Vegan Nutrition with Dina Aronson, M.S. R.D.

Dina Aronson, MS, RD is a vegan dietitian whose specialties include chronic disease prevention, vegetarian/vegan nutrition, and lifestyle management. She is the founder and director of VeganRD.com, a nutrition consulting company. Active in many vegetarian nutrition organizations, Dina was the recipient of the American Dietetic Association's Recognized Young Dietitian of the Year Award in 2002.

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Is stevia a safe sweetener? Can I use it for my 5-year old? Thanks for your thoughts. - Mary

Dear Mary,

Stevia is a very sweet, low-calorie herb native to Paraguay and used in many countries worldwide. The Food and Drug Administration has refused to approve this natural sweetener as a food additive in the USA, but stevia may be sold as a dietary supplement.

The reason the FDA gives for not approving the herb as a sweetener is "inconclusive results" among studies looking at the safety of stevia. However, it appears that the only studies suggesting that the herb is unsafe are animal studies wherein the animals were force-fed stevia in enormous amounts. For this reason, scientists have questioned the validity and relevance of these studies. No human study has ever shown any harmful effects. People have used stevia for centuries in some countries, and in Japan, for example, the herb has been incorporated in the food supply for 30 years. It appears that used in moderate amounts, stevia poses no health threat to people.

My question for you is, why do you want to use it for your child? Stevia won't necessarily make your child healthier. Use of natural sweeteners, for an occasional treat, is perfectly acceptable (e.g. maple syrup, brown rice syrup, fruit juice, etc.). If you would like to use a sugar substitute, in my opinion, stevia is a better choice than the chemically-derived options (aspartame, saccharin, etc.). However, too much of anything may be a health risk, so if you do use stevia for yourself and your child, use it in moderation.

For more information, please read this excellent article from Vegetarian Times.

Disclaimer: The advice given here is for eductional purposes only. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified health care provider.

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