Here at Drink Your Meals we follow the Zone meal formula, with 30 percent of calories from protein, 30 percent from fat and 40 percent from carbohydrate. The Zone diet is a moderately low carbohydrate diet, and most carbohydrate sources in the Prime Meals are from fruits and vegetables. We limit added sugars because they are a concentrated source of carbohydrates, and will cause an imbalance with the meal. We do, however feel it is acceptable to use the only natural sugar substitute, stevia, if you must have something sweet.
Stevia is found in the leaves of a shrub grown in South America. For centuries, South Americans have been using stevia as a natural sweetener in their drinks and medicines. The Japanese have been using stevia as a sugar substitute since the 1970s because they had banned the use of all artificial sugar substitutes. Stevia was only approved as a safe additive in the United States in 2008.
Stevia is calorie free, and hundreds of times sweeter than sugar. It is also the only natural sweetener that does not raise blood sugar. Stevia can be used as a tabletop sugar to sweeten coffee and tea, or as a sweetener for fruits and dairy products. It is not, however, a good baking sugar substitute. Stevia is very sweet, so be careful not to add too much.
In addition to being calorie free, there are some health benefits to those who use stevia. A study published in 2000 in the “British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology” showed a reduced blood pressure in people who used stevia. There is also some evidence linking stevia to lower blood sugar, but more studies are needed.
There are some safety concerns surrounding stevia, which is why it took the United States so long to approve it. Animal studies have shown that large intakes of stevia can reduce sperm production in male rats, and decrease the number and size of offspring in female hamsters. Stevia safety has not been tested on humans, but South Americans have not had any problems related to fertility with stevia.
Healthcare professionals recommend stevia be used in moderation. The Mayo Clinic suggests pregnant and nursing women avoid stevia. Stevia may also interact with hypertensive and diabetes medications, causing low blood pressure and low blood sugar, and people on these medications should not use stevia unless approved by their doctor.