Is Stevia safe to eat?

South American herb Stevia is a natural sweetener. Many people have become accustomed to cooking with herbs that it feels that it must be safe because it is natural. Some studies have shown that rats may cause liver problems, but the interpretation of these results has been criticized. Other studies have not indicated that it is dangerous, although many experts recommend continuing to test. Although this was originally prohibited for use as a sweetener in the United States in 1991, food and drug administration (FDA) approved a cleaned form called Repaudioside A (Reb A) in 2008. It was also incorporated into some soft drinks and foods, as more corporations develop their own branded versions of the sweetener. As a supplement to nutrition, it can also be found in health food stores. It should be noted that only the Reb form and has been approved for use as a food additive in the US; the plant itself and other extracts from it are notou allowed.

Country such as China, Japan and Brazil has also approved Stevia as a sweetener. Japan is particularly known for its intensive Helb testing; Scientists concluded that they had no harmful effects on health. It is assumed that these Japanese studies have helped FDA enough to approve it as a food supplement.

Stevia is derived from the plant Stevia Rebaudian from Paraguay. It is 300 times sweeter than sugar, yet without calories. In American health food stores, it is often packed and sold in glasses with eye drops. It can also be purchased as sweetening sugar in recipes. Japan uses about 40% of the world Stevie. It is approved for use in diet soft drinks and is used in Japan rather than sweeteners such as aspartame.