If you haven’t heard the hype about stevia or agave nectar, you will very soon. And it’s about time! Both products have been available in health food stores for years, but they’re finally hitting the mainstream supermarkets. The two sweeteners are showing up in drinks & cocktails, and the market for more products is growing every day. This is good news for those of us avoiding artificial chemical sweeteners.

Stevia

Stevia is extracted from the leaves of a South American herb. Like its counterparts in the pink and blue packets, stevia is calorie-free. (Look for green or green/white packets for stevia). But here’s the good news, stevia is a natural plant-based sweetener, not an artificial laboratory-created one.

Try these instead of aspartame, saccharin, or sucralose:
1. Stevia (also called Rebiana): This sweetener is made from the leaves of the South American stevia plant. New brands like Truvia and PureVia are in grocery stores now. They contain stevia extract mixed with other sweeteners like erythritol.
2. Agave Nectar: Agave tastes like honey, and looks like it too. Extracted from the cactus-like agave plant, it has the same calories as sugar but tastes sweeter, so most people don’t need as much. You can easily buy this at Whole Foods or other natural food stores.
3. Erythritol: This sugar alcohol, found in many fruits and fermented foods, has 1/20 the calories of sugar. It’s usually mixed with other ingredients and is hard to find by itself, but your local health food store should care it.

In December 2008, the FDA approved stevia for commercial use as long as it is 95% pure. Stevia extract is 300 times sweeter than regular sugar, so less is needed to provide the same amount of sweetness.

Now widely available in supermarkets, stevia was launched under the names of Truvia and PureVia.  Both sweeteners also contain stevia extract mixed with another sweetener, erythritol. Erythritol is a sugar alcohol, found in many fruits and fermented foods, has 1/20 the calories of sugar. It’s also a natural, plant derived product.

Coca-Cola launched three of its Odwalla juices sweetened with Truvia, while PepsiCo who launched the PureVia brand has added it to Sobe Lifewater drinks.

Agave Nectar

Another plant-based natural sweetener becoming mainstream is agave nectar. Agave is syrup from the same Mexican plant that gives us tequila.  While not calorie free, it is an all-natural sweetener like honey and has a low glycemic index, which makes it a more healthful alternative.

Diabetics should take note, however, that agave nectar is still a sugar so caution must be taken.  Agave should be treated by diabetics like they would honey or sugar. It has about the same number of calories and carbohydrates as honey.

But unlike honey, agave does not impart a distinct taste when added to foods like honey does. It’s very neutral when added to foods. It looks like maple syrup, and is thinner than honey.

As a healthier substitute for the much maligned high fructose corn syrup, agave is being used in products like barbecue sauce and ketchup.

Like honey, it’s great for cooking, with some minor modifications.

• Use less agave than sugar since it’s a sweeter product.  Replace every cup of sugar with 3/4 cup of agave.
• Lower the oven temperature by 25 degrees because agave tends to brown more quickly than sugar.
• Because agave is a liquid, reduce the amounts of the other liquids in the recipe slightly.
• Agave works best in moist recipes like muffins, cakes, and cupcakes.
• Don’t use agave if you want a crispy texture.

For more information on artificial sweeteners, read The Truth About Artificial Sweeteners.