Download SCIENCE DECLARES STEVIA A SAFE SWEETENER

SCIENCE DECLARES STEVIA A SAFE SWEETENER
--by James A. May, Sr.
Distributed as an educational tool for medical professionals by Wisdom Natural Brands®
The following statements regarding the safety and uses of Stevia as a sweetener are
taken directly from the pages of recent scientific research documents published during or
concerning the time frame indicated. These studies comprise only a very few examples of
the hundreds upon hundreds of published studies, all proclaiming the safety and medical
benefits of Stevia in the human diet. Quotes are primarily taken directly from the results
of the study, or specific statements, rather than the scientific details of the research. Some
of the quotes will be what the scientific world has already established as fact, before the
study from which the quote is taken was commenced.
I recently reread over 1700 pages of scientific studies containing the prevailing science
on the safety of Stevia used as a sweetener. Quotations from a few of these more recent
studies, organized according to the time period published, appear below. The use of a
bold format to emphasize certain statements in the body of the following scientific
studies is mine. Titles and subtitles utilized in the original publications were already in
bold.
1951-1990
Safety and Utilization of Stevia Sweetener --by Hideo Fujita and Tomoyoshi Edahiro.
[A review of the prevailing science literature at the time].
Although sugar has been occupying a throne of the sweetener market,
people gradually have abstained [from] the use of sugar from the view
points of health such as obesity, diabetes, tooth decay, etc. In these
circumstances, Stevia has been developed as a natural sweetener and thus
it received much attention from [the] food industry and accepted by [the]
public. …It is suggested that Stevia will become [a] major natural
sweetener in the future (p.1).
[Following feeding of Stevia extract to rats] The results showed no
abnormality on body weight change, feed intake, hematologic test,
autopsy, histology tests, etc. They reported no harmful effects of Stevia.
… No pregnancy suppression effect of Stevia was reported (p.2).
(Stevia) even shows growth suppression toward several oral bacteria.
…this fact may prove [the] effectiveness of Stevia sweetener for
prevention of dental carries (i.e. cavities p.5).
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[Stevioside is recommended for use in] Chewing Gum, Frozen Desserts,
Low Calorie Foods, Fish Paste Products and Delicate Flavor Foods, Salt
Pickles, Bean Paste, and Soy Sauce…Carbonated Drinks, Ice Cream,
Orange Juice, Sherbets (p 6-7).
List of Food Additives excluding chemical synthetics
By Food Chemical Department: The Ministry of Health and Welfare (Japan 1989).
(This study includes several pages of scientific data, including Stevia’s sweet
homologous compounds derived from their biochemical technology, chemical structure,
liquid and gas chromatography, studies pertaining to the relative strength of its sweetness
(p.257-260), food and beverage usage information and instructions including photographs
of commercial products (p. 261, 267-272). Pages 263-265 then contain a section titled):
STEVIA LEAVES: WORLDWIDE PRODUCTION: ANNUAL
CONSUMPTION OF STEVIA LEAVES – BY COUNTRIES (Note! This
is prior to 1989).
JAPAN
Produces about 200 tones/year; Imports about 1,800 tons/year; consumes
about 2,000 tons/year. (The study reports that at that time there are 11
Stevia factories producing Stevioside).
BRAZIL
Produces about 750 tons/year; Consumes 50 tons/year of leaves; Exports
about 100 tons/year; Consumes about 600 tons/year (produced in one
factory).
CHINA
Produces about 1,700 tons/year; exports about 1,300 tons/year and
consumes about 400 tons/year.
SOUTH KOREA
Produces about 400 tons/year; exports an unknown amount of Stevia
extract (crystal) to Japan and Asiatic countries; consumes about 300-400
tons/year.
THAILAND
Produces about 300tons/year; consumes “in nature” about 30% of its
production (i.e. 100 tons) and exports about 200 tons/year.
TAIWAN
Produces about 180 tons/year; consumes small quantities “in nature”;
exports about 150 tons/year to Japan;
PARAGUAY
Produces about 250 tons/year; consumes “in nature” about 150
tons/year and exports about 100 tons/year.
ARGENTINA
Produces about 60 tons/year, consuming nearly the entire production
except for sporadic exports to the USA, Germany and Brazil.
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Thus, in 1998 the world consumption was estimated at 4,100 tons/year
and “nobody has complained about collateral effect” (p.265).
1991-2007
Note: In past years the common names used world-wide for the purified, white crystalline
extract of Stevia leaves have been Stevia, Stevioside and Stevioside/Rebaudioside, with a
few other less common names used here and there. Recent studies have suggested that the
mixture of Stevia’s naturally occurring sweet constituents are at least one or more steviol
glycosides. To unify the scientific terminology used by scientists the Joint Expert
Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) of the World Health Organization concluded in
2004 that the most appropriate name for this unique sweet extract, of at least 95% purity
be “steviol glycosides”. Therefore, some but not all recent studies utilize this terminology
for Stevioside.
Use of Stevia rebaudiana sweeteners in Japan
Review of science literature), by Kenji Mizutani and Osamu tanaka.
Since the latter half of the 1970s, extracts of the leaves of S.
rebaudiana have been employed as sweetening agents, taste modifiers,
and sugar substitutes in the food industry in Japan (p.178).
Use of Stevia sweeteners in the Japanese food industry as estimated by
Maruzen Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. In 1995: Japanese style pickles, dried
sea foods, Soy sauce and soypaste, mashed and steamed fish and meat,
seasonings, sea foods boiled down by soy sauce, beverages and yogurt, ice
cream and sherbet, confectectioneries and bread, table-top sweeteners, etc.
(p.184).
