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~102~
Journal of Medicinal Plants Studies 2018; 6(1): 102-108
ISSN (E): 2320-3862
ISSN (P): 2394-0530
NAAS Rating: 3.53
JMPS 2018; 6(1): 102-108
© 2018 JMPS
Received: 15-11-2017
Accepted: 17-12-2017
Fatima Zahra Amchra
a) Laboratory of Materials,
Environment a nd Electrochemistry.
Faculty of Sciences Ibn Tofaïl
University. B. P 133, Kenitra. Morocco.
b) Institut National de la Recherche
Agronomique, UR Plantes Aromatiques
et Médicinales INRA, CRRA-Rabat, PB
6570, 10101 Rabat, Morocco.
Chaouki Al Faiz
Institut National de la Recherche
Agronomique, UR Plantes Aromatiques
et Médicinales INRA, CRRA-Rabat, PB
6570, 10101 Rabat, Morocco.
Soukaina Chaouqi
a) Laboratory of Materials,
Environment a nd Electrochemistry.
Faculty of Sciences Ibn Tofaïl
University. B.P 133, Kenitra. Morocco.
b) Institut National de la Recherche
Agronomique, UR Plantes Aromatiques
et Médicinales INRA, CRRA-Rabat, PB
6570, 10101 Rabat, Morocco.
Abdelkarim Khiraoui
b) Institut National de la Recherche
Agronomique, UR Plantes Aromatiques
et Médicinales INRA, CRRA-Rabat, PB
6570, 10101 Rabat, Morocco.
c) Laboratory of Environment and
Valorization of Agro-Resources, Faculty
of Sciences and Technology, Sultan
Moulay Slimane University, B.P: 523,
Beni-Mellal, Morocco.
Abderrahmane Benhmimou
b) Institut National de la Recherche
Agronomique, UR Plantes Aromatiques
et Médicinales INRA, CRRA-Rabat, PB
6570, 10101 Rabat, Morocco.
d) Laboratory of Genetic and Biometry,
Ibn Tofail University, B.P 133, Kenitra
Morocco.
Taoufiq Guedira
Laboratory of Materials, Environment
and Electrochemistry. Faculty of
Sciences Ibn Tofaïl University. B.P 133,
Kenitra. Morocco.
Correspondence
Fatima Zahra Amchra
a) Laboratory of Materials,
Environment a nd Electrochemistry.
Faculty of Sciences Ibn Tofaïl
University. B. P 133, Kenitra. Morocco.
b) Institut National de la Recherche
Agronomique, UR Plantes Aromatiques
et Médicinales INRA, CRRA-Rabat, PB
6570, 10101 Rabat, Morocco.
Effect of Stevia rebaudiana, sucrose and
aspartame on human health: A comprehensive
review
Fatima Zahra Amchra, Chaouki Al Faiz, Soukaina Chaouqi, Abdelkarim
Khiraoui, Abderrahmane Benhmimou and Taoufiq Guedira
Abstract
Consumption of sucrose is one of the dietary origins of some health concerns, such as dental caries,
obesity and diabetes type 2. In Morocco, the statistics are alarming. Therefore, in order to reduce these
major and growing problems of society, substituting sugar with low calorie sweeteners may be effective.
Knowing that, the use of these sweetening compounds has increased seriously. Furthermore several
experiments have questioned their lack of harmfulness to health, particularly aspartame. The revelation
of a potential risk of synthetic sweeteners has led to the emergence of a new market, of intense
sweeteners of natural origin, such as stevioside and rebaudioside A. The extracts from the leaves of
Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni are natural, sweet-tasting and calorie free that may also be used as a sugar
substitute or as an alternative to artificial sweeteners. Much progress has been made concerning their
biological and pharmacological effects. This review article summarizes the current scientific researches
about the actions and safety of sucrose Aspartame and Stevia rebaudiana extracts on human health.
Keywords: Stevia rebaudiana bertoni; sucrose; aspartame; diabetes type 2; stevioside; rebaudioside A.
