stevia Archives - Amazing Health Advances

Stevia and Monk Fruit vs. Aspartame and Splenda

AHA Publisher — Wed, 06 Jul 2022 07:00:11 +0000

Michael Greger M.D. FACLM via Nutrition Facts – The natural plant-based sweeteners stevia and monk fruit (Luo Han Guo) are pitted head-to-head against aspartame and Splenda. A number of artificial sweeteners have been approved in North America by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, including aspartame and sucralose (sold as Splenda), but there are also natural “high-intensity sweeteners” found in plants. The global market for non-nutritive, or non-caloric, sweeteners, in general, is in the billions. This includes all the artificial ones and two natural ones extracted from plants—stevia and monk fruit. You may recall I’ve discussed stevia before, but what about monk fruit? That’s the subject of my video Is Monk Fruit Sweetener Safe?. “The fruits of Luo Han Guo [monk fruit in Chinese] have been used for hundreds of years in China as a natural sweetener and as a folk medicine….The non-caloric sweet taste…results primarily from mogrosides, a group of cucurbitane-type triterpene glycosides that are present at about 1% in the flesh of the fruit.” “The mixed mogrosides have been estimated to be about 300 times as sweet as sucrose [table sugar] so that an 80% extract was nearly 250 times sweeter than sugar.” If you read reviews in Chinese natural medicine journals, you’ll see pronouncements like this: Monk fruit “has been shown to have the following effects: antitussive [anti-coughing], anti-asthmatic, anti-oxidation, liver-protection, glucose-lowering [blood sugar-lowering], immuno-regulation, and anti-cancer.” What they don’t tell you up front, however, is that they’re talking about reducing ammonia-induced mouse coughs. What is this about a “natural food sweetener with anti-pancreatic cancer properties”? Indeed, monk fruit “may be used for daily consumption as an additive in foods and drinks to prevent or treat pancreatic cancer”—in your pet mouse. There was a study conducted on the “antiproliferative activity of triterpene glycoside nutrient from monk fruit in colorectal cancer and throat cancer,” but it was on colorectal and throat cancer cells in a petri dish. As you can see at 1:53 in my video, researchers did show mogrosides killing off colorectal cancer cells and throat cancer cells, and our digestive tract could be exposed directly to these compounds if we ate them. What’s missing, though? The researchers didn’t test it against normal cells. I mean, you could pee in a petri dish and kill off cancer cells, but the whole point is to find something that kills off cancer while leaving normal cells alone, something the researchers weren’t able to show in this study. Are there any human studies on monk fruit? We’re in luck. “Owing to the rapidly growing popularity of natural plant-derived compounds, it will be of interest to determine whether natural NNS [non-nutritive sweeteners] would be a healthier alternative to sugar and artificial NNS for consumers.” So, researchers randomized people to drink beverages sweetened with either aspartame, monk fruit, stevia, or table sugar. They then measured blood sugars over 24 hours and found there was no significant difference amongst any of the four sweeteners. Wait a second. As you can see at 2:58 in my video, the sugar group was given 16 spoonsful of sugar, the amount of added sugar in a 20-ounce bottle of Coke. So, the other three groups consumed 16 fewer spoonsful of sugar yet still had the same average blood sugars? Table sugar causes a big blood sugar spike, as you can see at 3:20 in my video. Drink that bottle of sugar water with its 16 spoonsful of sugar, and your blood sugars jump 40 points over the next hour. If you’re given a beverage sweetened with aspartame, monk fruit, or stevia, though, nothing happens. That’s to be expected, right? Those are non-caloric sweeteners without any calories, so isn’t it just like drinking water? In that case, how could your daily blood sugar values average out the same as drinking