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What Vitamins Can You Gain from Stevia?

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People need vitamins to supplement their daily nutrition. This is ideal notably for those who are experiencing certain illnesses that have caused deficiencies in some nutrients in their body.

Depending on your health requirements, there are practically numerous vitamins available on the market today. Those that contain the popular plant Stevia or the sweet chemicals called steviol glycosides is just one of them.

Stevia is a well known sweetener that does not contain carbohydrates. It’s considered to be a healthy alternative to sugar and has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a sugar substitute.

It’s quite common these days for health drinks, juices, flavored drinks and even soft drinks to contain this ingredient. Being free from calories and sweeter than sugar, drink manufacturers have turned to the stevia to sweeten their products without risking people’s health.

Apart from being a natural sweetener, however, this plant is also rich in vitamins and minerals. For one, it is high in chromium which plays an important role in stabilizing blood sugar levels. Other minerals it contain are potassium, manganese, selenium, silicon, sodium, iron, niacin, phosphorus and zinc.

Unaware to some of you, stevia also contains several vitamins. These are vitamins A, C and the compounds that make up the B vitamin such as riboflavin and thiamine.

Owing to their vitamin and mineral content, research has found that this plant native in South America can help people suffering from various illnesses such as diabetes, heartburn, hypoglycemia, high blood pressure as well as skin problems including dermatitis and eczema. Specifically, it aids in preventing the growth of organisms and bacteria harmful to the body.

Stevia has been used in several countries for many years now. In the U.S., it is imported as a liquid concentrate and dietary supplement. The water-based concentrate, however, is more popular than the alcohol extracts as it is believed to contain more nutrients necessary in healing the body.

In Japan, it undergoes a refining process to create a white sugar-like sweetener called stevioside but sweeter than the regular sugar. It has been used in the country for more than 40 years now.

Stevia is a green plant belonging to the sunflower family. Its Latin name is stevia rebaudiana bertoni. Currently, it is being cultivated not only in Japan but as well as in Brazil, China, Korea and Thailand.

Today, people who want to lead a healthy lifestyle can count on the different plants, herbs and leafy vegetables available on the market to keep them fit. And stevia is one of the so-called living foods that you can choose as a reliable source of vitamins and minerals for your daily needs.

Vitamin and Mineral Supplements

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We’ve heard of dietary supplements, which is really an umbrella term for more specific kinds of supplements. Perhaps one of the most common – and widely accepted – supplements are vitamin and mineral supplements. Even as children, our pediatricians would recommend these. Of course, with time and age, the nature of vitamin and mineral supplements has changed.

Vitamin and mineral supplements are a way to make up for possible deficiencies in our diets. That means whether or not you are trying to lose weight, you may need vitamin and mineral supplements – that is if you want to be healthy. So what vitamin and mineral supplements should we take?

It really depends on what you need. I tried doing a little research and ended up overwhelmed with the available supplements in the market. My local pharmacy was not much help either. However, in my research, I came across a recent study that found out that the typical Western diet lacks calcium, magnesium, zinc, and iron. This is a possible starting point.

Aside from the results of that study, I think we should analyze our own diet and body. Pinpoint your weaknesses and needs. For example, I noticed that I usually lack the energy to keep alert all day. So I looked for vitamins that are supposed to enhance energy. If you find yourself prone to colds, then maybe vitamin C is what you need. At the end of the day, it boils down to identifying your personal needs.