Introduction
The attraction for sweet taste is present from birth, in humans as in many mammals, probably
to guide us to a safe source of nutrients and guarantees the acceptance of breast milk with a
slightly sweet taste by lactose. The attraction for sweetness is evident in the newborn and this
from the first hours after birth [1]. Moroccans are big consumers of sugar. According to figures
published by the Minister for General Affairs, they consume 1.211 million tons of sugar per
year, or about 36 kilo per person per year. Which is, considerably higher than the world
average consumption of natural sugar, so 25 grams or 6 teaspoons of sugar a day. This figure
tends to increase considerably during the holy month of Ramadan. [2] This consumption can be
dangerous for health, the main problem is that of obesity and the risk of diabetes later. In
addition to culinary habits, the over consumption of sugars is mainly due to products
manufactured today by the food industry that contain often huge amounts of sugars, for
example a large glass of sweet soda drink contains on average 16 spoons of sugar and a large
glass of juice type smoothie contains on average 22 spoons of sugar[2]. In Morocco, the
statistics are alarming. According to the latest figures from the Ministry of Health issued on
the occasion of World Diabetes Day, Morocco has more than 2 million diabetics in over 20
years [3]. Many studies have shown that excessive consumption of simple sugars has an
adverse effect on health and it is accused of promoting obesity and diabetes type 2. In fact, the
excess of simple sugar leads to excess energy intake which can lead to overweight and obesity,
thus favor the occurrence of diabetes or cardiovascular diseases. This is strengthened by the
fact that many foods rich in simple sugars are often associated with fats such as cookies,
chocolate or ice cream. These foods provide a lot of energy in a small volume [2]. In order to
reduce these two major and growing problems in today's society, agri-food industries are
trying to develop low-fat products that are sweetened with sugar-free, non-caloric molecules,
which are mostly chemical molecules. Use of these sweetening compounds has increased
dramatically due to health concerns related to sucrose usage, such as dental caries, obesity and
diabetes [4]. These artificial or chemical sweeteners such as aspartame, acesulfame K,
saccharin or cyclamate, are currently the subject of much controversy. Although their current
use, they are suspected of having adverse health effects after several years of consumption,
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Journal of Medicinal Plants Studies
experiences have questioned their lack of harmfulness to
health [4]. However, consumers are increasingly turning to the
use of natural products to heal or maintain their health; the
discovery of a potential risk of artificial sweeteners has led to
the emergence of a new market of natural intense sweeteners.
Much attention has been directed towards stevioside and
rebaudiauside A, a sweet glycosides extracted from stevia
(Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni). Native peoples in South America
have been using stevia extract as sweetener and traditional
medicine for several hundred years [5]. Due to the sweetness
and supposed therapeutic properties of its leaf, stevia has
attracted economic and scientific interests. Japan was the first
country in Asia to market stevioside as a sweetener in food
and drug industry. Given the high consumption of sucrose and
sucrose-sweetened soft drinks, as well as the increasing
consumption of food and beverages sweetened with intense
sweeteners, many scientists studied the effects of different
sweeteners on human health. The purpose of this review is to
bring together a selection of essential basic data coming from
numerous scientific researches on sucrose, aspartame and
stevia. We are interested in the various properties of stevia
extracts in order to compare it with other sweeteners of the
market as well as the advantages of its use as sweetener.
Sucrose
White sugar contains at least 99.7% of sucrose. Which is a
disaccharide that consists of 50% glucose and 50% fructose
(figure 1) and it is absolutely not essential in our alimentation,
because it is very refined therefore completely devoid of
nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and trace elements. [6]
Fig 1: sucrose chemical structure
Sucrose and dental caries relationship
Dental carie, otherwise known as tooth decay, is one of the
most prevalent chronic diseases of people worldwide.
Individuals are susceptible to this disease throughout their
lifetime. Dental carie forms through a complex interaction
over time between acid-producing bacteria and fermentable
carbohydrate, as well many host factors including teeth and
saliva [7]. The composition of dental plaque is diverse, and
includes a range of Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria
[7]. Diet has a clear influence on caries development. The
relation between the intake of refined carbohydrates,
especially sugars, and the prevalence and severity of caries is
so strong that sugars are clearly a major etiological factor in
the causation of caries. Added sugars are the primary cause,
although a limited degree of caries occurs in populations for
whom the only sugars they consume are naturally occurring
[8]. The high microbial density of dental plaque explains a
number of the adverse effects of sucrose, particularly as a
bacterial substrate [7]. Indirect evidence for the cariogenicity
of sugar was obtained from studies on populations where
sucrose consumption was highly variable from one individual
to another. In countries such as China and Ethiopia, where the
frequency of dental caries is very low, consumption of
sucrose is very small. The other countries are represented by
Australia, Hawaii and French Polynesia, where the overall
intake of sucrose is high and the caries very responded [9]. The
cariogenic power of sucrose is high if the ingestion is frequent
and especially if sweet products are consumed in solid or
pasty form between the principal meals. Under these
conditions repeated ingestion, even very small amounts cause
caries [7]. A study among low-income adults found that, 54%
of their total energy intake came from several types of soft
drinks and juices. High consumption of soft drinks when
linked to poor oral hygiene was associated with higher caries
levels [10]. There are more evidences showing that soft drink
consumption is related to caries: the more often soft drinks are
consumed, the greater the extent and severity of caries [11, 12, 13,
14]. Sugar in liquid form is cariogenic; it served well to
demonstrate demineralization in landmark experimental caries
studies [15]. The evidence is strong that consumption of sugars
is a major risk factor for caries, also it has long been asserted
that sugar–starch mixtures are more cariogenic than sugars
alone. Studies of Bibby [16] and Firestone [17] on animal
support that view.
