STEVIA IMPROVES GLUCOSE TOLERANCE

[Grazer]

I've been reading about Stevia, with suggestions made that not only is it a safe sweetener, it can actually improve Pancreatic production of Insulin and improve glucose tolerance - maybe the same thing? Wondered how many of you have tried it, and what your experiences are? Taste, before and after effects on typical BGs, etc. Have also read it's banned in some countries in some forms for health reasons.

 

[AMBrennan]

Have also read it's banned in some countries in some forms for health reasons.

Just to clarify, you found a drug that is "banned in some countries for health reasons", and you want to know how it tastes and if it lowers BG? I'd suggest that a more appropriate response might be a) avoiding it completely or b) finding out if it is safe.

[Are you looking for medication that will lower your BG because you can't get a prescription for Metformin because of your very good HbA1C?]

 

[WhitbyJet]

Crikey AMBrennan, that was a bit sharp wasnt it?!

Grazer, I assume you searched google re Stevia? Certainly plenty of information to be had, fact is that more and more countries have lifted the original ban on Stevia.
I have tried Stevia and most certainly dont like it, found it has a very strong after taste, almost like liquorice. So never used it again, I threw the remainder in the bin.
I wonder have you ever tried fenugreek? Not a sweetener of course, but my bg dropped sharply after eating curry, Methi chicken it was, lots of fenugreek in there. I dont normally go any lower than 4.7, but first time I had this curry I felt positively odd, tested and was 3.8, at that time I was taking just one Metformin a day. I was so shocked, I googled fenugreek, then thought I would try this again, ate the curry, sure enough bg level before 5.4, chicken methi, cauli pilau rice, one hour 5.7 (!!), 2 hrs 4.6.

 

[Grazer]

Crikey AMBrennan, that was a bit sharp wasnt it?!

He's not famed for his bedside manner. The reason I'm asking for input of course is to gain info to see if others think it IS safe. Just because some countries ban a product, doesn't mean it's dangerous. Sometimes means it's not been fully investigated, which is why bans are sometimes lifted. The USA licences certain aspects of it for certain uses for example. I could of course go on Metformin if I wanted, but choose not to and don't need to, I just looked at this product because I do use sweeteners and if one has a by-product of lowering BG, well, every bit counts!
Didn't know about fenugreek Whitby, but not specifically looking for sugar-lowerers as mentioned above. Thanks anyway though! By the way, I'm on batch 2 of your "almost bounties" and loving them!

 

[Unbeliever]

Crikey AMBrennan, that was a bit sharp wasnt it?!

He's not famed for his bedside manner.

Thanks Grazer. Tomorow when I am yet again havig laser treatment in both eyes. I shall think of that comment . If I've stopped giggling! :lol:

 

[smidge]

Hi Grazer,

I believe Stevia is about to be licensed for use in the UK. It's already used in Japan and the US where it is the sweetner of many diet fizzy drinks including Coke and Pepsi. They still use aspartame here, but are expected to switch to Stevia as soon as it's legal. Can't help you on whether it lowers BG, but I doubt it will do you much harm - it's been used widely in other countries for a long time and there doesn't seem to be many horror stories about it.

Smidge

 

[Grazer]

Thanks Smidge, useful

 

[byte83]

Thats good to know as aspartame is very bad for my stomach, its troublesome to find drinks free of it and sugar.

 

[Etty]

I grew the plant for a season and tried it a few times in custard. Like Whitbyjet, I didn't like it much either, but the concentrated commercial form may be stronger and with less taste. I also grew sweet cicely, the old sweetener of the poor in England, and found it more to my taste. It's mild, and like stevia, has an aniseed taste, but no other aftertaste. Also easy to grow, unlike stevia, which dies with the frost.

 

[Flutterbye]

I don't like aspartame either because I find that my arthritis flares badly if I have a drink that includes aspartame which most of the sugar free drinks do unfortunately...arthritis is bad enough without flareups but due to diabetes don't want to drink sugared drinks.......rock and hard place springs to mind.

 

[clearviews]

As others have rightly said, Stevia comes from a plant and is an intensive sweetener. If it were to be labelled a drug then I guess sugar from sugar cane should be classed as a drug. I grow it as well and have no problems growing it but then we never get frosts where I now live. Used to use it as a sweetener in cooking and coffee but don't sweeten coffee now as cream is enough for me. Never thought to test to see if it improved my BG. Only need the tiniest amount.
Not banned in Australia. Can you just imagine the furore if sugar was banned??!! Then again if it were banned, sugar that is.............................

 

[Patch]

Can you just imagine the furore if sugar was banned??!! Then again if it were banned, sugar that is.............................

I pray for the day! Oh how I'll laugh... :clap: :wink:

 

[phoenix]

France jumped the gun and used a legal loophole to introduce it prior to the expected lifting of the EU ban.
This is what I wrote last time it came up

Bought from French supermarket.
Green canderel tablets, Stevia but also contains lactose. Cost twice as much as normal candarel. At the moment it's in my handbag for coffees when out. It has a slightly bitter taste and doesn't sweeten as much as other sweetners. My husband hates it and has started using sugar whilst out.
We also have a packet of Pure Via, which is a powdered form(the manufacturer has an association with pepisco, so it's big business) .It's still unused, I bought it in a fit of enthusiasm but I never make anything with sugar in it! The label shows it also contains maltodextrin... considering that it is an extract of stevia and another chemical filler is added, I wonder if really is as 'green' and 'natural' as it is made out to be

I'm very cynical about it's naturalness in the form offered by the big players. It's a potential big money maker.
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/f1e157e0 ... z1dxIz0fgn

Concerning 'health' benefits
I found this meta-analysis from 2010 ( only abstract, its behind a 60$ paywall) It was produced by the Natural Standard Research Collaboration , a group originally established at Harvard to critically examine the claims to complementary medicine.

The researchers looked at evidence from everywhere, papers published in both established mainstream and non mainstream juournals with no restriction on language. It then used normal criteria to judge the evidence.
Conclusion:

Based on the availability of scientific data, two indications are discussed in this review: hypertension and hyperglycemia. Evaluation of two long-term studies (1 and 2 years in length, respectively) indicates that stevia may be effective in lowering blood pressure in hypertensive patients, although data from shorter studies (1-3 months) did not support these findings. A pair of small studies also report positive results with respect to glucose tolerance and response, although the relatively low methodological rigor of these experiments limits the strength of these findings

I then searched the Natural Standards website and found a plain English Summary

Aside from having no calories, stevia may also offer some health benefits. Stevioside, a natural plant glycoside in stevia, has been demonstrated to lower blood pressure in humans when taken for one to two years, although data from shorter studies (one to three months) did not support these findings.

The plant has also been widely used to treat diabetes in South America. In studies, healthy human volunteers showed decreases in blood sugar levels after taking stevia, but it remains unclear if similar effects would occur in patients with diabetes.(my bolding)

Reported side effects of stevia include muscle pain, muscle weakness, dizziness, nausea and abdominal fullness. These effects generally resolve after the first week of treatment. Higher doses of stevia may affect kidney activity

The last thing I'd note is I haven't the foggiest how much stevia was used in any of these trials.

 

[Grazer]

Good reply phoenix. Looks to me that a trial in small doses might be worth a go.