4 Stevia Side Effects To Watch for Plus Tips To Use the Natural Sweetener Safely

The popular sugar substitute stevia is in countless food products these days. You may love this sweetener, or there may be times it doesn’t love you back and leaves you with bloating, cramps or other side effects. Here, experts explain the health benefits, possible concerns and side effects of stevia. After reading this, you’ll have a deliciously high stevia IQ.

What is stevia?

Stevia is a zero-calorie sweetener made from the Stevia rebaudiana plant. It’s used in place of traditional sugar in many products including flavored waters, yogurts and nutrition bars. It also comes in different forms—powders, granules, liquid extracts and blends—to use at home in baking recipes or to stir into your coffee and tea. But some of those stevia formulations are more likely than others to cause side effects. (More on that below.)

The FDA calls stevia safe

The sweetener swap aisle at the store is getting crowded. According to research in Frontiers in Nutrition, there are eight non-nutritive (or zero-calorie) sweeteners approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Two of them, “stevia and monk fruit, are approved under the ‘generally recognized as safe’ designation, also known as GRAS,” explains Lindsey Schoenfeld, MS, RDN, professional chef and co-founder at To Taste. In other words, stevia is believed to be harmless at approved doses.

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The benefits of stevia

The sweetener doesn’t cause cavities and it can reduce our overall calorie intake, finds a study in the journal Appetite. Stevia can also help people with diabetes. In research, it shows a neutral or even slight benefit when it comes to insulin responses compared to other sweeteners. In short: no blood glucose spikes.

And stevia may also help with weight loss. Brenda Bennett, founder of Sugar-Free Mom, started using stevia before also adding in monk fruit and allulose. “I lost 25 when I went sugar free,” she says.

Fred Pescatore, MD, recommends it as a guilt-free option. “The benefits are that you are getting a non-nutritive sweetener that is completely natural and free of chemicals,” if you use the pure extract, he says. “It does not alter blood sugar chemistry in the body so there ought to be no weight gain nor rebound when using this product.”

Still, stevia is super sweet and easy to overdo

“Stevia should be used as a tool, not a staple, or to add on top of already sweet diets,” Schoenfeld says. “It should not be considered a health food and should be consumed in moderation.”

One reason? “Stevia is around 200 to 400 times sweeter than table sugar. Very small amounts may influence taste preferences. With this intense level of sweetness, individuals may crave sweet foods more or interfere with natural satiety cues,” says Schoenfeld.

In fact, we may be getting more stevia than we think in our diet. “We’ve seen a significant jump in the number of products containing non-nutritive sweeteners. Products have quadrupled over the past several years,” says Schoenfeld. And while each individual grocery item may contain just a small amount of stevia, she says people don’t know how much they consume throughout the day or the week.

“Manufacturers must list stevia on the ingredient list, but they are not required to indicate the amount per serving,” Schoenfeld explains. “Many people see ‘no added sugar’ or ‘zero calories’ and assume it’s healthy. It’s important to read the ingredients and look for natural sweeteners when possible.” Then there are possible side effects…

Stevia side effects to watch for

While stevia products are generally considered safe, there are some side effects to watch for, including:
• Aftertaste. Some people complain about a bitter aftertaste when consuming stevia. One Reddit user said the lingering taste affected their tastebuds for hours. One hack: strong flavors like coffee or vanilla extract can help diffuse it.
• Nausea can also occur, particularly when stevia is consumed in high doses. Limit to 1 to 2 servings per day, for example 10 to 50 mg of liquid stevia.
• Gas and bloating. Some people experience GI woes including bloating, cramping and gas, especially when stevia is combined with sugar alcohols.
• Diarrhea may also occur, especially when stevia is combined with artificial or chemical sweeteners like erythritol or xylitol.

To minimize discomfort, stick to pure stevia, avoid blended sweeteners and always start with small servings to gauge your body’s tolerance. Also, some people, like those with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), may be particularly sensitive to stevia.

What about stevia and gut health?

The body handles stevia differently than table sugar. “Most stevia passes through the stomach and small intestine and is broken down in the colon by our good gut bacteria,” says Schoenfeld. But she feels more research may be needed about all-natural stevia leaf extract and its effect on the gut microbiome. One thing the research shows: “Some non-nutritive sweeteners are known to disrupt microbiome health.”

What about stevia’s effects on the brain?

Top sugar researcher Nicole Avena, PhD, author of Sugarless, has researched extensively on how sweet foods can hijack our brain chemistry, leading to overeating. “[Sugar substitutes] still affect the brain in a way that’s just like what happened to real sugar,” she explains. “And so they’re still going to stimulate that dopamine system for pleasure. They’re still going to lead you to crave sweet things.”

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Avena’s advice: Use stevia as a bridge, not a destination. “If you’re starting to cut down on your sugar intake, alternative sweeteners like monk fruit, stevia and others may help.” But, she says, “The goal is to ultimately un-sweeten your diet, including reducing the use of these alternative sweeteners, too. It will help you to break your dependence.”

Some alternatives to consider

Bottom line: Stevia is considered safe, but may cause side effects for some folks. If you’re searching for other options, consider these sweet alternatives:

• Allulose, found naturally in molasses and sold as a baking ingredient. It has no bitter aftertaste, is 70 percent as sweet as table sugar and is just about 0.4 calories per ¼ tsp. of powder.
• Monk fruit comes from the juice of this fruit, has zero calories and is also 150 to 200 times as sweet as sugar. Some people find it easier to bake with than stevia.
• Natural sugar from whole fruit. “Enjoying whole foods like fruits is important because they also provide satiety and nutrition from fiber, vitamins and minerals,” Schoenfeld says.