Got a sweet tooth? While cane sugar is a no-go for the ketogenic diet, there are plenty of sugar alternatives that make their way into keto recipes. Monk fruit, erythritol, and stevia are a few of the most commonly used sweeteners.
If you’re new to keto and wondering about stevia, keep reading. This post will explore stevia, the all-natural, zero-calorie sweetener that also has several health benefits.
First, let’s cover what stevia isn’t. Stevia is not an artificial sweetener. Many artificial sweeteners, including aspartame, are linked to increased rates of cancer, so it’s understandable if you’re a bit wary about a “zero-calorie sweetener.” [1]
But stevia isn’t like the other artificial sweeteners because it isn’t artificial. In fact, it comes from a shrub from South America: Stevia rebaudiana. [2] It has been used by natives for over 200 years, but the Japanese began to use it as a sweetener in the 1970s.
It sounds too good to be true, but stevia is nothing like the artificial zero-calorie sweeteners. Stevia gains its sweetness from 11 types of steviol glycosides.These compounds give stevia its unique sweetness as well as the associated health benefits. The FDA has declared stevia is safe to consume, and here’s the best part, it’s 300 times sweeter than sucrose (table sugar) which means you don’t even need to use a lot of it.
While munching on actual stevia leaves would rack up a few calories (even 11 grams of mint leaves contains 5 calories), it’s the way stevia is processed that keeps it calorie-free. You don’t need to eat the leaves so stevia companies create a process to get the sweetness without the leaves. [2]
We know stevia is natural, we know it’s sweet, but is it healthy? It’s odd to think of a sweetener as “healthy” especially since no one would consider a cup of cane sugar to be “healthy”, but the reality is that stevia does come with some health benefits.
Here is a list of health benefits associated with stevia consumption. Stevia:
Stevia is keto-friendly, which means sweet treats are not out of the question for you.
The goal of the keto diet is to shift your body into ketosis, a metabolic state in which your body uses fat (not sugar) for fuel. Consuming sugar and carbs (which are metabolized as sugar) can quickly take you out of ketosis. Stevia can be safely consumed on the keto diet because it won’t kick you out of ketosis. This is true for the same reason that stevia is traditionally used to help reduce insulin levels – stevia won’t raise blood sugar levels. [7]
From powdered stevia to liquid stevia, there are several types of stevia products available. While we don’t endorse a specific product, we want to make sure you’re choosing the most wholesome product. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:
Satisfy your sweet tooth without sacrificing your diet. The only hard part now is deciding if you want to make Keto Butterfinger Bites or Orange Zest Keto Truffles.
Do you use stevia? Share your experience with us!
Soffritti, Morando, et al. “First Experimental Demonstration of the Multipotential Carcinogenic Effects of Aspartame Administered in the Feed to Sprague-Dawley Rats.” Environmental Health Perspectives, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Mar. 2006.
Ashwell, Margaret.“Stevia, Nature’s Zero-Calorie Sustainable Sweetener: A New Player in the Fight Against Obesity.” Nutrition Today, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, May 2015.
Vandana, Kuna, et al. “Effectiveness of Stevia as a Mouthrinse among 12-15-Year-Old Schoolchildren in Nellore District, Andhra Pradesh – A Randomized Controlled Trial.” Journal of Indian Society of Periodontology, Medknow Publications & Media Pvt Ltd, 2017.
Shivanna, Naveen, et al. “Antioxidant, Anti-Diabetic and Renal Protective Properties of Stevia Rebaudiana.” Journal of Diabetes and Its Complications, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2013.
Hsieh, MH, et al. “Efficacy and Tolerability of Oral Stevioside in Patients with Mild Essential Hypertension: A Two-Year, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study.” Clinical Therapy. Medknow Publications & Media Pvt Ltd, Nov. 2003.
Jeppensen, PB, et al. “Stevioside Acts Directly on Pancreatic Beta Cells to Secrete Insulin: Actions Independent of Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate and Adenosine Triphosphate-Sensitive K+-channel Activity.” Metabolism. Medknow Publications & Media Pvt Ltd, 2004.
Nabilatul Hani Mohd-Radzman, et al. “Potential Roles of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni in Abrogating Insulin Resistance and Diabetes: A Review.” Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Medknow Publications & Media Pvt Ltd, 2013.