Is Stevia still considered illegal on SCD

[Mush10]

I am just starting on an SCD diet (haven't received the book yet) I noticed that stevia was listed as illegal. Has this changed? I am diabetic and honey or too much fruit spikes my blood sugars. Not crazy about using sacchrine. Can't imagine no sweetner at all.

[esther]

Hopefully this will be helpful:\n\nInformation on Stevia from the BTVC website:\n\nElaine writes:\nStevia belongs to a family called Terpenoids. According to my book called The Organic Constitutents of Higher Plants by Trevor Robinson, 2nd edition, page 158, "This class of glycosides (terpenoids) often have physiological effects on mammals and microorganisms." Perhaps the affect is good, perhaps it is bad; I don't know, but its molecular structure resembles a steroid. It is not SCD legal.\n\nSeth writes:\nThere are all kinds of steroids. The ones we take for IBD (ie prednisone which mimicks cortisol) reduce inflammation and scale down the immune system. But there are steroids that do the opposite. I think the point is that plant steroids could have any number of effect in humans and vice versa.\n\nElaine writes 26/7/04\nMy present opinion is that its similarity in molecular structure to a steroid and limited research (on my part into it) results in my not favoring it as a sweetener. However, if all else fails: people still afraid of saccharin in spite of my showing that taking it off the\nmarket was purely political so as to sell aspartame, or that people have a phobia about anything made synthetically as saccharin is, in spite of the fact that almost 100 years of its use by diabetic specialists proved its safety - if after all that, these folks still do not want to use it (and it can be obtained here in Canada under a name of Hermesitas - then\nI say, use stevia which has unknown physiological consequences if they are determined to do so. Obviously, they are still afraid of honey in spite of the fact that Dr. Haas recommended it and I know its chemical composition and used at the beginning of the diet in small amounts (and then can be used as desired in larger amounts).\nThe very people who have scared them away from honey have approved of grains\nwhich shows that they know little or no biochemistry.\n\nStevia may be used in minuscule amounts in supplements. - Elaine 10/11/04\n\n\n\nSugar Substitutes/Saccharine\n\n\n\nDeborah writes: Sweet N Low is legal, in spite of the tiny quantities of dextrose and cream of tartar, because it's the most easily found form of saccharine. But if you can find Necta Sweet or liquid Sweet N Low, you'll avoid those substances. CVS has always carried Necta Sweet. I'm sure they can order it for you. Liquid Sweet N Low is not ideal, as it's preserved with methyl paraben. We are all exposed to so many chemicals (pesticides, some plastics and more) that are estrogenic in their effect - it's not a good idea to voluntarily consume more.\n\n\nNecta Sweet is really the best form of saccharine available in the States, but it's hard to find and slightly less convenient than Sweet N Low. I believe there's also a brand of saccharine in Canada that doesn't have the illegals (ed. Hermesetas). But if you can't find Necta Sweet, I wouldn't worry too much about using Sweet N Low..... For those of us who can't tolerate honey, Sweet N Low has been very helpful.