Formulation of bread and a carbonated drink containing ‘enzymatically
modified stevia’ and ‘rebaudioside A- enriched Stevia extract’: Bread,
wheat flour, milk, sucrose, salt, butter, dry yeast, a-G sweet PA,
carbonated drink, granulated sugar (sucrose), high fructose corn
sweetener, Chrysanta AR-P, citric acid, sodium citrate, cider essence,
carbonated water. … In 1998, the Ministry of Health and Welfare of Japan
authorized the use of Stevia extract as a[n] ingredient in pharmaceuticals
(p.191).
Formulation of dietary-supplement health foods containing Stevia
sweetener (in Japan). Gingko extract (300mg/tablet), Gingko extract
powder, powdered cellulose, ascorbic acid, powdered vitamin E, Chile
extract powder, Apple flavor, sweetener (Stevia), B-Carotene, Glycerin
and fatty acid ester, …Collagen Pb (2 gm, granule), liquid collagen
peptide, Erythritol, dietary fiber, vitamin C, vitamin B6, sour agent, …
flavor (p.192).
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Use of Stevioside and cultivation of Stevia rebaudiana in Korea
By Jinwoong Kim, Young Hae Choi and Young-Hee Choi. (Published in Douglas
Kinghorn, ed. Stevia: The Genus Stevia, New York: Taylor and Francis, Inc., 2002).
Stevia was introduced in Korea in 1973 and its use as an
alternative sweetener was first considered officially in 1976, but it was not
approved as a food additive until 1984. …the total output of Stevioside per
year in Korea is estimated to be 200-250 metric tons per year (Korea
Consumer Protection Board 1996). …Most of the Stevioside produced in
Korea is used in the food industry (p.196-197). … Presently Stevioside
occupies 40% of the sweetener market in Korea and it is being used
more broadly in the food industry as a sugar substitute than any other
alternative sweetener in products such as ice cream, ice cakes,
confectionaries, gum, pickles, sauces, non-caloric diet foods, and
beverages (p. 202).
REVIEW: The safety of stevioside used as a sweetener
by Jan M.C.Geuns; Laboratory of Functional Biology, KULeuven: Proceedings of the
first symposium: THE SAFETY OF STEVIOSIDE KULeuven, April 16, 2004; Chapter
9, pages 85-127.
ABSTRACT: Stevioside is a natural sweetener extracted from leaves of
Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni) Bertoni. The literature about Stevia, the
occurrence of its sweeteners, their biosynthetic pathway and toxicological
aspects are discussed.
…The metabolism of stevioside is discussed in relation to the possible
formation of steviol in both animals and man. Different mutagenicity
studies as well as studies of carcinogenicity are discussed. Acute and subacute toxicity studies revealed a very low toxicity of Stevia and stevioside.
Fertility and teratogenicity studies are discussed as well as the effects on
the bio-availability of other nutrients in the diet. The conclusion is that
Stevioside is safe when used as a sweetener. It is suitable for both
diabetics, and PKU patients, as well as for obese persons intending to
lose weight by avoiding sugar supplements in the diet. No allergic
reactions seem to exist (p. 85).
Moreover, Stevia and Stevioside are used extensively in countries like
Paraguay, Brazil, Japan, USA etc. and no indications have been found of
effects on the bioavailability of other nutrients or on other physiological
functions of the human body. Stevia and Stevioside have been
consumed by hundreds of millions of people during a very long period
of time, both by adults and by children without giving the smallest
indication of any harmful effects (p. 112).
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(Following a two year study) There was no influence on the heart rate and
there was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse effects
between the control and the treated groups. The QOL (i.e. Quality of
Life) of the Stevioside group significantly increased as seen by better
physical functioning, emotional and physical role limitation, body
pain, general health protection, vitality and social functioning. No
influence on mental health was observed (p. 114).
(Following other experiments in oral hygiene) It was concluded that
neither Stevioside nor rebaudioside A is cariogenic (i.e. causes
cavities) (p. 116).
In 1989 the (known) world production was estimated at 4100 tons/year.
No problems have been published in scientific literature concerning
nutritional, micro-biological, toxicological and/or allergenicity
problems (p. 117).
Besides the lack of harmful effects in toxicological studies, there is a safe
use of Stevia sweeteners in many countries: in Japan (about 30 years),
USA (since 1995), Brazil, Paraguay, South-Korea and some other
countries. All the above, together with a well organized follow-up
make Stevia sweeteners possibly one of the safest sweeteners on the
market (p.120).
STEVIOL GLYCOSIDES AS INTENSE SWEETENERS: FOOD STANDARDS Australia
New Zealand, DRAFT ASSESSMENT REPORT: APPLICATION A540; 23 May 2007.
Japan has used Stevia as its main non-sucrose sweetener for more
than 30 years. Other countries which allow the use of steviol glycosides
include China, Russia, Korea, Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Indonesia and
Israel (p. ii and p. 6).
This review of supplementary data indicated that Stevioside is
metabolized completely to steviol in the gastrointestinal tract, which is
absorbed into the blood stream and then exerts a pharmacological effect
by lowering blood pressure and blood glucose. While the precise
mechanism of pharmacological action remains to be defined, Stevioside is
unlikely to produce hypoglycaemia or hypotension in humans in
concentrations encountered in the diet. Studies previously reviewed
by JECFA (i.e. Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives of the
World Health Organization) confirm the low toxicity potential of
Stevioside. On this basis, there are unlikely to be any safety issues
associated with the use of Stevioside as a sweetener (p. 33).
