What Is Stevia? Health Benefits, Safety Info, Top Sellers, More Everyday Health MenuNewslettersSearch Diet & Nutrition A Complete Guide to Stevia Side Effects Proposed Benefits and More Things to Know About the Natural Sweetener By Jessica MigalaMedically Reviewed by Kelly Kennedy, RDNReviewed: June 17, 2019Medically ReviewedStevia is a natural, zero-calories sweetener found in 14,500 foods and drinks across the globe.MasterfileStevia is an intensely sweet-tasting, zero-calorie plant extract that’s gained interest as a replacement for sugar. (1) It’s spiked in popularity in recent years, thanks to its reputation as being a more “natural” sweetener compared with common lab-made artificial sweeteners (it comes from a leaf extract). Stevia is now an ingredient in 14,500 foods and beverages worldwide, according to the PureCircle Stevia Institute. (2) You’ll find the sweetener widely available under many brand names in the store for use at home, including Stevia in the Raw, PureVia, SweetLeaf, Pyure, Wholesome!, and Splenda Naturals, which now makes its own version of Stevia. What Is Stevia Exactly and How Is the Sweetener Made Stevia, or Stevia rebaudiana, is a plant native to South America. (3) People there have been consuming the leaves as a source of sweetness for hundreds of years, according to an article published in May 2015 in the journal Nutrition Today. (4) It became popular as a sweetener in Japan in the 1970s, but it hadn’t been a leading sweetener in the United States until a decade ago. Today, the extract is widely popular as a zero-calorie sugar alternative. Most notably, stevia is very potent; it’s 200 to 350 times sweeter than sugar. (3) Because stevia is added to thousands of products, reading the ingredient label will tell you if stevia is included. Still, it does go by many names, which can sometimes make pinpointing its presence tricky. Here are the ones to look for, according to PureCircle:SteviaHigh-purity steviaStevia extractStevia leaf extractSteviol glycosidesSteviol glycosides (E960)RebianaRebaudioside A (Reb A)Stevioside A Closer Look at How Stevia Is Made Unlike artificial sweeteners, which are made in a lab, stevia does come from plant leaves. But it needs to be processed before it gets to your table or in your food — it’s not likely you’re eating the leaf itself. According to Truvia, a brand of stevia that runs the website Stevia.com, the leaves are first harvested, dried, and steeped in hot water. (5) The liquid is then filtered and spun to make an extract from the intensely sweet components of the leaf called steviol glycosides. It’s then blended with any number of additives, like dextrose or maltodextrin, to cut the intense sweetness so that it can be easily incorporated into foods. Most Recent in Diet and Nutrition Later Meals Increase Hunger Decrease Calories Burned Zinc 101 Uses Dosage Foods Supplements Risks and More 6 Bugs You Can Eat and Their Health Benefits Whole Grains 101 Health Benefits Nutrition Facts Recipes and More Stevia vs Sugar How Do They Compare Nutritionally Per teaspoon (tsp) — 4.2 grams (g) — here are the nutritional stats of granulated table sugar: (6)Calories: 16Protein: 0gFat: 0gCarbs: 4gFiber: 0gSugars: 4g As you can see, table sugar is a carbohydrate. What’s more, all of its carbohydrates (and calories) come from sugar. (And, for reference, other sweeteners, like honey and maple syrup, contain a similar number of calories as traditional granulated sugar.) Now, here are the nutrition stats for stevia (per 1 g packet): (7)Calories: 0Protein: 0 gFat: 0 gCarbs: 1 gFiber: 0 gSugars: 1 g Clearly, stevia and sugar are very different, particularly because stevia adds nothing to your daily calorie totals. Other sugar substitutes (aspartame, saccharin, sucralose) are also almost completely free of calories. The Best and Worst Sweeteners for Weight Loss Here’s how common sugar sources, including agave, saccharin, and stevia, may impact your waistline — and how to make sure your sweet tooth isn’t sabotaging your weight loss goals!Article Does Stevia Work to Boost Your Health You’ll hear many health benefits being attached to stevia, but it’s important to realize that the research on the extract is still new, and according to the the U.S. Department of Agriculture's MyPlate guidelines, the long-term effects aren’t clear yet. Many people talk about how stevia has a favorable effect on blood