The Dangers of Stevia
Are Not Certain
Dangers of Stevia - Latest UpdateMike Adams of www.naturalnews.com has offered clarification on the stevia story. It seems that the FDA has not actually issued approval of its use but has issued "letters of no objection," stating that it would not seek to outlaw its use in food or drinks. Apparently this means that the FDA no longer has the authority to attack stevia companies, large or small. And now, back to the original story...Are there dangers of stevia consumption? Some people seem to think so... or maybe it’s just the FDA that gives that impression. I heard a report on National Public Radio (NPR) this morning that said stevia has been approved for use. I think it’s part of the plant, rebaudioside A, which was isolated from it. A pharmaceutical or food manufacturing company is involved, of course, because there’s money involved. They wouldn’t have gone through the testing process if they weren’t going to make money on this isolated substance. The reporter said that Coke is going to introduce a new drink sweetened with the substance in bars that cater to 20 year olds. A Little Background
Stevia is a perennial shrub that is native to Paraguay. The Guarani Indians have used it for hundreds of years, mostly to sweeten their herbal mate tea. An Italian botanist “rediscovered” the plant and cultivation soon followed, with the first crop harvested in 1908.When commercial ($$$) possibilities were brought to the attention of the USDA, US sugar producers were no doubt alarmed, just as the sugar industry had felt threatened in Germany when it was introduced there. In 1970 the Japanese learned that stevia could make an ideal sugar substitute. They had already banned or restricted aspartame, along with other harmful food additives. The FDA, however, was getting ready to approve aspartame in the US. In the mid-1980s, the FDA launched an aggressive program to stop the use of stevia, which was being used by several US companies in herbal teas. It was not granted GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status and was classified as an “unsafe food additive.”
It disappeared completely from US stores until 1994, while it was being grown and consumed in countries such as Japan, China, Brazil, Israel, Germany, and Malaysia. It was allowed to reenter the marketplace as a food supplement, but nothing could be stated about its sweetening properties.What are the Dangers of Stevia?It’s hard to know exactly what the true story is about stevia. Michael F. Jacobson, Executive Director of CSPI (Center for Science in the Public Interest) stated, “Though small amounts of stevia have been consumed in various dietary supplements over the years, apparently without incident, too few safety tests have been done to warrant more general use.” …especially the way food manufacturers go overboard. Now, if people used it as the Indians in Paraguay have, a little of the actual plant added to herb tea, that sounds to me like a safe way to enjoy it. However, I picture the general American public guzzling their gigantic, overly sweet, huge-gulp soft drinks, and I can understand Jacobson’s concern. Moderation is not a word that the general public understands nor that the food manufacturers encourage.
In addition, it isn’t a whole food that’s being used, it’s an isolated substance. There is anecdotal evidence that stevia is useful as a digestive aid, helps with blood sugar levels and so may be used safely by diabetics and hypoglycemics, and has antiseptic properties. But do these same benefits apply to the isolated part of the plant, rebaudioside A? Or are the reports of the dangers of stevia just stories planted by the sugar industry and/or the aspartame manufacturers?Return from Dangers of Stevia to Healthy Eating Guidelines.
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