Stevia and Pregnancy

Pregnancy is an extremely difficult time for women. There is massive pressure on their bodies and they have to become super health aware and cautious about what they eat or consume. There are too many physical and emotional changes happening, some permanent some not so. It is an extremely personal experience for every woman. Yet every Tom, Dick and Harry has advice on what should and shouldn’t be done. There is an expectation for the pregnant individual to be happy and glowing all the time so that the baby is healthy. This places unnecessary stress on an already stressed (mentally, physically & emotionally) individual. And now on top of it all, we have to regulate if they can eat this or that or not. Our question for today is: is stevia safe for pregnancy? So let’s get into it.

Is stevia safe during pregnancy?

All the current research, which is not much, shows that it is best to avoid stevia and other sweeteners during pregnancy. If you must, then consume high-purity stevia leaf extract but in moderation. While the research shows that stevia might be neutral, meaning, has neither benefits nor harms - that is not the issue. The real issue is the lack of comprehensive long-term research on the subject of stevia and pregnancy. Even stevia itself does not have long-term research done on it. What more, it’s effect on pregnant individuals. It is best to go for a healthy balanced diet and not rely too heavily on any one thing.

A recent study even suggests stevia may affect the gut microbiome and risk increase of obesity. But again, this is an animal study and the impact on humans might be different. 

Additionally, unless the stevia consumption dwarfs the recommended safety limit by a large amount, it’s safe.

Sweeteners to completely avoid:

While stevia, monk fruit or sucralose work fine, it is best to not consume:

• Aspartame 
• Saccharin 

Aspartame and saccharin are known to cause harm and pregnancy is a particularly vulnerable period. Best to avoid them. 

Especially consult your healthcare provider or family doctor as each individual's situation is different. You might be facing a personal complication that only a doctor might be able to help with. 

Also, check the composition of your stevia powder. Stevia is around 200 to 300 times sweeter than sugar and products in the market dilute it with bulking or carrier agents to bring it the sweet levels of sugar. Check what these other agents are and if they are safe, only then buy and consume.

Conclusion

So is stevia safe for pregnancy? It is advised to consume it in small amounts if at all. As research is currently lacking, it is best to adhere to caution. Stevia itself is rated GRAS (Generally recognised as safe) by the US FDA but that is only the powder made from the stevia leaf extract. Not whole leaves and the like. So when you consume it, go for a high-quality product. Choosing a high-quality product is necessary as most if not all products in the market carry bulking or carrier agents to dilute the sweetness stevia provides. Check what these are and only then buy or consume them.

Adults consume stevia to replace their sugar consumption and satisfy their cravings as it is a 0-calorie sweetener and diabetic-friendly. They might consume it to maintain their weight too. But for children, calories are not the focus. So too much consumption of stevia might make them develop a sweeter palate. And with the increasing consumption of highly processed foods and sugary foods, it could have an adverse effect on their health. Not to worry though, simply being mindful of what you buy and keeping track of what you consume is more than enough for you to be just fine. 

Sweetifying health : )