If you're looking for a natural sweetener that won't spike your blood sugar levels, stevia is a great option. But with so many different forms of stevia available, it can be hard to know which one is best for your needs. In this article, we'll explore the different types of stevia and their uses, so you can make an informed decision about which one is right for you. When it comes to baking or cooking, the best option is a granulated stevia or stevia blend that can serve as an individual sugar substitute.
However, if you're adding it to coffee or using it to sweeten other drinks or foods that are already cooked (such as oatmeal or yogurt), a liquid is best. Reb D and Reb M are considered to be the best-tasting and most sugar-like stevia. Some brands that contain it include Splenda Naturals, Whole Earth, Wholesome, and Stevita Naturals. The best tasting sweeteners have mixtures of a variety of steviol glycosides. Some research even suggests that stevia and other calorie-free sweeteners may cause you to consume more calories throughout the day (1).
Using these products sparingly or opting for pure stevia extract can help maintain normal blood sugar levels if you have diabetes. And that's why the vast majority of stevia sweeteners you'll find in stores aren't going to be pure leaf extracts. Stevia is the term used to refer to steviol glycosides (highly refined extracts from the leaves of the stevia plant). Monk fruit is the term used to refer to mogrosides (extracts) obtained from the fruit of Luo Han Guo. You'll learn how stevia blends compare to major store sweeteners, such as allulose and monk fruit. Stevia may affect certain groups differently, such as children, pregnant women, and people with diabetes.
Keep in mind that, although it is synthetic, your reb M has a molecule identical to the one extracted directly from the stevia plant. Steviol glucosides, which are refined stevia extracts such as Reb A, are recognized as safe by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), meaning they can be used in food products and marketed in the United States (2).On the other hand, whole leaf varieties and raw stevia extracts are currently not approved by the FDA for use in food products due to a lack of research (3). When you hear the term “stevia extract,” it refers to the liquid obtained by soaking the leaves of the stevia plant to extract some of the sweet chemicals. The stevia leaf contains more than forty steviol glycosides; you can see the most abundant of them in the image below.
Stevia leaf extract is often considered a safe and healthy sugar substitute, as it can reduce calorie intake, blood sugar levels and the possibility of developing tooth decay. For example, a study in 30 men found that drinking a beverage sweetened with stevia caused participants to eat later in the day, compared to drinking a sugar-sweetened beverage (20). Stevia can also lower blood pressure and blood sugar levels, which may interfere with medications used to treat these conditions (2). Stevia may help reduce the consumption of added sugar, which may be especially beneficial for children. When choosing a form of stevia for your needs, consider what you're using it for and how much sweetness you need. Granulated forms are great for baking and cooking while liquid forms are better for drinks and foods that are already cooked.
Pure stevia extract is ideal if you want a natural sweetener without any added ingredients. No matter which form you choose, make sure it's made from high-quality ingredients.
