Stevia is a kind of plant in the Asteraceae family, called stevia, native to South America, the leaves of stevia contain a large amount of steviol glycosides, is a good raw material for extracting stevia. Long ago, the Indians of Paraguay used its leaves as a "sweetener", which they called "KAATA", which means "sweet grass". The sweetness of stevia is really sweet to the heart, its sweetness is 200-300 times that of sucrose, and it is a zero-calorie substitute. So you only need to use a little bit in food. This advantage makes it impossible to gain weight after eating. Residents of neighboring Japan have also long known that the leaves of stevia can be used to add sweetness. In 1971, Morita Chemical Co., Ltd. developed stevia and applied for a patent for use in many foods such as beverages.
Recently, new research on the plant-based sweetener stevia suggests that sugar substitutes may have a negative impact on gut health.
People use sugar substitutes to reduce their sugar intake. Excessive intake of sugar can lead to weight gain, leading to diabetes and exacerbating inflammation in the body.
As a result, researchers have been working hard to find the perfect alternative that tastes like real sugar and is safe to eat.
For years, scientists thought stevia was a safe sugar substitute, but a new study raises the question of whether it can be harmful to gut health.
Some sugar substitutes are also safer than others. Studies have linked other alternatives such as sucralose and saccharin to tumor growth in mice, although these effects have not been proven. On the other hand, studies of stevia have not previously found any serious negative health effects.
The importance of gut health
Although people often know the importance of maintaining a moderate weight and participating in optimal heart health practices, they sometimes overlook gut health.
According to Dr. Elizabeth Homan of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital, affiliated with Harvard University, "This is a new area of medicine where many people look at the gut microbiota as an additional organ system. ”
Horman went on to say: "This is most important for the health of our gastrointestinal system, but it could have a more profound impact on our health. ”
The digestive system is home to all kinds of bacteria. Some of these bacteria help keep your body healthy. Maintaining a healthy and balanced gut is important in many ways.
Some gut bacteria can prevent inflammation, prevent certain types of cancer and alleviate symptoms associated with rheumatoid arthritis.
There are several ways to keep your gut healthy, and one of them is to avoid overuse of antibiotics. Antibiotics can affect the beneficial bacteria in the gut.
It is also important to avoid foods that can harm gut health, such as processed foods and red meat. People can take probiotics, eat high-fiber foods, and can also consume fermented foods such as yogurt or kombucha to promote gut health.
Stevia study results
While experts generally see stevia as a safe sugar substitute, the latest research suggests that it may have some drawbacks.
Researchers at Ben Gurion University (BGU) in Benguev Ben Gurion University (BGU) in Bisheba, Israel, recently conducted a study of stevia in molecular studies. Their findings suggest that stevia may have a negative impact on gut health.
The research team looked at two forms of stevia: commercial herbal supplements and purified stevia extracts. They studied how different forms of stevia affect bacterial transmission.
The intestines have a group sensing (QS) pathway. These pathways enable bacterial molecules to communicate with each other, which is important in microbial regulation.
The team found that stevia herbal supplements had a "role in inhibiting the spread of bacteria." Purified stevia extract shows "a molecular interaction and may disrupt [some forms] of bacterial communication." ”
Although studies have shown that stevia may cause intestinal imbalances, neither form of stevia shows evidence of killing gut bacteria.
Dr Karina Golberg, principal investigator at BGU Avram and Stella Goldstein-Goren's Department of Biotechnology Engineering, commented on the findings:
"This is a preliminary study that suggests that more research is needed before the food industry replaces sugar and artificial sweeteners with stevia and its extracts."
The researchers plan to study stevia more closely and use their findings to develop guidelines for stevia intake.
The study's authors wrote: "Given the effects identified in our study and the increased consumption of stevia, we urge more studies to further elucidate the role of these sweeteners and adjust the maximum daily dose recommended today." ”