Americans consume 22 teaspoons of sugar each day
Stevia is a natural replacement for sugar that makes it easy for anyone to cut back or eliminate extra sugars. Stevia is an herb that has been used for centuries by natives of South America in their teas and other beverages. Although Stevia is 300 times sweeter than sugar, this natural replacement for sugar has zero calories and does not cause spikes in blood sugar levels.
The American Heart Association just released a study which reveals that Americans consume 22 teaspoons of sugar each day. That adds up to 350 calories, equal to 2 cans of soda and a chocolate bar. Obviously, most of that extra sugar comes from soft drinks and candy. The benefits of using a natural replacement for sugar could add up quickly for America's health care system.
Now that Stevia has been approved as a food additive by the FDA, it will be showing up as a natural replacement for sugar in products made by companies like Cargill and Coca-Cola. Stevia has been used for years in Japan and this natural replacement for sugar has not been associated with any known health risks or side effects.
The report, published online in the American Heart Association journal Circulation, said it was time to set specific guidelines on how much extra sugar Americans can safely consume. The report suggests that women get no more than 6 teaspoons or 100 calories of added sugar per day. For men, the limit is 9 teaspoons, or 150 calories. These amounts do not include naturally occurring sugars, like those from fruits and vegetables. This only refers to sweeteners and syrups added to foods during processing. The potential for Stevia is great since it could be used as a natural replacement for sugar instead of all those harmful sweeteners.
While many health conscious consumers think they are eating healthy food, often they are unfortunately consuming too much sugar. For instance, Rachel K. Johnson, lead author of the American Heart Association statement, said that 8 ounces of fruit flavored yogurt has about 6 teaspoons of added sugar, and a cup of frosted whole grain cereal has about 3 teaspoons. If a natural replacement for sugar, such as Stevia, could be used instead, then the benefits would be numerous.
For more information:
Top 3 reasons that sugar is not good for the body
2 more reasons that sugar is not good for the body
Stevia is the one natural sugar free sweetener that’s good for you
Comments
I have been using Truvia in my coffee to replace sugar for a couple of months now. Finally a low cal sweetner that I can enjoy.
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