[alexjplant]

I still don't understand why stevia isn't more widely-used. I suspect that it's a combination of 1) its reputation being stymied by grocery store "stevia" that actually consists largely of garbage bulking agents and sugar alcohols and 2) the fact that it can taste bitter at higher concentrations, because it's otherwise a fantastic sugar substitute. I primarily use it to sweeten juices, coffee, tea, and cocktails but have also used it while baking to decent success (if you qualify turning high-protein pancake mix into a tray of brownies "baking"). Throwing it in non-fat yogurt with some cocoa powder makes a fantastic dessert as well.

*EDIT: For those asking I use Now Foods Stevia Extract. It comes in liquid form in a bottle. A dab will do you - add a few drops to whatever you're sweetening and see how you like it. It goes from imperceptible to moderately sweet to bitter tasting _very_ quickly. You'll need to develop a feel for using it.

I'm not being paid by Big Stevia - I just find its negative reputation unfortunate and undeserved.

[kirkarg]

Although Stevia is considered a replacement for many, it wasn't suitable for me. Quitting it helped reduce insulin spikes, which led to hormonal imbalances. This, in turn, resulted in low-level inflammation that primarily triggered pimples on my face. I can't provide scientific data to support this, but I systematically eliminated all sugar and artificial sweeteners, observing the effects of each over a 20-day period.

That said, I come from a family where sugar is deemed public enemy number one. We used to heavily rely on artificial sweeteners, which I believe led to my low tolerance after 20 years

[alexjplant]

> I systematically eliminated all sugar and artificial sweeteners, observing the effects of each over a 20-day period.

> That said, I come from a family where sugar is deemed public enemy number one. We used to heavily rely on artificial sweeteners, which I believe led to my low tolerance after 20 years

I don't react well to artificial sweeteners either. Stevia, thankfully, is a natural product (depending upon how you qualify the alcohol-based extraction process). My buddy's wife actually grew some, dehydrated it, and gave it to me in powdered form. I wouldn't recommend using it in this fashion as it was particularly herbal-tasting and studies have primarily been conducted on purified, extracted forms but it was reassuring to learn firsthand that the product I'd been using for years was only one step away from a plant that I could grow in my own backyard.

If you had a bad experience I would check to see whether what you used was real stevia extract or mass-market adulterated "stevia".

[kirkarg]

I never thought of that, and given that it was the average supermarket stevia, I think it's not even close to being natural.

[thfuran]

Why is that reassuring? You can also grow monkshood in the backyard.

[thfuran]

>grocery store "stevia" that actually consists largely of garbage bulking agents

Most sugar substitutes are so many times sweeter than table sugar that they're pretty much always distributed to consumers in a form consisting mostly of bulking agent so that you don't need an analytical balance. Nobody has 1/100 tsp measures.

[latchkey]

Stevia and many of these other sugar substitutes (like monk fruit sweetener) often come with erythritol (sometimes as the first ingredient!), which has been linked to heart problems.

Not sure how valid the article is, but I'll take it as something I just don't need in my diet...

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-023-02223-9

[alexjplant]

I don't dig erythritol either. That's why I have such disdain for

> grocery store "stevia" that actually consists largely of garbage bulking agents and sugar alcohols

Don't let trash like PureVia and Truvia stop you from using it.

[Waterluvian]

I’ve yet to find a good containing stevia that didn’t taste repulsive to me.

[myelin]

None of my relatives seem to mind it, but stevia has a hard to describe but really unpleasant flavor to me.

[thrill]

The stuff makes me nauseous.

[mhb]

Do you have a source for the stevia you like?

[alexjplant]

I just edited my OP.