>From: Nutrition and Healing - Amanda Ross
>Reply-To: healthtips@... >To:
>Subject: Now what? >Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2004 13:39:24 -0500 > >Health e-Tips > >February 5, 2004 > >************************************************************** > >Many of you may have found my column earlier this week about >fructose disturbing... and understandably so! While Dr. Wright >has been clear for a while now that fructose was no healthier >for you than any other refined sugar, the new studies are >unsettling. It leaves you to wonder... now what? > >Well, there is an excellent herbal alternative for sweetening >food and beverages without any of the complications I discussed >the other day. That is, if the FDA and the sugar and sweetener >lobbying forces would get out of the way. > >Some of you probably already know about the controversy >surrounding the natural herbal sweetener called stevia -- and >you're probably shaking your head. I know I do every time I >think about the stevia situation. > >Stevia is an herb in the chrysanthemum family, which grows wild >in parts of Paraguay and Brazil and has also been successfully >cultivated commercially in Uruguay, Central America, the United >States, Israel, Thailand, and China. It can be processed into >powder form, which can be used like table sugar, or into a >liquid extract. > >Stevia is far from being a "new" discovery, nor is it the >cutting edge and dangerous alternative the FDA might like us to >believe. It's been used for hundreds of years by people in >Paraguay and Brazil, and for the last 20 years in Japan. In >fact, in recent studies, stevia is actually proving to have >beneficial effects on type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure >(studies cited below). > >Even so, it's not "approved" as a sweetener by the FDA. But >despite what the FDA might want you to believe, the only reason >it isn't approved is because of bad timing. > >Before the late-80s, companies such as Celestial Seasonings were >using stevia in their products, and it was looking like it might >catch on. Until NutraSweet complained to the FDA -- and suddenly >they issued orders to cease and desist the use of stevia as a >sweetener and pulled it from the US market completely. All based >on unfounded claims that it may not be safe. > >After awhile, both sides called a cease-fire, so the good news >is you can buy stevia in this country. The bad news, though, is >that it's illegal for companies packaging stevia to indicate its >use as a sweetener on the label. And it's not approved for use >as a sweetener in commercially prepared foods, so you won't be >seeing stevia-sweetened alternatives to your favorite treats >anytime soon. > >Now that you know, though, you're free to purchase stevia and >use it as you see fit... and tell others about it as well. Last >time I checked, the FDA approval process doesn't apply to >word-of-mouth advertising. >
Protect your inbox from harmful viruses with new ninemsn Premium. Upgrade now!
|
"Gabby Webster" <gabwebster@...>
gabwebster@...
 Send Email
|
Having problems with message search?
Fill out this form to ensure your group is one of the first to be migrated to the new message search system.
