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Leading Edge
Stevia
There is entirely too
much sugar and fructose in most peoples' diets today. This is one of the
biggest enemies we face in our pursuit of a healthy diet – sugar and/or
fructose appears in almost everything we eat and drink, making it
virtually impossible to avoid. It is a proven fact that sugar increases
insulin levels which can lead to high blood pressure, high cholesterol,
heart disease, diabetes, weight gain, premature ageing and many more
negative side effects.
Your body does not do
well with regular sugar, let alone synthetic sugars like Aspartame and
fructose powder. Eliminating these chemical substitutes from your diet
would go a long way toward improving your health. Aspartame use has been
linked to a wide variety of ailments including birth defects, diabetes,
emotional disorders, epilepsy/seizures and migraines, and fructose is a
poor substitute due to its ability to raise triglycerides and
cholesterol, plus promote fat storage.
Stevia is a natural sweetener with a history of safe use and practically
no calories. Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana) is an incredibly sweet-tasting
herb. Heralded by many as the "sweetener of the future", stevia use has
been cited for its ability to aid against several conditions, including:
-
diabetes and
Candida
-
high blood pressure
-
weight loss
-
tooth decay and
gingivitis
-
digestive ailments
-
nicotine and
alcohol cravings
-
acne and other skin
ailments when used topically
-
ADD/ADHD in
children
While it's obvious that stevia can be advantageous to practically
everyone whose diet contains sweeteners - diabetics, those interested in
decreasing caloric intake, and children are most likely to benefit from
its remarkable potential.
What is Stevia?
Stevia is an herb that has been used as a sweetener in
South America for hundreds of years. First discovered by the
Guarani Indians of Paraguay, quality stevia leaves and whole leaf
concentrate are nutritious, natural dietary supplements offering a
bounty of health benefits. Today,
China
grows nearly 80% of the world's stevia leaf. Stevia gets its intense
flavor from a small group of naturally-occurring glycosides (Steviosides,
Rebaudiosides and a Dulcoside).
Various studies have
found the leaf to contain proteins, fibre, carbohydrates, iron,
phosphorus, calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium, zinc, rutin (a
flavonoid), true vitamin A, Vitamin C and a special oil which contains
53 other constituents. Calorie-free, stevia is 300 times stronger than
sugar.
Stevia vs Aspartame: The Toxic Truth
The chemical
sweetener aspartame, marketed under several trademarks is capable of
causing so many adverse effects that the term aspartame disease was
developed to describe the serious affliction that many suffer from its
use. More than 75% of all non-drug complaints to the FDA are about
aspartame. The many complaints include headaches, dizziness, mood
changed, numbness, vomiting or nausea, muscle cramps and spasms, and
abdominal pain and cramps. There are also sizable numbers reporting
vision changes, joint pains, skin lesions, memory loss, and seizures.
According to
researchers and physicians studying the adverse effects of aspartame,
several chronic illnesses can be triggered or worsened by ingesting
aspartame including: brain tumours, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy,
chronic fatigue syndrome, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's, mental
retardation, lymphoma, birth defects, fibromyalgia, and diabetes.
Aspartame has both potential and real toxicities. Phenylalanine and
aspartic acid, the amino acid components of aspartame, are known to
stimulate insulin release. Aspartame cannot be used in cooking or baking
because of its adverse effects. The wood alcohol in aspartame converts
to formaldehyde and formic acid at temperatures above 86 degrees F or 30
degrees C. |
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