Nature's Sunshine Products NSP Forum Index Nature's Sunshine Products NSP
For customer and distributor discussions of Nature's Sunshine Products. Not an official site of NSP.
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

Stevia - Articles & Recipes

 
This forum is locked: you cannot post, reply to, or edit topics.   This topic is locked: you cannot edit posts or make replies.    Nature's Sunshine Products NSP Forum Index -> Forum Archive
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
CombinedNSP
Site Admin


Joined: 13 Dec 2006
Posts: 1406
Location: Cleveland, OH

PostPosted: Dec Thu 14, 2006 4:57 pm    Post subject: Stevia - Articles & Recipes Reply with quote

Stevia - Articles & Recipes

Stopping The Sugar Blues With Stevia
This article is prepared by Don Caster

Stevia rebaudiana is a plant native to northeastern Paraguay. The Guarani Indians in Paraguay have used Stevia since before the colonization by the Spaniards in the 16th century.1Its sweet taste first was used in mate beverages, but by 1950 some Paraguayan physicians used Stevia rebaudiana for the treatment of diabetes2In fact a key research study published in the Brazilian Journal of Medicine showed that Stevia rebaudiana actually "increased glucose tolerance." 3There is no suggestion that this dietary supplement should replace any medical treatment.

In Paraguay it is generally known that Stevia benefits blood sugar levels. They have also used Stevia "to relieve physical and emotional fatigue."4 In the United States excess consumption of sugars and fats has created a need for a safe dietary supplement that can help the imbalances created by our diet.

There are no reports in medical literature in Paraguay of any adverse effects as a result of using Stevia. It is recognized to have a "wide margin of safety." 5 In Japan over 100 metric tons were consumed in 1987 alone with no adverse reactions noted in any scientific or medical literature during that period6 Extensive studies have been done in Japan, Paraguay, France, Brazil, the United Kingdom and the United States that verify the safety of Stevia.

According to Pearson and Shaw in their now famous book, Life Extension "Problems can develop when individuals chronically eat large amounts of sugar. When common table sugar (sucrose, a simple sugar) is eaten, insulin is quickly released by the pancreas to metabolize the sucrose. The sugar is quickly used up, but the insulin remains in circulation for hours afterward because it has a much longer half-life (the length of time it takes for the concentration in the blood to drop by half than the sugar. The insulin can lead to a hypoglycemic rebound because the circulating insulin continues to keep blood sugar down, even though the original sugar meal which caused the insulin to be released has been used"7

All of the simple carbohydrates we consume today as well as the artificial sweeteners tend to confuse the pancreas, thus creating an imbalanced state. Proper levels of sugar in the blood are important for mental clarity, energy, muscle recovery, and proper metabolization of fats.
Stevia can be added to the diet to benefit the balancing of blood sugar. The pancreas is a large gland that secretes a digestive fluid into the intestine and also secretes insulin.

Based on this information, in September of 1995, the FDA approved Stevia as a Dietary Supplement. Exact statements have yet to be approved by the agency. Stevia based products may be sold as dietary supplements and NOT as sweetening agents or as an ingredient in a food to flavor or enhance.

Books such as The Zone, by Barry Sears, discuss the problem of too many carbohydrates and the difficulty the body has in dealing with the hormone, insulin. It is Sear''s belief that too many carbohydrates effect weight and lead to the poor shape of our country today.8

Though recognized as simple or complex, all carbohydrates eventually become simple with the help of the pancreas. Too many carbohydrates for many people creates an imbalance that effects their weight, size, shape and even health as reflected by blood pressure and cholesterol. A number of Brazilian studies have shown that blood glucose was lowered after 4 weeks of continuos use of Stevia rebaudiana.9 Therefore Stevia may be beneficial to a large number of people that either eat too many carbohydrates or have a body that can''t handle the amount consumed.

There was an interesting study done in Brazil that showed a "9.5% lowering of systolic and diastolic blood pressure"10 in a group of subjects ranging in age from 20-40 years. This also corresponds with Barry Sears reports of irregular blood pressure from poor metabolism of carbohydrates.11

Paulette Caster, in her book Balanced for Life, makes a clean and distinctive difference between grain carbohydrates and vegetable carbohydrates. It is important to keep the quantity of carbohydrates in a reasonable range. The source needs to be balanced to give the pancreas a chance to handle the flow.

In summary Stevia rebaudiana may be helpful for the following:
*Regulating blood sugar
*Improving pancreas activity
*Better glucose balancing
*More even energy flow
*Keeping Chi balanced
*More consistent blood pressure
*Improving muscle density
*Better and faster muscle recovery after exercise
*Improving ability of body to burn fat
*Improving thinking capacity
*Lessening tissue degeneration
*Evening the ups and downs of energy levels

NOTE: These statements have not been approved by the FDA. This information is presented to inform on the herb Stevia and not about any particular product on the market that contains Stevia.

