| Artificial sweeteners are developed in | | | | available in health food |
| organic chemistry | | | | |
| | | | and vitamin stores usually in the vitamin |
| labs. Stevia grows wild in the rain | | | | department. It can |
| forests.Finally, a sweetener that I think has | | | | |
| yet to show any real | | | | also be bought online. So far there do not |
| | | | seem to be any real |
| toxicity. It has been used for centuries | | | | |
| by the Guarani | | | | problems with stevia. There were some |
| | | | poorly conducted studies |
| Indians both as a sweetener and a medicinal. | | | | |
| It does not | | | | done with enormous quantities of stevia |
| | | | administered to some |
| have any calories, is suitable for diabetics | | | | |
| and does not | | | | lab animals with resultant ?mutagens and |
| | | | problems with |
| cause cavities. It is obtained from the | | | | |
| leaves of the stevia | | | | carbohydrate metabolism. Generally, studies |
| | | | that are done |
| shrub which grows wild in the Amambay | | | | |
| Mountain region of | | | | to find something wrong with a product, will |
| | | | either find |
| Paraquay.Introduced in Japan in 1970.Stevia | | | | |
| was first introduced to Japan in 1970 and by | | | | something wrong by utilizing poorly designed |
| 1988 it | | | | experiments or |
| | | | |
| represented 41% of the sweetener market in | | | | invent some questionable findings. Besides, |
| Japan. To date, | | | | what study done |
| | | | |
| there have been no ill effects or health | | | | in a laboratory is more significant than |
| related problems. | | | | hundreds of years |
| | | | |
| It is also used in Japan, to sweeten other | | | | of use in South America and well over thirty |
| foods such as ice | | | | years of use in |
| | | | |
| cream, bread, candy, pickles, seafood, | | | | Japan, with no known ill effects on human |
| vegetables and soft | | | | health.Stevia is even known to have good |
| | | | medicinal properties.In fact, stevia has been |
| drinks. The safety of stevia is accepted in | | | | shown to have good medicinal properties |
| Japan. Besides | | | | |
| | | | in well designed studies, such as lowering |
| being grown in Japan, it is now grown in | | | | blood pressure and |
| China, Germany, | | | | |
| | | | improving glucose tolerance in |
| Malaysia, Israel and South Korea.1991 Stevia | | | | diabetics.Today's Health TipIf you like to |
| Banned by the FDASometime in the late 1980's | | | | have added sweetness in your teas, coffee and |
| an anonymous interest filed a | | | | |
| | | | |
| trade complaint against stevia when it began | | | | other foods, definitely consider stevia. It |
| to show up in the | | | | appears to be a |
| | | | |
| US. One of the companies using stevia at | | | | whole lot safer than any of the other |
| that time was Celestial | | | | sweeteners both sugar |
| | | | |
| Seasonings Herbal Tea Company. The FDA | | | | based and artificial, that we have recently |
| ordered them to stop | | | | reviewed.ReferenceStryer Biochemistry Fourth |
| | | | EditionThe Practical Hippie |
| producing their teas, which they said were | | | | |
| "adulterated." | | | | url above contains a lot of good |
| | | | information on stevia |
| Another tea company, Traditional Medicinals, | | | | |
| had their entire | | | | and has a lot of good |
| | | | links.*******************The MericleDietThe |
| inventory of teas containing stevia | | | | MericleDiet makes it easy to go without any |
| confiscated by the | | | | added sugars |
| | | | |
| FDA in an unexpected raid. The FDA even | | | | or sweeteners. To visit the MericleDiet |
| ordered a "book | | | | follow the link below: for your |
| | | | attention.Copyright 2005 John Mericle M.D. |
| burning" in Texas, of stevia related books. | | | | All Rights Reserved is devoted to achieving |
| Fortunately, | | | | optimal health and peak performance through |
| | | | diet and lifestyle change. Dr. Mericle brings |
| the ACLU and the public heard of this and | | | | together a unique blend of formal training in |
| the FDA backed down.1995 The FDA reverses its | | | | organic chemistry and biochemistry, medical |
| decision (halfway)Stevia can now be sold as a | | | | education, 29 marathons, 3 Hawaii Ironman |
| nutritional supplement, but not as | | | | competitions and a lot of practical real life |
| | | | experience. |
| a food additive / sweetener. It is | | | | |