Stevia by any other name is not the same.
 
Stevia has been recognized as a natural sweetener for decades and its benefits are many: In its natural form, Stevia has zero calories and zero carbs even though it is approximately 30 times sweeter than sugar. Its extract can be 300 times sweeter than sugar.
 
Now that Coca-Cola and Pepsi have patented their new stevia-based food additives under the brand names Truvia and Purvia respectively, stevia is getting a lot of renewed interest among consumers. Economics and patent considerations have been the driving forces behind how Truvia and Purvia have come to market. You can't patent an all natural plant. Both of these companies list erythritol, a sugar alcohol, as their products' first ingredient.
 
Fitness Inside & Out has recommended stevia to clients for years. However, not all stevia extracts and sweeteners are the same and as more come on the market, we're seeing unhealthy fillers and additives emerging under some labels. We urge you to read your nutrition labels for comparison purposes.
 
Avoid: Sam's Club brand. (Left in picture) Sam's is currently jumping on the stevia bandwagon and marketing a stevia sweetener with zero calories that comes in packets under its "Member's Mark" brand. The box says "all natural sweet herb" and "all natural formula made with stevia extract." Conspicuously absent from the box, however, is a nutrition label disclosing sugars, calories and carbohydrate content. The other ingredient listed is "maltodextrin."
 
Maltodextrin is a family of food additives, usually made from corn or other starches. It generally has a glycemic index rating that's roughly equivalent to table sugar. This can provoke an insulin response in your body that's roughly equivalent to sugar. Insulin is the body's fat storage hormone. Too much insulin means your body efficiently stores fat, and it causes your body to resist losing fat. Here's another clue as to why you should avoid the Sam's Club stevia. The label says it is not intended for use by persons under the age of 18 and pregnant women or people taking medications should consult a doctor before using it.
 
OK: SweetLeaf (Right in picture)is a stevia product that makes its product using purified water. The only other listed ingredient is inulin fiber, which the company says is made from chicory. This product advertises that it has zero calories, zero carbs, and zero glycemic index effect. Sweetleaf advertises on its package that artificial sweeteners like Splenda, Sweet-N-Low and Equal have a glycemic index of 80, compared to 70 for table sugar while Sweet Leaf has a glycemic index of zero. The glycemic index associated with these artificial sweeteners hasn't been independently verified, but generally the packet forms of these sweeteners do disclose that these products contain maltodextrin and or dextrose, which have a glycemic index comparable to table sugar.  
 
Fitness Inside & Out does not recommend the use of artificial sweetners to our clients because of concerns about the safety of these products and the effects on health.

Did you know that Whole Foods will not sell Splenda to its customers nor will it sell products containing aspartame or saccharine? A Whole Foods spokeswoman, quoted in the New York Times in a 2004 article explaining the company's decision regarding Splenda, said that all 172 safety studies done relating to Splenda were paid for by Splenda's manufacturer and distributor, Tate & Lyle and/ or McNeil Nutritionals, a division of Johnson & Johnson.
 
Bottom line: We suggest avoiding artificial sweetners and minimizing intake of refined sugars and grains. SweetLeaf stevia appears to be a good alternative based on the company's manufacturing practices and ingredient list. Whole foods are best. If you are having a craving for something sweet, reach for a piece of fruit and enjoy it if possible with a healthy fat like almonds or walnuts to minimize your body's insulin spike in response.