I've just learned about Stevia. I have the Jay Robb protein powder with it in it and I just found out you can buy Stevia powder or extract. I was wondering who uses it and what you use it for. Also how long have you been using it? I know it's pretty new to America. I would like to use it for iced tea which I love, but never drink because I like so much sugar in it.:9
Who uses Stevia?
- Thread starter amybajamy
- Start date
Amy,
I have use Stevia for about 2-ish years now and after some experimentation, am very happy with it. I works GREAT for things like iced tea and hot cocoa, but it's also wonderful to replace most of the sugar in baked goods. It does work best in things that have their own, stronger, taste (chocolate, citrus, etc). You can also use it to sweeten things like stir-fry sauces, pasta sauces, barbecue sauce.
How much you use for any given item is a personal taste (it does have it's own very strong taste if you use too much and so you need to get used to it and adjust accordingly). Also, the different brands/types are all, well, different. I know big help, right? But it's so true. So once you buy one brand you might want to stick with it, but if you want to change, just be aware that you might need to experiment again. I think I use "New Naturals" or something like that, but I've also used SweetLeaf (okay), and Swanson's own brand (cheaper, not as good or strong as New Naturals, and another brand that you can buy in bulk (was very tasty, but very strong).
Hopefully Kathryn and a few others will chime in here too!
Let me know if you have any more questions
Mattea
I have use Stevia for about 2-ish years now and after some experimentation, am very happy with it. I works GREAT for things like iced tea and hot cocoa, but it's also wonderful to replace most of the sugar in baked goods. It does work best in things that have their own, stronger, taste (chocolate, citrus, etc). You can also use it to sweeten things like stir-fry sauces, pasta sauces, barbecue sauce.
How much you use for any given item is a personal taste (it does have it's own very strong taste if you use too much and so you need to get used to it and adjust accordingly). Also, the different brands/types are all, well, different. I know big help, right? But it's so true. So once you buy one brand you might want to stick with it, but if you want to change, just be aware that you might need to experiment again. I think I use "New Naturals" or something like that, but I've also used SweetLeaf (okay), and Swanson's own brand (cheaper, not as good or strong as New Naturals, and another brand that you can buy in bulk (was very tasty, but very strong).
Hopefully Kathryn and a few others will chime in here too!
Let me know if you have any more questions
Mattea
Beavs
Cathlete
I have tried stevia and I simply cannot stand it although I have tried to like it. It taste like black licorice to me....and I hate black licorice so if anyone has any other sweetener suggestions I will try them. I'll use a bit of Splenda in moderation and I've cut way back on my sugar consumption.
kathryn
Cathlete
I use both powdered and liquid stevia, in teas and beverages mostly. I haven't tried baking with it either (I also prefer agave nectar, or barley or rice malt, or maple syrup, or date sugar, for baking---which I don't do much of anyway).
The thing with stevia is that it's easy to use too much. Then the flavor becomes unpleasant. And it seems like some people find the flavor unpleasant even when using an appropriate amount. You'll have to experiment and see.
The thing with stevia is that it's easy to use too much. Then the flavor becomes unpleasant. And it seems like some people find the flavor unpleasant even when using an appropriate amount. You'll have to experiment and see.
I use stevia and love it. I use the Stevita brand. It did take awhile to get used to the taste; bitter sweet. I use the packets and even bake with them. I will use one packet in place of 1/4- 1/3 cup of sugar. It takes some experimenting. Stevia helps stabalize blood sugar and even claims to strengten tooth enamel. With the added benifit of no calores and not spiking your blood sugar, it gives me some pretty good reasons so "aquire" a taste for it. Give it a try---------zero calories!!!!
Cheryl
Cheryl
I use stavvia in my coffee, just the powder. But I did get a free sample of the extract and that is really good too. You don't need much of it at all.
Now, I have been told by my good friend, that is a holistic medicine doctor, that you have to be careful not to over use stevia. It is an herbal suppliment and can cause problems in your intestine if you over use it. So, try to suppliment honey, or some other form of sweetener every now and then. I only use one packet a day and she said that was such a small amount that I will be fine not substituting.
Kathy
Now, I have been told by my good friend, that is a holistic medicine doctor, that you have to be careful not to over use stevia. It is an herbal suppliment and can cause problems in your intestine if you over use it. So, try to suppliment honey, or some other form of sweetener every now and then. I only use one packet a day and she said that was such a small amount that I will be fine not substituting.
