甜叶菊通常被吹捧为一种安全健康的糖替代品，可以使食物变甜，而没有与精制糖有关的负面影响。
It’s also associated with several impressive health benefits, such as reduced calorie intake, blood sugar levels, and risk of cavities (
However, some concerns exist surrounding stevia’s safety — especially for certain people who may be more sensitive to its effects.
本文研究了甜叶菊的安全性，以帮助确定您是否应该使用它。
Stevia is a natural sweetener derived from the leaves of the stevia plant (Stevia rebaudiana）。
As it has zero calories but is 200 times sweeter than table sugar, it’s a popular choice for many people looking to lose weight and decrease sugar intake (
This sweetener has also been associated with several health benefits, including降低血糖and cholesterol levels (
然而,商业甜叶菊产品不同quality.
In fact, many varieties on the market are highly refined and combined with other sweeteners — such as erythritol, dextrose, and maltodextrin — which may alter its potential health effects.
Meanwhile, less processed forms may be lacking in safety research.
Forms of stevia
Stevia is available in several varieties, each differing in its processing method and ingredients.
For instance, several popular products — such as Stevia in the Raw andTruvia— are really stevia blends, which are one of the most heavily processed forms of stevia.
They’re made using rebaudioside A (Reb A) — a type of refined stevia extract, alongside other sweeteners like maltodextrin anderythritol(
在加工过程中，将叶子浸泡在水中，并通过酒精穿过过滤器，以分离RebA。以后，提取物被干燥，结晶，并与其他甜味剂和填充剂混合（
Pure extracts made only from Reb A are also available as both liquids and powders.
Compared to stevia blends, pure extracts undergo many of the same processing methods — but are not combined with other sweeteners or sugar alcohols.
与此同时,绿叶stevia is the least processed form. It’s made from whole stevia leaves that have been dried and ground.
Although the green leaf product is typically considered the purest form, it’s not as thoroughly studied as pure extracts and Reb A. As such, research is lacking on its safety.
Summary甜叶菊是零热量的甜味剂。商业品种通常是高度加工的，并与其他甜味剂混合。
食品药品监督管理局（FDA）认为是甜叶菊的精制摘录，是甜叶菊的精制摘录，这意味着它们可以用于食品食品并在美国销售（
另一方面，由于缺乏研究，全叶品种和原始的甜叶菊提取物目前未经FDA批准用于食品（
Regulatory agencies like the FDA, the Scientific Committee on Food (SCF), and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) define the acceptable daily intake of steviol glycosides as up to 1.8 mg per pound of body weight (4 mg per kg) (
Stevia safety in certain populations
Although many stevia products are generally recognized as safe, some research indicates that this zero-calorie sweetener may impact certain people differently.
Due to health conditions or age, various groups may want to be especially mindful of their intake.
糖尿病
You may find stevia helpful if you have diabetes — but be careful about which type to choose.
Some research indicates that stevia may be a safe and effective way to help manage blood sugar levels in people withtype 2 diabetes.
In fact, one small study in 12 people with this condition showed that consuming this sweetener alongside a meal led to greater decreases in blood sugar levels compared to a control group given an equal amount of corn starch (
Similarly, an 8-week study in rats with diabetes noted that stevia extract decreased levels of blood sugar and hemoglobin A1C — a marker of long-term blood sugar control — by over 5% compared to rats fed a control diet (
Keep in mind that certain stevia blends may contain other types of sweeteners — including dextrose and maltodextrin — that can increase blood sugar levels (11,
如果您患有糖尿病，使用这些产品适度或选择纯甜叶菊提取物可以帮助维持正常的血糖水平。
怀孕
Limited evidence exists on the safety of stevia during pregnancy.
However, animal studies suggest that this sweetener — in the form of steviol glycosides like Reb A — does not negatively impact fertility or pregnancy outcomes when used in moderation (
Additionally, various regulatory agencies consider steviol glycosides safe for adults, including duringpregnancy(
尽管如此，对全叶甜叶菊和RAW提取物的研究仍然有限。
Therefore, during pregnancy, it’s best to stick to FDA-approved products that contain steviol glycosides rather than whole-leaf or raw products.
Children
Stevia can help cut down onadded sugarconsumption, which could be especially beneficial for children.
According to the American Heart Association (AHA), a higher intake of added sugar could increase children’s risk of heart disease by altering triglyceride and cholesterol levels and contributing to weight gain (
Swapping added sugar for stevia could potentially minimize these risks.
Steviol glycosides like Reb A have been approved by the FDA. However, it’s especially important to monitor intake in kids (
This is because it’s much easier for kids to reach the acceptable daily limit for stevia, which is 1.8 mg per pound of body weight (4 mg per kg) for both adults and children (
限制孩子用甜叶菊和其他甜味剂（例如糖）食用食物，可以帮助防止不利的副作用并支持整体健康。
Summary像REB A这样的叶糖苷被FDA批准，而全叶和原始提取物却没有。甜叶菊可能对某些群体有所不同，包括儿童，孕妇和糖尿病患者。
Although generally recognized as safe, stevia may cause adverse effects in some people.
For example, one review noted that zero-calorie sweeteners like stevia could interfere with concentrations of有益的肠道细菌, which play a central role in disease prevention, digestion, and immunity (
在893人中的另一项研究发现，肠道细菌的变化可能会对体重，甘油三酸酯和HDL（良好）胆固醇水平产生负面影响 - 心脏病的已知危险因素（
Some research even suggests that stevia and other zero-calorie sweeteners could lead you to consume more calories throughout the day (
例如，与喝糖味的饮料相比，30名男性的一项研究确定，喝甜叶菊甜饮料使参与者在当天晚些时候进食（
What’s more, a review of seven studies discovered that routine consumption of zero-calorie sweeteners like stevia may contribute to increased body weight and waist circumference over time (
Additionally, certain products with stevia may harbor糖醇像山梨糖醇和木糖醇一样，这些甜味有时与敏感个体的消化问题有关（
甜叶菊还可能降低血压和血糖水平，可能干扰用于治疗这些疾病的药物（
为了获得最佳效果，请减轻您的摄入量，并考虑如果遇到任何负面影响，请考虑减少消费。
Summary甜叶菊可能会破坏您健康的肠道细菌水平。违反直觉，一些证据甚至表明它可以增加食物摄入量，并随着时间的推移增加体重更高。
