Stevia: benefits, harms and uses

Have you ever heard of such a wonderful creation of nature as stevia? As a rule, those who constantly monitor their health or simply lead healthy lifestyle with full adherence to the rules of a healthy diet. Let's take a closer look at stevia, find out what it is and how you can use it for your own health.

What is Stevia

Stevia is a perennial plant belonging to the Aster family. It grows mainly in Central and South America, but now it has become possible to grow stevia on your windowsill and reap its fruits right from the garden. In total, this plant has over 260 different species, but honey stevia has won particular popularity and love, which is widely used as a natural and completely harmless sweetener, which, moreover, is as much as 25 times sweeter than the usual white sugar.

Stevia is sold ready-made, like other sweeteners, but it is much better to use the herb in its original form, in order to be sure that no manufacturer has nagged it there. Growing stevia at home is quite simple, and in order to sweeten the tea, just one leaf is enough!

Benefits of stevia

If you want to permanently abandon the usual sugar, from which the body is only harmed, but at the same time you understand that you cannot live without sweets, then stevia is what you have been looking for for so long. She, unlike sugar, does not carry empty carbohydrates to the body, which only do what is deposited in the sides. Moreover, its regular use will bring invaluable benefits to the body.

Stevia removes bad cholesterol from the body, helps to cleanse the body in natural ways, normalizes blood flow, occurs release from toxins and toxins, blood pressure returns to normal. It is a natural anti-inflammatory agent. Stevia helps to strengthen the body's defenses, cleanses the lungs, and improves the functioning of the digestive organs: intestines, stomach, and liver. Its property has been noted to lower blood sugar levels, therefore stevia is welcomed in the diet of people suffering from diabetes. However, in the latter case, you should still consult your doctor before taking it.

Stevia has a detrimental effect on Candida parasites in the body, when the drink is consumed, the oral cavity is cleansed, and the activity of pathogenic microorganisms stops in the intestines. It is very useful to drink stevia during the season of colds and other viral sores, as it will not allow internal reserves to weaken and allow the entire epidemic to pass on our feet. Stevia normalizes metabolic processes, slows down aging and promotes weight loss. It is a natural diuretic and tonic that nourishes the body as much as possible.

And with the help of stevia infusions, you can get rid of skin rashes, heal purulent wounds, burns and eczema, and accelerate the healing process of postoperative scars. In addition to the above listed stevia:

• has anti-tumor properties;
• heals internal wounds of the digestive system;
• prevents the development of diabetes;
• significantly reduces cravings for nicotine and alcoholic beverages;
• good effect on the pancreas;
• acts as a caries prevention;
• has a positive effect on the condition of nails, skin and hair;
• helps to lose weight quickly and without harm to health.

This is far from a complete list of its useful qualities, nevertheless, one can already judge from this how useful it is, and even tasty. Take just a little stevia (you can find it at almost any local drugstore), taste it and you will be surprised how sweet a simple green plant can be.

Stevia harm

It would seem that nothing is perfect and there is probably a catch. How can it be that it is tasty and healthy? But it turns out it can. No matter how many experiments and studies are done, the result is the same - stevia does not bring any harm. Unpleasant phenomena were observed only in cases where people had an individual intolerance to the components that are part of the honey herb. Therefore, if earlier you had nothing to do with stevia, remember some rules:

• introduce it into your diet gradually, starting with a small amount;
• remember that the simultaneous use of milk and honey grass is likely to lead to diarrhea;
• if you find traces of allergies in yourself, stop using stevia;
• there should be a measure in everything - since stevia lowers blood sugar, its frequent and abundant use can lead to negative consequences;
• since the herb is characterized by the ability to lower blood pressure, it is necessary to drink it with great care for hypotensive patients;
• as experts say, theoretically harm can be caused if a person has mental disorders, blood diseases and hormonal imbalance.

If you are prone to allergies or you have chronic diseases, then it is better not to tempt fate and still consult with a specialist before using stevia.

Contraindications for stevia

This plant has no contraindications at all - and this is another plus of it. The only exceptions are cases of individual intolerance. And yet, as experts say, it should be used with caution in the perinatal and lactation periods, as well as in the case of children under twelve years of age and hypotensive patients.

Slimming stevia

This is why stevia is so valued in dietary nutrition because it allows you to continue to eat sweet, but also lose weight. It has very few calories, but at the same time it dulls the feeling of hunger well. This is not to say that having eaten her appetite will completely pass - no, she will just want to eat much less. Honey grass can be used to create diet baked goods, sweeten drinks and season fruit salads. With its help, slags and toxins are removed from the body, the body begins to work like a clock, digestion is getting better, and at the same time the desired forms return. If you want to speed up the process of losing weight, then three times a day before meals, take an infusion of stevia, which is prepared according to the instructions on the package.

Stevia use

Stevia has found its wide application in many fields, including cooking, cosmetology, and medicine. They drink it for the prevention of cancer, because the substances that are in its composition prevent healthy cells from transforming into malignant ones. Honey herb helps in the treatment of thyroid gland, liver and kidney, arthritis and osteoarthritis are well treated. Doctors recommend stevia when undergoing treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. In general, with the simultaneous use of stevia and medicines, you can protect the internal organs from the negative effects of pills. Children's diathesis is cured with stevia, but this is possible only with the permission of the pediatrician.

Most often, stevia acts as a natural and safe sweetener. Many industrial factories use it in order not to deal with sugar, and to preserve the taste. The sugar-free chewing gum known to all has a sweetness just due to the addition of stevia. Cooking sweets, lollipops, drinks, including soda, desserts and ice cream, children's toothpastes and mouthwash - here and in many other places you can see stevia.

Stevia is also popular in cosmetology, where it is especially appreciated for its ability to prolong the youthfulness of the skin and preserve the beauty of hair.