Why Stevia and NOT Truvia

In the past I was using a product by the name of Truvia which I thought at the time was just a more available substitute for Stevia and even was made from Stevia. While both assumptions are partially true, there is more than meets the eye to Truvia. I have now switched back to STEVIA and avoid Truvia. WHY?

I should have been suspect when I read that Truvia is made by the Cargill Company in conjunction with Coca-Cola. While is is derived from the Stevia plant it apparently goes under a different digestive process and is NOT good for you. It is in fact a chemically processed sweetener and its make up is entirely different than Stevia.

Truvia is made up of three ingredients:

Rebiana - which is simply Cargil's trade name for the extract from Stevia
Erythritol - fermented sugar alcohol shown to have negative effects on individuals and rats in several tests
Artificial flavors - NO CLUE / your guess is as good as mine.

FDA has approved Truvia and does NOT approve Stevia - NO mystery here / money talks, nobody walks

Cargill and Coca-cola petitioned the FDA to approve their Rebiana which is purported to be a purified form of the plant.

I am posting a link with more details on the controversy however for me, I made the switch back to Stevia.

Dan

http://www.livestrong.com/article/477429-problems-with-truvia/


EXCERPTS:

Potential Side Effects

The most common side effect of erythritol, one of the main components of Truvia, is digestive problems. In many individuals, consuming erythritol causes a laxative effect because the chemical compounds in the sweetener are not completely absorbed into the digestive system. In 2008, the Public Health and Medical Fraud Research Cooperative performed an extensive study that showed erythritol caused calcium and potassium loss through the urine that could damage kidney function over time. Nutritionist Sarah Vaughter, founder of Vaughter Wellness, compiled a database of personal accounts of Truvia reactions, which included bad breath, a metallic taste in the mouth, headaches, lethargy and even insomnia.

Natural Alternatives

Every individual is different, and many people use Truvia every day without any side effects. In fact, Truvia's marketing campaign has been extremely successful, including a strong community on social media sites such as Facebook. However, the Public Health and Medical Fraud Research Cooperative poses the question, "Why process an already natural product?" Individuals encountering negative side effects when using Truvia should consider using one of the many natural alternatives to sugar and processed sugar substitutes. Agave nectar, maple syrup, honey and date sugar are all natural sweeteners that make a sweet replacement for refined and processed sugars.