Is Stevia OK?

Twigs From the Nest: Our holistic nutritionist answers client’s most common questions.

The short answer: Don’t prolong the sugar-craving agony. Skip the fabricated sweeteners.

The problem with sweeteners – even ones that do not spike blood sugar like stevia and agave – is that your body still relies on their sweetness. If you’re sweetening your ice tea, coffee, lemonade, etc. with stevia, you’re still getting sweetness for the day as if you’re adding sugar, honey or maple syrup (or worse, high fructose corn syrup or maltodextrin). Your body gets used to the amount of sweetness you give it daily and will crave that much tomorrow and the next day.

I suggest you do not rely on these fabricated sweeteners and instead move to natural sweeteners like fruit, honey and maple syrup. That way you can keep track of how much you’re using and lessen it over time.

Your body will acclimate and need or crave less over time. And soon, you’ll be eating and drinking fewer sugars, which is much better for you.

Scenario 1: Sweet Tea
If you’re currently putting stevia in your tea, switch to honey and note how much makes you happy. If you’re using 3 tsp this week, maybe next week you can use 2 tsp and then 1 tsp. Less is more.

Scenario 2: Ice Cream After Dinner
This one isn’t Stevia-focused, but it does seem to be a thing for so many people. Rather than devouring two scoops after dinner, try a smaller serving of ice cream and add a handful of berries. Slowly, move to just berries and coconut whip, which honestly is much better for you.

I hope this helps you make confident choices about your sweets.

xx
Robin