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SCIENCE DECLARES THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF STEVIA
Blood Pressure
A double-blind placebo-controlled study of the effectiveness and tolerability of oral
Stevioside in human hypertension. --by Chan P, Tomlinson B, Chen YJ, Liu JC, Hsieh
MH, Cheng JT, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Taipei Medical College and
affiliated with Taipei Wan Fan Hospital, Division of Pharmacology, Chinese University
of Hong Kong and Department of Pharmacology, National Cheng—Kung University
Medical School at Tainan (Sept. 2000).
AIMS: Stevioside is a natural plant glycoside isolated from the
plant Stevia rebaudiana which has been commercialized as a sweetener in
Japan for more than 20 years. Previous animal studies have shown that
Stevioside has an antihypertensive effect. This study was designed to
evaluate the effect of Stevioside in human hypertension. …No
significant adverse effect was observed and the quality of life
assessment showed no deterioration. CONCLUSIONS: This study
shows that oral Stevioside is a well tolerated and effective modality
that may be considered as an alternative or supplementary therapy
for patients with hypertension.
Efficacy and tolerability of oral Stevioside in patients with mild essential hypertension:
a two-year, randomized, placebo-controlled study. --by Hsieh, MH, Chan P, Sue YM,
Liu JC, Liang TH, Huang TY, Tomlinson B, Chow MS, Kao PF, Chen YJ; Department
of Medison, Taipei Medical University—Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei City, Taiwan, (Nov.
25, 2003).
After 2 years, the Stevioside group had significant decreases in mean (SD)
SBP and DBP compared with baseline (SBP, from 150 to 140 mm Hg;
DBP, from 95 to 89 mm Hg); and compared with placebo. Based on
patient’s records of self-monitored blood pressure, these effects were
noted approximately 1 week after the start of the treatment and persisted
throughout the study. There were no significant changes in body mass
index or blood biochemistry, and the results of laboratory tests were
similar in the 2 groups throughout the study. No significant difference in
the incidence of adverse effects was noted between groups and QOL (i.e.
Quality of Life) scores were significantly improved overall with
Stevioside compared with placebo. …CONCLUSION: In this 2-year
study in Chinese patients with mild hypertension, oral Stevioside
significantly decreased SBP and DBP compared with placebo. QOL
was improved, and no significant adverse effects were noted.
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REVIEW: The safety of stevioside used as a sweetener --by Jan M.C. Geuns; Laboratory
of Functional Biology, KULeuven: Proceedings of the first symposium: THE SAFETY
OF STEVIOSIDE KULeuven, April 16, 2004; Chapter 9, pages 85-127.
Hsieh et al., (2003) investigated the 2-year chronic efficacy and
tolerability of stevioside in patients with mild hypertension: 174 patients,
aged between 20 and 75 years, were enrolled in the study, of which 168
completed it: 82 (40 women and 42 men) … in the stevioside group, and
86 (44 women and 42 men)…in the placebo group. The systolic blood
pressure (SBP) at the onset of the experiment was 140-159 mm HG and
the diastolic blood pressure (DBP) 90-99 mm Hg. Thrice daily the patients
took capsules containing 500 mg stevioside or placebo for 2 years. Blood
pressure was measured at monthly clinic visits and also by the patients at
home using an automated device. …After 2 years the stevioside group
showed significant decreases in blood pressure. By their own
measurements the patients noted that these decreases had already
started about one week after the start of the treatment and persisted
throughout the study,. … There was no influence on heart rate and there
was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse effects between
control and treated groups. The QOL of the stevioside group
significantly increased as seen by a better physical functioning,
emotional and physical role limitation, body pain, general perception,
vitality and social functioning. No influence on mental health was
observed. (p.114)
Blood Sugar and Obesity
Antihyperglycemic and blood pressure-reducing effects of Stevioside in the diabetic
Goto-Kakizaki rat.
--by Jeppesen PB, Gregersen s, Rolfsen SE, Jepsen M, Colombo M, Agger A, Xiao J,
Kruhoffer M, Orntoft T, Hermansen K.; Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism,
Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory, Aarhus Amtssygehus, Aarhus University Hospital,
Aarhus, Denmark (March 2003).
Stevioside, a glycoside present in the leaves of the plant, Stevia
rebaudiana Bertoni (SrB), has acute insulinotropic effects in vitro. Its
potential antihyperglycemic and blood pressure-lowering effects were
examined in a long term study in the type 2 diabetic Goto-Kakizaki (GK)
rat. …Stevioside had an antihyperglycemic effect…(and) it enhanced
the first-phase insulin response…and concomitantly suppressed the
glucagons levels. …In addition, stevioside caused a pronounced
suppression of both the systolic…and the diastolic blood pressure ….
Bolus injections of stevioside did not induce hypoglycemia. Stevioside
augmented the insulin content in the beta-cell line, INS-1. Stevioside
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may increase the insulin secretion, in part, by induction of genes involved
in glycolysis. It may also improve the nutrient-sensing mechanisms,
increase cytosolic long-chain fatty acyl-coenzyme A (CoA), and
downregulate phosphodiesterase 1 (PDE) estimated by the microarray
gene chip technology. In conclusion, stevioside enjoys a dual positive
effect by acting as an antihyperglycemic and a blood pressurelowering substance; effects that may have therapeutic potential in the
treatment of type 2 diabetics and the metabolic syndrome.
Stevioside acts directly on pancreatic beta cells to secrete insulin: actions independent
of cyclic adenosine monophosphate and adenosine triphosphate-sensitive K+- channel
activity. --by Jeppesen PB, Gregersen S, Plulsen CR, Hermansen K; Department of
Endocrinology and Metabolism, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark (Feb. 2000).
