Stevia

I no longer use Astraya stevia

There are times when I want something sweet and don’t want to increase my blood sugar level. This is when I reach for stevia, a herb 300 times as sweet as sugar with a glycemic index (GI) of 0.

This low glycemic, low carbohydrate sweetener is widely used in Japan. In the U.S., the sugar lobby has long fought to ban this miracle sweetener; it is currently classified as a dietary supplement, though not as a food additive. Take note, that in Japan, stevia accounts for 40% of the sweetener market and is used in everything from colas to candy.

Stevia comes in various forms. You can buy it as a tincture or powder. The only drawback to stevia? It sometimes has a slightly bitter, licoricey aftertaste.

I tested at least half a dozen stevia products and found NuNaturals stevia to have the best flavor and to be reasonably cost-effective.

View all my recipes that use stevia. Purchase Stevia.