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New Naturally Sweetened Coke and Pepsi |
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It’s official. The FDA has given the green light to market the herb stevia as a zero-calorie sweetener for soft drinks. Stevia is considered a ‘natural’ sweetener in that it comes from a plant by the same name in South Africa. Until now,  due to conflicting evidence with regard to its safety, it has been banned in many countries. For example, there is question of its potential ability to cause cancer and problems with metabolism. There has also been some debate as to if stevia can cause reproductive problems in men.
Until now, the FDA had banned it as a sweetener, but had allowed it to be sold as a nutritional supplement. However, the companies that manufacturer Pepsi and Coke have recently succeeded in persuading the FDA to allow stevia to be used as a sweetener in diet soft drinks. This move by the FDA could prove to be very profitable for the makers of Pepsi and Coke.
The problem is that some of the studies that have examined the safety of stevia have looked at its use in rather small amounts. There is concern that when added to a product that is consumed in large amounts, like diet soda, the ill-effects of stevia may become more pronounced.
Look for stevia to be marketed as the brand name Truvia for Coke and PureVia for Pepsi. It is being marketed as a zero-calorie, all natural sweetener. Consumers should keep in mind that just because something is ‘all natural’ does not necessarily mean it can do no harm. Until more data is available on the safety of stevia, it may be prudent to use it in moderation, if at all.
Author: Christi Larson, Pharm. D.
Dr. Larson is a Clinical Infusion Pharmacist, author of Empowered Medicine; A Guide for Consumers and creator of www.empoweredmedicine.com. You can read more about her by visiting www.EmpoweredMedicine.com and clicking on the 'About Us' tab. EmpoweredMedicine.com is committed to providing evidence-based medical information.
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