How Sweet It Is

Some of us worry about calories, especially as we get older and find it harder to work off those extra pounds. We have to make decisions about balance, like how to have healthy foods in our plan while leaving some room for those treats we love.  For me, my biggest challenge is my sweet tooth. I have tried numerous ways to include sugar in my diet without going overboard. I do a combination of honey, regular sugar, and sugar substitutes. Sugar substitutes have aspartame in them and are a bigger challenge because they have questionable side affects which are hotly contested. Everything from soda, gum, lots of processed foods and of all things, some children's vitamins. A number of national and international organizations have assessed the safety of aspartame and an international committee of experts established an Acceptable Daily Intake value. However, some allegations of health risks have launched a debate. Some concerns have been raised about aspartame and its breakdown products. For example, it has been suggested that aspartame may cause headaches, epilepsy and brain tumors. If pregnant or nursing I suggest avoiding anything that has aspartame. The best tasting substitute I have found is Sweetleaf Stevia. Stevia is an all natural sweetner that has been used for years in Europe and South America. Stevia has zero calories and no aspartame. Stevia Rebaudiana Bertoni is a perennial shrub native to the Amambay Mountain region of Paraguay. It has been enjoyed by the Guarani Indians for hundreds of years, who use it primarily to sweeten their herbal mat tea. I knew that I liked the taste of Stevia and was thrilled that it has zero calories, but I was amazed after doing some reasearch that it has some health benefits as well:

* Stevia actually balances blood sugar levels, and is safe for use by both diabetics and hypoglycemics.

* Unlike aspartame, there are no reports of adverse effects from stevia’s use and scientific studies throughout the world prove out its safety. Stevia has never been shown to cause brain tumors, seizures, blindness, or any of the other 92 adverse reactions associated with aspartame. 

* Unlike aspartame, stevia reduces the craving for sweets, making it the ideal sweetener for a society desperate to lose weight.

* Unlike sugar, stevia reduces cavities by retarding the growth of plaque.

* Stevia is used as a digestive aid in Brazil.

* Stevia contains antiseptic properties which have proven beneficial in speeding the healing process of skin wounds.

* Tests show that stevia’s antimicrobial properties inhibit the growth of streptococcus and other bacteria. This is especially noteworthy since some forms of streptococcus have become antibiotic resistant.

You can find Stevia in any local grocery store and it can be used for baking. It comes in both a packet package as well as tabs that you can pop into your favorite drink. You can read more about Stevia at their web site http://www.sweetleaf.com