Many people want to cut down on their sugar intake. Many sugar substitutes are now available. Read Truvia Nutrition Facts here!
Truvia(r), is one of them.
It is advertised as a natural sweetener made from Stevia that can be used to control blood sugar.
You may be wondering if Truvia is natural or healthy.
This article will tell you everything you need about Truvia.
What is Truvia?
Truvia is a sweetener jointly developed by Cargill, Inc., a multinational food-agricultural conglomerate, and Coca-Cola Company.
It was introduced in 2008, and it is one of the most loved sweeteners in America.
Truvia Nutrition Facts
It is made from a combination of three ingredients.
- Erythritol, A Sugar Alcohol
- Rebaudioside B: A sweet compound taken from the Stevia plant and listed as Rebiana.
- Natural flavorings: The manufacturer doesn’t specify the flavorings used
Truvia is sometimes confused with Stevia, a natural sweetener made of the stevia leaf.
Truvia is a sweetener made from Stevia, and the name sounds very similar. However, Truvia and Stevia are different things.
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Doesn’t Contain Stevia — Only Remaudioside A
Truvia is a sweetener made from Stevia.
This is, however, a misleading statement since it contains very few components of the Stevia plant and has no health benefits.
Stevia leaves contain two sweet compounds: stevioside A and rebaudioside B.
Out of the two, Stevioside is associated with health benefits such as lower blood sugar levels and lower blood pressure.
Truvia does not contain any stevioside. It contains very small amounts of purified, unlinked rebaudioside, A.
Truvia’s marketing as a sweetener made from Stevia is therefore highly suspect.
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Erythritol Is the Main Ingredient
Truvia’s primary ingredient is Erythritol.
Erythritol can be found in natural foods such as fruits. It can also be extracted and processed for sweetening.
Cargill’s website states that it manufactures Erythritol from corn by fermenting it with yeast and turning it into food-grade starch. The product is then further purified to make erythritol crystals.
Sugar alcohols’ chemical structure allows them to stimulate sweet taste receptors in your tongue.
The Western diet is rich in sugar and alcohol. Apart from Erythritol, they also include xylitol and sorbitol.
However, Erythritol is quite different than the rest. It is resistant to digestion because of its unique chemical structure.
It is mostly unchanged in your body and excreted via your urine.
Numerous long-term animal studies on metabolism, toxicity and other aspects of erythritol use have not shown any negative effects.
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What are the “Natural Flavors”?
Truvia’s last ingredient is natural flavors. These are still a little mystery.
These flavors are not listed on the label or on the manufacturer’s website.
Cargill was sued for misleading marketing and using the term “natural” to describe products. The company reached an agreement with the court and continues to use “natural” labels liberally.
It is unlikely, however, that these flavors were naturally derived. FDA loosely regulates the term “natural flavor.” A company can label any flavor ” natural ” as long as it’s chemically equivalent to natural flavors.
Has Very Few Calories and Little Effect on Blood Sugar
Truvia is not sugary because it is almost entirely made of Erythritol.
Erythritol is only 0.24 calories per kilogram, instead of table Sugar which has four calories/gram.
It is almost impossible to eat enough to change your body’s weight.
Because your cells don’t process Erythritol, it doesn’t affect blood sugar, insulin, or cholesterol.
Truvia, or plain Erythritol, may be an option for sugar if you’re overweight or have metabolic syndrome.
Are there any side effects?
Although some ingredients of Truvia have been researched, the sweetener has not.
The high dose of rebaudioside-A was tested in a human study over four weeks. There were no side effects. Cargill sponsored this study.
A recent source und that common fruit fly poisoning was caused by erythritol consumption. The authors recommended that Erythritol be used as an environmentally-safe pesticide.
These findings raise concern, but humans and other mammals seem to be able to tolerate Erythritol.
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However, sugar alcohols such as Erythritol can cause digestive problems.
Erythritol seems to be better than other sugar alcohols because it doesn’t reach your large intestinal tract in large amounts.
One study found that digestive symptoms were only present after 50g of Erythritol was ingested in one dose.
Another resourced that it took four times as much Erythritol for diarrhea to occur than sorbitol.
Tolerance is a personal thing. Truvia is a good choice if you are sensitive to sugar alcohol.
However, Truvia should not cause any digestive problems if taken in a reasonable amount.
The Bottom Line
Truvia is a sweetener almost entirely without calories that don’t affect blood sugar or insulin levels. It also has few side effects, if any, for most people.
Truvia is better than sugar in this regard. Truvia is a delicious, tasty, and easy-to-use product that you can enjoy.
It isn’t a natural sweetener, and its marketing is questionable. However, it appears to be healthier than other sweeteners.
