Counting Calories? Try Stevia to Stop the Count

Local health food stores sell an amazing product that has no healt warnings or dangers associated with it. It's called stevia. It tastes extremely sweet, but the FDA won't let stores call it a sweetener or refer to it as "sweet." Can you believe that? So, for the purpose of this article consider it a substance that tastes like sugar but has NO CALORIES or fat in it. Too good to be true? It's not. This non-caloric herb, native to Paraguay, has been used as asweetener (oops) and flavor enhancer for centuries. You can buy stevia in individual packages to use in your coffee, tea or other drinks, or use it in place of sugar, Sweet-n-Low and other sweeteners. People cook with stevia and it seems to be perfect for diabetics or anyone trying to lose weight and count calories.

One thing to look out for is the intense power of the sweetness of stevia. It is 10 to 15 times sweeter than sugar, so you don't need as much to sweeten a drink. Studies show that it doesn't raise one's blood sugar levels, but it may actually lower it. It's best to talk to your physician if you have worries in this area. All in all, replacing sugar in one's diet with stevia is a smart move. You'll no doubt immediately lose weight, as long as you're eating right and are avoiding high calorie meals and sugar itself. Does stevia taste good? Yes, it's fine though it has a slight aftertaste. Try yourself and come to your own conclusions.