Sugar Substitute Sweeteners, These are 10 Benefits of Stevia for Health

Stevia is a plant that is commonly used as a natural sweetener instead of sugar. Besides being safe for diabetics, stevia leaves are also beneficial for health. Check out the following series of stevia benefits.

Benefits of Stevia for Body Health

Stevia is a type of natural sweetener made from the stevia plant (Stevia rebaudiana). Besides containing zero calories, stevia sugar is said to be 200-350 times sweeter than regular sugar.

Even though it tastes sweet, this natural sugar substitute won’t affect blood sugar levels after you consume it. In addition, the sweetness will depend on the degree of processing of this plant.

Although there has not been enough research done regarding the nutritional content of stevia, the leaves have a variety of important nutrients for the body.

Here are the various benefits of stevia for health that you can get, including:

1. Control Diabetes

The main benefit of stevia leaves is to help control diabetes. This property is obtained from its ability to regulate blood sugar levels in the body.

Stevia can be a natural sweetener as a substitute for sugar that is safe for diabetics (diabetics) or people who are on a low-carbohydrate diet.

Stevia sugar for diabetes is useful because it contains stevioside inside it. It is a non-carbonate glycoside compound.

Instead of causing a spike in blood sugar levels, when stevioside When decomposed, particles containing glucose (sugar) will be absorbed by bacteria in the large intestine.

2. Regulates Blood Pressure

High blood pressure (hypertension) is a dangerous factor that has the potential to cause myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke.

The good news is that stevia can help keep blood pressure under control, thereby preventing hypertension.

According to research on rats, there is a hypotensive effect (lowering blood pressure) in animals that are given stevioside. These effects are dose dependent and last for more than 60 minutes.

Also Read: Early Signs of High Blood Sugar that is Important to Know

3. Lowering Cholesterol Levels

The benefits of stevia to reduce cholesterol levels in the body are thought to come from reduced food intake after consuming this sugar.

In addition, studies in mice revealed that this natural sugar can lower total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein concentrations, while increasing high-density lipoprotein levels.

Other studies have also proven that consumption of stevia sugar can lower bad cholesterol alias low density lipoprotein (LDL) significantly.

According to the study, consumption of this sugar substitute can also help increase levels of good cholesterol alias high density lipoproteins (HDL).

4. Reducing the Risk of Cancer

Free radicals that accumulate in the body can cause various health problems, including cancer.

Now,, stevia leaves contain antioxidant compounds that can prevent the accumulation of free radicals. The antioxidant content in it is quercetin, kaempferol, and other glycoside compounds.

The benefits of stevia leaves are contained in a report published at Open Obesity Journal. According to these findings, stevia leaf extract contains high antioxidants that can help reduce the risk of various types of cancer, including pancreatic cancer.

5. Lose Weight

Who would have thought, consumption of this natural sweetener can help reduce your scales. This is due to the low calorie sugar content of stevia.

Plus, this sugar substitute is 100-300 times sweeter than regular sugar— depending on the form. This means that people can eat foods such as cakes, cookies and stevia-based candies without worrying about hoarding calories from sugar.

Therefore, if you are planning to go on a healthy diet to lose weight, you can consider replacing regular sugar with stevia.

6. Prevent osteoporosis

Replacing regular sugar with this natural sugar can help increase bone mineral density and treat diabetes.

This fact was obtained from research on animals. According to the study, there was an increase in calcium metabolism in animals given stevia extract.

Even so, research on humans is still needed to support the benefits of stevia on this one.

7. Maintain Heart Health

Stevia has properties that can relax blood vessels, increase the frequency of urination, and facilitate the removal of sodium from the body.

These conditions help reduce the work of the cardiovascular system. In addition, consumption of stevia can also lower blood pressure so that your heart health is maintained.

8. Maintain Dental and Oral Health

The next benefit of stevia is to prevent bacteria from multiplying in the mouth. Therefore, many toothpaste and mouthwash products use this plant as an additive in it.

In addition, studies have also found that this natural sugar can prevent cavities and gingivitis.

Also Read: Get to Know About Sucralose, an Artificial Sweetener to Replace Sugar

9. Caring for the Skin

The benefits of stevia can also be felt by the skin. The reason is, this sugar substitute sweetener is able to treat various skin conditions, such as dermatitis and eczema.

Applying it to problematic skin is thought to inhibit the spread of bacteria and act as a steroid, aka an anti-inflammatory drug.

10. Prevent Kidney Disease

Frequently consuming sweet foods and drinks can increase your risk of developing diabetes and high blood pressure. If left without treatment, this condition can lead to kidney disease.

Research reveals that the benefits of stevia on this one are thought to be from the ability of this natural sugar to prevent high blood pressure and diabetes.

Now,, that’s a series of stevia benefits for health that you can get. Although the benefits are promising, make sure to consume it in moderation.

If you are diabetic, there is nothing wrong with consulting your doctor first regarding the selection of sugar substitute sweeteners according to your condition.

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