The natural sweetener stevioside, which is found in the plant Stevia
rebaudiana Bertoni, has been used for many years in the treatment of
diabetes among the Indians in Paraguay and Brazil. However, the
mechanism for the blood glucose-lowering effect remains unknown. To
elucidate the impact of stevioside and its aglucon steviol on insulin release
from normal mouse islets and the beta-cell line INS-1 were used. …In
conclusion, stevioside and steviol stimulate insulin secretion via a
direct action of beta cells. The results indicate that the compounds
may have a potential role as antihyperglycemic agents in the
treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus.
REVIEW: The safety of stevioside used as a sweetener --by Jan M.C Geuns; Laboratory
of Functional Biology, KULeuven: Proceedings of the first symposium: THE SAFETY
OF STEVIOSIDE KULeuven, April 16, 2004; Chapter 9, pages 85-127.
Stevia and stevioside are absolutely safe for diabetics since they
are used in minute amounts. Neither large amounts of stevioside are taken
up by our body, nor is stevioside metabolized by the digestive enzymes
from the gastro-intestinal tract. In experiments, 60 human volunteers
received 27.7 mg or 110.8 mg of pure stevioside per day (BoechhHaebisch, 1992). The author concluded that concentrated Stevia
extracts in normal doses for sweetening could be used without
restriction by normal persons as well as by diabetics.
The omission of excessive added sugar in the food is beneficial to
diabetics by lowering the blood sugar content (Boecth-Haebisch 1992).
Stevia and stevioside are also safe for phenylketonuria (PKU) patients
as no aromatic amino acids are involved. Obese persons might lose
weight by the fact that excessive sugar in the food is replaced by Stevia
or stevioside. Omitting added sucrose in foods increases the relative
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proportion of polymeric carbohydrates. This has a beneficial effect for
a balanced food intake and for human health (Anonymous, 1996).
In a clinical study with humans, stevioside (250 mg thrice a day) was
administered for 1 year to 60 hypertensive volunteers (Chan et. al.,
2000). After 3 months the systolic and diastolic blood pressure
significantly decreased and the effect persisted during the whole year
of the study. Although blood pressure was decreased, the use of
stevioside had no influence of male sexual performance … the authors
concluded that stevioside is a well tolerated and effective compound
that may be considered as an alternative of supplementary therapy
for patients with hypertension (113-114).
Jeppesen et al. (1996, 2000, 2002, 2003) have demonstrated that
stevioside possesses anti-diabetic efficacy in animals and humans. (The
research demonstrated that) At normal glucose levels no insulinotropic
actions were observed. This indicates that stevioside possesses a
potential as treatment of type 2 diabetes. …In a study in type 2 diabetic
subjects, Gregersen et. al. (2004) recently demonstrated that oral intake
of steviosides causes a clear-cut reduction in the glycaemic response to
a test meal (p.115).
Antihyperglycemic Effects of Stevioside in Type 2 Diabetic Subjects –by
Soren Gregersen, Per B., Jens J. Hoist, and Kjeld Hermansen (Metabolism,
vol 53, No 1, January 2004: pp 73-76.
Consequently, Stevioside may have advantages compared to
sulphonylureas in the treatment of diabetes. Of great importance is
also the recent observation that stevioside possesses blood-pressure
lowering-effects in nondiabetic subjects with hypertension.
…Stevioside suppresses the postprandial blood glucose level in type 2
diabetic subjects by 18%. …the insulinotropic effect of stevioside in
animal experiments faded in the presence of normal to low
glucose. …Thus it can be hypothesized that an elevated glucose
level, as found in the diabetic state, is needed for stevioside to elicit
its beneficial effects. …In conclusion, stevioside reduces
postprandial blood glucose levels in type 2 diabetic patients,
indicating beneficial effects on the glucose metabolism. Stevioside
may be advantageous in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
Safety evaluation of certain food additives;
WHO FOOD ADDITIVES SERIES: 54
Prepared by the Sixty-third meeting of the Joint FAO/WHO
Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA).
World Health Organization, Geneva, 2006
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…At its fifty-first meeting, the committee noted that oral administration of
stevioside (purity, 95.6%) at a dietary concentration of 2.5%, equal to 970
and 1100mg/kwbw per day in male and female rates, respectively for two
years was not associated with toxicity. Reduced body-weight gain and
survival rate were observed with stevioside at a dietary concentration of
5%. In a new study, stevioside was found to inhibit the promotion of
skin tumours by TPA in a model of skin carcinogenesis in mice.
The committee reviewed the data on genotoxicity that, considered together
with data reviewed by the Committee at its fifty-first meeting, allowed
a number of conclusions to be drawn. Stevioside and rebaudioside A
have not shown evidence of genotoxicity in vitro (i.e. test tubes) or in
vivo (i.e. living animals or humans). Steviol and some of its oxidative
derivatives show clear evidence of genotoxicity in vitro, particularly in the
presence of a metabolic activation system.
However, studies of DNA damages and micronucleus formation in rats,
mice, and hamsters in vivo indicate that the genotoxicity of steviol is not
expressed at doses of up to 8000 mg/kgbw (i.e. 8000 milligrams [8
grams] per kilogram [2.2 pounds] of body weight.
[Note! If this determination is accurate, and holds true in humans, a person weighing 125
pounds, which is 56.71 kilograms could ingest 453.68 gm of stevioside (8gm times 56.71
kg). This weight divided by 28gm/oz is 16.2 oz of stevioside per day. Quality stevioside
is 300 times sweeter than sugar so this is the equivalent of 4860 oz of sugar. With 16
ounces per pound that results in 303.75 pounds of sugar eaten every day! By this
calculation a 150 pound person could eat 363 pounds of sugar per day and a 200 pound
person could ingest a whopping 486 pounds of sugar daily without DNA damage].
