Having Celiac disease and eating healthy can be challenging. You try to eat healthy and get all your nutrients from good foods. To bake and save some calories, some reach for a sweetener. In my house, we reach for Truvia.
So what is this sweetener, and is it safe for us to use. Yes I can find pros and cons to all sweeteners, I feel Truvia tastes pretty good. It comes from nature, is natural, and sweet. It comes from the Stevia plant, that is fed only water and sunshine. It is a plant from Paraguay, where people have grown, harvested and used as a sweetener for hundreds of years. Today, it is grown in Asia and South America due to its need for long hours of daylight, water and warmth.
It can be used in baked goods and comes in brown sugar blend, which has 75% fewer calories then regular brown sugar.
Ingredients in Truvia- erythritol ( a sugar alcohol), Stevia leaf extract, and natural flavorings.
As a main ingredient, erythritol is a non-calorie bulking agent created through a fermentation process.
Side Effects- Most of Truvias side effects are related to erythritol which is a sugar alcohol. Sugar alcohols are great sweeteners that cause no rise in blood sugars, but can have gastrointestinal side effects. According to Truvias website, 90% of erythritol is absorbed by the small intestine and excreted in the urine. Only a small amount will reach the large intestine causing bloating, gas, and diarrhea.
So as with any sweetener, use in moderation, read, read, and read about it. Only you can decided what is best for you.
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