The Dirty Truth About Stevia

If you have a love affair with stevia, you definitely want to read this.  If you’re someone who has tried to love stevia on your quest to give up sugar, I’ve got some good news for you!

Going sugar-free is all the rage these days, and for good reason.  Sugar, in all it’s forms (yes, even coconut sugar & maple syrup!), has an endless list of side-effects, including:

Side Effects of Sugar Consumption

• Overeating
• Food cravings
• Skin issues & wrinkles
• Can lead to weight gain & obesity
• Digestive issues
• Recurrent yeast infections & UTI’s
• Candida
• Inflammation
• Mood disorders (depression, anxiety)
• Diabetes
• Arthritis
• Autoimmune disorders
• Hormonal issues
• Fatigue
• Feeds cancer cells

Many consumers are finally getting hip to sugar’s destructive ways and making the switch to stevia. But what is it and is it good for you?

Stevia is a plant that has been used for over 1,500 years in Brazil and Paraguay as a medicine for burns, stomach issues, colic and as a no-glycemic natural sweetener.  The raw, unprocessed plant is medicinal and very healthy, but most stevia on the market today has been highly processed.  All stevia is not created equal!  Truvia, a popular “stevia” product, for example, undergoes a 42-step process (!), where toxic chemicals and erythritol from GMO corn are added in.  What started as a perfectly healthy herb becomes a unrecognizable, refined, overly-processed chemical that can cause serious side-effects, such as:

• Digestive issues, such as gas, bloating, and diarrhea
• Glucose intolerance
• Metabolic disorders

Highly-processed stevia brands to avoid:

• Truvia
• NuNaturals
• Stevia in the Raw
• SweetLeaf
• PureVia
• Pyure
• Sun Crystals

Even if you’re not buying these brands, be careful of your favorite stevia-sweetened protein powder or beverage.  Chances are it’s one of the highly-processed brands above.

Which brand of stevia should you buy?

I’ve done the research and the only brand that I know, love, and trust is Omica Organics.  It is the only stevia I use!  Here’s why:

• It’s organic.  Most companies radiate their stevia powders to eradicate yeast, mold, and bacteria, but Omica dry-steams theirs, eliminating all pathogens without damaging the green powder or it’s micronutrients.
• It’s free of preservatives, additives, carriers, or flavorings.  Most companies add preservatives, additives, and flavorings, even if they’re not listed on the label!  Scary stuff!  Omica Organic’s liquid stevia is 100% pure stevia extract.
• They flavor their liquid stevias with essential oils.  No synthetic flavorings!
• It tastes amazing!  There’s no weird, synthetic, or bitter taste, that I’ve experienced with every other stevia I’ve tried.  If you don’t like stevia, I promise you will love the stevia from Omica!
• They work directly with the growers and manufacturers of the stevia plant.  They are involved every step of the way!

Omica sells the pure green stevia leaf powder, which is very economical.  But I prefer the liquid extracts, as they have a richer, fuller taste.  The butterscotch toffee flavor is my absolute favorite, but they also have plain, vanilla, sweet blossom, lemon, and peppermint flavors!

Here are  7 sugar-free recipes using each of their stevia flavors:

1.  Fall Chocolate Delights                                                                       

2.  Butterscotch Pumpkin Bread     

3.  Peppermint Chocolate Pudding 

4.  Lemon Meringue Whip Cream

5.  Keto Brownie Custard Skillet

6.  Chocolate Chip Banana Coconut Cookies

7.  Sweet Blueberry Blossom Ice Cream Smoothie

What are your thoughts on stevia?  Have you tried it?  Do you love it?  Hate it?  Share your thoughts below!