Stevia has long been marketed as a natural, plant-based sugar substitute, so you’d assume that it’s made mostly from plant-based material, right? Well… we might have some upsetting news for you.
In this episode, we’re talking about what’s wrong with stevia, including just how little of it actually comes from stevia leaf. We share the controversies behind this so-called natural sugar substitute, what high stakes poker games have to do with saccharin and stevia, and why it’s so freaking hard to figure out what’s actually in all of our food (you’re going to hear some familiar names from last episode).
This episode is about stevia, but we can’t have that conversation without talking about capitalism, how regulatory bodies and lobbyists hold so much power on just about everything we put into our mouths in the U.S, and how consumer “choice” isn’t really a choice.
Disclaimer: We want to emphasize that we're not medical professionals, and none of this podcast should be interpreted as medical or legal advice or counsel. The ingredients we're discussing are all currently approved by the FDA and, as such, are legal in the U. S. And any statements we make about corporations or individuals are opinions based on publicly available information, either published by those entities themselves, or reputable third party journals and sources.
In this episode, you’ll learn...
[00:29] An update on the format and content of this podcast going forward, AKA Najwa gets to talk more
[08:08] The difference between sugars, non-nutritive sweeteners, and sugar alcohols, plus the history of stevia
[11:31] What stevia is and how it’s made into the product you see in grocery stores
[17:09] Here’s the tea on stevia controversies… and poker?!
[24:19] Capitalism, lobbyists, and product messaging - it’s all just a game of Whack-a-Mole!
Links mentioned in this episode…
Share this post