Is stevia OK to consume during pregnancy?

[Ophelia]

Does anyone know if there have been any studies done on this? I would use very little, the only thing I would plan on using it for right now is my morning hot fiber cereal (amaranth, rice bran, and sometimes quinoa). Right now I just put about 1/2-1 tsp of regular sugar on it and I'm having so many stupid yeast infections with this pregnancy that I am looking for ways to cut the sugar but it is not easy.

I don't want to use maple syrup on the cereal instead because that is just more sugar. I also already put raisins in the cereal to make it taste better and I know those have sugar also.

Thanks!

[GoBecGo]

i'm in the uk, so ymmv, but here it cannot be sold as food, because it hasn't been adequately tested/studied (also very probably because the people who might do so are in the pocket of the major businesses which make mainstream artificial sweeteners!). i ate it before i had dd2, honestly i found it vile - it would take an unimaginably small amount to compare to 1/2 tsp of sugar it is WAY sweeter than sugar!

do you eat dairy? i cut out all dairy for a week and when i began to use it again milk tasted so sweet on its own (especially a little warmed) i didn't need sugar.

[cristeen]

Your cereal may also be feeding the yeast. Between grains and raisins, i dont think a Tbs of sugar is going to make all that much difference to a yeast infection, really.

But, you could sub dates for the raisins and cook them w the cereal. You may not need any additional sweetening then.

[Ophelia]

Your cereal may also be feeding the yeast.

Ugh, well the cereal is actually the bulk of my fiber for the day. I have been trying to get more fiber for 3 years, yes 3, in order to have daily BM's and the high fiber cereal is the only thing I have been able to notice a difference on (probiotics on their own didn't work, and I use a really good brand through my ND). So at this point if I cut out the cereal, the constipation will get worse again It's pretty much the only reason I'm eating it.

Yes, I eat dairy. It's extremely difficult for me to cut out dairy, it would severely limit my diet (I cannot have any soy substitutes).

Do dates not have as much sugar as raisins? I'll have to check that. Thanks!

[jemar]

From Herb Quarterly: "A study conducted at the National Institute of Health Sciences in Japan revealed that one of the plant's components, steviol, caused cell mutation in laboratory rats."

I wouldn't risk it, even though it's probably a small risk.

[CrunchyChristianMama]

I was told not to consume it while pregnant by my midwife because it can lead to excess fluid around the baby. She has women who have low fluid and can't seem to get it back up take it though.

There's also this:

Stevia: Stevia is native to South America where it was used by indiginous peoples in tea and as a contraceptive. Steviosides and rebaudiosides are the natural compounds in stevia that lend it a sweet taste (many hundred times sweeter than sugar) but without the calories. As a non-caloric sweetener, it presents and excellent alternative to chemically manufactured artificial sweeteners like sucralose and others.

Take care to purchase only the green stevia which is the least processed form available on the market. Green stevia is simply the stevia herb, dried and powdered. White stevia and liquid stevia are a result of processing which concentrates the steviosides and rebaudiosides and it is a new, modern process. Native peoples didn’t sweeten their teas with liquid stevia, so be wary. Further, it was traditionally used as a contraceptive–a medical use that some studies back up and others do not. So women who are trying to conceive should be aware of this factor prior to using it.

If you choose to use stevia, use green stevia which is an excellent accompaniment to tea and herbal tisanes. Other culinary uses for unprocessed, green stevia can prove challenging

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http://nourishedkitchen.com/a-guide-...w-to-use-them/

[desertpenguin]

I didn't realize there were any possible issues with consuming stevia during pregnancy and I consumed it my entire 2nd pregnancy.

Have you tried eating hot cereal savory instead of sweet? http://www.healthygreenkitchen.com/oatmeal-with-figs-pine-nuts-and-feta.html

I haven't tried that recipes yet but I've had savory millet (which I typically only fix for a breakfast cereal).

Do you drink kefir? It'll help a lot with the yeast issues, especially if you get kefir grains and brew your own. Much better than a probiotic supplement, you'll be getting 32+ strains of beneficial bacteria. Coconut is also good for candida...you could try coconut oil....and both of these things might also help with the constipation.