THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO KICKING SUGAR by Flora Zhao - HTML preview

Chapter 2

NATURAL SWEETENERS: HEALTHY ALTERNATIVES TO SUGAR

lunch than those who consumed sucrose, and they had no

sate by eating more at lunch or dinner compared to those

significant fluctuations.

who consumed high-calorie sucrose. Additionally, their

feelings of fullness were similar.

A randomized, controlled trial on diabetic patients published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture in 2016 further demonstrated the blood sugar-low-

ering effect of stevia. Twenty patients with Type 2 diabetes were randomly divided into two groups, one taking 1

gram of dried stevia leaf powder daily and the other not

taking any. The experiment was conducted over 60 days.

The results showed that taking dried stevia leaf pow-

der significantly reduced the fasting and postprandial

blood sugar levels of these diabetic patients.

“I see that using stevia as a sugar substitute can bring

Consumption of stevia resulted in lower insulin levels right after lunch.

about a huge change,” said Per Bendix Jeppesen, an asso-

Additionally, after lunch, the insulin levels of partici-

ciate professor in the department of endocrinology and

pants who consumed stevia were overall lower than those

diabetes at Aarhus University in Denmark who is current-

of participants who consumed aspartame or sucrose.

“It would suggest that compared to other types of

sweeteners, stevia could be beneficial in helping people

keep their glucose levels under control or in a healthy

range after eating,” study co-author Stephen Anton, a professor of physiology and aging at the University of Flori-da with a doctorate in clinical and health psychology, told The Epoch Times. “Compared to sucrose and aspartame,

stevia could lead to better post-meal metabolic states.”

Moreover, participants who consumed stevia and as-

partame had a significantly lower total caloric intake.

Although participants who consumed stevia before

Consumption of stevia resulted in lower fasting and postprandial blood sugar levels.

meals didn’t gain any calories from it, they didn’t compen-18

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Chapter 2

NATURAL SWEETENERS: HEALTHY ALTERNATIVES TO SUGAR

ly studying stevia extract as an antidiabetic drug and as a Researchers in Taiwan conducted a randomized,

healthy sweetener.

double-blind, placebo-controlled trial on hypertensive

“It is a game changer,” he told The Epoch Times.

patients in which 174 hypertensive patients were divided

That’s because the main component of stevia has pos-

into two groups. One group took steviol glycoside capsules itive effects on the human endocrine system, especially

three times a day, each containing 500 milligrams of ste-

for people with diabetes. In addition to studying stevia’s viol glycoside, while the other group took a placebo. Two effectiveness and extraction techniques, Jeppesen is in-years later, those who took steviol glycoside showed signif-volved in related experiments on antidiabetic drugs.

icant improvements in their blood pressure. Their systolic Modern people tend to engage in too little physical

blood pressure decreased from an average of 150 to 140

activity, consume too much food, and eat diets that are

mm Hg, and their diastolic blood pressure decreased from

high in sugar and fat.

an average of 95 to 89 mm Hg.

“Stevia could be a very good substitute for the sugar

Notably, the beneficial effects of steviol glycosides

that we are consuming too much of,” Jeppesen said. “By

on hypertensive patients were observed approximately

adding stevia, it could really enhance public health, as the one week after the start of the experiment and continued

calorie intake would decrease when we consume less sug-

throughout the entire study. Additionally, the group tak-

ar.”

ing steviol glycosides had significantly improved overall quality of life scores, as measured by a survey.

The Nutrients meta-analysis included seven studies

and nine randomized controlled trials involving 462 par-

Mitigates Blood Pressure and

ticipants. The analysis revealed that compared with tak-

ing a placebo, steviol glycosides significantly reduced sys-Cholesterol

tolic blood pressure by 6.32 mm Hg and diastolic blood

In addition to controlling postprandial blood sugar and

pressure by 3.6 mm Hg. Additionally, there were nonsig-

other antidiabetic effects, stevia can lower blood pressure nificant reductions in body mass index, fasting blood sug-and blood lipids.

ar, and total cholesterol.

Steviol glycosides found in stevia can regulate the lev-

Stevia can also lower blood lipids. A review study

el of calcium in the blood, which can lead to vasodilation showed that consuming stevia extract can significant-and reduced arterial contraction, both of which contribute ly increase the level of high-density lipoprotein (“good”

to lowering blood pressure, according to the 2023 Mole-

cholesterol) and reduce the levels of total cholesterol, tri-cules study.

glycerides, and low-density lipoprotein (“bad” cholesterol).

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Chapter 2

WHY YOUR BRAIN CRAVES SUGAR

Stevia’s 100+ Protective Compounds

consuming stevia continuously for more than 1,500 years

with almost no adverse effects reported. Additionally, a re-

Stevia contains more than 100 compounds, many of which

view study indicates that most reports on stevia consump-benefit our health. In addition to natural sweeteners and tion don’t suggest any adverse events.

various trace elements, stevia contains terpenes, sterols, According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration

tannins, volatile acids, flavonoids, vitamins, enzymes, or-

(FDA), highly purified steviol glycosides are generally rec-ganic acids, and polysaccharides, all of which have biolog-ognized as safe (GRAS). However, stevia leaf and crude

ical activity.

stevia extract are not considered GRAS “due to inade-

According to the Molecules study, steviol glycosides

quate toxicological information.” The FDA regulates these have been found to suppress and control factors that trig-as food additives rather than as dietary ingredients or sup-ger cell inflammation. They also play a protective role

plements.

in the liver by preventing inflammation and have been

In other countries like Japan, Australia, and Brazil,

shown to enhance the body’s innate immune system.

stevia leaf-derived products are approved for use as sweet-In addition, steviol glycosides exhibit antioxidant

eners in food. They are used in a variety of foods, includ-properties. The study published in Molecules in 2023

ing teas.

demonstrated that they can protect heart cells from dam-

The acceptable daily intake of steviol glycosides, as

age caused by hydrogen peroxide, a reactive oxygen spe-

defined by the FDA and the European Food Safety Au-

cies produced during normal metabolic processes. Excess

thority, is 4 milligrams per kilogram of body weight, or ap-hydrogen peroxide can lead to oxidative stress, damaging

proximately 1.8 milligrams per pound.

cells and tissues. The steviol glycosides not only help pro-Jeppesen stated that these agencies took more than

tect heart cells, leading to increased vitality and improved 10 years to conduct rigorous evaluations before listing

antioxidant capacity, but they also prevent oxidative DNA stevia as a food additive. However, stevia extract has been damage in the liver and kidneys.

widely used as a sweetener in Japan since the 1980s.

An earlier rat study mentioned in the EXCLI Journal

suggested that stevia might affect the fertility of experi-

mental animals. However, Jeppesen said that the final re-Sweet With Minimal Side Effects

sults of these studies generally weren’t accepted.

According to a paper published in the Experimental and

Clinical Sciences (EXCLI) Journal, Paraguayans have been

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