Is Stevia Safe?
By Jeyashree Sundaram, MBA
Stevia is a natural sweetener obtained from a shrub called Stevia rebaudiana. It is generally found on the continent of South America. It is 200–400 times sweeter than sucrose and it is a non-caloric sweetener. Hence, it replaces sugar, corn syrup with high fructose, and other artificial sweeteners.
The sweetness of stevia is due to compounds present in the leaves which are extracted by soaking these leaves in water. The sweet extract contains steviol glycoside, which has two main components: Rebaudioside A and Stevioside. Stevia is rich in flavonoids and terpenes. Steviol glycosides are partially metabolized in the body and digested in the upper gastrointestinal tract, stomach, and small intestines. Stevia finds its use in jams, soft drinks, ice cream, cakes, desserts, dairy products, and alcoholic beverages.
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