Stevia and Diabetes

Too many diabetics!


Nearly 24 million Americans have diabetes, an increase of over 3 million in just two years. That translates to about 8% of the U.S. population that is affected mainly with Type 2 diabetes. Even more alarming, roughly 57 million people are pre-diabetic, a condition where blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not yet to be classified as diabetic.


Despite the daunting statistics, diabetes is preventable or can be delayed. The single greatest factor that can prevent the onset of diabetes is lifestyle modification. That means people who lose weight, exercise regularly, and maintain a proper diet can delay or even prevent the onset of diabetes.



An artificial sweetener


Studies have shown that artificial sugar substitutes may disrupt with the brain’s ability to discern sweetness and calories. These sugar substitutes interfere by making the body unable to count calories based on sweetness, thus making people more likely to overindulge. So, ironically, artificial sweeteners could be helping obese people gain more weight.



A natural substitute 

Of all the natural sugar substitutes, the South American herb stevia presents the best case against artificial sweeteners. First, it is natural, native to Paraguay and used by the Guaraní Indians as a natural sweetener for centuries. Now, stevia is cultivated in Central and South America, Mexico and East Asia including China. Second, over 200 extensive studies have been conducted on this herbal sweetener attesting to its safety, non-toxicity and ability in managing diabetes.


Stevia was discovered to have anti-diabetic properties such as helping to lower and control blood sugar levels and improve muscle tone. Stevia does not affect blood pressure or increase the levels of blood sugar. In fact, a Brazilian study noted a decrease in blood sugar levels of people who took stevia. The key benefit of stevia is it stimulates the release of insulin and normalizes blood glucose levels. It can also be used as a therapy to hyperglycemia and has demonstrated anti-microbial, antibacterial and anti-yeast activity.

Japan is the largest consumer of stevia with annual consumption worth $200 million, or 40% of the sweetener market. Stevia was introduced in Japan in 1970. Australia, New Zealand and Canada have recently approved stevia as a dietary supplement. Malaysia, Indonesia, Russia, Korea, Germany and China have been huge stevia consumer for years. Latin American countries apply stevia to help regulate glucose levels in Type 2 diabetes.

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration classify stevia as a dietary supplement.

Source: Stevia-info