1. Posted by Charlene D on Tue, Mar 24, 2009, 2:48 pm PDT

I've tried lots of forms of stevia & I really like Truvia, which is a blend of stevia & erythtriol, a sugar derivative that isn't chlorinated like Splenda. The erythtriol cuts the bitterness of the stevia significantly & actually tastes good in coffee, not to mention sprinkled on fresh fruit! It's a little pricey, but I think it's still worth it. I also like Zevia soda, my personal fave is the root beer...and I tried the Fuji Apple Pear version of the Sobe 0 calorie Lifewater and it was surprisingly good...it tasted almost exactly like natural sugar but wasn't sickeningly sweet like many of those types of beverages are!

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2. Posted by bethwillhoite on Tue, Mar 24, 2009, 8:17 pm PDT

I'm not sure why, but when i tried truvia I ended up with red diarrhea. Not blood- just red. For 3 hours. No thanks. I'll stick with my chemicals.

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3. Posted by bethwillhoite on Tue, Mar 24, 2009, 8:17 pm PDT

I'm not sure why, but when i tried truvia I ended up with red diarrhea. Not blood- just red. For 3 hours. No thanks. I'll stick with my chemicals.

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4. Posted by kpnieman@att.net on Wed, Mar 25, 2009, 6:20 am PDT

Thought I had a virus--but it turns out it was the Truvia that I've been using for the past week. Horrible diarrhea! Will throw that sweetener in the can and go back to good ol' cane sugar-natural as it comes!

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5. Posted by JimmyK on Wed, Mar 25, 2009, 6:22 am PDT

I like Truvia, especially since my wife cannot tolerate splenda or nutrisweet (migraine). I've tried Zevia - YUCK was my response, but to each his own. Sobe lifewater was not too bad, but not great either. I hear CocaCola is planning a stevia-sweetened version of diet coke...looking forward to that.

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6. Posted by joni on Wed, Mar 25, 2009, 7:09 am PDT

After reading the the above comments, I'll stick with Sweet'n'Low.

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7. Posted by dubereth_le_punk on Wed, Mar 25, 2009, 7:38 am PDT

Ummm, you've been able to buy stevia stuff at whole foods for a while now, and those have never made me, or my whole family, ill. You just have to watch how much you use, it is very, very strong, and too much does taste bitter.

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8. Posted by numberoneninjette on Wed, Mar 25, 2009, 9:48 am PDT

Ugh, I'll pass on the red runny poo. Give me sugar if I'm gonna eat sweets. (I don't often, but when I want it. . .gimme!)

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9. Posted by paragoddessva on Wed, Mar 25, 2009, 12:42 pm PDT

I have tried the Sobe which was...ok. I will definitely continue to be a fan of my blue agave though. While it isn't zero calorie, it is an all natural sweetener and better for you than the refined sugars.

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10. Posted by Allyson on Wed, Mar 25, 2009, 2:58 pm PDT

Vitamin Water makes new 10 calorie alternatives of its regular flavors and its sweetened with truvia. the flavor wasnt altered at all, it just tasted a bit sweeter. I drank it with no gastrointestinal problems at all.

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11. Posted by rsprussia on Thu, Mar 26, 2009, 4:28 am PDT

I've used NuNaturals NuStevia packets for a year. I love it. No bitter taste and I've not experienced any symptoms. Zero calories, 1 gram of carbs and less that 1 gram of sugar for a packet. I only use 1/2 of a packet at a time.

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12. Posted by crazyladygalore on Thu, Mar 26, 2009, 9:59 am PDT

are any of these good to bake with?

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13. Posted by notwinniemekt on Thu, Mar 26, 2009, 6:01 pm PDT

Hear Hear on NuNaturals' NuStevia! Been using it for about 4 years. So great. You can buy it online here: http://www.nunaturals.com/contact/trial_stevia_packets.html i hope hg mentions something about them soon...they deserve an hg shout-out and hg-induced fame! And fyi, the truvia diarrhea is a result of the erythriol, which is a sugar alcohol and i think is actually more present in truvia than stevia extract itself. The same thing will happen if you ingest a lot of xylitol or sorbitol, sugar alcohols used in a lot of sugar free stuff like sf maple syrup or gum...always have this problem with the "-ols" but NEVER with stevia. check ingredients...and use with caution :-)

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14. Posted by dorriwoolen@att.net on Thu, Mar 26, 2009, 9:22 pm PDT

I received the free samples of truvia. It wasn't sweet enough for me. I had to add some sugar to it (just a little), but the flavor was fine.

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15. Posted by cherylvano@sbcglobal.net on Thu, Mar 26, 2009, 10:20 pm PDT

There is also Xylitol that can be used as a sugar replacement. Xylitol is an organic substance and has many benefits. Try the chocolate that is organic and sweetened with Xylitol. http://clv.chocogevity.com. You can also email cherylvano@sbcglobal.net for a sample.

