Ask the Dietitian: Sugar Vs. Stevia

Melissa Kirdzik, the dietitian who helped me lose 26 pounds as Shape magazine's 2007 Weight-Loss Diary columnist, is back today to answer a question about sugar versus Stevia, an alternative to artificial sweeteners.

Q: I love sweets, but I know I need to watch my sugar intake if I'm trying to lose weight or keep it off. What's the deal with Stevia?

A: You're smart to watch your sugar intake. Added sugar not only contributes unnecessary calories, it also spikes blood sugar and promotes fat storage. Since sugar is a carbohydrate, anyone following a low-carb diet should keep their sugar intake as low as possible. Diabetics also need to avoid simple sugars to keep blood sugar levels stable.

Stevia is an all-natural, calorie-free alternative to artificial sweeteners, and it has a zero glycemic index. When choosing a Stevia brand, look for a higher amount of steviosides. This will help you get a sweeter taste without bitterness. A good brand that I recommend is Sweet Leaf Stevia, which contains 90 percent steviosides.

Here's a breakdown of how Stevia compares to sugar:

• Two tsp. of sugar = 1 Stevia blend packet or 1/2 tsp. bulk Stevia or 1/4 tsp. clear liquid Stevia
• One-quarter cup sugar = 6 Stevia blend packets or 3 tsp. bulk Stevia or 1/2 tsp. clear liquid Stevia
• One-half cup sugar = 12 Stevia blend packets or 6 tsp. bulk Stevia or 1 and 1/4 tsp. clear liquid Stevia
• One cup sugar = 24 Stevia blend packets or 12 tsp. bulk Stevia or 2 and 1/2 tsp. clear liquid Stevia

Thanks, Melissa, for stopping by. If you have a question you'd like Melissa to answer, just let me know.

Comments

[Sagan]

Thanks, thats really interesting.

Where do you find Stevia? Is it just at regular grocery stores or do you have to go somewhere special?

Also, what exactly IS Stevia, if its all-natural?

[Alyssa]

I LOVE Stevia! I recently found a drink called Zevia, which is no-calorie sodas sweetened with Stevia instead of sucralose or aspertame.

[Melissa Kirdzik, RD, LDN]

Stevia can be found in any healthfood store, or online from vitamin/supplement companies.

Stevia is a naturally growing plant. The leaves contain glycosides, which are the sweet components. They are either ground up into stevia green leaf powder, or the steviosides (glycosides) are extracted out and isolated. This is the white powder. The chlorophyll is lost, hence the white color.

[Mariam]

To answer Sagan's question, stevia is a naturally sweet herbal plant from the sunflower family native to South & Central America (in countries such as Paraguay, Brazil, Japan, and China).
So, stevia is an all-natural plant with no chemicals, calories, carbs, or glycemic index.

Stevia can be bought at www.buywisdom.com, and www.sweetleaf.com in powder or liquid forms.

Enjoy!

[Dara Chadwick]

I haven't tried Stevia yet myself, mainly because I'm too lazy to drive to the natural foods store and get some. But this great information tells me it might be worth making the trip!