Pregnancy is a delicate time that requires paying close attention to your diet and nutrition. While many natural substances are perfectly safe, some controversies exist over the use of stevia leaf extract during pregnancy. This article explores the potential benefits and risks of using stevia leaf extract while pregnant.
What is Stevia Leaf Extract?
Stevia leaf extract comes from the South American stevia plant (Stevia rebaudiana). The leaves contain plant compounds called steviol glycosides that give stevia its characteristic sweet taste. Stevia leaf powder extract is 250-300 times sweeter than sugar but contains no calories or carbohydrates. It has been used for centuries in some parts of the world.
Today, purified stevia extracts like rebaudioside A (reb A) are approved as sweeteners in many countries. Stevia extracts can be found in products like tabletop sweeteners, diet beverages, yogurts, ice creams, sauces, and baked goods.
Diet Considerations During Pregnancy
Maintaining a balanced diet with adequate nutrients is vital during pregnancy for the health of both mother and baby. Pregnant women are advised to avoid raw meat, unpasteurized dairy, caffeine, alcohol, and unwashed fruits and vegetables due to risk of harmful bacteria. There are also recommendations around seafood intake and avoiding high mercury varieties.
Some doctors may advise limiting artificial sweeteners until more research confirms their safety. As with any substance, the effects of consumption during this sensitive period should be carefully considered. Always check with your doctor about any concerns.
Stevia and Pregnancy Research
There is limited evidence on the safety of stevia leaf extract consumption during pregnancy. Early animal studies raised some concerns over potential reproductive effects from steviol glycosides. However, more recent research has found little risk with moderate intake. Here is a brief overview of the current science:
- Rat studies from 2010 and 2011 found minimal effects on reproduction and development. Extremely high oral doses did reduce implantation sites and litter sizes.
- A 2016 literature review concluded there was no solid evidence of dangers during pregnancy or breastfeeding at typical human intake levels.
- Clinical studies have reported stevia safe for women with gestational diabetes in moderation, as it helps manage blood glucose levels.
- The Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) limit established by health organizations equates to about 7-9 packets of stevia extract daily - far more than normal use.
Overall, most major health groups generally recognize stevia extracts as safe based on available data. As with all sweeteners, moderation is key.
Potential Risks of Stevia During Pregnancy
A few potential risks from excessive stevia intake during pregnancy have been proposed, though not conclusively proven:
- Excessively high doses may hypothetically impact fertility, embryo development, or successful implantation. Human data has not confirmed this.
- There are theoretical concerns over blood sugar control and insulin sensitivity. However, moderate amounts are typically considered safe for diabetic pregnant women.
- Low-quality extracts may contain impurities. Only pharmaceutical grade, purified extracts should be consumed during pregnancy.
- Interactions with certain medications that lower blood sugar levels are possible, so monitoring is needed.
- Allergies or intolerances to stevia are rare but possible. Discontinue use if any reactions occur.
These risks appear minimal with moderate intake of high-purity stevia extracts. Many healthcare providers permit its use during pregnancy for a safe, calorie-free alternative to sugar.
Guidelines for Pregnancy
Most reputable health and medical organizations consider pharmaceutical grade stevia leaf powder likely safe in pregnancy when used in moderation, including:
- The FDA recognizes highly purified stevia extracts as GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) based on current data.
- The American Pregnancy Association says moderate use appears safe but recommends discussing with your provider.
- The European Food Safety Authority concluded stevia does not adversely affect blood sugar control during pregnancy.
- The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics allows stevia as an alternative sweetener within a healthy pregnancy diet.
Experts still advise consulting your obstetrician about use of stevia or any non-nutritive sweetener during pregnancy for personalized guidance.
What’s the Difference Between Stevia and Stevia Leaf Extract?
While often used interchangeably, stevia and stevia leaf extract are slightly different:
- Stevia refers to products made from crude stevia plant materials - dried leaves, powders, or solutions made from leaves. Stevia leaves contain additional compounds besides sweet glycosides.
- Stevia leaf extract refers to highly purified products containing isolated glycosides like rebaudioside A and stevioside responsible for the sweetness. Extracts contain 95-99% glycosides.
- Whole leaf stevia preparations may have more impurities and other plant compounds with unknown effects, so extracts tend to be preferred during pregnancy for maximum safety.
Always check the ingredient label and look for stevia leaf extract, liquid stevia extract, or glycoside extract for the purest product.
Is Stevia Better Than Sugar During Pregnancy?
For pregnant women, stevia leaf extract powder does have advantages over regular sugar:
- Stevia has zero calories and carbohydrates, while sugar packs 16 calories per teaspoon and can lead to excess weight gain.
- The glycemic index of stevia is zero, meaning it won’t spike blood glucose levels like sugar does. This helps manage gestational diabetes.
- Stevia doesn’t contribute to tooth decay or feed oral bacteria like sucrose.
- The extremely concentrated sweetness of stevia means only tiny amounts are needed to replace sugar. This allows for controlling added sweetener intake.
- Stevia may help reduce cravings for sweets during pregnancy.
With its negligible effects on blood sugar, stevia is generally considered a safe alternative to table sugar during pregnancy. But moderation is still key - excess intake of any sweetener is inadvisable.
Sweeteners to Avoid During Pregnancy
The following sweeteners may be best avoided or limited during pregnancy:
- Artificial sweeteners like aspartame, sucralose - Possible chemical risks are unconfirmed but still debated.
- Acesulfame potassium - Passed safety reviews but requires further study on long-term intake.
- Sugar alcohols - Concerns over high doses consumed and laxative effects. Can cause gas or bloating.
As with anything during pregnancy, it’s wise to err on the side of caution and limit intake of these sweeteners until more research confirms their safety beyond a doubt.
In summary, the latest research indicates moderate consumption of stevia leaf extract during pregnancy is likely low risk and may offer benefits over sugar. But check with your doctor and aim for minimal use of all sweeteners just to be safe. Prioritize a balanced diet focused on whole, nutritious foods for the best health.
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References:
1. Carakostas, M. C., Curry, L. L., Boileau, A. C., & Brusick, D. J. (2008). Overview: the history, technical function and safety of rebaudioside A, a naturally occurring steviol glycoside, for use in food and beverages. Food and chemical toxicology, 46(7), 1-10.
2. European Food Safety Authority. (2010). Scientific opinion on safety of steviol glycosides for the proposed uses as a food additive. EFSA Journal, 8(4), 1537.
3. Gardana, C., Simonetti, P., Canzi, E., Zanchi, R., & Pietta, P. (2003). Metabolism of stevioside and rebaudioside A from Stevia rebaudiana extracts by human microflora. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, 51(22), 6618-6622.
4. Mishra, A., Ahmed, K., Froghi, F., & Dasgupta, P. (2013). Systematic review of the relationship between artificial sweetener consumption and cancer in humans: analysis of 599,741 participants. International Journal of Clinical Practice, 67(4), 334-337.
5. Nabhan, F., Rauf, F., Ismail, N., Amom, Z. H., & Bukhori, M. F. M. (2019). The effect of steviol glycosides on blood pressure and blood glucose: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis. Systematic reviews, 8(1), 1-14.
6. Prakash, I., & DuBois, G. E. (2008). Regulatory status of rebiana (stevia). In Sweeteners and sugar alternatives in food technology (pp. 374-394). Blackwell Publishing Ltd..
7. Shinoda, M., Tanabe, A., Yoshida, M., Yamazaki, M., Saburi, Y., & Hayashi, H. (2012). Lack of adverse effects of stevia (Stevia rebaudiana) in subchronic oral toxicity study using rats. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 50(5), 1824-1829.