STEVIA LEAF Increases Glucose Tolerance (Stevia rebaudiana )

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STEVIA LEAF(Stevia rebaudiana )

Apr 18, 2007 14:10 PDT

Latin: Stevia rebaudiana

 

http://oneearthherbs.squarespace.com/important-herbs/stevia-

leafstevia-rebaudiana-.html

 

 

WHAT IT DOES: Stevia leaf is sweet in taste and neutral in action.

It sweetens without adding calories.SAFETY ISSUES: None known.

STARTING DOSAGE: • Drops or powder: add to food and drink as a sweetener, to

taste

 

Stevia leaf is a natural sweetener that comes from the rainforests

in Paraguay and Brazil. Per weight gram, the purified white dried

leaf extract of stevia is up to several hundred times sweeter than

sugar--almost as sweet as saccharine.

 

Unlike white sugar, stevia leaf is calorie-free and non-disruptive

to blood sugar levels.

 

So far, there have been no recorded side effects from stevia

consumption. It has passed strict Japanese health trials, and is

used in Japan to sweeten diet sodas.

Several drops take the place of teaspoons of sugar.

Although stevia in its sweetening dosage does not have strong

medicinal effects, it is an important tool in helping patients

manage their sugar intake.

 

Many people working to improve their health discover that it is

difficult to stay away from excess sugar in foods and drinks.

For example, it is difficult to find drinks other than spring water

that are beneficial to your health and low in sugar among the

typical offerings of sodas, milk products, alcohol, sugar drinks,

and various hybrids containing things you can't pronounce.

 

Commercial sugared sodas are loaded with chemical additives like

caffeine and phosphoric acid. They

have little nutritional value and may cause a variety of health

problems, including calcium loss in children.

 

The few natural choices, such as juices, contain natural sugars in

amounts too high for persons

with diseases such as diabetes or intestinal infections. As well,

there are problems associated with some over-the-counter non-

nutritive sweeteners.

 

For a natural, low-calorie soda, add some stevia leaf and lemon,

lime, black cherry or other flavoring to carbonated mineral water.

 

Spring

water-based sparkling waters such as Perrier (available in most

supermarkets), offer the benefit of additional healthy minerals. To

make a low-calorie fruit drink, use about 10-20 percent pure juice

and the rest water, along with several drops of stevia.

 

A glass of this

kind of beverage one hour before meals can actually assist in weight

reduction by decreasing hunger.

For those people who aren't on a no-sugar diet, about 20% fruit

juice of any kind mixed with stevia works

well. You should experiment to find the flavors you like the most.

 

Though safety concerns about saccharin seem to be overblown (Elcock

and Morgan, 1993, Chappel, 1992), there are still many concerns

associated with aspartame. There is actually a large consumer

movement behind these questions—you can follow this ongoing

controversy on the Internet. For these reasons, stevia leaf is a

good addition to our natural pharmacy.

 

 

Research Highlights

 

• In animal models, stevia exhibits a mild diuretic effect at high

doses (Melis, 1996; Melis, 1995).

 

• When given to fasting rats, it causes an increase in stored sugars

(glycogen) in the liver. This effect has not been shown in humans,

but the results offer promising implications for hypoglycemics and

Type I diabetics, both of whom have problems with storage of

glycogen. Stevia may have a beneficial effect beyond replacing sugar

(Hubler et al., 1994).

 

• In another study of human subjects in good health, water extracts

of stevia leaf caused a decrease in blood sugars and an increase in

glucose tolerance (Curi et al., 1986).

 

 

JoAnn Guest

mrsjo-

www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Diets