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16. Posted by rsprussia on Fri, Mar 27, 2009, 5:08 am PDT

NuNaturals also has a More Fiber baking blend made with NuStevia. I haven't tried it yet.

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17. Posted by Wakynao on Fri, Mar 27, 2009, 6:27 am PDT

Aside from the fact that post #15 is blatantly digging for multi-level marketing victims, the Xylitol mentioned will have you floating air biscuits for hours.

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18. Posted by La Gata on Fri, Mar 27, 2009, 1:50 pm PDT

I think I'll just stick to raw sugar despite the whole whopping 30 extra calories a day I get from it.

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19. Posted by rsprussia on Sat, Mar 28, 2009, 5:16 am PDT

Well, if you want to give it a try, most of the health food stores that I've been to give away free packets. Anytime I can avoid white flour or any kind of sugar, I feel like I've hit a home run.

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20. Posted by shangreleigh on Sat, Mar 28, 2009, 10:58 am PDT

Whatever happened to using honey to sweeten foods and drinks? It's all natural, has health benefits and it won't cause diarrhea. Just remember not to give honey to children under 1yr old. Honey contains natural toxins that young digestive systems aren't yet able to tolerate. You may even help the economy by shopping for honey at your local farmers market.

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21. Posted by shotzie221 on Sat, Mar 28, 2009, 2:38 pm PDT

I am a weight watcher Leader, and I have suggested that Splenda is ok for their useage. I did not realize the "red" condition, but have mentioned TruVia a few times, don't know if any of them are using it. Stevia is expensive, but at Sam's Club it was a good price. Thanks for your info.

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22. Posted by danielucha1310 on Sun, Mar 29, 2009, 8:05 pm PDT

I love my sweets, and Equal and splenda don't cut it for me. My Colombian family sent me some Stevia (the HERB, actually), and it's just awesome!

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23. Posted by danielucha1310 on Sun, Mar 29, 2009, 8:08 pm PDT

The trick is putting a bag of stevia herb (about half a pound) in 1-2 cups of boiling water. Let it stand there for like an hour so the sweetness will set in. Then blend the liquid and herb in your blender, and that liquid you will use to sweeten food and drink. That's a neat option in case you don't like the powdered stuff.

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24. Posted by jennie on Wed, Apr 01, 2009, 9:05 am PDT

I use Truvia in tea, and no runs or nothing. And I'm REALLY sensitive to stuff...oh well, everyone's different

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25. Posted by GrammarGirl95 on Wed, Apr 01, 2009, 9:43 am PDT

Thanks for all the info. I'm with crazyladygalore. Anyone used this to bake with?

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26. Posted by sweetnote4u on Wed, Apr 01, 2009, 7:05 pm PDT

I use SweetLeaf Stevia Plus to bake with. It works great! My kids can't tell the difference. I don't notice the bitterness like when I put it in coffee. Stevia Plus combines the extract from the stevia leaf with a prebiotic nutritional supplement called insulin fiber (F.O.S) This nourishes the friendly bacteria(lactobacillus and bifidobacteria) in the intestines so it's not only good for your gastrointestinal health but great for Diabetics (glycemic index of zero) You don't need as much as sugar so you have to adjust (put in a little more flour, or not as much liquid as the recipe calls for) For example 1 cup of sugar = 2Tbsp of stevia. I also like to use Agave!

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27. Posted by laa on Sun, Apr 05, 2009, 6:28 pm PDT

i have stevia and was using it in tea. I was having the red run also but did not know the cause until i read this !! its true ,, stevia will cause side affects like they say 'alli' will....

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28. Posted by ashleyh962 on Wed, Apr 08, 2009, 7:45 am PDT

I've been using this for nearly a year, helped me get off those last 5 pounds that wouldn't budge. Takes a couple uses to get used to, but now I don't go anywhere without it. GNC sells a brand that tastes better than Truvia, in my opinion, but is slightly more expensive.

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29. Posted by candiofthenorth on Wed, Apr 08, 2009, 11:36 am PDT

Hello, it is the FDA's fault that Stevia is "All New"...They've been using this herb in South America for ever and they use it for aiding digestion and stomach ailments...so every body is different and some herbs may affect one but not another, but the additives in grocery products are probably to blame. There is even warning on things sweetened with sugar alcohols not to over indulge. Honey is natural too, but all those treated and chemical substances that are foriegn to our body's natural makeup really pose more issues, lots of ppl who consume splenda or nutrisweet can have fibromialgia like symptoms....yuck. Give me natural any day, even if I have to play around with amounts. Stevia plus does add FOS and that is great, it is like getting some oatmeal bennifits with your sweet! Any cool places to find recipies though, I am having trouble with the baking aspect, so many throw away baked goods so sad.

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30. Posted by jcousino8 on Wed, Apr 08, 2009, 12:36 pm PDT

NuNaturals is the way to go! Best Stevia product on the market. I buy mine at GNC and it's always on sale. I've tried others, but I'm sticking with NuNaturals.

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