Uh-Oh: FDA Now Calls Stevia Unsafe

re: Uh-Oh: FDA Now Calls Stevia Unsafe

inthesky — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 06:11:00 GMT

If you read the following link, the problem with Stevia may be if used in large amounts, which Americans tend to do. I think I'll stick to old fashion sugar. www.cspinet.org/.../stevia.html

re: Uh-Oh: FDA Now Calls Stevia Unsafe

johndude — Sun, 17 May 2009 22:50:38 GMT

Please be aware that stevia is being hyped and chemically altered to be sold as Truvia and PureVia: DANGER!!! Theses are completely different from the natural stevia. Studies suggest they could be far worse than HFCS's. Do your research. I am surprised that Dr. Mercola did not mention this.

re: Uh-Oh: FDA Now Calls Stevia Unsafe

bkgriffin214 — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 17:32:01 GMT

Stevia is sold at Whole Foods Markets (natural, organic foods markets) in Texas. I use it exclusively, carry it with me to restaurants and use in my iced tea. I always leave the used bag on the table to show them I don't use their chemical junk ( blue bag, pink or yellow) that they provide for their customers.

re: Uh-Oh: FDA Now Calls Stevia Unsafe

freesail — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 21:44:51 GMT

Lots of comments about Stevia, no mention of Erythritol, which is supposed to be safe and made from fruit alcohol.

Has anyone tried it? I've been using it with no problems.

Would like to hear comments from other users.

re: Uh-Oh: FDA Now Calls Stevia Unsafe

Quarmla — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:03:30 GMT

I have a question for the community involving the danger of stevia in those with insulin resistance based on the contraindicative information I have come accross.

As Dr. Mercola states, "I want to emphasize, however, that if you have insulin issues, I suggest that you avoid sweeteners altogether (including stevia), as they all can decrease your sensitivity to insulin. So if you struggle with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, or extra weight then you have insulin sensitivity issues and would benefit from avoiding sweeteners,"

Contrarily, Wikipedia states, "Stevia also has shown promise in medical research for treating such conditions as obesity[1] and high blood pressure.[2][3] Stevia has a negligible effect on blood glucose, even enhancing glucose tolerance;[4] therefore, it is attractive as a natural sweetener to diabetics and others on carbohydrate-controlled diets.[5] "

I understand that artificial sweeteners fool our body's ability to count calories, so to speak, but, what do I believe about stevia, a natural sweetener? Do the same benefits of avoidance apply or are we speaking of something that can benefit us more than itself be a substance of detriment?

Thank you for any response; my direct e-mail address is peeling_petal_coccoon@yahoo.com. Thank you. And well wishes to everyone's health.

re: Uh-Oh: FDA Now Calls Stevia Unsafe

Stephaniered87 — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 04:45:43 GMT

I just love the fact that the FDA won't let manufacturers put stevia in their food because it "MIGHT (emphasis added) be dangerous to blood sugar, reproductive, cardiovascular and renal systems..." when they push their drugs and chemicals that have been KNOWN to cause "dizziness, nausea, stomach cramps........DEATH".........you know, the usual............" Why take such drastic precautions to prevent a product from being made available, when it's never actually been demonstrated to cause harm. Everything is backwards with this country, especially the big pharma........... I take so much comfort in the fact that I get to raise my future children in a world and country such as this.........absolutely ridiculous!

re: Uh-Oh: FDA Now Calls Stevia Unsafe

benjiyellow — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 20:12:11 GMT

Stevia makes me feel nauseated, and leaves a bad taste for hours. Guess it is "safe", though, because it is "natural".

re: Uh-Oh: FDA Now Calls Stevia Unsafe

tidelian — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 15:06:02 GMT

Has anyone experienced an adverse reaction to Stevia? I was so tickled to find this sweetner, but now figured out that I can't take it. I spent more than a week feeling ill - lethergy, loss of appetite, then chills and body aches (but no actual fever). The chills and aches gave way then my glands swelled for two days, then I had a rash for two days. It was then I felt I was dealing with a histamine reaction. The ONLY new thing I was eating (now that I had no appetite left) was Stevia in my tea or coffee in the morning. I stopped it 9 days after the chills and aches had started, but not before my hands and feet swelled and I experienced pain like I never had before (except for child birth). 2.5 days later my hands and feet started feeling better, my appetite came back, I had more energy and I was thinking more clearly. I had not reailzed the fog I was in until I was out of it. A little while later, wondering if it really was the Stevia, I tried it again - way stupid me! One packet of Stevia sent me into a tailspin of acute symptoms for a day and a half with 2 more days of recovering. I spent so much time trying to check out this sweetner, I never found any examples of someone unable to take it. I guess the rule would be that just because it's been around forever doesn't mean it's right for everybody.

