People living with preexisting conditions like diabetes often struggle with how much sugar they consume. Therefore, many are seeking healthy alternatives like stevia and monk fruit extract that can help manage their health while keeping weight under control. Some popular options are stevia and monk fruit extract; both offer lower glycemic index than sugar without raising blood glucose levels, but their usage differs in several key ways that are important to be aware of by consumers.

Stevia is an all-natural sweetener made from the leaves of a South American shrub called Stevia rebaudiana, yielding sweetness from natural compounds known as steviol glycosides. Stevia boasts no calories or zero-glycemic index rating – ideal for diabetics or individuals following low-carb diets such as keto or paleo. In addition, Stevia promotes oral health unlike most sugar alternatives.

Stevia can help prevent tooth decay and cavities while simultaneously helping regulate blood pressure. Furthermore, its use as part of weight loss programs makes stevia an invaluable ally. You can enjoy this delicious sweetener either in liquid form (which makes stirring into coffee easier) or powder form that can be added directly into recipes.

While stevia does have its own distinctive flavor, some individuals may be put off by its aftertaste. To remedy this, experimentation can help mask this aftertaste with different brands and recipes, spices or flavorings to mask its taste – tablet form is available as is powder and liquid for you to choose the one that meets your individual preferences.

One of the primary challenges associated with stevia is its variable level of sweetness, due to various processing and extraction methods affecting how sweet it tastes. Therefore, it is crucial that consumers carefully read labels when purchasing quality stevia products.

As more people seek alternatives to traditional sugar, more food manufacturers are turning to plant-derived sweeteners such as agave and stevia as sweeteners in their foods’ ingredients lists. Some consumers believe these alternatives are healthier because they come from plants; however, studies have linked high glycemic index (GI) diets with increased risks of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers conducting the five-year study tracked over 2000 over-65s for five years and discovered that those consuming diets with high GI scores were 40% more likely to develop dementia than those avoiding such foods. Furthermore, agave and stevia are highly processed sweeteners which may contain additives harmful to health; it would therefore be wiser if people sought to maintain good brain function avoided these alternative sweeteners altogether.