posted
What brand does everyone use? I was buying mine at whole foods, I think it is called NuStevia.
The reason I ask is b/c my Mom went to buy it for me and the clerk told her that they no longer were selling it.
Posts: 379 | From Sydney, Australia | Registered: Nov 2008
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posted
I have only recently started using stevia, and was wondering the same thing.
So far I have not had any negative reactions to it, that I can tell.
I am using the liquid kind, two different brands. Although they recommend something like 5 drops to sweeten a cup of tea, I end up using from 20-40 drops for a mug of cocoa, a glass of lemonade (with a whole lemon in it), or a serving of almond flour chocolate cake.
I have started making lemonade from a whole lemon and either filtered water or club soda a couple of times a day, intending that for detox. I often eat the chocolate cake for breakfast.
So I guess I am using between 20 and 120 drops of liquid stevia per day now, since about a week ago. It would be good to know whether I should be limiting that amount or not.
I do know that if you have any concerns about insulin or blood sugar issues, anything that tastes sweet has the potential to provoke insulin release, even if it does not raise your blood sugar, so it could cause your blood sugar to drop. If that's an issue, then the amount used at one time would be important.
A couple of people reported on another thread on Lymenet that they seemed to have some sensitivity to it--that it gave them headaches or gastric distress that went away when they quit using it.
They also said they had heard you could react to it if you are allergic to ragweed. (Don't take my word for it--just mentioning I heard something about it so you can look into it further.) Others said it didn't bother them.
Apart from those possibilities, I haven't heard of any other reasons why it could be bad. I am just so used to thinking that all sugar or sweeteners of any kind are bad for you for one reason or another, that I am still wary.
If I really can use as much as I like, I could make a lot more fun food. That would be great.
The other limit for me is cost--that stuff is expensive.
My current approach is to just keep using as much as I want, within my budget, and see whether it starts to bother me or not.
-------------------- Don't forget to laugh! And when you're going through hell, keep going!
Bitten 5/25/2009 in Perry County, Indiana. Diagnosed by LLMD 12/2/2009. Posts: 756 | From Inside the tunnel | Registered: Jan 2010
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posted
My two liquid brands, which they sell in a local grocery store, are NuNaturals and Sweet Leaf. No preference in taste for one over the other.
I guess I will choose by which one is cheaper or which one comes in a better bottle, or which one is in stock the day I go shopping.
I tasted some powder from a packet that I didn't like. I think it had luo han mixed with the stevia. It clumped together when I tried to mix it in cocoa, and had a slightly funny aftertaste.
-------------------- Don't forget to laugh! And when you're going through hell, keep going!
Bitten 5/25/2009 in Perry County, Indiana. Diagnosed by LLMD 12/2/2009. Posts: 756 | From Inside the tunnel | Registered: Jan 2010
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posted
I got 3 books on stevia by interloan from our local library 3 weeks ago and have read them. They have recipes, plus the long history of stevia, and also describe the different types, how to use them, and where to buy them on the internet if not found locally. The recipes are very helpful.
It seems that stevia has been used as a sweetener in Paragua, where it grows wild, for centuries, before the Spaniards came to the western hemishere. It has been farmed in SA since then and is now produced in many countries. It has nutritional properties as well.
It is used in Japan for 40% of all the sweeteners that they use and is common in restaurants on tables in packets. It was first introduced to the USA in 1915 by a botanist who presented it to the FDA (which had a different title at that time,) and was well received.
According to the 3 books I read, by 3 different authors, stevia is perfectly safe. I am using it for nearly all the sweetening I do, while honey, agave, etc. sit on my shelf! (I don't use granulated sugar anymore. I am on a 50% raw vegan diet most of the time.)
I have never had a problem with stevia. It is a godsend to those of us who have to stay off sugar!
Posts: 97 | From Great Lakes state | Registered: Jul 2008
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posted
Forgot to mention that the books tell you which kinds to use for different purposes and how to handle the slight bitterness in some products. You can easily avoid any bitter or after taste.
Posts: 97 | From Great Lakes state | Registered: Jul 2008
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posted
Thanks everyone! I am going to google sweet leaf. I like the packets b/c they are easy to put in a bag when you are away from your home.
Posts: 379 | From Sydney, Australia | Registered: Nov 2008
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RZR
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 20953
posted
I have been using Sweet Leaf packets and really like that brand.
I recently bought Kal brand liquid stevia (cheaper than Sweet Leaf) and also like it. I think the liquid will last longer.
I use a couple packets a day and about 40 drops of the liquid. I have been making lemonade to get in my four lemons per day.
-------------------- Tick bite May 2009 Diagnosed June 2009 Posts: 2329 | From SouthEast | Registered: Jun 2009
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BackinStOlaf
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 23725
posted
I buy mine at The Vitamin Shoppe. They sell a box with individual packets so I take them to work to put in my oatmeal in the morning.
-------------------- First Symptom 9/09 Multiple docs, negative Labcorp test LLMD: 1/10 Positive Igenex/CDC test Treatment 2/10 2/10-8/10 Amox, ceftin, zith, flagyl Currently: Bicillin, Minocycline, still dealing with severe breathing issues
Posts: 1121 | From New York, New York | Registered: Dec 2009
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