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Is Stevia Safe?

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Are you one of those folks who counts calories but avoids artificial sweeteners such as Splenda or Equal? If so, you may have considered switching to stevia instead. Stevia is a South American herb that is naturally hundreds of times sweeter than sugar and has no calories. Many assume that because stevia is natural, it must be safe.

The FDA says otherwise. Should you be concerned?

Here's how stevia landed in the news recently. The FDA sent a warning letter to Hain Celestial Group Inc. chastising them for using stevia as a food additive in some of their Zinger teas. Though it is permitted as as food "supplement," the FDA considers Stevia an "unsafe food additive." (Apparently unsafe substances are allowed as food supplements but not as additives. Does this seem screwy to anyone else?)

In its letter, the FDA pointed out that there was insufficient data to conclude that stevia is safe. Even more alarming, they said that literature reports have raised concerns about stevia's effects on blood sugar, as well as possible adverse impacts it might have on reproductive, cardiovascular, and renal systems.

Many of us hadn't ever heard there were health concerns with stevia. Doesn't Whole Foods carry it? Isn't it supposed to be healthy and natural and perfectly good for you? (Some of us do complain that it tastes nasty. But to be fair, others swear it tastes just like sugar).

The Center for Science in the Public Interest doesn't like Stevia much either. Back in 2000, they warned of similar concerns. However, CSPI was less worried about an occasional packet or two dumped in a cup of coffee, and more worried about widespread use in soft drinks or other processed foods.

But no one is advocating the widespread use of Stevia in diet sodas yet so we don't need to worry about...

Oh. Wait.

According to this report, back in May Coca-Cola and Cargill said they were going to "work together to develop and market a new sweetener using stevia."

This could actually be interesting. Will natural foods advocates find themselves on the same side as the Big Food and Beverage Companies, arguing that stevia is safe? Will the FDA keep maintaining the opposite position, warning that stevia poses health risks?

In the meantime, lots of people are using stevia. So it may be a good idea to sort out whether it's a safe or dangerous alternative to sugar and artificial sweeteners. And who knows: now that there's big money involved, perhaps answers will come sooner rather than later.

Do you use sweeteners other than sugar? And how much does the FDA's opinion affect your choices about what you use?

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132 Comments

Charity Froggenhall

Safe or unsafe how? Poisoning, heart attack, turn your feet blue? The Canyon Ranch resort in Lenox, Mass., also offers stevia for those who prefer not to use sugar, but to be fair their philosophy is that a tiny bit of real sugar is better for you than artificial sweeteners.

Wanda

Can you tell me more about blue feet? Mine turn blue when my liver enzyme levels are high but I live in a rural area without antiquate seasoned doctors. I see a nurse practitioner who simply does not what to do with me!

To be sure you understand what I'm talking about, the blue is not like from lack of oxygen, you can actually wipe it off and it's back in seconds.

I'll look forward to hearing from you.

Wanda :0)

Cecilia

Stevia is not artificial. It is natural, but that doesn't mean it's safe either. I'll update my comments after I've done research.

Andrew Stigaard

Stevia has been used safely in Japan as a sweetener for 35 years with no reported health problems.

What the FDA means is that stevia is unsafe to the companies that make poisonous sweeteners in the USA. It may cause damage to their profits.

Carol Terhune

I Agree,Thats whats wrong with this country "GREED'I just wished the honest,hard working folks,We the American People could all stick together and stop this nonsence and start selling what makes sence not whats trying to kill us off.We are getting like a bunch of ginny pigs just taking orders from the Rich robots that have all the controll because they have the power MONEY.I got news for them they can't take it with them when they go,and besides the Good Lord don't want them either.

Lucie

I agree!! And what about all the other artificial sweeteners that the FDA permits on the market today that a proven to have some horrific side effects like MS, rheumatiod arthritis, and lupus, and fibromyalgia?
why aren't they doing something to get them off of the market? Sure it'll effect the food industries profits, but it will also LOWER health care costs.

krista

Exactly, it's the FDA food and DRUG administration they want to keep the american people sick on food so they have to spend money on drugs that pretend to make them well, it's just good business ;)

Diane

"Guinea" is how guinea pig is spelled.

jack

Troll alert!

Kent

I liked ginny pigs. It has a certain non-ostentatious ring to it. Anyway Ms. Terhune, I'll join your crusade against 'big whatever'.