Kathy
I use Stevia and have never had any problems with it. I buy mine at Wild Oats (can't remember the brand off-hand and too lazy to get up and go downstairs to look just now - I'm very tired - getting over the "bug" - and just don't want to move that much). Anyhoo, I didn't think it tasted like anything except...well...very sweet sugar. It is just sweet sweet sweet. No licorice flavor or anything. I will tell you this, though: You have to use VERY VERY little of it. My Stevia came with a little-bigger-than-BB sized scoop, and a level scoop of Stevia is almost too much for a large cup of tea (which I used to use a rounded teaspoon of sugar in). My dad puts about 3 scoops of Stevia in a 2 quarts of iced tea and it's just about perfect. So, if you've had experiences with bad taste, you might have been using too much.
Right now I only use Stevia in hot tea, but occasionally will put it in cereal if I'm in the mood for a sweeter breakfast.
Right now I only use Stevia in hot tea, but occasionally will put it in cereal if I'm in the mood for a sweeter breakfast.
Thanks for your replies everyone, I only have access to the internet at work and I had to miss a couple of days so I couldn't read any of the replies until today. I've had muscle spasms in my neck to where I couldn't move my head in any direction and it even hurt to eat. I have no idea why this happened, but I haven't been able to workout for a week and it's driving me crazy!
Kathryn-
Are there different uses for the powder vs the extract? Is there one that you like better? I hadn't heard about agave nectar until this post, I guess I'll have to do some research on that as well. Can you buy that at a health food store or is it something that has to be purchased online? Thanks again for your help.
Amy
I have no idea why this happened, but I haven't been able to workout for a week and it's driving me crazy!Kathryn-
Are there different uses for the powder vs the extract? Is there one that you like better? I hadn't heard about agave nectar until this post, I guess I'll have to do some research on that as well. Can you buy that at a health food store or is it something that has to be purchased online? Thanks again for your help.
Amy
kathryn
Cathlete
>Kathryn-
>Are there different uses for the powder vs the extract? Is
>there one that you like better? I hadn't heard about agave
>nectar until this post, I guess I'll have to do some research
>on that as well. Can you buy that at a health food store or is
>it something that has to be purchased online? Thanks again for
>your help.
You can use powder and extract for many of the same purposes. Depends on what you prefer, mostly.
The most recent issue of Vegetarian Times has some info on Stevia, including an indication that when using it in place of sugar for baking, you can't just use stevia, you have to use something like 1 tsp stevia and 1/2 cup sugar because of the chemical nature of stevia (I'll check it out and repost).
You can often find agave nectar in health food stores (or have them special order if they don't carry it). I have a good online source bookmarked on my home computer, and I'll get back to you on that.
>Are there different uses for the powder vs the extract? Is
>there one that you like better? I hadn't heard about agave
>nectar until this post, I guess I'll have to do some research
>on that as well. Can you buy that at a health food store or is
>it something that has to be purchased online? Thanks again for
>your help.
You can use powder and extract for many of the same purposes. Depends on what you prefer, mostly.
The most recent issue of Vegetarian Times has some info on Stevia, including an indication that when using it in place of sugar for baking, you can't just use stevia, you have to use something like 1 tsp stevia and 1/2 cup sugar because of the chemical nature of stevia (I'll check it out and repost).
You can often find agave nectar in health food stores (or have them special order if they don't carry it). I have a good online source bookmarked on my home computer, and I'll get back to you on that.
kathryn
Cathlete
Amy, I'm back with some info, as promised.
For baking, substitute for 1 cup of sugar with 1 -2 tsp stevia powder and 1/4 cup sugar (as per Vegetarian Times. They say that you have to include sugar because of the molecular structure of stevia. I'd suggest 'sugar in the raw' or even date sugar or another unrefined sweetener).
For agave, this is a good online source I found (I haven't ordered from them, because I'm not out of agave, but I plan to, and I like their prices): https://www.wildorganics.net/index....CH&txtSearch=agave+nectar&btnSearch=GO&Page=1
For baking, substitute for 1 cup of sugar with 1 -2 tsp stevia powder and 1/4 cup sugar (as per Vegetarian Times. They say that you have to include sugar because of the molecular structure of stevia. I'd suggest 'sugar in the raw' or even date sugar or another unrefined sweetener).
For agave, this is a good online source I found (I haven't ordered from them, because I'm not out of agave, but I plan to, and I like their prices): https://www.wildorganics.net/index....CH&txtSearch=agave+nectar&btnSearch=GO&Page=1
Thanks Kathryn,
I looked at that website and that stuff sounds good. I emailed them to make sure they don't add fillers to their agave and they emailed me back and said they don't, it's 100% pure agave. I was wondering because I found another website that said they are the only ones who sell pure agave and that others add HFCS. I'm going to order from Wild Organics. Thanks again for all of your great information!
Amy
I looked at that website and that stuff sounds good. I emailed them to make sure they don't add fillers to their agave and they emailed me back and said they don't, it's 100% pure agave. I was wondering because I found another website that said they are the only ones who sell pure agave and that others add HFCS. I'm going to order from Wild Organics. Thanks again for all of your great information!
Amy