- 1. Where does Stevia come from?
- 2. Can diabetics, pregnant women and children use it?
- 3. Is Stevia completely natural?
- 4. Does Stevia change blood glucose?
- 5. Does Stevia hurt?
- Price and where to buy
Stevia sweetener is a natural sweetener, made from a medicinal plant called Stévia that has sweetening properties.
It can be used to replace sugar in cold, hot drinks and cooking recipes. Without calories, it sweetens 300 times more than ordinary sugar and can be used by children, pregnant women and diabetics, according to the guidance of the doctor or nutritionist.
Adding 4 drops of Stevia is the same as putting 1 tablespoon of white sugar in a drink.
1. Where does Stevia come from?
Stevia is a plant found in South America, present in the following countries: Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay. Its scientific name is Stevia Rebaudiana Bertoni and the sweetener Stevia can be found in several countries around the world.
2. Can diabetics, pregnant women and children use it?
Yes, Stevia is safe and can be used by people with diabetes, pregnant women or children because it has no side effects or causes allergies. Stevia also protects teeth and does not cause cavities. However, diabetics should only use it with the knowledge of their doctor, because Stevia, if consumed in an exaggerated way, it may be necessary to change the dose of insulin or hypoglycemic that the person is using, to prevent the blood sugar from decreasing too much.
3. Is Stevia completely natural?
Yes, the Stevia sweetener is completely natural because it is made with natural plant extracts.
4. Does Stevia change blood glucose?
Not exactly. As Stevia is not the same as sugar, it will not cause hyperglycemia, and when consumed in a moderate way, it will also not cause hypoglycemia, so it can be used quietly in case of diabetes or gestational diabetes, but always with the knowledge of doctor.
5. Does Stevia hurt?
No, Stevia is safe for health and is not harmful to health because it is not like other industrialized sweeteners that contain sweeteners. However, it should be used sparingly. See Stevia's side effects and contraindications.
Price and where to buy
It is possible to buy Stevia in liquid, powder or tablet form, in some hypermarkets, health food stores or on the internet, and the price varies between 3 and 10 reais.
A bottle of Stevia Pura has a higher concentration of the plant and therefore only 2 drops equals 1 tablespoon of sugar. This can be purchased at health food stores and costs around 40 reais.
See other options for healthy products and sweeteners to replace sugar.