Sucrose and obesity
Raben et al [18] investigated the effect of long-term
supplementation with drinks and foods containing either
sucrose or artificial sweeteners on ad libitum, food intake and
body weight in overweight subjects. Overweight subjects who
consumed fairly large amounts of sucrose (28% of energy),
mostly as beverages, had increased energy intake, body
weight, fat mass, and blood pressure after 10 weeks. These
effects were not observed in a similar group of subjects who
consumed artificial sweeteners. Diets consisting of high
amounts of sucrose have been found to cause weight gain [19].
Moreover, excessive intake of high calorie and high glycemic
food can result in exaggerated postprandial glucose and
insulin levels and potentially lead to metabolic and hormonal
changes that stimulate hunger levels and promote fat
deposition [19]. In line with this, studies to date suggest that the
consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages promotes positive
energy balance, weight gain, and increases risk for Type 2
diabetes [20, 21].
Soft drinks seem to have replaced confectionery as the prime
source of sugar in several populations. The subject therefore
has serious health implications that go beyond dentistry, and
is yet another example of a general public health problem
having clear dental overtones. Soft drinks thus can be viewed
as a ‘common risk factor’ in public health [22].
Based on accumulating evidence, sucrose sweetened
beverages and high sucrose diets have adverse effects on body
weight [23] and are associated with other medical
complications, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and
cancer. The American Heart Association recently released a
statement, recommending to limit sugar intake to just over 30
g (100 calories) per day for average-sized women and just
over 45 g (150 calories) for average-sized men [24].
Sucrose and diabetes
Diets consisting of high amounts of sucrose have been found
to cause adverse effects on glucose tolerance in healthy
volunteers [25]. Overconsumption of fructose has also been
found to cause dyslipidemia and ectopic lipid deposition in
healthy subjects with and without a family history of Type 2
diabetes [26], as well as increase visceral adiposity and
decrease insulin sensitivity in overweight individuals [27]. In
animal models, high glycemic diets and high consumption of
the natural sugar have been shown to induce a number of
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Journal of Medicinal Plants Studies
metabolic complications including hyperinsulinemia,
hyperglycemia, hypertension, and insulin resistance [28].
Moreover, recent studies in human demonstrate that fructose
infusions can induce hepatic insulin resistance [29]. It is
important to know that sugar diluted in water is very
assimilable. The study of Sievenpiper et al [30] shows that
sugar raises blood glucose much faster if it is diluted in water.
Over consumption of sucrose have been found to cause
weight gain [19], affects the development of diabetes [31], and to
have adverse effects on glucose tolerance in healthy
volunteers [25]. It is now common to find soft drinks and juices
replacing formula and milk in children up to 2 years of age
[14]. Soft drinks have also been implicated as part of the cause
of the global epidemic of obesity in children [18].
Aspartame
Aspartame, a low calorie sweetener, discovered in 1961, is
probably the most popular intense sweetener and is used in
over 5000 foods, vitamins, some cough syrups and beverages
in today’s market. The use of aspartame by diabetic
individuals is increasing, also it is widely used in the weight
loss regime, and approximately 200 million people consume
aspartame worldwide [32]. It is made up of an aspartic acid
associated to phenylalanine (Figure 2), approximately 50% of
the aspartame molecule is phenylalanine, 40% is aspartic acid
(aspartate) and 10% is methanol. It’s 200 time sweeter than
sucrose, which means that 25 mg of aspartame can replace 5 g
of sucrose, so a piece of standard sugar in terms of sweetness.
If we consider the caloric intake, it’s 20 kcal per piece of
sugar, while it’s almost negligible for 25 mg of aspartame.
