Stevia Natural sweetness approved without calories

Natural sweet Stevia without calories approved in the EU

11/16/2011

In natural medicine, the honeywort stevia is considered a sweet insider tip for a long time. Indians in South America have been using the plant for centuries to give food a pleasant sweetness. In Brussels, the European Commission gave a green light to the subtropical plant on Monday. From now on, the processing of the natural sweetener steviol glycoside in foods is allowed throughout Europe. The grant had lasted for some time, because initially all EU member states had to be questioned about it. In addition, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has done some research to certify its safety. Studies have now invalidated all suspicions after Stevia is said to be cancer-causing or damaging the genome. Accordingly, the sweet plant is healthy and harmless.

Stevia is sweeter than sugar
The natural sweetener is obtained from leaves of the plant Stevia growing in the South American Paraguay. According to the growers, the taste should be about 30 times sweeter than cane sugar. A clear advantage over industrial sugar is the calorie content: Stevia has no calories at all and can therefore be used optimally for a fat-reduced and calorie-saving diet. The food industry is already planning to use the natural plant in calorie-reduced drinks, cereals, yogurts or chocolate. The world's largest beverage producer Coca-Cola has announced that it will launch a whole range of new beverages in Germany as well. In the US and France, the group has already introduced soft drinks with stevia. In Germany, the use is first researched to later produce the raw material without calories. As early as 2007, Coca-Cola had filed 24 patents for the use of the plant and since then has worked together with the partner company Cargill to expand the product range. The commercialization of the medicinal plant thus began years ago.

Furthermore, the EU has decided that consumers will be able to find out more about legal food additives in the future. The European Commission put two new lists online from its database. The website will list all food additives as of June 2012. In this context, consumers can see exactly in which products the substances are added. A second list shows additives in substances added to foods, e.g. Flavors and nutrients. The list will be presented in a few weeks and available online. By 2020, the European Commission wants to re-examine all of the 320 additives allowed in the EU. A special attention the experts want to put on the artificial and health-controversial sweetener aspartame. According to a study by the US Department of Health and Human Services, the substance may cause headaches, increased hunger, dizziness, muscle cramps, palpitations, respiratory problems, anxiety, and many other conditions. Despite several studies, the artificial sweetener remains approved. Critics complain that the influence of lobbyists in Brussels continues to hamper a ban.

Natural sweet plant suitable for diabetics
Stevia should not only sweeter than sugar, but in contrast to artificial sweeteners taste to be very similar to the commercial sugar. Another advantage of the honey herb is the tolerance for diabetics, since the blood sugar level is not increased. Some studies even suggest that the blood sugar can be lowered by the consumption. In the naturopathy finds the „Stevia Rebaudiana“ as a medicinal plant a diverse application. For example, Stevia is used as a remedy for heartburn and hypertension. Another advantageous effect is the inhibition of dental plaque (so-called plaques), which is why the plant is also used in mouthwashes and toothpastes.

While in Europe, the almost overdue approval has just been granted, Stevia has been grown and used in Japan for over 50 years. In the Japanese food industry, the sweet herb is used in numerous foods and drinks and is said to have already reached a market value of over 40 percent. (Sb)

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