Is stevia good for you?

Commonly known as sweet leaf or sugar leaf, stevia rebaudiana is a widely grown plant that belongs to the sunflower family and is native to Central and South America. Studies suggest it is a safe, naturally derived, calorie-free sugar substitute and as a consequence is increasingly used to sweeten low-sugar food products and drinks.

The compound responsible for the plant’s sweetness is a glycoside, found in the leaves, it is typically isolated and purified and is said to be up to 200-400 times sweeter than table sugar. Steviol glycosides complying with specific purity criteria are permitted for use in the UK in certain foods (such as soft drinks, confectionary and table top sweeteners) and at set levels.

How is stevia used?

Stevia is a useful sweetener for hot and cold drinks and can be sprinkled over foods in the place of sugar. It can also be used in cooking, especially where the main use is to add sweetness. However, stevia does not caramelise and may not work as a direct sugar substitute for recipes where the sugar is key to creating structure and texture.

Stevia-based sweeteners can be found in products including flavoured yogurts, chocolate and fizzy drinks.

Nutritional profile of stevia

With no calories, sugar or carbohydrates, stevia’s GI score is 0.

Is stevia good for you?

In tests, pure stevia extract has been found to have no effect on blood glucose levels (and may even improve the body’s ability to metabolise glucose). Studies attempting to illustrate stevia's ability to improve insulin sensitivity and benefit diabetes are showing promise.

Pure stevia extract has a bitter aftertaste, and for this reason many stevia-based sweeteners are blended with other sugars or artificial sweeteners to improve their taste. When blended with other sweetening ingredients such as dextrose, maltodextrin and sucrose, some stevia products are capable of raising blood glucose levels. It is therefore important to read labels carefully.

Other research suggests stevia may be useful in the treatment of hypertension and it's also recognised for its anti-inflammatory properties, mixed findings have been achieved for gut health, with one recent study suggesting stevia does not significantly impact gut microbes, over a 12-week period, while others report less favourable findings. When not blended with other sweeteners, stevia contains no calories, so it may be beneficial for weight loss and for those looking for an alternative to sugar.

Is stevia better for you than sugar?

Unfortunately, many stevia products are highly purified extracts and are not always as healthy as some of their labels lead you to believe. Like other sugar alternatives, it is the extraction and processing methods that change the properties of the whole leaf into something quite different.

In the sense that pure stevia doesn’t add calories, affect blood sugar or insulin levels, or contribute to tooth decay, it may be a better choice than sugar. However, highly refined extracts perpetuate the desire for sweet-tasting food and drinks, and therefore overconsumption is not recommended. As the long-term effects of sweeteners are still unknown, there is still much for us to learn with respect to the metabolic processes involved.

Is stevia safe for everyone?

Studies suggest that stevia is safe at acceptable daily intakes of 4mg/kg of body weight. To date there is no published research on the effects of purified steviol glycosides on pregnant or breast-feeding women, although animal studies suggest no adverse effects up to 100 times the ADI. However, more research may be needed to determine the safety of some types of stevia during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.

Stevia is a plant from the Asteraceae and Compositae family, which includes the common allergen, ragweed. This means if you have a ragweed allergy, you may also react to stevia.

Want more like this? Try:

Davina McCall: how to be sugar-free
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Are fizzy drinks bad for you?
Are sweeteners bad for you?
Why is sugar bad for me?
How much sugar should I eat?
Lower sugar recipes

Have you tried stevia? Share your experience in the comments below.

This page was reviewed on 10 February 2025 by Kerry Torrens.

Kerry Torrens BSc. (Hons) PgCert MBANT is a Registered Nutritionist with a post graduate diploma in Personalised Nutrition & Nutritional Therapy. She is a member of the British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (BANT) and a member of the Guild of Food Writers. Over the last 15 years she has been a contributing author to a number of nutritional and cookery publications including Good Food. Find her on Instagram at @kerry_torrens_nutrition_

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