References:
1Kinghorn, A. Douglas, Ph.D., Food Ingredient Safety Review, Stevia rebaudiana leaves, March 16, 1992. p.6.
2Ibid. p. 6 3Braz J Med Biol Res(1986) 19(6)771-4, Curi.R. Alvarez.
4Kinghorn, p 7.
5Ibid. p. 7
6 Ibid. p 12
7Pearson, Durk and Sandy Shaw, Life Extension, 1982, p. 371-372.
8Sears, Barry, The Zone, 1984.
9Kinghorn, p. 30.
10Kinghorn, p. 27.
11Sears, Barry, Zone, p.23
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Sugar Blues Remedy!
By Jane S. Derry
You will not find sugar blues listed in any medical books, and recent research has offered conflicting evidence about the link between sugar consumption and a child's moodiness. Still, many parents and teachers often complain that too many sweets make children irritable. In a study in which children were fed an amount of sugar equal to that in two frosted cupcakes, the young subjects felt weak and shaky afterward and found it difficult to concentrate or to remain in their seats. The children also responded differently to sugar than adults do. Like adults, their blood sugar levels increased, but unlike adults, their adrenaline levels also increased"an average of ten times higher than normal. No wonder they got the nervous jitters!

If you give an adult-size portion of sugar to a child, the effect is much stronger than it would be on an adult. Clark's Rule can be applied to colas and sweets as well as to doses of medicine. I'll do the math for you. Let's say your family goes out for ice cream cones and everyone gets a double-decker. According to Clark's Rule, for your 75-pound fifth-grader, eating this cone will be the equivalent of your eating 4 scoops; for your 25-pound tyke, it will be like eating 12 scoops. And sugar is not the only problem. Most parents wouldn't think of giving their child coffee, but colas and other carbonated soft drinks are loaded with caffeine (as well as sugar). For a child, one can of a caffeinated soft drink is equal to an entire cup of coffee for an adult. You can also figure in the eight teaspoons of sugar in the typical 12-ounce can of soda!

Sweet-tasting herbs such as licorice, hibiscus, rose hips and stevia provide a healthy alternative and can replace at least some sweets. Unlike sugar, they will not affect a child's blood sugar level in the slightest. In its native Paraguay, stevia, which is even sweeter than sugar, is used to keep blood sugar levels stable. Peppermint and spearmint are all-time children's favorites. Children also tend to like the sweet and fruity taste of herbs like lemongrass and lemon balm, and the spiciness of cinnamon, ginger and anise. Sarsaparilla and wintergreen taste like root beer. According to studies from the University of Michigan, parents can help curtail the development of a sweet tooth by not dispensing sweetened foods to begin with. Children under two years old are attracted to sweets, but as they grow older, their desire for sugar is based on how much they had as infants.

Herbal Root Beer
2 teaspoons sarsaparilla root 1 teaspoon each licorice root, wintergreen leaves and stevia leaves (optional) teaspoon cinnamon bark 2 cups water 1 quart carbonated water
Simmer herbs in the plain water in an uncovered pan for 10 minutes, then remove from heat. Cover the pan and let cool. Strain out herbs, add carbonated water and serve. For variety, you can use flavored carbonated water. Because stevia is sometimes hard to find, it is optional.

Kid's Herbal Punch
2 cups boiling water 1 teaspoon each hibiscus flowers, lemon grass leaves and rose hips teaspoon spearmint leaves Pour boiling water over herbs and steep for 10 minutes. Strain out herbs and let cool. This punch is tasty when mixed with apple juice.

Although this is not exactly an herbal success story, it did impress upon me the importance of
offering children herbal alternatives to sweets, such as the herbal root beer described above. When I was employed as a teaching assistant for second-graders, I worked with "problem" children. I needed to be especially patient with Renéée, whose attention span lasted only a couple of minutes, and Malcolm, who simply could not stay in his seat, no matter what I did or said. It was only after I posed an addition problem to Renee, using the foods she ate, that I realized her diet was based on sugar: a doughnut and sweetened juice for breakfast (if anything at all); Twinkies for lunch; cookies, soda pop and a hot dog with ketchup after school; and cake or cookies for dinner.

That started me wondering about Malcolm's diet. When quizzed, he admitted that he shunned everything but sweets. He was so difficult to discipline, his mother said, that she always gave up and allowed him to have whatever he wanted. I was, of course, unable to instill changes at home, but when a school breakfast and lunch program was instituted, I noticed a dramatic change not only in Malcolm and Renéée but also in other children in the classroom. Almost overnight, their concentration improved. (My job also improved; I was able to focus more on education and less on discipline.) -Georgiana Duncan
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
This forum is locked: you cannot post, reply to, or edit topics.   This topic is locked: you cannot edit posts or make replies.    Nature's Sunshine Products NSP Forum Index -> Forum Archive All times are GMT - 6 Hours
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group