For this reason aspartame is called an intense sweetener. The
acceptable daily intake (ADI) is limited to 40 mg/kg/day.[33]
Fig 2: Chemical structure of aspartame.
Various neurochemical effects due to aspartame consumption
have been reported such as headache [34]. Among the possible
side effects of aspartame, seizures caught the attention of
researchers. Besides the complaints of consumers collected in
the United States, some studies suggest a relationship between
the consumption of high doses of aspartame and the onset of
epileptic seizures. Walton et al [35] report in a study of 13
patients with depression, that administration of 30 mg/kg/day
of aspartame for 7 days caused serious side effects. That led
researchers to conclude that individuals with mood disorders
are particularly sensitive to this artificial sweetener. Thus the
use of this sweetener in this population should be avoided.
Also Wurtman et al [36] indicates that the administration of
aspartame may affect the synthesis of catecholamines or
serotonin, through an increase in phenylalanine uptake into
the brain, and thereby cause seizures. Fernstrom et al [37]
demonstrated very large increments in rate retinal
phenylalanine concentration after aspartame administration.
Furthermore Wurtman et al [36] reported that in a group of 505
aspartame reactors, eye pain or visual changes represented
35% of all complaints. Another potential harmful effect of
aspartame that have been widely discussed in the scientific
community, the possibility that aspartame is carcinogenic
(especially for the brain). Olney et al [38] published an article
on a possible relationship between the increase in the
frequency of brain tumors in humans and the consumption of
aspartame in the United States. Based on data from the
National Cancer Institute (10% of the population) in the
period from 1975 to 1992, the authors concluded a significant
increase in the frequency of brain tumors in the mid 1980s,
the period after aspartame market. Large doses of both
aspartame and its individual metabolites have been tested in
humans and animals, with controversial reports. It has been
reported that not only the metabolites of methanol, but
methanol as well, is toxic to the brain [40]. Methanol is
gradually released in the small intestine when the methyl
group of aspartame encounters the enzyme chymotrypsin.
Methanol breaks down into formic acid and formaldehyde in
the body. Formaldehyde is a deadly neurotoxin [41]. The
primary metabolic fate of methanol is the direct oxidation to
formaldehyde and then into formate. The toxic effects of
methanol in humans are due to the accumulation of its
metabolite formate [42,43]. The severity of clinical findings in
methanol intoxication correlated better with formate levels
[44]. Humans and non-human primates are uniquely sensitive
to methanol poisoning because of their low liver folate
content [45].
There are more recent scientific reports on aspartame
revealing, that aspartame consumption affects the brain,
Iyyaswamy and Rathinasamy [46] study deals with
strengthening the toxic metabolite methanol released in the
body after the consumption of aspartame. The alteration in the
free-radical scavenging enzymes in the aspartame
administered animals, indicates that, free radical generation
may be due to the methanol which is one of the metabolic
products of aspartame. Even after chronic aspartame
administration, there was detectable blood methanol in the
aspartame-treated animals. Exposure to methanol causes
oxidative stress by altering the oxidant/antioxidant balance in
lymphoid organs of rat [47]. The condition could also be
associated with the abundance of redox active transition metal
ions, and the relative death of antioxidant defense system [48].
Moreover, Mourad and Noor [49] have observed that the daily
ingestion of aspartame induced oxidative stress which may
depend on the duration of aspartame administration even
within the acceptable daily intake dose. Furthermore this
study reveals that aspartame administration in the body
system persists for longer duration, which indicates the
possible accumulation of methanol and its metabolite.
Aspartame has biological effects even at the recommended
daily dose. After chronic exposure of aspartame, methanol
and its metabolites may be responsible for the generation of
oxidative stress in brain regions, also detectable methanol
continues to circulate in the blood.