…Stevioside is being investigated as a potential treatment for
hypertension and diabetes. Administration of stevioside at a dose of 750 or
1500 mg per day for 3-24 months resulted in decreased blood pressure in
hypertensive patient, with no adverse effects. …A small study in 12
patients with type-2 diabetes showed that a single dose of stevioside
reduced postprandial glucose concentrations and had no effect of
blood pressure (p. 139).
EVALUATION
The Committee noted that most of the data requested at its fifty-first, e.g.
data on the metabolism of stevioside in humans, and on the activity of
steviol in suitable studies of genotoxicity in vivo, had been made available.
The Committee concluded that stevioside and rebaudioside A are not
genotoxic in vitro or in vivo and that the genotoxicity of steviol and some
of its oxidative derivatives in vitro is not expressed in vivo. The no-
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observed-effect-level (NOEL) for stevioside was 970 mg/kgbw per day in
a long-term study evaluated by the Committee at its fifty-first meeting.
The Committee noted that stevioside has shown some evidence of
pharmacological effects in patients with hypertension or with type-2
diabetes at doses corresponding to about 12.5-25 mg/kgbw per day
(equivalent to 5-10 mg/kgbw per day expressed as steviol).
What Does It All Mean?
Stevioside is Safe! --by Prof. Jan M.C. Geuns, Laboratory Functional Biology,
KULeuvens, Leuven, Belgium
As the incidence of diabetes type 2 and obesity is sharply increasing, the
last one also due to too much fat and salt intake, stevioside is a good
substitute for table sugar. The yearly costs of these diseases were
estimated to be 30 billion euro in Germany, 5 billion in Belgium and 300
billion in USD [dollars] in the USA. This sum includes the money for
drugs, for hospitalization, amputations, eye diseases going to blindness,
treatment of heart and blood circulation problems, special diets, dental
care, costs of medical staff and so on. Assuming that the European
population (± 454,000,000) is in a similar bad condition as the Belgium
one, the yearly costs may be estimated at about 227 billion euro! Even this
might be an underestimation as it does not include social aspects and
human suffering.
The advantages of stevioside as a dietary supplement (daily intake
estimated to be below 200mg) for human subjects are manifold: it is
stable, non-caloric and it maintains good dental health by reducing
the intake of sugar and it opens the possibility for use by diabetic and
phenylketonuria patients and obese persons. High concentrations of
stevioside (250 mg thrice a day up to 500 mg thrice a day) lower blood
pressure of hypertensive patients. Blood biochemistry parameters
including lipid and glucose showed no significant changes. No
significant adverse effect was observed and the quality of life
assessment showed no deterioration. No decrease of male potency was
observed. Moreover, stevioside showed a potential as treatment of
type 2 diabetes. Recently it was demonstrated that oral intake of
stevioside causes a clear-cut reduction in the glycemic response to a
test meal.
In 2004 researchers of the KULeuven (Belgium) organized an internal
symposium on “The Safety of stevioside”. Scientists from all over the
world concluded that stevioside is safe:
--the lethal dose is very high (15-20 g/kg body weight)
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--only low amounts are needed for sweetening purposes,
--stevioside is not carcinogenic. On the contrary, it has been proved
that stevioside reduces breast cancer in rats as well as skin cancer in
animals models,--the absorption and metabolism have been studied in
human volunteers. Stevioside is not absorbed by the guts. Only bacteria of
the colon degrade stevioside into steviol. Part of this is absorbed but
metabolized into steviol glucuronide and excreted in the urine. No free
steviol was detected in the blood.
Although steviol showed a weak mutagenic activity in one very sensitive
strain of a bacterium, even high concentrations of oral steviol were
harmless (up to 2 g/kg body weight)! In this respect it is very
interesting that the incidence of cancers in Japan is very low, although
stevioside has been used for over 25 years,--stevioside has not had
effect on male or female fertility nor on development and state of
fetuses.
Fertility of Rats: Aqueous Extract of Stevia rebaudiana (Bert.) Bertoni and
Stevioside --by Professors Amauri R. Silva, Cloe am Saldanha, Rubens Boelter, Ana M.
Chagus. Federal University of Santa Maria, Brazil
[It has been claimed that] the native population of Paraguay also used this
plant for the purpose of avoiding pregnancy. . The present research project
was performed with tests with objective to verify the veracity of such
usage. …We concluded that the reduction in pregnancy rate was not
significant among the various groups, hence the use of the Stevia
rebaudiana and the stevioside to avoid pregnancy is merely folkloric.
The following are excerpts from an article written in 2003 regarding the then prevailing
opinion of scientists, medical doctors and nutritionist concerning Stevia. While it does
not and should not carry the same weight as the preceding studies, it is, nevertheless,
informative as it quotes the research and experience of many Medical Doctors and
scientists.
Stevia: The Diabetic’s Dream: The Fat Cell’s Nightmare --by James A. May Sr.
Informed doctors, scientists and nutritionists agree that Stevia is the most
health-generating sweetener on earth! It doesn’t require much
investigation to understand why. In its natural leaf form Stevia contains
more than one hundred presently identified compounds, including
numerous vitamins, minerals (including the vital blood glucose control
minerals chromium, manganese and magnesium), polyphenols,
bioflavinoids, and antioxidants. It even seems to be involved in helping to
correct pancreatic function, and there is no evidence that it contributes to
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insulin resistance. Quality leaves are about 30 times sweeter than sugar but
contain 0 calories, and more importantly, have a glycemic index of 0,
which means that the sweet Steviosides are not converted into glucose.
Therefore, Stevia does not cause fat creation and storage. When the body
is deprived of glucose, it must go to its fat cells for energy. Thus, fat is
released, broken down and transported to muscle cells to be burned.
