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Stevioside
Level 3 — ContestedIn Winter's Dictionary
Stevioside is a natural sweetener — Plant-derived sweetener equal in sweetness to sugar
Also: Stevia rebaudiana, Sweetleaf, Candy Leaf
What it does
Plant-derived sweetener equal in sweetness to sugar
Where you'll see it
dietary supplements, foreign sweeteners
What the research says
Animal experiments found toxic to pregnant rodents and may affect kidneys; FDA cautions about reproduction, cancer development, metabolism
Benefits
Equal sweetness to sugar with claimed antibacterial properties
Regulatory status
- Notes: JECFA, WHO, EU rejected as sweetener; FDA cautions on reproduction/cancer
Sources
- A Consumer's Dictionary of Food Additives (Winter): FDA cautions that stevia may have a negative impact on reproduction, cancer development, and metabolism