Stevia wonder For years, Dr. Wright and most of his colleagues in the natural medicine field have been recommending stevia as a good alternative to refined sugar and artificial sweeteners. But as it turns out, stevia may be much more than a sugar substitute. In fact, it has something going for it that none of the other sweeteners d Stevia is actually good for you. A recent study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that extracts from the South American plant used to create stevia products have an abundance of antioxidants. The researchers say that these antioxidants could protect DNA from damage caused by substances called hydroxide radicals. This, of course, is in stark contrast to sugar, which, as Dr. Wright has mentioned numerous times over the years, actually impairs your immune system and leaves you vulnerable to all sorts of infections and health problems. Not to mention the drastic difference between stevia's health benefits and the potential dangers of artificial sweeteners, which have been linked to cancer in numerous studies. So if you haven't made the switch, this new study makes it apparent that it's time you did. But while it's readily available in natural food stores, switching to stevia does take some getting used to. For one thing, it's actually 300 times sweeter than regular sugar, so adjusting how much you add to your morning cup of coffee is usually a trial-and-error process that may end with a few sacrificial pots being dumped down the drain. Stevia can also have a bit of an aftertaste, although new manufacturing processes has limited that, and most people who make the transition say they get used to it pretty quickly. Sources:
"Whirlwind around stevia could also include DNA protection," FoodNavigator (www.foodnavigator.com), 11/30/07
"Oxidative DNA damage preventive activity and antioxidant potential of stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni), a natural sweetener," Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 2007; published online ahead of print 11/27/07 | 