Stevia also reduces your desire for sweets and fatty foods. This may be
because the most common cause of cravings for sweets is a deficiency of
the very minerals supplied by Stevia. Thus, when Stevia is eaten daily as a
part of the diet, you naturally reduce your ingestion of all forms of sweets.
You can still enjoy the taste of something sweet but you will be satisfied
with a much smaller portion—or none at all! You simply lose your craving
for sweets. While glucose is essential for the function of the brain and
bodily cells, nature’s complex carbohydrates and protein, which should be
ingested in one’s normal dietary intake, are slowly converted into glucose
and made available for such energy requirements.
Stevia leaves contain numerous natural nutrients important to regulating
blood sugar, including chromium, magnesium, manganese, potassium,
selenium, zinc, and vitamin B3 (Niacin), which the body converts into
niacinamide and nicotinic acid. Chromium is necessary for insulin
production and the transport of glucose into the body’s cells. It improves
glucose tolerance in diabetics with impaired glucose tolerance and has
been shown to improve the condition referred to as insulin resistance.
Magnesium is necessary for every major biological process, including
metabolism of glucose and the production of cellular energy. Manganese
appears to be involved in lowering blood glucose levels, even in people
who are not responsive to insulin. Potassium deficiency increases insulin
resistance. Selenium is highly concentrated in the pancreas, and therefore,
according to scientists, must have an important, if not yet understood role
in pancreatic function. Zinc is the major mineral of glucose metabolism.
Without zinc the body will soon stop burning sugars and direct them into
fat storage, which are then difficult, if not impossible to lose without zinc
supplementation. Scientists believe that zinc is involved with insulin in a
few of the steps in glucose metabolism, although the mechanisms are not
clearly understood. Research has shown that rats deprived of zinc develop
glucose intolerance.
Nicotinamide (also called Niacinamide) helps to preserve insulin
producing beta-cell function and has been shown to preserve pancreatic
function, reversing diabetes in some Type I patients when high doses are
administered soon enough. Free-radical damage is believed to be involved
in the process that destroys beta-cells in children, who then manifest Type
I diabetes. One of the ways nicotinamide intervenes in this beta-cell
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destruction is by inhibiting free-radical damage. Along with chromium,
niacin (vitamin B3) is an important component of glucose tolerance factor.
There are several forms of Stevia available, ranging from ground leaves in
tea bags and seasoning shaker bottles to highly refined Stevia extract
white powder (Steviosides) that is 300 times sweeter than sugar. Whether
in leaves or extract form, Stevia is effective in destroying or inhibiting the
growth of several harmful bacteria and viruses. These harmful germs love
the sweet taste of the Steviosides (the sweet constituents of the leaves) and
eat them as long as they are available. Because they cannot metabolize
them for nourishment the bacteria and viruses die of starvation. Thus,
Stevia is excellent for oral hygiene, helping to reduce dental caries
(cavities) and bacterial caused gum problems. Natural fluoride has also
been discovered in Stevia leaves.
Because of the link between gum disease and inflammation in the blood
vessels, leading to heart attacks, Stevia might prove beneficial in this area
as well.
The most beneficial form of a Stevia extract product is SteviaPlus®,
which is the current top selling form of Stevia in America. It is a blend of
Stevia extract and Inulin, also called FOS (fructooligosaccharides). Inulin
is both an excellent fiber and the preferred food supply of the beneficial
flora in the intestinal tract. These bacteria perform numerous healthgenerating functions and are essential to the health and well-being of the
human body. They must be fed properly.
Diabetics, hypoglycemics and obese persons may use most forms of
Stevia without restriction, on foods, in beverages, or in cooking and
baking. In its whole-leaf forms Stevia nourishes and improves normal
pancreatic function, thus, helping to bring blood sugar levels into proper
balance. In its intensely sweet extract (white powder) forms it has no
harmful effect upon the pancreas or upon cellular function and maintains a
0 glycemic index. However, when blended with sugars like dextrose,
maltodextrin or similar sugar compounds (as are NutraSweet® and
Equal®), with a high glycemic index and calorie count, its benefit is
negated, and should be avoided.
SteviaPlus® (a blend of Stevia Extract and Inulin) is an extraordinarily
effective, health generating form of Stevia. Adequate dietary fiber is
essential to our wellbeing and most Americans do not eat a sufficient
amount in their daily diet. Inulin (occurring in 36,000 plants worldwide,
including dietary fruits, vegetables, and Stevia leaves) is a 100% clear and
soluble dietary fiber that is also a primary source of nourishment for the
good bacteria in our intestines. While inulin is a carbohydrate, it is not
digestible by the human body and passes directly through the stomach and
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intestines to the beneficial flora that reside in the colon. These bacteria are
vital to your health and your longevity. They enhance your immune
system by increasing the production of immunoglobulin A (IgA) by the
lymph tissue associated with the gut. Unless these bacteria are flourishing,
you cannot be healthy.
Research has shown inulin taken daily selectively results in
significant increases (approximately 10 fold) of beneficial
bifidobacteria in the colon, with corresponding decreases in bacteria
known to be pathogenic and putrefactive, such as Salmonella,
shigella,
Listeria,
Camplyobacter,
Bacteroides,
Proteus,
Staphylococci, Veillonellae, Entercocci, Streptococci spp. and
enteropathogenic E. coli, Clostridium perfringens and vibro cholerae.
Populations of harmful bacteria in the colon are known to be the
result of diets containing high amounts of animal products and little
vegetable fiber.
