Truvia vs Stevia: Why You Need to Know the Difference
One of the best ways to eat organic muesli cereal is with plain yogurt and fruit. But have you ever tried adding just a few pinches of Stevia? It adds a truly delightful twist!
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Anyone interested in following a clean eating dietneeds to know the difference between Truvia and Stevia. In its purest form, Stevia is very natural and raw, while Truvia is a highly manufactured imitation of Stevia. It may even threaten your health and well-being.
What is Stevia?
Stevia gets its name from a leafy green plant known officially as Stevia rebaudiana. It sometimes has a subtle, licorice-like flavor. At others, it’s a simple sweet taste. Since Stevia plants are native to Paraguay and Brazil, they grow best in warm climates. However, growing Stevia at home is relatively easy.
Growing stevia is easy in well-drained beds or large containers, and the leaves can be dried for winter use like any other herb. Stevia grows best in warm conditions similar to those preferred by basil. Plants grown in warm climates will grow to 24 inches tall and wide. Where summers are cool, expect stevia plants to grow up to 16 inches. Grow three to five plants for a year’s supply of dried stevia leaves.
Multiple companies sell Stevia extracts in liquid or pill form. However, not all brands of Stevia are clean. This is because some manufacturers use artificial additives, so it’s very important to make sure you’re buying Stevia from a 100% organic company. Additionally, you should read the ingredients list before buying a new brand, and steer clear if you see any for artificial additives.
What are the Health Benefits of Pure Stevia?
A study published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology revealed that Stevia may help reduce blood pressure levels. It may also serve as a natural remedy for diabetes, since it effectively controls insulin and blood sugar levels.
But there are even more health benefits related to Stevia! It just keep getting better, especially when you consider both this 2012 study and a similar 2013 study!
In both studies, researchers concluded that glyoside, a compound in Stevia, helps fight certain breast, leukemia, and stomach cancers.
Is Truvia safe? What are the actual Truvia ingredients?
In contrast, Truvia is a highly refined version of Stevia. The name of the refined compound that mimics real Stevia is rebaudioside-A.
Truvia is something you want to shy away from, since the primary goal in using natural sweeteners is to avoid unnatural products!
Truvia was named and branded by two wealthy conglomerates, the Coca Cola Company and Cargill. Both are global food corporations specializing in processed foods.
Truvia consists of refined Stevia plant extracts, erythritol, and “natural flavors.” When Cargill marketed Truvia as a “natural” sweetener, it had to contend with a marketing lawsuit and ended up paying a $6.1 million settlement. The lawsuit alleged that Cargill had swindled consumers into thinking they were buying a healthy food. (Just a year earlier, Cargill had already faced two class-action law suits about the very same thing.)
Understanding the Truvia vs Stevia Difference on a Deeper Level
The difference between Truvia and Stevia is much like the difference between natural agave syrup and highly refined maple syrup. Yes, it’s true that the corn-syrup infused maple syrup contains some natural ingredients from tree sap. But by the time it reaches the customer, it’s so ruined by synthetic additives and preservatives that it far too far from its origins to resemble “real” food.
This Natural Sugar Guide includes all things sugar-related: unrefined sugars, raw sugar, white sugar substitutes, and tutorials like “how to substitute honey for sugar when baking.” I’ve also compiled a mini low sugars food list and some low sugar recipes. Believe me, I understand the struggle! It can feel like a balancing act to treat yourself to the things you love while also embracing a clean eating lifestyle.