Free Video Newsletter

Ancient Wisdom & Modern Science

Learn more ...
3 emails a week
  • 1.866.227.9843
  • About LifeSpa
  • Contact
  • Login
  • Newsletter

John Douillard's LifeSpa

Ancient Wisdom meets Modern ScienceAyurveda + Natural Health News

Menu 
  • HOME Back to front page
  • STORE Health Products
    • SHOP NOWTake me to the store
    • Shop Health TopicTake me to products by health topic
    • Shop Body Type (dosha)Take me to products by body type
      • Take the Body Type Quiz
      • Kapha (Spring)
      • Pitta (Summer)
      • Vata (Fall / Winter)
    • Read the Catalog
  • LEARN Articles & Videos
    • Libraries
      • Videos
      • eBooks
      • Podcasts
      • Recipes
      • Health Quizzes
    • Article Library
      • Recent Articles
      • Browse by Category
      • Article Index A-Z
    • Own It
      • eCourses
      • Books
      • DVDs
    • Events
      • Podcasts
      • Cleanse Events
      • Events & Workshops
  • CLEANSE Ayurvedic Detox
    • Colorado Cleanse – 14-Day, At-Home Digestive Detox and Lymph Cleanse
      • Group Colorado Cleanse
      • Anytime Colorado Cleanse
    • Your Favorite Ayurvedic Cleanse: LifeSpa’s Short Home CleanseFree Instructional eBook
    • Safe Liver and Gallbladder Cleanse
      • Free Instructional eBook
      • Watch the Podcast “Safe Liver Cleansing”
    • 6-Step Lymph Detox Plan
      • Create-Your-Own Lymph Detox Kit
      • Learn More
    • Kaya Kalpa Cleanse
  • CONSULT Ayurvedic Medicine
    • More Information
      • Hours & Location
      • Testimonials
      • New Patient Paperwork
    • Ayurvedic Consultations with Dr. John Douillard, DC, CAPConsultations In-Person, via Phone or via Skype
      • About Dr. John Douillard DC, CAP
    • Ayurveda
      • What is Ayurveda?
You are here: Home / Diet + Detox / Blood Sugar / Stevia: Too Good to be True?

Stevia: Too Good to be True?

by John Douillard on April 21, 2014 | 1 Comment

I must admit, I have not been a big fan of stevia, until now! Surprisingly, there are some amazing and well-documented health benefits of this very sweet leaf. That said, how could a plant that is 300 times as sweet as sugar, with zero calories, be good for you? That just sounds too suspicious!

Before I share all the benefits, let me share my initial reservations.

Stevia has been shown to have no negative effects on our blood sugar (1), so why not, right?

Well, not so fast. Even though stevia touts the unlikely benefit of “no effect on the blood sugar,” I entered my research on this sweet leaf with the same reservation that I have with any sweetener. This reservation is that, at some point, I believe we must break our psychological addiction to the sweet taste.

In the case of sweeteners that boast zero calories, the suspicion compounds. When the brain senses a sweet taste that is followed by “zero calories”, these questions arise:

  • Will it result in us craving more?
  • Are we, with each hit of stevia, then reinforcing the memory of that sweet taste?
  • Will we then always find ourselves thinking about, craving, or longing for sweets?

Having entered my research on stevia with these suspicions, I must admit I was humbled, though not totally allayed, by the research that surfaced. As it turns out, stevia has some pretty amazing properties!

Humbling Super-Powers of Stevia

1.  In one study, when participants consumed stevia before their meals, they felt satisfied with fewer calories, and did not eat more food throughout the day to make up for the lack of food at their meal. (2)

2.  In that same study, the stevia group showed lower after-meal glucose and insulin levels. (2)

3.  One of the biggest issues around healthy blood sugar levels is the fasting glucose levels, which refer to the glucose levels in the morning after consuming no food for eight hours. During the night, the liver releases a certain amount of the hormone cortisol, in order to prepare for the stressors of the coming day. The liver matches this cortisol with glucose, to drive the energy needed for that day. The liver makes this glucose by itself through a process called gluconeogenesis. While it is not clear why, the liver often overshoots the runway, allowing glucose levels to rise to unhealthy levels in the morning. Anything over 85mg/dL is considered too high. There are only a handful of agents that will slow the liver’s production of first morning blood sugars and stevia is one of them. (3) This is a pretty amazing effect!