Studies have shown that when good bacteria are thriving, they lower the
pH of the intestines, thus inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria and
yeasts and promote attack on malignant cells. Friendly microflora
normalize blood glucose and serum lipids and improve the derangement of
carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in diabetics and improve insulin
sensitivity. They also reduce your hepatic and serum cholesterol and
triglycerides. They reduce low density lipoproteins (LDL, the “bad”
cholesterol), and increase the ratios of the HDL (“good” cholesterol) to the
LDL. These beneficial bacteria lessen the possibility of constipation by
enhancing stool bulk and weight and accelerate stool transit. They also
increase colon mucosal weight and reduce toxic metabolites. Thriving
colonies of friendly bacteria produce digestive enzymes and many of the B
complex vitamins, including biotin, thiamin, folic acid, nicotinic acid,
pyridoxine, B12, and vitamin K (required for forming and maintaining
strong bones), which are essential for your health and wellbeing. They
strengthen the immune system and help control the formation of
destructive free-radicals. They support the health of your liver and its
ability to function.
The relationship between you and your friendly bacteria is highly
synergistic. They can serve you and improve your health and longevity
only to the degree that you feed and nourish them. “Regardless of your
daily vegetable intake, it is clearly evident that ingesting a product like
SteviaPlus® every day can be a significant way to assure that you receive
the appropriate amount of inulin, which is an essential prebiotic. In doing
so you will nourish the good flora, and at the same time, create within
your mouth and entire digestive system an environment that is hostile to
harmful bacteria.” SteviaPlus® is literally the sweet taste of health
(because it is rich in soluble fiber).
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The Safety of Stevia is well documented. During the last century well over
1000 scientific articles and patents on Stevia have been published. The
first known written account of Stevia is in the book Natural History of
Plants of the New Spain, written by Francisco Hernandez, a physician,
between 1570 and 1576. It has been published repeatedly in Spanish and
Latin between 1605 and 1959. Stevia has been in extensive use in South
America for centuries and in Japan and the Orient for nearly 30 years,
where it is routinely used in the commercial sweetening of numerous
foods and beverages. Four early studies hypothesize that Stevioside could
be harmful under certain manipulated conditions that have never been
known to occur in the human body, and which many scientists emphasize
cannot occur. It is of note that after 30 years of intense use in the Orient
and 1500 years of recorded use in South America that, “no evidence of
adverse reactions due to the ingestion of S. rebaudiana (Stevia) extracts of
stevioside by humans has appeared in the biomedical literature”. More
studies attest to the safety of Stevia than any other substance currently
ingested by man.
Many medical doctors, Ph.D.’s., and nutritionists (Dr. Andrew Weil, Dr.
Russell L. Blaylock, Dr. Julian Whitaker, Dr. Dr. Varro E. Tyler, Dr.
Robert C. Atkins, Dr. Sherry A. Rogers, Dr. Allan Sosin, Dr. Ray
Sahelian, James Duke, Ph.D., Gillian McKeith, Ph. D., Daniel Mowrey,
Ph.D., Terry Willard, Ph.D., Mauro Alvarez, Ph.D., Ann Louise
Gittleman, M.S., C.N.S. and numerous dietitians, nutritionists and food
scientists have suggested to their patients and readers that they switch to
Stevia, suggesting that it may well be the safest sweetener currently
available in our food supply. This is especially important for anyone with
diabetes or hypoglycemia, as well as everyone who is trying to lose fat or
maintain current weight.
Lose Fat and Control Blood Sugar
Informed doctors and nutritionist recommend two vital steps in the process
of fat loss and achieving and maintaining a healthy blood sugar level.
Most experts agree that the combination of diet and exercise is more
effective than either one alone and may be superior to many drugs in
preventing and controlling diabetes.
First: A healthy diet is essential to both controlling fat storage and blood
sugar levels. It is important to eliminate from your diet all harmful
artificial sweeteners and processed foods containing them, and to
significantly reduce consuming refined sugars--by whatever name they are
called. Eat more natural foods and fewer nutrient stripped, processed foods
with hidden sugars. Reduce the size of the portion. Eat slowly and chew
your food well, allowing your saliva to begin the process of digestion.
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Fiber dense carbohydrates are especially important for diabetics. A highfiber diet is highly protective against the development of insulin
resistance, which leads to and exacerbates diabetes. Some dietitians and
doctors teach that carbohydrates should be restricted or eliminated from
the diet. However, that counsel ignores the tremendous differences among
carbohydrates. What is important is to govern the types of carbohydrates
eaten. The primary source of the most beneficial carbohydrates is found in
fiber-rich plant foods in which the fiber is the soluble but indigestible
component of the cell’s outer membrane wall (beans, oats and fruits).
These plant foods also provide the insoluble fiber roughage located in the
vegetable skin and the outer coating of grains, fruits, and legumes. When
these vital fibers are removed through food processing, much of the food’s
value as a nutrient is lost.
“In a study involving almost 36,000 women living in Iowa, a high intake
of whole grains and dietary fiber had a dramatic effect on the risk of
developing diabetes. Women consuming the most fiber had a 22 percent
decrease in the incidence of diabetes, compared to women with the lowest
intake. A study conducted in Great Britain in 1999 was even more
impressive. It showed that men and women who year-round frequently ate
salad and raw vegetables had an 80 percent lower risk of type 2 diabetes
than people who ate vegetables less often.” It is this dietary fiber that
helps maintain control of blood glucose levels. Fiber slows the pace that
food passes out of the stomach and into the intestines, thus reducing the
rate of absorption of glucose into the bloodstream. This maintains a more
even level of blood sugar. Fiber also improves the body’s sensitivity to
insulin, combating insulin resistance and helping insulin to do its job of
ushering glucose into the cells.
