The Stevia plant is related to Ragweed, so some people might have adverse reactions to it, including GI upset or any number of food-sensitivity reactions and inflammation.
Some Stevia products come with that warning.
FYI Chamomile is also a relative to Ragweed.
Posted by 'Kete-tracker (Member # 17189) on :
i'm very allergic to ragweed Pollen but have No issue with Stevia or chamomile. Just fyi
Posted by nefferdun (Member # 20157) on :
It can cause headaches and nausea in some people. There is also some concern that it may cause male infertility when used in high amounts.
Most of the time I use a little raw local honey.
Posted by Lauralyme (Member # 15021) on :
Thanks all for the input
Posted by GiGi (Member # 259) on :
Consider the different processing Stevia goes through before it arrives in your cup or glass. Anyone of them can cause reactions when used longterm or even just once.
"Politics are everywhere. Whether Stevia is safe or not has yet to be determined. I find it very interesting that in all the research studies I have run across, none addresses the issue of its use as a contraceptive by the Guarani tribe and other natives of South and Central America, as well as Mexico. What effect does Stevia have to pregnant women, or on an unborn fetus? I can�t answer that. I would rather wait until information is available on this issue before saying Stevia is safe. Maybe this issue is one of those "unresolved issues" the FDA is referring to."
Posted by Lenire (Member # 26766) on :
drink stevia soda all the time, ITs great! Posted by 2young2die (Member # 25434) on :
I stick with honey.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
. . . Animal tests and the extensive Japanese experience with stevia suggest that this is a safe herb. 5,6
Based primarily on the apparently incorrect belief that stevia has been used traditionally to prevent pregnancy, 5 some researchers have expressed concern that stevia might have an anti-fertility effect in men or women.
However, evidence from most (though not all) animalstudies suggests that this is not a concern at normal doses. 7�9
. . . The two studies described above in which use of very high dosages of a stevia extract led to reductions in blood pressure raise at least theoretical concerns about stevia's safety. . . .
. . . the daily dose of stevioside used in those studies was considerably higher than is likely to be consumed if whole stevia is used for sweetening purposes; reassurance also comes from the study that found no effect with a dosage as high as 15 mg / kg / day. . . .
References cited for excerpts above:
5. Kinghorn AD, Soejarto DD. Current status of stevioside as a sweetening agent for human use. Econ Med Plant Res . 1985;1:22.
7. Melis MS. Effects of chronic administration of Stevia rebaudiana on fertility in rats. J Ethnopharm 1999;167;157�161.
8. Oliveira-Filho RM, Uehara OA, Minetti CA, et al. Chronic administration of aqueous extract of Stevia rebaudiana (Bert.) Bertoni in rats: endocrine effects. Gen Pharmacol . 1989;20:187�191.
9. Yodyingyuad V, Bunyawong S. Effect of stevioside on growth and reproduction. Hum Reprod . 1991;6:158�165.
Stevia � 175 medial abstracts. -
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- A note about stevia. Not all products that are called stevia are pure stevia. And some may be more processed than others.
I do very well with Trader Joe's ORGANIC Stevia extract, a fine white powder. SweetLeaf Stevia Clear (liquid) also works well for me. However, I have stumbled onto other brands that caused some symptoms.
The less processed green powder is rather gamey, to put it mildly. Normally, I like things less processed but the green stevia just was too strong for me.
Also to consider - even if I've been using the same brand of something for years, that formula can be changed with little or no announcement on the label.
Even if the formula has not been changed, there can be important changes in the growing conditions (chemicals added?) and in the processing.
And, if we ingest anything every day, day in and day out, we can develop an allergy or sensitivity to it. Rotation is good.
And, still, I would like to see more articles by expert herbalists. I just don't subscribe to the periodicals where they appear and the web has very little of the expert herbalists' works.
PubMed abstracts are not at detailed as the typical herbalists' chapters on most herbs. I would like to see more of that relating to stevia but soon we may be scrambling to be able to read about any herbs if they show any medical use whatsoever.
For those who drink herb teas and can handle a little licorice, licorice is very sweet and can be a very nice addition to most herbal teas. For anyone with high blood pressure or an agitated nervous system, go lightly. Licorice can cause some problems but that is usually in the higher doses, not just a tiny bit in tea. A tiny bit goes a very long way to sweeten a lot of tea. -
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- I did not find much at all about Stevia at the Townsend Letter, however, this article caught my eye: ------------
Agave Nectar, the High-Fructose Health Food Fraud - by Rami Nag
Marketed as a wholesome sweetener, agave syrup is actually a highly processed, refined product that may be worse for you than high-fructose corn syrup.
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