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Everything YouNeed to KnowAbout SteviaSweeteners

Many people may think

they have to give upsweets in order to loseor maintain their weight.However, low-caloriesweeteners such asstevia sweeteners oer away to reduce calories insweet tasting oods andbeverages, which may helpyou manage your weight.

They also oer a wayor people with diabetesto decrease overallcarbohydrate intake.

Read on to learneverything you needto know about steviasweeteners, includingacts about nutrition,

saety, uses, and benefts.

Favorably Reviewed By:

Stevia Sweeteners


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Are steviasweetenerssae?

Yes. Many government

authorities around theworld have concluded thatstevia sweeteners are saeor the general population,including children, people withdiabetes, and women who arepregnant or nursing. Steviasweeteners are permittedor use in many countries,including the European Union,

Japan, China, Australia,Brazil, and the U.S. In theU.S., stevia sweeteners areGRAS, based on publishedresearch and expert opinionsthat have been reviewedby the FDA (See sidebarWhat is GRAS?) In addition,the FAO/WHO (Food andAgriculture Organization/

World Health Organization)Joint Expert Committee onFood Additives (JECFA)completed a review o allavailable scientic data onstevia sweeteners in June2008 and concluded thatthey are sae or use asgeneral purpose sweeteners(See sidebar on Global

Saety Recognition o SteviaSweeteners).

Can people whohave diabetesconsume oodsand beveragescontaining stevia

sweeteners?Yes. Stevia and other low-caloriesweeteners provide sweet-tasting,low-carbohydrate options orpeople with diabetes. Researchshows that consuming steviasweeteners does not increaseblood glucose levels. O course,a product containing steviamay still contain carbohydratesand calories. Thereore, alwayscheck the ood label. I you havediabetes, a health proessional,registered dietitian (RD)and/or certied diabetes educator(CDE) can work with you and yourdoctor to understand how oodsand beverages containing stevia

sweeteners t into your diet.

There isa long historyo sae use ostevia sweetenersin countriesaround the

world.

Global SaetyRecognition oStevia Sweeteners

Stevia sweeteners are permitted

or use in oods and beveragesin countries around the globe.Government and scientic groupsthat have concluded that steviasweeteners are sae include:

U.S. Food and DrugAdministration (FDA)

European Food Saety Authority(EFSA)

Food and AgricultureOrganization (FAO)/World HealthOrganization (WHO) Joint ExpertCommittee on Food Additives(JECFA)

Food Standards Australia/NewZealand (FSANZ)

French Agency or Food,Environmental, and Occupational

Health & Saety (ANSES)

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Are steviasweeteners saeor children?

Yes. Stevia sweeteners are saeand useul options or children andadolescents, and can be included

as part o a balanced diet richin nutrients. Incorporating somelow-calorie, sugar-ree oods andbeverages into meals and snacks isone way to avoid consuming excesscalories. Health proessionals,including registered dietitians(RD), can help parents make thebest choices based on their childsindividual calorie and nutritionneeds.

Can pregnant andbreasteedingwomen consumestevia sweeteners?

Yes. Research has shown that steviasweeteners are sae or expectingor nursing mothers when consumedas part o a healthul diet. Forwomen who consume oods andbeverages containing low-caloriesweeteners, talk to your doctor orRD about consuming the necessarycalories and nutrients or yourbabys growth.

Do steviasweeteners causeweight gain?

No. Stevia sweeteners are low incalories and do not cause increasedweight, appetite or preerence orsweet tasting oods. Usinglow-calorie sweeteners in place othose with calories, such as sugar,can help you to consume ewercalories overall, helping you staywithin your calorie budget. In other

words, they help you to maintainyour weight by balancing thecalories you eat and drink with thecalories you burn through physicalactivity and other day to day tasks.I weight loss is desired, then thecalories you eat and drink must beless than the calories you burn.

A ew researchers have suggestedthat consuming low-caloriesweeteners could lead people toeat more, causing weight gain.

However, most experts agree thatthe current body o research doesnot support this idea and thatlow-calorie sweeteners can beeective in aiding weight loss orweight management. A ewstudies suggesting thatlow-calorie sweeteners werelinked to increased appetite andpreerence or sweet tasting oods

were small and limited in theirapplication, and the larger bodyo research does not show a link.According to several scienticstudies, low-calorie sweeteners donot cause people to eel hungrieror to eat more. In act, low-caloriesweeteners such as stevia help toprovide people who are trying tolose weight a greater variety olow-calorie ood choices.

Stevia sweetenersdo not cause increasedweight, appetite, orpreerence or sweettasting oods.

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Stevia Sweeteners at a Glance

Scientic Names .............................. rebaudioside A/reb A, rebiana, stevia,steviol glycosides, stevioside

Common namesseen on ood labels ........................Reb A, rebiana, stevia lea extract,

stevia extract

Brand Names ......................................Enliten, PureVia, Stevia in the Raw,Sun Crystals, Sweetlea Sweetener,Truvia, other store brands

Date Permitted in Foodsand Beverages in the U.S. ............................. 2008

Number o timessweeter than sugar.............................................. 200-300

Sae or children? ................................................. Yes

Sae or peoplewith diabetes? .............. ............... .............. ............... Yes

Sae or pregnant andbreasteeding women? ............. .............. .......... Yes

Use in cooking or baking? ............................ Yes

Products That May Contain SteviaSweeteners

The number o oods and beverage products available in the U.S.containing stevia sweeteners continues to grow and includes certain:

Tabletop sweeteners

Beverages(favored waters, juices, teas, sodas, etc.)

Bakedgoods(pastries, cereal bars, cookies, etc.) Yogurts

Sauces(salad dressings, jams/jellies, etc.)

Dessertsandcandies(ice cream, chocolate, hard candy, etc.)

Provided By:

International Food Information

Council Foundation

Questions? Go to www.oodinsight.org

August 2012

What is GRAS?

Food ingredients permitted oruse in the U.S. all into one otwo categories: ood additives(which require review and priorapproval rom the FDA) or

Generally Recognized as Sae(GRAS) ingredients.

For more inormation on stevia

sweetners and other

low-calorie sweeteners, visit

www.foodinsight.org

Favorably Reviewed By:

American Academy of

Physician Assistants

www.aapa.org

Whether GRAS or a oodadditive, ood ingredients mustbe sae. To be consideredGRAS, an ingredient mustmeet one o the ollowing twoconditions:

1) A history o sae use has beenestablished and a signicantnumber o people consumedthe ingredient prior to theenactment o the Food Drugand Cosmetic Act o 1958; or

2) Scientic data and inormationabout the saety and useo the ingredient are widelyknown and publicly availablein scientic articles, positionpapers, etc., with consensus

among scientic experts thatthe ingredient is sae or itsintended use.

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