A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2000
examined the impact of a high fiber diet on Type II diabetics.
Study subjects were divided into a high-fiber group and a low-fiber
group, and their fasting blood sugars were periodically tested. The
researchers found that the blood sugar levels were reduced by about
10 percent in the diabetics consuming the high-fiber diet—an effect
equal to that of oral antidiabetic drugs!
It is hard to overstate the significance of these studies. In these
diabetic patients, simply adding fiber (and in come cases reducing
fat) allowed many of them to discontinue their drugs. This suggests
that of the millions of diabetics in the country who are taking some
kind of diabetic medication, given the proper diet a significant
percentage of them could become drug free.
Can there be any doubt that fiber-rich carbohydrates, as in whole
unprocessed fruits and vegetables, should be the foundation of our daily
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diet as is now recommended in the Healthy Eating Pyramid, suggested by
researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health? Clearly, fiber-rich
SteviaPlus® should be a part of the daily diet for all people who need to
control their blood sugar or lose fat. Interestingly, it comes in green
packets, suggesting life, health, and vitality.
New research has shown that an important indicator of blood sugar
control is what is known as the glycemic index. Foods with a high
glycemic index are rapidly converted into glucose and passed into the
bloodstream, followed by an abrupt rise in insulin. Low glycemic foods
are digested more slowly and promote a much more gradual conversion
into glucose, with a correspondingly slower release of insulin. This is of
foremost significance to diabetics for the improvement and prevention of
insulin resistance. Low glycemic foods tend to make you feel full and
keep you satisfied longer. They also facilitate the burning of more body fat
and less muscle tissue. Stevia, in all of its pure (and unadulterated) forms,
including SteviaPlus®, (with inulin fiber) and clear liquid Stevia products
have a glycemic index of 0.
Second: Exercise is a vital ingredient in achieving and maintaining both
physical and mental health. The human body is designed to move and to
perform work, which is exercise. Exercise increases the ability of the cells
to respond to insulin and to produce energy and avoid fat storage. Besides
enhancing the more efficient utilization of glucose in muscle cells,
exercise increases the number of GLUT-4 transporters, keeps insulin
levels low, releases endorphins, and improves your emotional health.
Endorphins are those natural mood elevators in your brain that make you
feel good. It is important to remember that aerobic (moving the body
rapidly) exercise burns glucose, while slower, longer periods of exercise
burn fat, and the way to lose fat is to burn it in the muscles.
Exercise builds muscles, and muscles burn glucose and fat at many times
the rate of other cells. “When the body is gaining muscle mass in the
appropriate manner, the body somehow senses that there must be a coming
need for greater sustained mobility—and a more mobile person must be
thin, thus the brain orders the burning or wasting of more fat. Eating the
wrong type of foods will disrupt this process, as will eating behavior that
kicks in the ‘famine is coming’ mode.”
… Stevia can be a major ingredient in enhancing the burning of glucose
in the cells and therefore, the prevention of fat storage. It also improves
the ability of the body to burn fat in the muscles. Diabetics should carry it
with them and always use some form of Stevia in preference over all other
sweeteners, whether sugar or artificial. When being interviewed, in my
presence, by a writer for a national health magazine about Stevia, Dr.
Ralph E. Holsworth Jr., was asked, “If you could say one last thing to my
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readers about Stevia, what would it be?” His emphatic answer was, “I
would tell them just what I tell all of my diabetic patients. Stevia is the
only sweetener that you should have in your life.”
The Go Green Effect: Ecological and Economical Benefits of Stevia
Stevia is a plant that thrives in sub-tropical areas of the earth, many of which are
desperately in need of economic stimulation. It can also be grown in green houses.
Besides Stevia’s incredible benefits to human health and well-being this marvelous plant
holds two additional monumental promises to mankind.
1). Stevia can be an economic boon to poor farmers who currently barely scratch out a
living from the barren soil of their lands. Stevia can provide a cash crop for both farmers
and communities. Besides being a cash crop, a rudimental form of a Stevia product can
be used as a fertilizer which ecologically nourishes the soil by stimulating the
replacement and growth of essential microflora and earth worms, while restoring vital
minerals to the soil, all of which are essential for the growth, development, and the
productivity of food producing plants. Further, studies demonstrate that Stevia used in
agriculture improves both the quality and taste of fruits and vegetables and retards
spoilage. Stevia can help to reduce famine in many parts of the world.
2). Stevia can be a replacement crop for farmers who currently grow drug producing
plants. Canadian research has shown that Stevia can also be a replacement crop for
tobacco. Wherever tobacco grows Stevia can grow. This small green plant with the
delicious tasting, nutrient laden leaves, possesses the potential for relieving and
preventing the suffering of millions upon millions of people. In the 1990’s a project was
undertaken in Bolivia to determine if Stevia could be used to lessen the farming of these
harmful plants and thus reduce the world-wide drug trade. The experiment was
successful. However, until the controlling powers in both the United States and Europe
allow Stevia to be used as a table-top sweetener and food additive there is insufficient
demand for Stevia to fulfill its potential as a safe sweetener and restorer of health and
wellbeing. Stevia can help to reduce the drug trade throughout the world.
In conclusion, Stevia is one of the basic keys to restoring the soil, generating improved
fruits and vegetables, including both nutritional content and taste, and simply being the
safest and only improved health generating sweetener known to man. Stevia should be a
fundamental principal in the GO GREEN movement. Don’t wait for the FDA to approve
Coca Cola's petition (filed May 31, 2007 and expected to be approved in 2009) to declare
Stevia safe as a sweetener and food additive for their products, switch to the Green
Packet today and help bless the entire world population.
Copyright
© 2007
James A. May Sr.
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