I’m certainly not the final authority on what is the most healthy sweetener. However, I’ll state right up front that my wife and I have come down mostly on the side of stevia.
There are a lot of other sweeteners, of course. Some – like aspartame – are totally artificial. Others – like honey – are considered “good for you” in moderation but are also fairly caloric. We’re watching our weight, so that’s not a good option.
We have very little sugar in our house. When we eat food with a lot of sugar, especially in the form of rich desserts, neither one of us feel that good afterward.
Our tea is sweetened with stevia. Our coffee is sweetened with stevia. Oatmeal is sweetened with stevia. Blueberries are sweetened with stevia. If it needs to be sweetened, it’s likely going to be stevia!
The Health Value of Stevia
A lot of the health value of stevia stems simply from the fact that it’s a natural and healthy alternative to sugar, in contrast with sugar, which is an unhealthy sweetener. Not many of us are programmed to enjoy a totally sweetener-free life. So the question becomes, how can we get some sweetness in our food (and lives?!) while consuming less (or no) sugar.
Before we look at the concept of stevia being an alternative to sugar, is stevia healthy in its own right? For example, we know olive oil is healthy – in its own right; vegetables and fruit are healthy – in their own right. Does stevia actually have positive health properties?
Yes, it seems that it does. Stevia contains compounds that can lower total cholesterol, lower bad (LDL) cholesterol, and raise good (HDL) cholesterol.
However: if you use the stevia that comes in the little packets of white powder, the stevia is not raw, and not in large quantities. It’s usually mixed with sugar alcohols or dextrose.
Personally, I like to get the stevia that has sugar alcohols as a base, rather than dextrose – but if the quantity is so small that it has no calories, my opinion is that one doesn’t have to be all that concerned about the dextrose in the mix.
Do your research and come to your own conclusions.
Best of all would be to grow the stevia plant and put the dehydrated leaf into your food. But that’s not that practical, of course. We did have a stevia plant for a while; yes, the leaves are actually sweet!
Would I eat stevia for its cholesterol-reducing properties – or for its antioxidant or anti-inflammatory properties? No, probably not. There are many other foods that are probably more powerful on this front.
So we come back to the fact that it is a no-calorie sweetener made without artificial chemicals that will not give you diabetes, has a low glycemic index, is generally regarded as safe, will not cause tooth decay, will probably not cause cancer, and may have some actual health-enhancing properties!
Why Not Other Sweeteners?
There are, as mentioned before, a host of other sweeteners available.
First, let’s briefly look at the sweeteners that are actually sugar, or are very similar to sugar. These include:
- Sugar
- Honey
- Maple syrup
- Corn syrup
- Agave syrup
These are simple sugars, they have calories. They have a high glycemic index and raise blood sugar. Honey and maple syrup are totally natural and contain compounds in addition to simple sugars that cause them to be considered healthier than sugar – in moderation.
Then there are the more purely “chemical” sweeteners:
- Aspartame (probably the most widely used)
- Sucralose (has become more widely used).
- Saccharin (used in the United States, not permitted as a food additive in Canada)
- Sodium cyclamate (used in Canada, banned in the United States)
There are more opinions “than you can shake a stick at” about these sweeteners. The one that has seemed to raise the most concern has been aspartame; yet – no conclusive evidence has been found to link it to any health problems, unless you really use a lot.
Personally, I’ve looked into (and used) sucralose; it’s my second option after stevia. It’s a sweetener that doesn’t seem to be absorbed by the body, thus should have no significant effect.
I don’t have much opinion about saccharin; sodium cyclamate – in my opinion – tastes awful! It has a significant aftertaste!
Is Stevia Budget-Friendly?
No, it’s not as budget-friendly as sugar; it’s also not as budget-friendly as artificial sweeteners, like sucralose and aspartame, per teaspoon of sweetening power. Manufacturing companies capitalize on the perception that stevia is healthier than the other sweeteners, thus they charge more for the same amount of sweetening power! Sucralose is considered by some to be healthier than aspartame, so it’s a bit pricier than aspartame.
So it depends on how “healthy” you want your sweetener to be. Personally, I consider sucralose a decent alternative if I don’t feel like I can afford stevia.
But you’re not likely to break the bank buying stevia unless you really use a lot – it’s still just a few dollars for a lot of “sweet.”
Making the Switch
For us, keeping our weight down and avoiding anything that would facilitate pre-diabetes or diabetes is of high importance to us. It’s a no-brainer that we avoid sugar and other high-calorie sweeteners. So that has helped us make the switch with a minimum of strain or pain..
At first, most of the alternatives may very well be a taste adjustment.
By the time you’ve been using them as long as we have, it’s high-sugar products that are the adjustment – not so much because of the taste, but how our bodies react to them.
To us, stevia – and sometimes sucralose – are “sugar.” We don’t miss the white granules that come in 5-pound bags!
And Finally…
We keep sweetening simple by simply using Stevia – and sometimes sucralose. The health value lies in the fact that they’re not sugar – with all the attendant problems that they cause.
It’s an exception to the general rule that we often go by, which is that you eat food as close to the way it was created as possible. We don’t go crazy with this rule; it’s more like what you do 80% of the time that matters! It’s the same – in my opinion – with sweeteners.
This post is clearly not the definitive answer, and isn’t intended to be; it’s just a few of my own thoughts that can perhaps stimulate your own research. There are a lot of opinions, studies, etc., and you need to find your own simple, healthful, and budget-friendly solution!
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If you have any questions or comments on your own experience with stevia or any other sweeteners, please feel free to share in the space provided below!