Stevia
Stevia extracts contains steviol glycosides, a natural and non
caloric sweeteners. Stevioside and rebaudiauside A are the
major steviol glycosides isolated from stevia leaf; stevioside
(5–10% of total dry weight), rebaudioside A (2–4% of total
dry weight). The chemical structures of stevioside and
rebaudioside A are shown in Figure 3. The sweetness of these
major glycosides compared to sucrose is, rebaudioside A
250–450, and stevioside 300[50]. In addition to their sweetness,
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Journal of Medicinal Plants Studies
stevia extract have therapeutic benefits. Stevia leaves have
been used as a traditional medicine by local people in South
America for several years [5]. The benefits associated with
stevia leaf are principally due to their biochemical and
nutritional composition, it’s a good source of carbohydrates,
protein, crude fiber [51], minerals, dispensable and
indispensable amino acids, labdanes, flavonoids, sterols,
triterpenoids, chlorophylls, organic acids, mono-
disaccharides, and inorganic salts [52]. The most important of
these bioactive compounds of plants are alkaloids, flavonoids,
tannins and phenolic compounds [53], which promotes
wellness and minimize the risk of certain diseases. This
natural, acaloric product has the Generally Recognized as
Safe (GRAS) status by the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) since 2009[54]. In 2010 the European Food Safety
Authority (EFSA) established an acceptable daily intake of 4
mg/kg body weight. As a food additive, the E960 code has
been assigned to it. In some countries, stevia has been
consumed as a food and medicine for many years, including
most notably Japan and Paraguay [55]. In addition, stevia
sweetener extracts are suggested to exert beneficial effects on
human health, such as anti-hyperglycemic, anti-hypertensive,
anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, anti-diarrheal, diuretic, and
immunomodulatory effects [56].
Fig 3: Stevioside and rebaudioside A, chemical structure
Interest of stevia in case of diabetes
Diabetes is more often associated with the release of a
massive amount of toxic free radicals, which significantly
decrease the level of antioxidant enzymes, increase lipid
peroxidation, and worsen the disease state by causing further
hyperglycemia. Antioxidants have been reported to prevent
oxidative damage caused by free radicals. They can interfere
with the oxidation process by reacting with the free radicals,
chelating catalytic metals and also acting as oxygen
scavengers [57]. Many plant extracts and plant-derived natural
compounds have been reported to possess antioxidant
activities, and useful in preventing the deleterious effects of
oxidative stress. A recent study assessing the in vitro potential
of ethanolic leaf extract of S. rebaudiana indicates that it has
a significant potential for use as a natural antioxidant [58].
Moreover, many researchers have shown that stevia leaves
extracts possess valuable biological effects on general health
and glycemia in particular. Regular consumption of these
compounds decreases the content of sugar in the blood [59], it
exhibits a high degree of antioxidant activity and have
significant antioxidant effect on diabetes pathology. These
activities have been attributed to the scavenging of free
radical electrons and superoxides [60]. Recent studies indicate
that stevia extract is an important contributor to the
development of insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes [61]. In
addition, stevioside has antihyperglycemic action [62, 63, 64]; and
has been used as substitutes for saccharose in the treatment of
diabetes [65, 66]. Also stevia extract improved the normal
functioning of pancreatic ß-cells, which resulted in improving
metabolism and glucose transport to cells [63].
At the seventh Congress of the International Diabetic
Federation, a study was presented by Paraguayan doctors,
proving that taking small amounts of stevia could normalize
the blood sugar levels of diabetics and no cases of intolerance
have been reported. According to their observations, unlike
artificial sweeteners, prolonged consumption of stevia leaves
extracts does not cause any side effects.
Stevia and overweight
Consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages may be one of
the dietary causes of metabolic disorders, such as obesity. The
sugar present in sweet products brings only energy and
therefore unnecessary calories in our diet. We do not really
need this added sugar in our alimentation (sucrose), only in
case of hypoglycemia in the diabetics, or to promote weight
gain.
Khiraoui et al. [67] analyzed stevia leaves on a dry weight
basis and calculated an energy value of (3.05 - 3.17 kcal/g).
This means that stevia may be granted the status of a low
calorie sweetener. Therefore, substituting sugar with low
calorie sweeteners may be an immense help in restricting or
controlling calorie intake in the diet [55]. The stevia plant and
its extracts have been used as substitutes for sucrose in the
treatment of obesity [66, 68, 69]. Park and Cha [70], evaluated the
effects of oral administration of stevia extract on diet induced
obesity and related lipid abnormalities. This study has
demonstrated that stevia extracts has beneficial metabolic
effects, and sucrose diet had negative effects. Also it provided
evidence that stevia extracts supplementation decreases
weight gain, serum and liver triglyceride. The study of Park
and Cha [70] suggests that stevia extracts may up regulate
genes coding for enzymes of fatty acid oxidation in the liver.
Finally, the study established the efficacy of stevia extract in
preventing obesity and obesity-related symptoms, including
hyperlipidemia and cardiovascular diseases.
