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This sweeter has become very popular in the past couple of years, especially in vegan diets as it is plant-based and minimally processed. It is also pH stable and non-fermentable. The stevia sweetener is produced from the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni) plant, a herbal shrub native to South America. The plant has many health and medicinal properties, the sweetening aspect is just one of them.
Should you include it in your diet?
Stevia is a non-nutritive sweetener, which means that it has basically no calories. Giving up sugar is very hard, so stevia may be your solution. This is also a great swap for people with diabetes as it is known to control your blood sugar level. It significantly lowers insulin and glucose levels too. But before you add it to your diet, do consult a nutritionist for the dosage.
There’s also claims that stevia can manage your cholesterol. Over time, it is also supposed to reduce your appetite for sweets. Stevia’s use in India was approved by FSSAI in 2013.
How can you introduce Stevia to your diet?
Introducing stevia into your diet is very simple. Unlike many other sweeteners, they are also heat resistant so they can be added to all types of sweet recipes. You’ll require a very minimal amount of stevia as it is 30-150 times sweeter than white sugar for the same amount. It is sold in either liquid or powder form.
Great ways to use stevia include:
In coffee or tea (both cold and warm)
In homemade lassi
sprinkled on hot or cold cereal
In a smoothie
Sprinkled on unsweetened yoghurt
In baked goods like cookies, cakes, etc
In Indian desserts like kheer and phirni
