Things You Didn’t Know About Stevia
To stay fit, everyone these days is taking extra care of their health. Giving proper importance to diet, and removing anything that poses health risks has been the latest motto among all.
We all know that artificial sugar is extremely harmful to our health and hence should be avoided at all costs. This brings us to one of the most widely used sugar substitute – Stevia.
You will find various sweeteners in the market, and to know about each one of them will help you decide which one to adopt in your diet. So, here you will find everything about stevia that you should probably have knowledge about before consuming it. Let us update ourselves with the below mentioned information:
Interesting Facts about Stevia
- Stevia is a plant that specifically grown in South America. This plant gets it sweetness from glycosides that occur naturally in its leaves.
- There are 240 species of stevia available but the most common one is “stevia rebaudiana”. Since it is almost naturally sweet, it is often referred to as a honey herb.
- The plant is two hundred times sweeter than actual sugar. But what makes it popular and acceptable among most is that it contains no calories.
- Stevia is available in both liquid as well as in pounded concentration.
Benefits of Stevia
- Helps in controlling blood sugar levels and maintains insulin secretion in the blood:
For centuries, leaves of stevia have been used to treat people who suffer from diabetes, in South America. Recently, after many types of research and scientific evidence, it has become a proven fact that it regulates both blood sugar and insulin levels. The basic advantage of stevia sugar is it lowers after-meal glucose and insulin levels post-consumption. Furthermore, it has been clinically verified that stevia can bump up cellular insulin sensitivity and aid in the reversion of insulin resistance.
- Keeps a tab on your blood sugar levels:
A minimum dosage of stevioside three times a day for around a year can lead to a decrease in diastolic and systolic blood pressure. The best part of it is that there are no reported cases of adverse side-effects after consuming stevioside. Though it might be true the effects of drugs to control blood pressure are more pronounced but people who have a dosage of stevioside have experienced lowering of blood pressure levels.
- Helps in reducing weight:
One of the key reasons that can lead to an increase in your weight is the intake of added sugar. Due to the addition of artificial sugar in your diet, the calorie count also increases. This results in weight gain, though other factors like inactivity, improper diet can contribute equally in the process.
- Can work wonders for pancreatic cancer:
It has been found through researches and scientific methods that stevia sugar consists of several antioxidants that include a substance called kaempferol. This can in turn reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer in patients.
Misconceptions Debunked
It was earlier believed that stevia intake can lead to kidney damage. But from recent studies and experiments, it came to light that stevia can instead protect your kidneys and reduce the effects of diabetes.
Thus we can safely conclude that stevia if consumed in a highly purified form and the moderate amount will never pose any health hazard. We hope now you know everything about stevia that is important and pass on the information to your friends, relatives, and colleagues.
