Splenda vs Stevia
Some people are only used to sweetening their foods and
drinks with real sugar. Yet with obesity and diabetes rates at high levels in
the United States, many people look for sweeteners that are calorie-free. There
are numerous types of artificial sweeteners, some of which have been proven to
be unsafe. Splenda and stevia are the newest calorie-free sweeteners on the
market.
Composition
Splenda and stevia are entirely different in
composition. Splenda, which is actually the brand name for the artificial
sweetener sucralose, is made from sugar but chemically altered so that it is
indigestible by the human body. Naturalist physician Dr. Andrew Weil states that
stevia is a natural sweetener, which comes from an herb in the family of
chrysanthemum plants. Splenda is available in powder or granule form, and stevia
comes as an herb, in liquid form or in powder form.
Sweetness
Both Splenda and stevia are sweeter than real sugar, yet
the exact sweetness comparison between the two is still unknown. The Mayo Clinic
states that stevia is several hundred times sweeter than sugar. Yet the website
Diabetes Self Management states that Splenda is more than 600 times sweeter than
regular sugar.
Uses
Both Splenda and stevia can be used to sweeten foods.
You can sprinkle them in beverages, fruits or other foods you want to make a
little sweeter. Splenda can be used as a substitute for sugar in recipes such as
cakes and cookies. Read the instructions on the packaging for how to use it.
Because stevia is a plant, the leaves can be dried, crushed and used as you would other herbs and spices. The liquid, flavored extracts can be used in beverages such as coffee, tea and hot chocolate. You also can use them in foods such as oatmeal and plain yogurt to add different flavors and sweetness.
Because stevia is a plant, the leaves can be dried, crushed and used as you would other herbs and spices. The liquid, flavored extracts can be used in beverages such as coffee, tea and hot chocolate. You also can use them in foods such as oatmeal and plain yogurt to add different flavors and sweetness.
Health Impact
Because neither Splenda nor stevia contribute calories,
they can be beneficial for people trying to lose weight. Using Splenda or stevia
to sweeten drinks such as iced tea or foods like plain yogurt can save a lot of
calories when used instead of sugar. Additionally, Weil states that stevia is a
safe sweetener for diabetics because it does not spike blood glucose levels like
sugar does. Diabetes Self Management states that Splenda also has no impact on
blood sugar levels because it is indigestible.
Availability
According to Diabetes Self Management, Splenda, under
the generic name sucralose, is one of the five artificial sweeteners that have
been approved for use in America by the Food and Drug Administration. For this
reason, Splenda is available at most grocery stores nationwide. Many restaurants
and cafes also offer Splenda for use along with sugar. In 2008, the Food and
Drug Administration added stevia to its list of GRAS (generally regarded as
safe) sweeteners. It is now being used in some beverages and foods in the United
States, but it is not nearly as readily available as
Splenda.
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