Stevia Side Effects

Stevia is a herb that belongs to the sunflower family, found in abundance in the subtropical and tropical South American and Central American regions. The leaves of the stevia plant are nearly thirty times more sweet that ordinary table sugar. Not only can it be added in food preparation but it can also be eaten raw.

Stevia Sweetener
The use of stevia as a natural sweetener was spearheaded by Japan after a 1960s ban on all artificial sweeteners such as saccharine and aspartame. Its use as a sweetener became so popular that many other countries followed in its lead. Today stevia is used as a commercial sweetening agent for many mass produced and marketed food products such as low calorie foods, diet sodas, bakery items, etc.

Side Effects of Stevia
In the United States, stevia has not been accorded the status of a food additive or sweetener but as that of a dietary supplement. Some scientific reports have indicated that stevia extract stevioside may cause health problems to the consumer. Headaches and nausea are some of the most common allergic reactions one can experience after consuming stevia. Besides these, some probable medical problems associated with the consumption of stevia have been listed below for your information.

• Damage to Metabolism: Experiments on animals have shown that a large dose of stevioside may cause interference with the absorption of carbohydrates in the body, resulting in a hampered conversion of food into energy.
• Reproductive Issues: In 2006, a group of European scientists experimented on male rats and female hamsters by feeding them doses of stevioside and its derivative steviol respectively, to draw conclusions about stevia side effects on the male and female reproductive organs. The rats sperm production and the weight of the seminal vesicles drastically reduced, whereas the hamsters delivered (pups) babies that were small in size and weak. It was then concluded that stevioside could easily result in infertility.
• Cancer: Although many tests have been conducted to check for the role of stevia in causing cancer, it is still quite disputed. In a laboratory controlled experiment, stevioside derivative steviol can be converted into a genetically mutated compound. Mutations of cells leads to cancer.

Benefits of Stevia
Stevia provides the taste of a sweetener without the addition of chemicals in it. This capability has proven to be highly effective in regulating blood sugar in diabetics. It has also been helpful in lowering elevated blood pressure. Its anti-bacterial properties suppress the growth of bacetria and it is widely used in toothpastes and mouthwashes. As it contains no calories, stevia and stevia based products are highly recommended in weight loss and weight management programs. Its healing properties can help in curing some common skin inflammations, like, acne, dermatitis and eczema. Read more on benefits of stevia.

Most stevia side effects require further testing, especially on humans. Probably, the reason why the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has classified it under a dietary supplement. For all those who believe in its benefits, it is preferable to consult a herbalist before consuming stevia, to avoid any of the above mentioned health complications.