Benefits

Health Benefits of Stevia Powder

The health benefits of stevia powder include diabetes management, weight loss, skincare, and much more. Let us explore some of its health benefits in detail.

1. Controls Diabetes

The most widely praised aspect of stevia powder for human health concerns is its ability to regulate blood sugar levels in the body. This is an ideal replacement for normal sugar for diabetics or people on carbohydrate-controlled diets because they can eat sweet foods without having to worry about diabetic complications.

Opposed to sucrose, which is what normal table sugar consists of, stevia powder sweetens food in a similar way as sugar, but it contains stevioside, which is a non-carbohydrate glycoside compound. As explained above, when stevioside breaks down, the glucose-containing particles are absorbed by the bacteria in the colon, rather than being absorbed into the bloodstream and affecting glucose levels in the body.

Another study in humans found that consuming stevia powder before a meal reduced blood sugar and insulin levels after eating. Additionally, although participants consumed fewer calories than they did with the sugar preload, they reported similar levels of satiety and didn’t compensate by consuming more calories later in the day.

2. Weight Loss

Stevia powder is very low in calories and is anywhere from 40-300x sweeter than sugar, depending on the prevalence of certain extracts in the species variety. This means that people can eat foods like cakes, cookies, and candies made with stevia without worrying about gaining plenty of calories from sugars, so they won’t hurt their chances of successfully losing weight. This can also help in controlling excess sugar content in children’s diet.

Stevia powder is one of the most popular keto sweeteners and is also often used in other low-carb diets like Paleo. Keeping your sugar and calorie intake in a healthy range can help protect against weight gain and health problems linked with obesity, like diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

3. Regulates Blood Pressure

As mentioned, stevioside is a type of glycoside, but there are other glycosides in stevia powder that can actually relax the blood vessels, increase urination, and facilitate the elimination of sodium from the body. This means that less stress is put on the cardiovascular system and there can be a drop in blood pressure, which protects heart health and prevents certain conditions such as atherosclerosis, heart attacks, and strokes. 

4. Anticancer Potential

The rich source of antioxidant compounds found in stevia powder makes it an ideal dietary supplement for the prevention of various cancers including pancreatic cancer. Stevia leaf powder extracts exhibit a high degree of antioxidant activity. It is also reported to inhibit hydroperoxides formation in sardine oil with a potency greater than that of either L-α-tocopherol or green tea extract.

Quercetin, kaempferol, and the other glycoside compounds in stevia powder help to eliminate free radicals in the body, thereby preventing them from mutating healthy cells into malignant ones. Antioxidants also help to prevent premature ageing, cognitive malfunction, and various other conditions like heart disease.

5. Lowers Cholesterol Levels

Studies show that consumption of stevia powder leads to a significant reduction in bad LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels and an increase in the HDL cholesterol levels, which is healthy cholesterol and is essential for a good lipid profile.

Stevia powder extract had “positive and encouraging effects” on overall cholesterol profiles and effectively improved HDL cholesterol, decreased triglycerides and lowered levels of LDL cholesterol.

6. Oral Health

Stevia powder has been found to reduce bacterial formation in the mouth, making it a popular additive for toothpaste and mouthwashes. It also prevents cavities and gingivitis, which sucrose certainly doesn’t do!

7. Skin Care

Stevia powder is useful against skin conditions such as eczema and dermatitis. Topical application of it inhibits the spread of bacteria and acts as a steroid in these situations, making it a popular option for many people who can’t get relief from these conditions.

8. Prevents Osteoporosis

Stevia powder, unlike sugar, aids in increasing bone mineral density and treat osteoporosis. A study on animals shows its importance in increased calcium metabolism. Researchers are trying to find out different ways it could be used for human health.