Frequently asked Questions:

• What is Stevia?
• Is Stevia safe to use?
• What does Stevia taste like?
• What is Erythritol?
• What are the benefits of Erythritol?
• Is Erythritol safe to use?

Stevia is one of the most health restoring plants on the Earth. Native to Paraguay, it is a small green plant bearing leaves which have a delicious and refreshing taste that can be 30 times sweeter than sugar. Besides the intensely sweet glycosides (Steviosides, Rebaudiosides and a Dulcoside), various studies have found the leaf to contain proteins, fibers, carbohydrates, iron, phosphorus, calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium, zinc, rutin (a flavionoid), true vitamin A, Vitamin C and an oil which contains 53 other constituents. Quality Stevia leaves and whole leaf concentrate are nutritious, natural dietary supplements offering numerous health benefits. Stevia is:

• 30 times sweeter than sugar!
• Helps to keep the body's blood sugar in balance!
• Placed directly in cuts and wounds, more rapid healing, without scarring, is observed.
• Low caloric, aids weight management .
• Improved Digestion!
• Effective results applied to acne, seborrhea, dermatitis, eczema, etc.
• Beneficial for hypoglycemics.
• Increases energy levels and mental activity.
• Reduces desire for tobacco and alcoholic beverages.

Stevia as a Dietary Supplement

The majority of reported health benefits, both from research laboratory and consumer experience, comes from the daily use of a water based whole leaf Stevia concentrate. Scientific research has indicated that Stevia effectively regulates blood sugar and brings it towards a normal balance.

Studies have also indicated that Stevia tends to lower elevated blood pressure but does not seem to affect normal blood pressure. It also inhibits the growth and reproduction of some bacteria and other infectious organisms, including the bacteria that cause tooth decay and gum disease. Many people report significant improvement in oral health after adding Stevia concentrate to their toothpaste and using it, diluted in water, as a daily mouthwash.

Stevia is an exceptional aid in weight loss and weight management because it contains no calories and reduces one's cravings for sweets and fatty foods. Other benefits of adding Stevia to the daily diet include improved digestion and gastrointestinal function.

Safety of Stevia

There has never been a complaint that Stevia, in any of its consumable forms, has caused any harmful side effects in the 1,500 years of use in Paraguay and about 20 years in Japan. Scientists who have studied Stevia state that it is safe for human consumption.

Following extensive research, Dr. Daniel Mowrey reported: "More elaborate safety tests were performed by the Japanese during their evaluation of Stevia as a possible sweetening agent. Few substances have ever yielded such consistently negative results in toxicity trials as have Stevia. Almost every toxicity test imaginable has been performed on Stevia extract (concentrate) or stevioside at one time or another. The results are always negative. No abnormalities in weight change, food intake, cell or membrane characteristics, enzyme and substrate utilization, or chromosome characteristics. No cancer, birth defects, no acute and no chronic untoward effects. Nothing."

What does Stevia taste like?

In all of its current forms Stevia has a taste unique to itself. Along with its sweetness there is also a bitter taste when the pure whole leaf extract or the white Stevioside powder is placed in the mouth. However, this bitter flavor disappears as does the slight liquorice taste when the product is appropriately diluted in water or other liquid prior to use. Consumers looking solely for a sweetener which has no calories and which does not alter blood sugar levels will probably prefer the white Stevioside powder or consumer products made from Stevioside.

What is Erythritol?

Erythritol is a good-tasting bulk sweetener which is suitable for a variety of reduced-calorie and sugar-free foods. It has been part of the human diet for thousands of years due to its presence in fruits and other foods. Erythritol has a high digestive tolerance, is safe for people with diabetes, and does not promote tooth decay.

Erythritol, a polyol (sugar alcohol), is currently used as a bulk sweetener in reduced calorie foods. It has been part of the human diet for thousands of years as it is present in fruits such as pears, melons and grapes, as well as foods such as mushrooms and fermentation-derived foods such as wine, soy sauce and cheese. Since 1990, erythritol has been commercially produced and added to foods and beverages to provide sweetness, as well as enhance their taste and texture.

Erythritol is a white crystalline powder that is odorless, with a clean sweet taste that is similar to sucrose. It is approximately 70% as sweet as sucrose and flows easily due to its non-hygroscopic character. Like other polyols, erythritol does not promote tooth decay and is safe for people with diabetes. However, erythritol’s caloric value of 0.2 calories per gram and high digestive tolerance distinguishes it from some other polyols. It has approximately 7 to 13% the calories of other polyols and 5% the calories of sucrose. Because erythritol is rapidly absorbed in the small intestine and rapidly eliminated by the body within 24 hours, laxative side effects sometimes associated with excessive polyol consumption are unlikely when consuming erythritol containing foods.

A GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) affirmation petition submitted by a consortium of erythritol manufacturers (Cerestar Holding B.V., Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation and Nikken Chemicals Co.) was accepted for filing by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on January 15, 1997. This allows manufacturers to produce and sell erythritol containing foods in the United States. Erythritol is regulated as a direct food ingredient in Japan and since 1990 it has been used in many Japanese food categories.

Benefits of Erythritol

Low in calories: Erythritol has a very low caloric content; its value is 0.2 calories per gram for food labeling purposes in the United States and 0 (zero) calories per gram for food labeling purposes in Japan. This very low calorie value is due to erythritol’s unique absorption and elimination process which does not require the metabolism of erythritol. Thus, erythritol is uniquely qualified as a very low calorie bulk sweetener for formulating “light” and “reduced calorie” products which require a 25% or more calorie reduction from the standard formulation.
High digestive tolerance: Erythritol is rapidly absorbed in the small intestine due to its small molecular size and structure. Several clinical studies conducted in Europe and Japan have shown that more than 90% of ingested erythritol is absorbed and excreted unchanged in urine within a 24-hour period. This digestive pathway allows less than 5% of ingested erythritol to reach the large intestine and be fermented into volatile fatty acids or metabolized into carbon dioxide. As a result, foods containing substantial amounts of erythritol are very unlikely to cause gaseous and laxation side effects. A recent clinical study concluded daily consumption of 1 gram per kilogram body weight is well tolerated by adults as compared to sucrose containing foods.
Safe for people with diabetes: Single dose and 14-day clinical studies demonstrate erythritol does not affect blood serum glucose or insulin levels. Clinical studies conducted in people with diabetes conclude that erythritol may be safely used to replace sucrose in foods formulated specifically for people with diabetes. Of course, those with diabetes should consider the impact on their diet of other ingredients used in foods sweetened with erythritol.
Does not cause tooth decay: Erythritol like other polyols is resistant to metabolism by oral bacteria which break down sugars and starches to produce acids which may lead to tooth enamel loss and cavities formation. They are, therefore, non-cariogenic. The usefulness of polyols, including erythritol, as alternatives to sugars and as part of a comprehensive program including proper dental hygiene has been recognized by the American Dental Association. The FDA has approved the use of a "does not promote tooth decay" health claim in labeling for sugar-free foods that contain erythritol or other polyols.

Benefits include:

• Bulk sweetener which can be blended with low-calorie sweeteners.
• Clean sweet taste with no aftertaste
• Reduced-calorie sweetener with only 0.2 calories per gram.
• Potential use in a variety of low-calorie, low-fat and sugar-free foods.
• Beneficial for people with diabetes because it does not raise blood glucose or insulin levels.
• Does not contribute to the formation of dental cavities.

The Safety of Erythritol

The safety of erythritol as a food ingredient under conditions of its intended use is substantiated by a number of human and animal safety studies, including short and long-term feeding, multi-generation reproduction and teratology studies.

The U.S. GRAS affirmation petition states erythritol is intended for use as flavor enhancer, formulation aid, humectant, nutritive sweetener, stabilizer and thickener, suquestrant and texturizer. The petition lists maximum erythritol use levels of 100% in sugar substitutes, 50% in hard candies, 40% in soft candies, 1.5% in reduced and low calorie beverages, 60% in fat based creams for cookies, cakes and pastries, 7% in dietetic cookies and wafers, and 60% in chewing gum.

Erythritol has been used in Japan since 1990 in candies, chocolates, soft drinks, chewing gums, yogurts, fillings, cookie coatings, jellies, jams and sugar substitutes. Petitions have been submitted to additional governmental agencies throughout the world to expand the use of erythritol.

Toxicology studies show erythritol to be safe, according to a recent issue of Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology and a comprehensive review by William Berndt, Ph.D., of the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, which was published in Food and Chemical Toxicology.

Human studies have found erythritol to be well tolerated and safe. Erythritol is well absorbed and is excreted unchanged in the urine, 90 percent within 24 hours. One human study of three male and three female healthy subjects examined tolerance in a seven-day, double-blind, two-way crossover study in which a high dose of erythritol (1gm/kg body weight/day) or sucrose was incorporated into sweet foods. A slight increase in urinary excretion of calcium and albumin on the erythritol diet was determined to be clinically inconsequential. At high levels, a few people experienced bloating and flatulence, but less than that caused by a comparable amount of table sugar. In diabetics, erythritol decreased hemoglobin A1c levels, showing improved diabetic control. People accept erythritol as readily as table sugar in cake, but prefer table sugar in other sweets.

Based on "the large body of published data" Berndt concluded that erythritol is safe for its intended use in food. It may be become an effective sugar substitute for diabetics and for those who wish to control their weight.