sugar levels — making it ideal for people with type 2 diabetes, those who want to lose weight — or use this as an indication that it’s better than other non-nutritive sweeteners. According to the position statement published in May 2012 in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetitcs, randomized trials on the weight loss and diabetes management potential for stevia is largely mixed. (8) Some trials show that blood glucose responses are lower after consuming stevia, while others report no changes. When it comes to other health markers, like blood pressure, the results are also often mixed. Two of the trials the authors looked at reported no changes, while one did report a decrease in blood pressure after eating stevia compared with a placebo. Overall, consider stevia an option as a sweetener, but don’t expect it to make a discernable difference in your health. Editor s Picks on Sweeteners Like Stevia Which Sugars Are Good for You and Which to Avoid 5 Sugar Substitutes for Type 2 Diabetes My Family Stopped Eating Sugar for a Year and Here s What Happened Later Meals Increase Hunger Decrease Calories Burned Is Stevia Good for Weight Loss or Maintenance It’s not yet clear if stevia can help you lose weight. Theoretically it should if you’re consuming a zero-calorie sugar in place of traditional sugar. But the human body is complex and research hasn’t yet panned out that calorie-free sweeteners, including stevia, can slim you down. Just like with other calorie-free sweeteners, you may eat more out of the belief that you “saved” calories, or these sweeteners may uniquely affect your appetite to prompt you to eat more. In one small study, published in March 2017 in the International Journal of Obesity, which was conducted on 30 adult men, participants drank a beverage sweetened by aspartame, monk fruit, sucrose (sugar), or stevia and then ate lunch an hour later. (9) People who drank the zero-calorie beverage (regardless of the type) ate more lunch compared with those who drank the sucrose (sugar) beverage. What does that mean? “The energy ‘saved’ from replacing sucrose with NNS [non-nutritive sweeteners] was fully compensated for at subsequent meals; hence, no difference in total daily energy intake was found between the treatments,” the authors wrote. That said, prior research found that when people consumed a stevia or aspartame drink before a meal, they did not end up eating more compared with those having a sucrose (sugar) drink. (10)More on Sugar-Laden Drinks 9 Refreshing Alternatives to Drink Instead of SodaAnother review published September 2017 in Nutrition Journal looked at three randomized controlled trials involving stevia. (11) “None of them described a difference in change of body weight between the intervention and control groups,” the authors write. The takeaway: Research is mixed. Including stevia or other calorie-free sweeteners in the context of a healthy diet may be your best bet if you’re looking to lose weight. (12) Is Stevia Okay for People With Diabetes Yes, it is. Non-nutritive sweeteners can play a role in your diet if you have diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. (13) When used to replace sugar, these can potentially help with glucose control, according to a scientific statement they released in 2012, which included comments on stevia. But the authors noted that research hasn’t shown that these types of sweeteners actually do help people reduce their calorie or carbohydrate intake in a real-world setting. Plus, you may have heard the buzz that stevia is actually helpful for blood sugar control. Initial research on mice published in March 2017 in the journal Nature Communication shows that stevia stimulates a specific protein channel that helps the pancreas release the proper dose of insulin. (14) But jumping to the conclusion that stevia is a way to treat diabetes isn’t yet appropriate, the study author noted in the press release. (15) 10 Foods That Can Help With Blood Sugar Control If you have diabetes, you know that what you put on your plate is one of the most important management tools at your disposal. These are some of the best eats to help you meet your target A1C.Article Tips for Selecting and Storing SteviaYou’ll find Stevia both as a standalone ingredient that you can add to your foods at home as well as in food and beverages, like sodas, juices, yogurt, baked goods, gum, and