Recent reports estimate the stevia market will reach $1.11 billion by 2028. As consumer interest in natural, sugar-free products increases, so does the value of the stevia market. It’s used in foods, drinks, and dietary supplements. But is it a safe sugar alternative? And does it offer any health benefits beyond that?
Stevia is a bushy shrub native to South America. The stevia leaf contains compounds called steviol glycosides, including stevioside, rebaudioside A, and rebaudioside M. These compounds are responsible for its sweet properties. Rebaudioside A is the most abundant and has generally recognized as safe (GRAS) status in the US. Rebaudioside M is similar, but some claim it tastes better than rebaudioside A. Rebaudioside M didn’t receive GRAS status until 2019 and isn’t as widely available, so it’s more expensive at this stage. Some people might experience mild side effects with stevia, such as bloating and nausea, but it’s usually well-tolerated. Both rebaudiosides A and M, as well as stevioside, taste 200-300 times sweeter than table sugar, making them valuable ingredients for manufacturers in the health food and beverage markets.
As for whole stevia leaves and stevia extracts, they can only be used in dietary supplements, not as sweeteners. There’s interest in using them for diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity, but the current evidence doesn’t support any of these uses. Most available studies are small and results are conflicting. There’s also limited safety data available on whole stevia and its extracts.
If patients ask about stevia, tell them that using it as a natural sweetener seems to be fine. But until we know more about safety and effectiveness, advise them to skip the supplements. Check out our monograph to learn more.
The information in this brief report is intended for informational purposes only, and is meant to help users better understand health concerns. This information should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Users should consult with a qualified healthcare provider for specific questions regarding therapies, diagnosis and/or health conditions, prior to making therapeutic decisions. Copyright © 2024 NatMed. Commercial distribution or reproduction prohibited. NatMed is the leading provider of high-quality, evidence-based, clinically-relevant information on natural medicine, dietary supplements, herbs, vitamins, minerals, functional foods, diets, complementary practices, CAM modalities, exercises and medical conditions. Monograph sections include interactions with herbs, drugs, foods and labs, contraindications, depletions, dosing, toxicology, adverse effects, pregnancy and lactation data, synonyms, safety and effectiveness.
