Atevia: Is is safe?

Stevia: Is it Safe?

Stevia comes from an herb that is cultivated in China. It is native to Paraguay and also grows in Brazil. The leaves have been used for centuries to make sweet teas, and to sweeten other foods with no evidence of harm. It is available in the United States and the European Union as a dietary supplement. It is also sold as a granular white powder. The powder has very few calories but is so sweet that to use it, you must dissolve it in water, then dispense the solution by drops. A teaspoon of the liquid is equivalent in sweetness of a whole cup of sugar. Stevia is safe for diabetics. Over the years, the FDA has turned down several requests to use stevia in foods. The agency cites a handful of studies suggesting that large amounts of stevia could be harmful. One study showed that high doses reduced sperm production and might cause infertility in male rats; another showed that when female hamsters were fed large amounts of a stevia derivative, they had smaller babies. Other studies indicated that stevia might be carcinogenic and might disrupt metabolism. About 180 new products including teas, potato snacks, dressing and beverages sweetened with it have been introduced around the world during the past year.
Gini Warner, MA

DINING OUT GLUTEN-FREE

Dining out gluten-free can be accomplished easily if you communicate your needs to your waiter and choose restaurants that will accomodate your needs. Always ask your waiter to write down your order. You will likely need to make changes to the meal and you cannot rely on their memory to get it right. I always start out by saying "Please write this down because I will be making several changes due to my food intolerances." Then I tell them that I cannot eat gluten so please ask the chef to be careful. There have been a few times that I've left a restaurant because they were unwilling to change the entree to meet my needs. You can avoid this by contacting them in advance to find out if they will accomodate you. Your best bet is to order all poutry and seafood entrees grilled dry. More information about dining our gluten-free is available in my new book, "The Gluten-Free Edge". Edge".