sweets, to name a few. (1) When purchasing Stevia as an at-home ingredient, you have two main choices: powdered or granulated stevia that comes in packets, and liquid bottles or droppers. You can also find it in blended products, which may combine stevia with other additives, like erythritol (a sugar alcohol). (16) Some blends also use ingredients like dextrose and inulin. These help consumers better use stevia in cooking and baking without having to use crazy conversion charts. (1) You may also find brands that combine stevia and regular sugar to help cut the sugar content. To store, keep in a cool, dark, dry place, like a cabinet way from heat. (17) If using a liquid drop, read the bottle to see if it needs to be stored in the refrigerator. (Some do not.) (18) It should be no surprise that different types of stevia have different shelf lives. (3) Here’s a look at how long a few types of stevia can stick around:Stevia in the Raw: Four years from date of manufacture (17)Truvia Natural Sweetener: Three years from the date of manufactureWholesome Organic Stevia Blend: Three years (19) How to Use Stevia to Help Sweeten Your Dishes Looking to cook or bake with stevia? Add it as a sweetener in coffee or tea? First, remember that stevia can be up to 350 times sweeter than table sugar, meaning a little goes a long way. The conversion differs depending on if you’re using a packet or liquid drops; 1 tsp of sugar is equal to one-half a stevia packet or five drops of liquid stevia. (2) For larger recipes (like baking), ½ cup sugar equates to 12 stevia packets or 1 tsp of liquid stevia. But if you regularly bake with stevia, consider buying a stevia blend with sugar that’s designed for baking (it will say so on the package), which allows you to substitute stevia for sugar in a 1:1 ratio, making the cooking process easier. If you’re new to stevia, you may first try it in coffee or tea, something that can help reduce your added sugar consumption throughout the day. (1) In warm drinks, stevia dissolves well. Add a portion of a stevia packet, stir, and taste, continuing to add more until you reach your desired level of sweetness. As for cooking and baking, you can substitute stevia and its respective blends for most or some of the added sugar in a recipe, as it remains stable when heated. (1) Just remember to always read the label of the product you’re using to get the right conversion. It’s also recommended that you keep ¼ cup of granulated sugar in the recipe so that the food will caramelize or brown nicely. Include it in pancakes, cookies, muffins, pie, frozen desserts, salad dressings, and sauces. Most Popular in Diet and Nutrition 6 Reasons Why You Should Eat Oatmeal Every Day The 10 Best and Worst Oils for Your Health A Complete Keto Diet Food List and 7-Day Sample Menu 7 Healthiest Salad Dressings for Weight Loss Is Stevia Safe A Look at the Side Effects and Possible Health RisksStevia obtained GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2008. (20) The Centers for Science in the Public Interest, a nonprofit watchdog group, also said that stevia is safe in a 2014 report on sugar substitutes. (21) In terms of side effects, if you overeat stevia-containing foods simply because you believe they’re healthier, you can still gain weight. (22) There are also questions about if stevia, like other non-nutritive sweeteners, alters the balance of gut bacteria in the body, the health implications of which aren’t fully understood, noted an article published in July 2018 in the journal PLoS One. (23) Finally, it’s worth pointing out that stevia is not cancerous! And it also won’t cause diabetes. Studies that look at these types of sweeteners on outcomes like cancer or diabetes “are completely lacking,” according to the September 2017 research review from Nutrition Journal. (11) “Clearly there is a need for further research,” the authors noted. Foods You Can Sweeten With SteviaGrapefruitGreen TeaMatcha Tea Top Sellers for Stevia on AmazonLooking to purchase Stevia? Start with these popular products online.NOW Foods BetterStevia Liquid; $13.67; AmazonSweet Drops SweetLeaf Liquid Stevia Sweetener; $14.74; AmazonPyure Organic All-Purpose Blend Stevia Sweetener; $5.93; AmazonTruvia Natural Sweetener (400 count); $21.65; AmazonSweetLeaf Natural Stevia Sweetener; $5.99, Amazon NEWSLETTERS Sign up for our Diet and Nutrition Newsletter SubscribeBy subscribing you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking ReferencesWhere Can I Use Stevia? PureCircle Stevia Institute.How to Find Stevia. PureCircle Stevia Institute.What Is Stevia? FAQ. Stevia.com.Ashwell M. Stevia, Nature’s Zero-Calorie Sustainable Sweetener. Nutrition Today. May 2015.How is Stevia Extract Made? Stevia.com.Sugars, Granulated. United States Department of Agriculture. April 2018.Sweetener, Herbal Extract Powder From Stevia Leaf. United States Department of Agriculture. April 2018.Fitch C, Keim K. Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Use of Nutritive and Nonnutritive Sweeteners. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. May 2012.Tey SL, Salleh NB, Henry J, et al. Effects of Aspartame-, Monk Fruit-, Stevia- and Sucrose-Sweetened Beverages On Postprandial Glucose, Insulin and Energy Intake. International Journal of Obesity. March 2017.Anton SD, Martin CK, Han H, et al. Effects of Stevia, Aspartame, and Sucrose on Food Intake, Satiety, and Postprandial Glucose and Insulin Levels. Appetite. August 2010.Lohner S, Toews I, Meerpohl J. Health Outcomes of Non-Nutritive Sweeteners: Analysis of the Research Landscape. Nutrition Journal. September 2017.Do Sugar Substitutes Help You Lose Weight? Harvard Health Publishing. July 2015.American Heart Association/American Diabetes Association Scientific Statement: Non-Nutritive Sweeteners: A Potentially Useful Option – With Caveats. American Diabetes Association. July 2012.Philippaert K, Pironet A, Mesuere M, et al. Steviol Glycosides Enhance Pancreatic Beta-Cell Function and Taste Sensation By Potentiation of TRPM5 Channel Activity. Nature Communications. March 2017.Researchers Unravel How Stevia Controls Blood Sugar Levels. ScienceDaily. April 2017.Truvia Ingredients. Truvia.How Do You Store Wholesome! Organic Stevia? What Is Its Shelf Life? Wholesome.Do SweetLeaf Sweet Drops Liquid Stevia Need to Be Refrigerated? SweetLeaf.How Do You Store Wholesome! Organic Stevia? What Is Its Shelf Life? Wholesome.GRN No. 252. GRAS Notices. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 2008.NutritionAction.com Report Evaluates Artificial Sweeteners. Center for the Science in the Public Interest. November 2014.Zeratsky K. What is Stevia? I’ve Heard It’s Good for Weight Control. Mayo Clinic. September 2015.Wang QP, Browman D, Herzog H, et al. Non-Nutritive Sweetners Possess a Bacteriostatic Effect and Alter Gut Microbiota in Mice. PLoS One. July 2018.Show Less The Latest in Diet & Nutrition Later Meals Increase Hunger Decrease Calories BurnedPeople who skip breakfast and eat a late dinner have more intense food cravings and burn less energy during the day, a new study suggests.By Lisa RapaportOctober 7, 2022 Whole Grains 101 Health Benefits Nutrition Facts Recipes and MoreBy Cristina HoltzerOctober 6, 2022 What Is the Longevity Diet A Detailed Scientific GuideBy Leslie BarrieOctober 6, 2022 Do Sports Drinks Count as Fluid They’re marketed as the ultimate in hydration, but are they really a better option than water? Read on to find out.By Kelly Kennedy, RDNOctober 3, 2022 Old Europe Cheese Recalls Brie and Camembert Cheese Due to Potential Listeria RiskA sample found in a facility has been linked to a multistate outbreak of the dangerous bacteria.By Becky UphamOctober 3, 2022 The Last Word Is Alcohol Use at Any Level Actually Healthy There’s little question that heavy drinking is a bad idea. But the science around moderate alcohol consumption is a lot more complicated.By Lisa RapaportSeptember 23, 2022 Krill Oil 101 Health Benefits Side Effects Who Should Take It and MoreBy Leslie BarrieSeptember 19, 2022 7 Potential Health Benefits of BeetsBeets are vibrant, colorful, and robust root vegetables — and they’re powerful supporters of your health.By Lacey MuinosSeptember 19, 2022 The 8 Best Foods for a Healthy BrainA growing body of research shows that certain foods have the nutritional makeup to help maintain mental sharpness.By Matthew Kadey, RDSeptember 16, 2022 Food Rx A Longevity Expert Shares What She Eats in a DayA Stanford longevity researcher has thoughts on restricting calories, intermittent fasting, the Mediterranean diet, and more.By Stephanie ThurrottSeptember 14, 2022 MORE IN Which Sugars Are Good for You — and Which Ones to Avoid Sugar-Free Drinks Linked to Weight Loss and Lower Diabetes Risk 10 Ways to Enjoy Barbecue Season Without Gaining Weight