re: Uh-Oh: FDA Now Calls Stevia Unsafe

sue17 — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 19:26:25 GMT

"Studies found that high dosages [of stevia] fed to rats caused reduced sperm production and an increase in cell proliferation in their testicles, which could cause infertility or other problems. When pregnant hamsters were fed large amounts of a derivative of stevioside called steviol, they had fewer and smaller offspring. In the laboratory, steviol can be converted into a mutagenic compound, which may promote cancer by causing mutations in the cells genetic material (DNA). In addition, very large amounts of stevioside can interfere with the absorption of carbohydrates in animals and disrupt the conversion of food into energy within cells. In sum, small amounts of stevia are probably safe, but it is inappropriate to endorse wide use of this sweetener."

http://www.cspinet.org/reports/chemcuisine.htm

Dr. Mercola, I understand that the FDA is in the wrong for allowing the food industry to use dangerous artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame, while disapproving the use of stevia. However, being a sociology student, I know that what may be regarded as common sense (claims or assumptions) can be true or false. Scientific knowledge, on the other hand, is knowledge based upon evidence. Even if stevia has been used for 1,500 years as you say, it doesn‘t mean that stevia is 100% safe. It might still be harmful. There are herbs that have been used for thousands of years, some of which are harmful! (Read Holly Phaneuf‘s book "Herbs Demystified") For example, kava kava has been used for over 3,000 years, but as Dr. Phaneuf writes, ""Kava appears to be an effective anti-anxiety agent; however, there is also good evidence that it is bad for your health, particularly your liver."

I have come to learn that all herbs are not safe, and stevia seems to be an unknown. I believe there needs to be more research done, and high-quality research too..particularly randomized lab experiments with a control and experimental group.

re: Uh-Oh: FDA Now Calls Stevia Unsafe

hypoxic — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 23:00:54 GMT

I wonder how much testing the FDA has done on vanilla extract? Is it safe? Why would a food that is consumed by the south american people for generations have to be tested for safety? This is obviously motivated by the companies that manufacture the "other" sweeteners.

re: Uh-Oh: FDA Now Calls Stevia Unsafe

Dr. A — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 18:27:39 GMT

I think we need to send an army to the FDA and change their board to how they used to be before Donald Dumbfield took over. They have killed way more people than Iraq ever had . They should be more of a concern than IRAQ! And with the FDA, we have evidence for their mass murderstruction and proof that they plan on controling of freedom of health.

re: Uh-Oh: FDA Now Calls Stevia Unsafe

Darth Chaos — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 01:50:37 GMT

Do some research. Most of the praisers (past and present) of neurotoxic chemical sweeteners ALL have ties to the Council on Foreign Relations and the Rockefellers. The Center for Science in the Public Interest is funded by the Rockefeller Foundation and the Rockfeller Family Fund, both of which are fronts for the CFR. The Center for Consumer Freedom is funded by CFR corporate members such as Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, both of which sell beverages laced with aspartame. CSPI, CCF, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, the Rockefellers, and the CFR are all murderous scum.

And if you speak out against CSPI on the fake-liberal left gatekeeper sites, you are accused of being a shill for Big Food, nevermind the fact that CSPI and Big Food have been co-conspirators dating back to trans fats in the 1980s. Do a Google search for an article titled "The Tragic Legacy of the Center for Science in the Public Interest" which will show that CSPI is just as much murderous scum as Big Food.

re: Uh-Oh: FDA Now Calls Stevia Unsafe

halcyon — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 20:55:02 GMT

Here's another article suggesting that stevia may *increase* insulin sensitivity:

blog.xtend-life.com/.../sweetenerssplenda-and-stevia-an-opinion.html

re: Uh-Oh: FDA Now Calls Stevia Unsafe

halcyon — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 20:53:12 GMT

From what I've read, stevia actually *lowers* blood-glucose levels, and is apparently safe for diabetics. Here's one link that discusses this:

www.stevia.com/SteviaColumn.asp

Anyway, so I'm skeptical that it increases insulin sensitivity.

re: Uh-Oh: FDA Now Calls Stevia Unsafe

Kannen — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 21:25:52 GMT

I was tested a few months ago for hidden food allergies and found to be very sensitive to eggs, casein and milk. I cut out eggs and all dairy. At the same time I made another attempt to cut out sugar but this time it was very easy. I really don't even want the sweet foods to the point that the battle within me is learning to accept that I don't want them when something feels like I should. Overall it's been really easy. I reintroduced the dairy and found that after a short time I began feeling a little depressed. I read somewhere that hidden food allergies could actually cause seratonin depletion. I'm wondering if by cutting out the dairy and eggs, it made it so much easier to eliminate the sugar because of a more regular level of seratonin. Has anyone had a similar experience?