4.  Stevia has also been shown to support healthy intestinal, urinary, and immune functions.

5.  Stevia has been shown to support healthy blood pressure levels.

Out of the benefits listed above, stevia’s strongest effects seem to be its ability to help regulate blood sugar and blood pressure levels.

Stevia Hits the Mainstream  

Grocery store shelves can attest to the fact that stevia is making its way into the mainstream, replacing other sweeteners in many comfort foods and packaged products. As far as I can tell from the research, this may be a very good thing. There is no doubt that, if we are going to be ingesting sweets, pure, unadulterated stevia ranks better than any of them. While I have not seen research comparing the effects of processed or extracted stevia with that of raw stevia, I always suggest non-processed products whenever possible.

Finally, even with the research behind stevia, I still suggest to use it as a treat and not a regular part of your diet. Moderation always wins!

Dr. John Douillard, DC, CAP is the author of seven health books (including bestselling Eat Wheat and The 3-Season Diet), seven online courses (including new Yoga Journal course Ayurveda 201 on Ayurvedic Psychology), and numerous free eBooks. He is a former NBA nutritionist and creator of LifeSpa.com—with thousands of free articles, resources, and videos. LifeSpa is a leading wellness resource, with nine million+ YouTube views and over 130k newsletter subscribers.

References

1. Cardiovasc Hemotol Agents Med Chem. 2010;8(2):113-27 An Evidence Based Review of Stevia 2. Appetite 2010;55(1):37-43. Effects of Stevia 3.  Planta Med. 2005;71(2):108-13. Mechanism of Hypoglycemic Effect of Stevia 4. Iafelice R. Sweet As Sugar. 2014. Feb 2014

Related Articles

lifespa image, man fighting sugar cravings
Stop Sugar Cravings with Gymnema
lifespa image, blood sugar detective man with magnifying glass
How to Balance Blood Sugar: Become a Blood Sugar Detective
micah mortali rewilding
094: Mindful Rewilding with Micah Mortali
lifespa image, uric acid, lemons and limes, vitamin c
Vitamin C with Full-Spectrum Bioflavonoids: Surprising Benefits

Categories: Blood Sugar, Diet and Seasonal Eating Tagged: blood sugar, immune health

Comments

  1. Geoffrey Levens says

    February 5, 2016 at 1:15 pm

    Stevia does not increase blood sugar but does provoke insulin response and this may well be how it “regulates” blood sugar! A mixed blessing…

    Reply

Speak Your Mind Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

9 million+ YouTube views
youtube video

Website Search

Store Search

Upcoming Events

lifespa image, silhouette growth heart light beams
Mon 16

Ayurveda 201: Six-Week Psychology eCourse

May 27, 2019 - May 27, 2021
Feb 28

Balancing Weight, Energy + Emotions @ Kripalu

February 28, 2020 - March 1, 2020
Mar 24

Colorado Cleanse

March 24, 2020 - April 6, 2020
john douillard sivananda
May 28

Ayurvedic Longevity @ Sivananda Bahamas

May 28, 2020 - May 31, 2020

View More…

Categories

  • Ayurvedic Beauty + Fitness
  • Circadian + Seasonal Lifestyle
  • Diet + Detox
  • Digestion + Lymph
  • Men + Women + Family Health
  • Mental Health + Mood
  • Other Health Topics

Media

Media-sidebar-button More>>

Sidebar IIN

Social

Inside Lifespa.com

  • 2018 LifeSpa Catalog
  • John in the News
  • New to Ayurvedic Body Types?
  • New to Ayurvedic Herbs?
  • New to the Ayurvedic Diet?
  • New to the Emotions of Ayurveda?
  • What is Ayurveda?

Support

  • Careers
  • Citations Policy
  • LifeSpa Gives Back!
  • Press Kit – Speaking Engagement Info
  • Online Affilate Program
  • Wholesale Partner Program

Contact us

John Douillard’s LifeSpa®
6662 Gunpark Dr E, Suite 102
Boulder, CO 80301

toll free: 1.866.227.9843
main: 303.516.4848
email: [email protected]

Online Scheduler

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Disclaimer: The entire contents of this website are based upon the opinions of John Douillard. They are not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional, and they are not intended as medical advice. They are intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of John Douillard and his community. John Douillard encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional.

lifespa image, Top 50 Natural Health Websites 2013 Award Seal lifespa image, Top 100 Trailblazers in Yoga and Ayurveda
Privacy Policy | Terms of Use
Copyright © 2019 John Douillard's LifeSpa
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Copyright © 2019 John Douillard's LifeSpa Top