With the rise of sugar-free drinks on the market, it is not difficult for careful partners or "ingredient party" partners to find that many food or beverage recipes have the word steviol glycosides in them.
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So what exactly is steviol glycoside? What role does it play? Are the ingredients safe? How does it do so sweet but still call it "sugar-free"? Also, can diabetics eat it? Don't worry, I'll get you one by one today.
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What is steviol glycosides?
Steviol glycosides are made by extracting them from the leaves of the stevia plant and purifying them to remove some of the bitterness from the crude extract.
Steviol glycosides are calorie-free sweeteners, and they are often collectively referred to as sugar substitutes, high-strength sweeteners, non-nutritive sweeteners, or low-calorie sweeteners.
Steviol glycosides
What are the characteristics of steviol glycosides?
Steviol glycosides are very sweet, and their sweetness is 200-350 times that of sugar, so only a small amount of steviol glycosides are needed to achieve the sweetness provided by sugars. Steviol glycosides can be used by food and beverage manufacturers as beverages, canned fruits, condiments, dairy products, syrups, and other foods such as grains, chocolate, and other confectionery. Because of their high stability at high temperatures, steviol glycosides can be used in baked goods.
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Why doesn't steviol glycosides produce heat?
When they reach the colon, the gut microbes cut off the glucose molecules and use them as a source of energy, and the remaining steviol backbone is then absorbed through the portal vein, metabolized by the liver and excreted with urine. Steviol glycosides are not absorbed by the upper gastrointestinal tract, so they do not produce any calories or affect blood sugar levels.
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Is it also safe for diabetics to consume steviol glycosides?
Of course you can. Global health professional organizations have published their own conclusions about the safety and effects of low-calorie sweeteners on people with diabetes. Among them, the 2022 American Diabetes Association Diabetes Medical Care Standards state: "For some diabetics who are accustomed to regular consumption of sugary products, non-nutritive sweeteners may be nutritional sweeteners." The use of non-nutritive sweeteners does not appear to have a significant effect on blood sugar management, but they can reduce total calorie and carbohydrate intake as long as the individual does not get additional calories from other food sources. ”
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The Canadian Diabetes Association and the British Diabetes Association have also issued similar statements supporting the use of low- and no-calorie sweeteners such as steviol glycosides for people with diabetes.