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Featured Article
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Beating Obesity: One Calorie at a Time
In addition to reducing calorie intake, stevia contributes no carbohydrate or glycemic load (a measure of carbohydrate’s effect on blood sugar) and can thereby help a diabetic moderate their postprandial blood glucose and insulin levels. With lower blood sugar levels and insulin response, people may have more metabolic and hormonal control of hunger, promotion of fat deposition, and a reduced risk of obesity and chronic disease.
Read More
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Did You Know?
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Stevia is a plant that can be grown in your own garden.
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Ask the GSI Board
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Q.
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I tried the stevia sold at nutrition stores a few years ago but I didn’t like the taste. Now I hear that stevia is being added to foods and beverages sold in regular grocery stores. Is this the same stevia?
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A.
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The stevia being added to foods today comes from the same, natural stevia plant but is more highly purified, so now it delivers just that clean, pure sweet taste you're looking for but without the calories.
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Have a question?
Ask the Global Stevia Institute board all of your stevia-related questions and we’ll answer them in future issues.
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To send questions click here
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Letter from the Executive Director
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At the Global Stevia Institute (GSI), we attended numerous food and nutrition conferences during the past several months and found that 2010 was a banner year in terms of an explosion of recognition of stevia by both consumers and health professionals. It seems that the more people learn about stevia – nature’s zero-calorie sweetener, the more they like it and want it replacing at least some of the sugar in their own diets and those of their families.
A recent article in Food Navigator says that, according to the Leatherhead Food Research organization, a leading food industry trendspotter, among the top food and beverage trends for 2011 are: an increasing focus on obesity, reformulation of products towards lower levels of sugar and fat and sustainability.
Stevia plays an important role in each of these emerging trends.
Obesity is arguably the most important health matter facing the world today. It’s a global health problem and a gateway to a host of chronic problems, including heart disease, diabetes, hypertension and stroke. Small steps matter - even reducing your weight by ten percent significantly lowers your risk for these conditions. The cornerstone of weight loss is reducing your calorie intake and manufacturers would be foolish to not respond to this consumer need.
Indeed, they are responding by reformulating their products with ingredients like stevia that lower sugar and calories while still maintaining taste. Sure, reducing the calories you eat and drink is a time-tested strategy for losing weight, but stevia helps make the journey to a lower weight more enjoyable.
Losing weight and reducing calories are part of emerging consumer trends, but so is the need to feel better about the foods and ingredients we eat. Stevia is grown in a sustainable way and by using less land to produce the same amount of sweetness as sugar.
With an all-natural zero-calorie sweetener like stevia, everyone wins, including Mother Nature and the environment.
Keith Ayoob, EdD, MD
Executive Director
Global Stevia Institute
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Board Member Perspective
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Dr. Fisberg shares his thoughts on the following research study recently published in Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry.
Investigations on the Stability of Stevioside and Rebaudioside A in Soft Drinks
Purified stevia extract (e.g., Reb A, stevioside) has been largely used in food and beverages. Stevia is approved for use in most countries and it is expected to be approved for human consumption in European countries by European Food Safety Authority in 2011. Some potential safety concerns have been raised about whether stevia would break down under extreme conditions (acidity, heat, etc.) within a food or beverage, into unsafe compounds (i.e. aglycon steviol). This research paper from U. Wolwer-Rieck is very important for showing that these compounds are nonexistent in a soft drink after 72 hours of storage at 80 C (176 F). Only the expected purified stevia extracts were recovered from the beverage, confirming the safety of the different soft drinks. Many other products were also reviewed, reaffirming the safety and stability of stevia added as a natural sweetener even in extreme conditions as acidified and high temperature environments.
Read Study Abstract
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Stevia Trend Update
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The high-purity stevia market opened in the United States in December 2008. As regulatory approval opens around the globe, adoption of trends experienced in the U.S. are being used to help predict consumer usage in new markets. As shown below, stevia has experienced the biggest boost among sweeteners, with 28% of respondents saying that they are using the product more than they did a year ago.
Click to enlarge
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Stevia Recipe Swap
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Spiced Hot Chocolate
Makes 1 serving
Calories add up but not from 100% natural, no-calorie stevia. Try swapping out caloric sweeteners like sugar or agave for stevia, as in this recipe that's big on flavor, but not on calories.
1 Tbsp plus 2 tsp good quality cocoa powder
1 packet of stevia (or more to your liking)
Dash of each: ground ginger, cinnamon, salt
2 tsp hot water
1 cup fat free milk or soy or almond milk
Garnish:
Dash of nutmeg
1 Tbsp low calorie whipped topping
2 tsp mini chocolate chips
1. In an individual mug, mix together the cocoa, stevia, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Add the hot water and stir to a consistency of chocolate syrup.
2. Add in the milk and stir. Place in the microwave and cook for 1 minute and 30 seconds until hot. Top with any of the suggested garnishes.
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