Anybody else out there using Stevia as a sweetener/supplement? I tried using it two or three years ago and thought it tasted pretty bad. There was a strange aftertaste that I just couldn't get used to. Since being diagnosed with MS a few months ago, I found a large number of MSers claiming that Stevia has anti-inflammatory properties. I figured it couldn't hurt to try it again, and all the research I could find online about it is very positive.
So while I was at the supermarket, the first thing I noticed was that there are now four or five brands of stevia sweeteners, and that they seem to be selling like crazy. I grabbed a little plastic tub of "Truvia" and a bag of powdered Stevia called "Stevia in the raw". Over the next few weeks I made a few interesting discoveries using my palate and a blood glucose monitor.
1. Truvia- Didn't taste too bad. Only a very slight hint of the aftertaste I remembered from before. Very sweet. Had no impact whatsoever on my blood glucose levels.
2. Stevia in the raw- Tasted really good. Not quite as sweet, but no aftertaste at all. Here's where it gets interesting... I used some in my tea one night before bed. I've been borderline type 2 diabetic for a while, so I've been testing every morning to keep an eye on things. The next morning my level was 98. Normally my levels run between 110-145. It took me a few days to figure out the Stevia-blood sugar connection because I didn't always have tea before bed. Once I figured out it was the Stevia, I decided to try experimenting a little. One day I tried eating a banana and following it with a giant spoon of honey (old sprinter's trick from back in my competitive swimming days). A half hour later, as expected, my blood sugar level was at 180. Two hours later it was 150. At that time I poured a glass of unsweetened almond milk, spooned in 3 or 4 tablespoons of Stevia, and drank it down. Two hours later I was down to 100. Interestingly, if my blood sugar is already down around normal levels and I have Stevia, nothing happens.
Anybody else?
-Josh-
So while I was at the supermarket, the first thing I noticed was that there are now four or five brands of stevia sweeteners, and that they seem to be selling like crazy. I grabbed a little plastic tub of "Truvia" and a bag of powdered Stevia called "Stevia in the raw". Over the next few weeks I made a few interesting discoveries using my palate and a blood glucose monitor.
1. Truvia- Didn't taste too bad. Only a very slight hint of the aftertaste I remembered from before. Very sweet. Had no impact whatsoever on my blood glucose levels.
2. Stevia in the raw- Tasted really good. Not quite as sweet, but no aftertaste at all. Here's where it gets interesting... I used some in my tea one night before bed. I've been borderline type 2 diabetic for a while, so I've been testing every morning to keep an eye on things. The next morning my level was 98. Normally my levels run between 110-145. It took me a few days to figure out the Stevia-blood sugar connection because I didn't always have tea before bed. Once I figured out it was the Stevia, I decided to try experimenting a little. One day I tried eating a banana and following it with a giant spoon of honey (old sprinter's trick from back in my competitive swimming days). A half hour later, as expected, my blood sugar level was at 180. Two hours later it was 150. At that time I poured a glass of unsweetened almond milk, spooned in 3 or 4 tablespoons of Stevia, and drank it down. Two hours later I was down to 100. Interestingly, if my blood sugar is already down around normal levels and I have Stevia, nothing happens.
Anybody else?
-Josh-