Health Benefits of Stevia

Stevia has been used as a food and medicine for over 1,000 years. The plant is native to northern South America, in countries like Brazil and Paraguay. There are over 240 species in the stevia genus. The species most commonly used as a sweetener is Stevia rebaudiana. It is 300 times sweeter than sugar, but contains zero calories and does not affect your blood sugar level. You may have experenced a bitter after taste when using it. This may be because you used the powder that comes from the dried leaf. This is the least processed form, but commonly has a bitter after taste. Stevia is also available as a liquid or powdered extract. Here are some health benefits of stevia.

Antibacterial Properties

Stevia was used to treat some bacterial infections before the creation of modern medicine. It has been studied more recently in the laboratory, to determine it's effectiveness against certain bacteria. The drying method appears to impact it's effectiviness. In spite of that, it is still used in products like toothpaste, because it is thought to discourage harmful oral bacteria.

Supports Healthy Cholesterol Levels

One study showed that stevia can help support healthy cholesterol levels by increasting the good HDL cholesterol, and lowering the harmful LDL cholesterol levels. More studies are needed to determine what the minimum dosage is to have a positive impact on cholesterol levels.

Antioxidant Properties

Your body uses antioxidants to repairt the damage done by free radicals. Free radicals are continuously formed as a result of metabolic functions and exposure to various stressors. If your body can't repair the damage done by free radicals, you may experience increased inflammation. The antioxidant properties of stevia may help your body reduce inflammation and avoid the health issues caused by it

Inhibits Cancer

Studies have been done that show that some of the components found in stevia, can inhibit the growth of certain types of cancer cells. And the good news is, that these compounds are less toxic to normal cells than some of the other compounds used to treat cancer.

Blood Sugar Level Support

Studies have been done on diabetic rats to determine the impact of stevia on insulin and glycogen levels. The results, so far, have been positive. It has also been found to have a positive impact on pancreatic function. So in addition to not raising blood sugar levels and reducing calorie intake, there is the possibility that compounds found in stevia may be used to help treat diabetes.

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