. I assume this is an ok version?
Brenda
I will have to check that out the next time I go there.
Eli
Hi dear, I'm from Mexico. I've been watching your post. I would like to know, finally, what is the stevia that you recommend? because I've been researching and according to Dr. Mercola is better the liquid extract like english toffee. But I see that the liquids have alcohol. What do you recommend me? Another question, to make cakes and cookies what's the best stevia, are the liquid or powder? Thanks y Saludos desde México.
Brenda
The brand of liquid stevia I shared above does not contain alcohol.
Debbie
Hi guys! I'm a total newbie here but I'm thinking about cutting out refined sugar. I've learned a lot from reading the thread. Will have to go back and re-read before I buy any Stevia. Thanks for all of the good info!