the sugar-sweetened drink? The only way that could happen is if the non-calorie sweeteners somehow made your blood sugar spikes worse later in the day. Indeed, when people drink Splenda mixed with sugar water, they get a greater blood sugar spike and a greater insulin spike chugging the sugar with sucralose (Splenda) than without, even though Splenda alone causes no spike of its own, as you can see at 4:04 in my video. What about aspartame? Does it do the same thing? At the one-hour mark, the researchers fed the study participants a regular lunch, and their blood sugars went back up and down as they normally would after a meal. In the sugar group, their post-lunch levels didn’t spike as high as they did an hour earlier when they drank straight sugar water, though; there was just a gentle up and down. In the aspartame group, however, even though their blood sugars didn’t rise at the time they drank the aspartame-sweetened beverage, their blood sugars shot up higher, an hour later at lunch, as if they had just drank a bottle of soda. What about the natural sweeteners? What happened in the stevia and monk fruit groups? The same thing happened. There was the same exaggerated blood sugar spike after a regular meal eaten an hour after drinking the naturally sweetened drinks. And, remember, this despite the fact that the three non-caloric sweetener groups—aspartame, stevia, and monk fruit—took in 16 fewer spoonsful of sugar. So, you can see how it all equals out in terms of average blood sugars, at least in part because those in the non-caloric sweetener groups ate more. After drinking a Diet Coke, you’re more likely to eat more at your next meal than after drinking a regular Coke. In fact, you’re likely to eat so much more that the energy “saved” from replacing sugar with non-caloric sweeteners is fully compensated for at subsequent meals, so there is no difference found in total daily calorie intake. The sugar-sweetened beverage led to large spikes in both blood sugar and insulin, whereas these responses were higher for the three other beverages following the lunch eaten later. So, when it comes to calorie intake, blood sugars, or insulin spikes, they were all just as bad. Is Stevia Good for You? is the video I mentioned. KEY TAKEAWAYS The global market for non-caloric sweeteners is in the billions and includes artificial sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose (sold as Splenda), as well as two natural ones extracted from plants—stevia and monk fruit (Luo Han Guo). Monk fruit has been used for centuries in China as both a natural sweetener and a folk medicine. The non-caloric sweet taste has been estimated to be about 300 times as sweet as table sugar, and monk fruit has been said to be antitussive (anti-coughing), anti-asthmatic, anti-cancer, and more, but those were from animal and petri dish studies. When researchers randomized human subjects to drink beverages sweetened with aspartame, monk fruit, stevia, or table sugar and then measured their blood sugars over 24 hours, no significant difference was found amongst any of the four sweeteners despite the sugar group getting 16 spoonsful of sugar, the amount of added sugar in a 20-ounce bottle of Coke. Although the three non-caloric sweetener groups—aspartame, stevia, and monk fruit—took in 16 fewer spoonsful of sugar, it all equaled out in terms of average blood sugars. This is due in part to those in the non-caloric sweetener groups eating more. Indeed, after drinking a Diet Coke, you’re more likely to eat more at your next meal than after drinking a regular Coke and are more likely to eat so much more that the energy “saved” from replacing sugar with non-caloric sweeteners is fully compensated for at subsequent meals. The sugar-sweetened beverage led to large spikes in both blood sugar and insulin, but the responses were higher for the three non-caloric sweetened beverages following lunch eaten an hour later. So, when it comes to calorie intake, blood sugars, or insulin spikes, they were all equally bad. To read the original article click here.