Kate

I expect this is not a proper reply to your message on Stevia, but I just wanted to tell you that I LOVE your last name!!!!
May I ask you your hertiage?? God Bless You

Ijustwanttobehealthy

Amen to that! All we want is normal, non genetically modified, non hormone pumped , not chemically altered, artifical garbage! GOD it makes me want to move to the country and plant a garden to live off of because I dont trust the FDA AT ALL! This is our health people, if we dont have it we have nothing, we should be writing letters to our officials telling them we will not support all this fake food! No wonder we have so much cancer... and they are so evil, these artificial sweeteners have been proven to make you crave carbs! does anyone else see the big picture? kinda like how vitamin A in sunscreen now is proven to increase the rate of cancer growth... what a messed up world- what people will do for a buck.

Kimberly Hart

HERE HERE! So true. Unsafe to whom? The companies pocket books, of course.

Joel

Hey now, Donald Rumsfeld was integral in getting aspartame passed. And that is a name I trust! :(

steve jones

EXACTLY! coundn't have said it better myself. nice to know there are those of us out there that realize the FDA is a company first, a public safety advocate second (if at all).

r2010

""What the FDA means is that stevia is unsafe to the companies that make poisonous sweeteners in the USA. It may cause damage to their profits.""

You hit the nail right on the head. These big outfits have the FDA right in their pockets just like they do congress. It's all about the share holders and the money. Stevia is NOT an artificial sweetener. It shouldn't be classified as it either. It looks like they are going to have to conjure up more expert liars fins a way to degrade this natural sweetener.

Dana Ouellette

I'll bet that when the major soda manufacturers get close to releasing a product that contains Stevia, FDA will magically approve Stevia, but only for use in soft drinks and not in packaged natural tea.

Michelle

Yes, more research is probably needed, but at the same time, how much can a consumer trust the FDA? According to a USA Today report on Friday, "Clinical trials that enroll millions of patients in tests of experimental drugs and medical devices get scant government oversight, according to a watchdog report released Friday." (http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2007-09-28-drug-testing_N.htm?csp=34)

I have yet to read the actual watchdog report, but it does make me wonder...

Personally, I do use sweetners, but with extreme rarity (few times a year). I don't use Splenda because I feel that it is still too new on the market.

Quito

Andrew, Japan has a huge economic interest in stevia. If you believe that the FDA is a shill for US economic interests, do you also believe that the Japanese ministry of health is pure of motive?

Babilula

Maybe the FDA mean they don't know as yet whether it is safe or unsafe, because it hasn't been tested sufficiently. However, having read that the FDA for years, said Aspartam, Nutrisweet etc were unsafe, and then completely changing their minds when there was a change in Senior Staff???? I don't think I have a lot of faith in them anyway. And yes to previous comment. Japan's government have an interest too, so we have to take it all on board and sift it like sugar. In the end we have to make our own decisions

Quito

Babilula, I'm not saying that one should blindly trust proclamations from the FDA. I have much more faith in the research than in the policy (one reason I like Jim's blog is because he bases many postings on research).

Unfortunately, lack of research does not mean lack of interesting results in the area; often it means lack of funds to support research.

Charity's quote captured my sentiments: a litte of the real thing beats any amount of artifical sweetener.

Christine

I don't place ANY faith in the Find'em Dead & Act. That being said, I don't trust aspartame, splenda, or stevia. I don't sweeten tea or coffee...the only thing I sweeten is my oatmeal, and I use a teaspoon of real brown sugar for that.

David

I don't know if stevia is safe or not, but I do know there is big money involved trying to stop it.

John

The FDA does not have enough evidence that stevia is safe - yet there are many foods on the market that are the exact opposite of safe, why aren't they worrying about those? Oh yeah, money.

top weight loss site

I have heard so many things about this type of sugar that I don't know if it is really safe. I am hoping that it is as I just bought about 50 dollars worth.

Flying Trapeze

I don't trust what the FDA has to say about stevia - but I also think people should be careful about thinking "natural" equals "healthy." Some poisonous mushrooms for your pasta bolognese?

But in defense of stevia, don't I remember reading somewhere that it's use in some culture or other days back thousands of years?

Quito

Flying Trapeze said:
But in defense of stevia, don't I remember reading somewhere that it's use in some culture or other days back thousands of years?

Yes, but... has it been purified and put into soft drinks that are consumed - by some people - liter after liter? Consider kava, which has been used for hundreds of years with little ill effect. There is good evidence that when used in extract form it can lead to liver damage.

Christine, slamming the FDA with clever acronyms is, umm, as dumb as believing every policy they promulgate.

Flying Trapeze

Quito, i hear you. Anything can become unhealthy when eaten to insane excess.

Flying Trapeze

I should also add - when overprocessed.

SnarkyPants

Ugh.
The dreaded sweetener debate.
My mother is constantly begging me to show her the next great sweetener.

I know this:
I don't trust the FDA.
We definitely need more research on stevia.
I don't trust the makers of Splenda either. At all.

Give me agave!

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