Thus substituting stevia extract a no-calorie sweetener for
sugar would help to reduce caloric intake and thus contribute
to weight loss and weight management. Therefore stevia
rebaudiana may be useful as a potential source of natural
sweetener, on one side stevia has a higher sweetening power
than sugar, on the other side does not have the disadvantages
of sugar and chemical sweeteners on health.
Stevia and hypertension
The stevia plant and its extracts have been used as substitutes
for sucrose in the treatment of hypertension [64, 68, 69, 70].
Several publications confirmed the antihypertensive
properties of crude stevioside in rats [71] and in dogs [72].
Chan et al [68] conducted a study in humans for one year to
investigate the effect of crude stevioside on systolic and
diastolic blood pressure. His study involved administering
250 mg of stevioside three times per day to 60 hypertensive
volunteers. After three months, systolic and diastolic blood
pressures were significantly reduced, and this effect persisted
throughout the year. Biochemical parameters of the blood,
including lipid and glucose levels, have not shown significant
changes. No adverse effects were observed. Within the treated
group, mean arterial blood pressure at the start of the
experiment was approximately 16.6/10.2, at the end of the
study, it dropped to 15.3/9. Chan et al [68] found that
stevioside has antihypertensive activity. Stevioside was used
at higher doses (50, 100, 200 mg/kg) in the experiments and
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Journal of Medicinal Plants Studies
no significant abnormalities were observed in the
experimental animals. The study showed that the hypotensive
effect was maximum when using 200 mg/kg stevioside. The
maximal decrease of mean systolic blood pressure was 31%
(200 to 137 mmHg) whereas the maximal decrease of mean
diastolic blood pressure was 33% (149 to 100 mmHg) [68].
Stevia and oral health
Extract of stevia leaves and its major secondary metabolites,
steviol, isosteviol, stevioside and rebaudioside A, B, C and E
are non cariogenic, they can also act as an anti-cariogenic
product [73, 74]. It has been found that these secondary
metabolites inhibit glucan induced aggregation of cariogenic
organism.
Blauth [75] suggested that development of dental caries in rat
pups are triggered in presence of sucrose solution while it is
not with stevioside. The major cariogenic organism, S.
mutans, experiences growth suppression and secretes less acid
when grown on media containing stevioside than when grown
on sucrose, glucose or fructose media [75]. From experiments
with albino rats, Das et al [76] conclude that neither stevioside
nor rebaudioside A are cariogenic. High concentrations of
stevioside and stevia extract are able to reduce the growth of
bacteria. Nevertheless, the concentrations used as a sweetener
are rather low, so the beneficial effect of stevioside is rather
due to the substitution of sugar in the food by a non-
cariogenic substance. In addition, stevioside is compatible
with fluorine and significantly inhibits the development of
dental plaque. Stevia can therefore help prevent cavities. Thus
stevia have potential of providing oral health benefits.
Conclusion
Recent studies confirm the presence of toxic metabolite after
aspartame administration and it affirm the need to caution the
people who are using aspartame routinely. Since it is
consumed more by diabetic people whose metabolism is
already altered, it is essential to create awareness regarding
the usage of this artificial sweetener. Contrarily, the use of
stevia as a low-calorie sweetener could have an important
role. It has been applied as a substitute for sucrose, treatment
of diabetes mellitus, obesity, hypertension, and the reduction
of calories. Thus stevia seems to have a dual beneficial
quality in type 2 diabetes, with an antihyperglycemic and a
blood pressure-lowering effect. Physiological and
pharmacological experiments have suggested that stevia
extracts have great effects on some metabolic diseases, such
as obesity, diabetes type 2 and hypertension. In addition, in
2006, the World Health Organization conducted a thorough
assessment of the steviol glycosides experiments on animals
and humans and concluded that stevioside and rebaudioside A
are not mutagenic (neither in vitro nor in vivo), also the report
found no carcinogenic effects. Further, millions of Japanese
people have been using stevia extracts for 30 years without
any known or reported side effects. The toxicology of
stevioside has been extensively studied, and related data,
reassessed lately, indicated that it’s non-toxic, non mutagenic,
and non-carcinogenic. It was also clearly demonstrated that
high concentrations of the sweetener rebaudioside A,
administered in the diet of rats over 90 days, were not
associated with any signs of toxicity and no allergic reaction
have been observed when it is used as a sweetener.
Stevia rebaudiana is a plant of the future, with all the benefits
it brings to our health. People do not usually know stevia, its
extracts can be used as a natural alternative to sugar and
chemical sweeteners for the diet of people with diabetes.
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