Stevia rebaudiana: The Miracle Sweetener - Sophia Hyde

Just about everyone loves sweets… From baking delicious sweet treats during the holidays, to sipping on cool sweetened lemonade during the summer, sugary foods are everywhere and play a huge role in our diets. The negative? We know sugar causes some serious health issues, and is arguably the most addictive substance known. The solution? Stevia! There are many “artificial sweeteners” on the market, and it can be quite confusing and overwhelming to find which one is actually tasty and good for your health. Stevia rebaudiana is a leafy green shrub of the Asteraceae family, which originates from Paraguay and has been cultivated by indigenous tribes of South and Central America for over 1,500 years for medicinal uses and for sweetening their foods and beverages (Axe, 2018). Its spread to other major continents, and has become increasing more popular throughout the years for its positive health benefits, sweetness (stevia is 20 times sweeter than sugar, so a little goes a long way), and diversity of uses in foods.

So whats so great about Stevia?

Stevia is zero calories, doesn’t raise blood sugar, has a multitude of health benefits, and comes from a natural source as it is plant based (P et al., 2018). Not many other artificial sweeteners can say the same… Lets look at some particular health benefits of this tasty and unique plant.

• Aids in Regulation of Blood Sugar

As stevia has no caloric value and does not raise blood sugar, it can greatly reduce overall calories consumed in daily life. Stevia has been found to stimulate pancreatic beta cell release of insulin, and due to the fact that stevia is calorie free this results in even greater regulation of blood glucose levels (Bolmarcich, 2015). This being said, an individual could not only decrease the amount of sugar they eat by swapping with stevia, but the stevia will also help the body to regulate other forms of glucose which we consume from other carbohydrate sources. This will promote healthy weight loss, while also getting your sweets in!

• Cancer Fighting Properties

Connections have been made with stevia consumption and reducing breast cancer and colon cancer in patients. Active compounds in stevia were shown to stimulate apoptosis or “cell death” of cancerous cells, and slow further growth of cancer cells (Bolmarcich, 2015). Stevia is also rich in phenolic compounds, meaning that it has high antioxidant activity. This aids in cancer prevention by slowing oxidative stress which many people have from their diet, environment, and chemical or toxic exposure (P et al., 2018). Stevia is also rich in vitamins, tannins, amino acids, phytochemicals, minerals, polyphenols, and flavonoids (Kovačević et al., 2018). These aspects not only benefit overall health and wellbeing, but also fight cancer which is excellent news for those with a sweet tooth!

•  Aids in Reducing Blood Pressure

For those who may struggle to keep their hypertension at bay, Stevia may be right for you! It has been correlated with dilation (or widening) of blood vessels, allowing more room for blood flow and taking off some of the extra pressure on blood vessels (Axe, 2018). Stevia has also shown potential at reducing blood pressure values for both diastolic and systolic readings, meaning that the pressure is lower when the heart is contracted and relaxed. Lastly, stevia encourages excess sodium release from the kidneys, so all of these functions are very beneficial for relieving hypertension. 

• Inhibits Dental Caries & Stimulates Bone Density 

We know sugar is damaging for our teeth, but the great news is that stevia does the opposite! Stevia has been shown to have antimicrobial properties, and it reduces the effects of Streptococcus mutans, the bacteria responsible for tooth decay. If an individual switches from sugar to stevia, not only will their teeth be exposed to less sugar (and therefore be less likely to breakdown) but the stevia will also discourage bacteria growth in the mouth (Pelish, 2012). What a combination! This also relates to bone health, because stevia can aid in the absorption (or soaking up) of calcium which is great for promoting bone health.

You can have your sweets & eat them too!

Stevia is a very diverse herb in its health benefits, and in the amazing ways which it can be used as a sugar substitute. It tastes absolutely divine in baked goods, beverages, oatmeal and cereals, yogurt, waffles, pancakes, anything and everything that one would put sugar in. Try it out with an open mind, you just may be sweetly surprised!



Axe, J., Dr. (2018, April 20). 5 Benefits of Stevia How to Use the Different Types. Retrieved November 6, 2018, from https://draxe.com/stevia/


Bolmarcich, R., Dr. (2015). Stevia Leaf Extract|Herbal Library. Baseline of Health.         doi:https://jonbarron.org/herbal-library/foods/stevia


Kovačević, D. B., Maras, M., Barba, F. J., Granato, D., Roohinejad, S., Mallikarjunan,         K., . . . Putnik, P. (2018). Innovative technologies for the recovery of phytochemicals from Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni leaves: A review. Food Chemistry. Retrieved November 6, 2018, from 
https://www-sciencedirect-com.jpllnet.sfsu.edu/science/article/pii/S0308814618310641#!


P, S., KT, A., BA, M., Rieck, W., PB, J., PJ, R., . . . R, M. (2018). Stevia Leaf to Stevia Sweetener: Exploring Its Science, Benefits, and Future Potential. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved November 6, 2018, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29982648.


Pelish, A. J. (2012, April 14). The Health Benefits Of Stevia. Retrieved November 6, 2018, from https://price-pottenger.org/healthy-living-tips/nutrition/health-  benefits-stevia

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