Development of Stevia and Stevioside in Food Industry

Do you want to enjoy dessert without gaining weight? Americans can now get calorie-free sugar from an all-natural alternative to artificial sweeteners. Plant-derived sweeteners called stevia are now widely available and quickly replacing artificial sweeteners in consumer products. Stevia contains natural compounds, particularly stevioside and lebaudioside A, which are estimated to be 150-400 times sweeter than sucrose.

History of use

The history of stevia goes back to ancient times. Stevia grows naturally in tropical climates and is an herb of the Asteraceae family, growing wild as a small shrub in Paraguay and Brazil, but is easily grown elsewhere. For centuries, Paraguayans have used stevia as a food sweetener, and it is now widely and legally consumed by millions of people from Korea, Israel and the People's Republic of China, but no country has demonstrated the dietary and economic potential of stevia more than Japan, where extensive safety testing of stevia extract has found it to have no health risks and now incorporates it into many foods including soft drinks.

Stevia and the FDA

Although stevia is widely used around the world, its use was banned in the United States in 1991 due to early studies showing that the sweetener could cause cancer. A follow-up study refuted the initial research, and in 1995, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allowed stevia to be imported and sold as a food supplement, but not as a sweetener. Then later, through expert consensus, scientific review, or widespread use, the substance considered GRAS was determined to be safe with no negative complications. the FDA accepted this argument and allowed its use in mainstream food production in the United States.

It took several years for food manufacturers to develop the correct formulation, and it has been used in soft drinks, chewing gum, wine, yogurt, candy and many other products around the world. Stevia powder can also be used in cooking and baking.

Is it safe

Although stevia is most likely as safe (or safer) than artificial sweeteners, few long-term studies have documented its health effects in humans. In fact, one study of human subjects suggested that treatment with stevia may improve glucose tolerance. Another study found that stevia may induce insulin release from the pancreas, which could potentially be used to treat type 2 diabetes.40 After Japan banned the use of artificial sweeteners more than 40 years ago, the Japanese began using stevia to sweeten foods. Although they conducted more than 40,000 clinical studies on stevia and concluded that it was safe for human use, long-term studies on the use and effects of stevia are generally lacking.

In conclusion, the sweetness and all-natural origin of stevia make it a popular sugar substitute. It's safe to say that when consumed in reasonable amounts, stevia may be an exceptional natural plant-based sugar substitute. The next time you eat your favorite low-calorie sweet treat, check the label. You may find stevia near the top of the ingredient list.

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