Let's Talk About STEVIA.

I don’t know about you, but I am tired of people demonizing foods and ingredients. Especially ones they know nothing about.

Sadly, I was one of those people back in the day.

So since we are discussing a sugar substitute right now, let me just tell you, I used to be someone who demonized the pink and blue packets. Like if you asked me to use equal or sweet n’ low you would see my death stare. I get the weird chills thinking about those times lol.

Anyways, the demonization of ANY food is wrong. That we need to just be clear about. Understanding that “guilt” is not an ingredient that can be listed on any package is also important, and education and addressing your relationship with food CAN help you make more informed choices about what you feed and fuel your body with.

With all that said, let’s talk about today’s topic:

STEVIA!

Arguments about sugar substitutes don’t always include stevia, but sometimes they do. So the primary thing I want you to remember when reading is, quantity always matters. Many times when claims are made against any ingredient, specifically sugar substitutes the information about how much a person would have to consume to feel any of the listed impacts is typically quite large.

This discussion topic was sparked by my recent product love: I*SKREAM bars.

Before working with a company I always like to learn more about them and their products! When I spoke to the owner, an amazing woman with a passion for ice cream (my kinda woman!) she told me her purpose in creating this product was to make a delicious product that was good for EVERYONE to enjoy.

This includes people who may have diabetes and want to enjoy a product that does not have the same impact on their blood sugars, this was very important to her! And I loved that. But she wanted to do that without sacrificing any flavor. Because again, ice cream is important to her — you can see why I love her right?

At the time the product was being created, stevia was not as “popular” as those other colored packets I mentioned before that were being heavily demonized, so she went against the grain using this and it took her years to find the best combination that didn’t leave an aftertaste or taste “fake.” As a self proclaimed ice cream expert, I fully put my name on the fact that this ice cream does not at all taste “fake” or “low sugar” even. It is so creamy and delicious and something I have really come to love.

SO, if stevia freaks you out at all.

Let’s put those nerves to rest!

Stevia is a plant! In fact, my mom grew it once, and it looks kind of similar to mint leaves!

Making Stevia a ‘natural’ sweetener.

A few facts!

• There are many different types of stevia and stevia blends available for consumption, some being more processed than others.

• Stevia can come in both liquid and powder form.

• Sweetness will vary between different processing methods, leaving some products much sweeter than others.

  • (personally I tried my mom’s “homemade” stevia and did NOT enjoy it LOL, it was not at all sweet in my opinion however, that is an opinion.)

• Stevia is a zero calorie sweetener.

• Stevia may impact a person’s blood sugars differently than pure sugar (all people are different, please remember different factors exist and outcomes are all person specific)

Stevia is generally recognized as safe but as with ALL food, beverage and supplement recommendations - please always do your own research, and be mindful to how YOUR body feels with certain amounts. Figure out what feels right for YOU, no one else can answer that for you.

Use in moderation is always the bottom line recommendation with any sweetner.

I am by no means telling you to chug it or consume absurd amounts, but when coupled with a balanced diet providing a beautiful variety of nutrients, food satisfaction and pleasure, stevia can ABSOLUTELY fit into your diet.

And remember this - fearing ANY food or ingredient is much less healthy than the ingredient itself.

SO, bringing this back to I*SKREAM - they use stevia to keep sugar content of the product lower than alternative options available, they use incredible ingredients like banana puree to provide the purest tastes for their flavors - aka banana puree in the banana ice cream, and all bars are dipped in real chocolate for a fun crunch on the outside - some even topped off with cocoa nibs as well! SO GOOD. I highly recommend a try.

Use code: HAPPYSTRONGHEALTHY10 for 10% off your online order on their site!

Once you try PLEASE LET ME KNOW which flavor is your fave!

*This blog post was sponsored by I*SKREAM, please note I do not take home a profit from purchases with the the affiliate link provided.

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Written by Jenna Werner

Hey there, I’m Jenna! I'm a Registered Dietitian, online nutrition coach and serious food lover. I'm ready to help you quit dieting forever and fall in love with the way food makes you feel.

Learn more about me and the HSH offerings here.