Stevia

Stevia is a plant-derived sweetener with a zero glycemic index and no meaningful caloric content. Switching from aspartame-containing diet sodas to stevia-sweetened options eliminates the specific risks described in the article. Stevia has no impact on blood sugar and is described as testing well for most people. Stevia is a natural plant extract and is presented as one of the best sweetening choices. Pure concentrated stevia powder is the preferred stevia choice. Stevia is recommended as a safer alternative to aspartame because it lacks toxic metabolites and does not produce the same liver, blood sugar, or microbiome effects. One serving of stevia makes a more tart bowl, while two servings make a sweeter version. Stevia is several hundred times sweeter than sugar, so only tiny amounts are needed. Organic stevia with a small amount of raw sugar is acceptable when one or two servings provide less than 1 gram of sugar. Individual exceptions to stevia tolerance may exist, so some people may seek qualified testing of their response. Pure organic powdered stevia is preferred for stricter sugar avoidance because it contains no added sugar. The article recommends choosing the purest powd…