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Black Bean Brownies Recipe

AHA Publisher — Thu, 20 Jan 2022 08:00:53 +0000

Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CN – Rich, chocolatey, decadent brownies definitely are a dessert option that makes many mouths water. The only problem is most brownies are loaded with sugar and carbs but devoid of valuable nutrients — but not my black bean brownies recipe. This brownie recipe lets you have the dessert without the guilt. These healthy black bean brownies are absolutely delicious and also packed with fiber, protein, iron and magnesium. Plus, they’re completely gluten-free. Is a Black Bean Brownie Recipe the Healthiest Brownie Option? Black bean brownies with flour (as in all-purpose, wheat-derived flour) contain gluten and are typically high in both sugar and carbs … not to mention they are lower in protein and fiber compared to these black bean brownies. This recipe for gluten-free black bean brownies uses Paleo flour, which you can make yourself or buy in the store. These are also sugar-free black bean brownies as in they contain zero refined sugar like typical brownie recipes. Some people like black bean brownies with dates included as a natural sweetener, which isn’t a bad idea at all. For this recipe, I decided to use maple syrup and stevia. As you’ll see from the nutrition information below, this easy black bean brownie recipe is impressively high in fiber, which can help ward off digestive complaints like constipation. One of the drawbacks of these brownies is the fact that some people have a hard time digesting legumes like black beans. Soaking and sprouting beans can help make them easier on the gut. These may not be vegan black bean brownies, but to make black bean brownies vegan, you can substitute ¼ to ½ of a ripe avocado mashed for each egg in this recipe. Black bean avocado brownies are also delicious and healthy. As another vegan option, the regular eggs can be substituted for flax eggs. The standard conversion for a regular egg to a flax egg is one tablespoon of flaxseed meal and three tablespoons of water to replace one egg. You may be thinking, “This all sounds very healthy, but how do they taste?” Try serving these to your friends and family … with no bean taste, I bet they’ll mistake them for regular brownies — delicious, gooey, chocolatey brownies. How to Make Black Bean Brownies Forget making black bean brownies with mix because even though this recipe is made from scratch, it’s still an incredibly easy recipe to create even when you don’t have a ton of time. First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Next, put all of your ingredients into the blender. Once everything is mixed up well, pour the batter into the greased pan. These simple black bean brownies will be ready for tasting in less than an hour! Let’s go into detail … Add all of the ingredients to the blender. Blend all of the ingredients together. When it’s all done, there shouldn’t be any clumps. Pour the black bean brownie mix into a greased 8×8 pan or baking dish. Coconut oil works great for greasing the pan/dish. Bake for 40 minutes. Let the pan cool for at least 10 minutes. Time to serve! Depending on how you cut them, this recipe will make anywhere from nine to 12 brownies. Last but not least, enjoy a delicious black bean brownie! Black Bean Brownies Recipe This black bean brownies recipe lets you have the dessert without the guilt! It’s packed full of fiber, protein, iron and magnesium. INGREDIENTS 15-ounces cooked black beans, drained ½ cup cacao powder 4 tablespoons coconut oil, melted ¾ cup maple syrup 2 teaspoons stevia 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 3 eggs ½ cup Paleo flour ¼ teaspoon sea salt ¼ cup water INSTRUCTIONS Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Blend all ingredients together. Pour ingredients into a greased 8×8 pan and bake for 40 minutes. Allow to cool for 10–15 minutes. To read the original article click here.

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Homemade Strawberry Lemonade Recipe (Naturally Sweetened)

AHA Publisher — Thu, 01 Jul 2021 07:00:07 +0000

Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CN – There isn’t much better on a hot summer day than a fresh glass of lemonade. Unfortunately, many store-bought lemonades contain lots of added sugar and undesirable ingredients. That’s where my homemade strawberry lemonade recipe comes in. Made from local, fresh strawberries, it’s a healthy take on the classic beverage. Sit in the shade with this homemade concoction to help cool off on a hot day. Oh, and the best part? This strawberry lemonade recipe is a sugar-free and refreshing drink — perfect for the summer. Plus, it’s easy to make and requires only four ingredients. That’s right: four! Key Ingredients What is strawberry lemonade made of? As mentioned above, this strawberry lemonade recipe calls for just four simple ingredients: Strawberries: Strawberry nutrition is chock-full of antioxidants like vitamin C, manganese and folate, among several other vitamins and minerals. That’s why strawberries are beneficial for immunity and combating chronic diseases, such as cancer and heart disease. They also aid brain, skin and digestive health. Lemon juice: Made from nutrition lemons, lemon juice also supplies a decent amount of vitamin C and benefits the heart, kidneys and skin. Stevia: Instead of refined sugar or unhealthy sugar substitutes, stevia provides the sweetness to this strawberry lemonade without the adverse effects. In fact, high-quality stevia can actually support weight loss, along with healthy cholesterol and blood pressure levels. You can also use other healthy, natural sweeteners if stevia isn’t your preferred option. Water: When you really need to quench your thirst and stay hydrated, nothing quite beats a cold class of water, and the benefits of drinking water, especially during summertime, are vast — including helping with detoxification, digestion, calorie intake and more. How to Make Strawberry Lemonade How do you make strawberry lemonade from scratch? It couldn’t be easier! Take your ingredients, beginning with the three cups of water and ending with the stevia, dump them into your blender and — you guessed it — blend until your lemonade is smooth and liquified. That’s it — your blended strawberry lemonade is ready to drink and enjoy on those hot summer days and a recipe you can whip up anytime in a matter of minutes. Homemade Strawberry Lemonade Recipe (Naturally Sweetened) DESCRIPTION This strawberry lemonade recipe is a sugar-free and refreshing drink — perfect for summer! It’s easy to make and requires only 4 ingredients! INGREDIENTS 3 cups of spring or filtered water ½ cup organic lemon juice 2 cups organic strawberries, fresh or frozen stevia, to taste INSTRUCTIONS Combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth. To read the original article click here. For more articles from Dr. Axe click here.

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