Goodbye Stevia -It's Been Sweet...

Stevia and I have finally parted ways. I never thought I would be staying away from most sources of sugar AND stevia... and yet here I am. I've read more and more that indicates it is not ideal to consume any non-nutritive sweetener. I do believe stevia has the least challenges, though it apparently can have a nasty impact on the body's insulin response.

Dr. Cate wrote, "Even if artificial sweetener's were relatively safe, like Stevia, I'd still advise you to save your money for real food. These products desensitize your palate to the sweetness nature puts in almost everything." (Deep Nutrition p. 420). I have found this to be true and it happened relatively quickly.

It's incredible to eat lettuce and find it rather sweet. It also helps that I am making and eating some very delicious foods that I have not eaten for a long time. Just adding butter back into my diet has made me look forward to meals.

I am very happy to report I am not missing the added sweetness at all. Having said that, we all get there in stages and I do believe that stevia is the lesser of the evils if you're not ready to give up the sweet stuff yet.  I do think that come summer I will still grow stevia in my raised bed garden. I love adding the leaves to salad or to a green smoothie for a bit of sweetness.