Anyone used SweetLeaf Stevia Plus?

[changingseasons]

I bought some stevia for the first time last week, so that I can cut out all sweeteners and see if that makes a difference in our symptoms. I didn't realize it at the time, but I bought Stevia Plus rather than just plain stevia... so it has stevia and FOS. DD just scratched her face bloody, and I had a lot of the Stevia Plus yesterday (in 3-4 large cups of tea). Looking back over my food journal I realized that she did that last week too- the day after I bought (and first used) the Stevia Plus.

Is it possible that she's reacting to the stevia itself, or more likely that it's the FOS? Are either particularly allergenic?? It is definitely an allergic reaction. (It's being compounded by the teething... but it's definitely a reaction from a food as well.) I just emailed the company to see what the FOS is derived from, but I thought I would check with you mamas too.

[changingseasons]

Forgot to mention in my first post... DD had a lot of blood in her poo today, more than I've ever seen. And we haven't had blood for months. I've been trying to convince myself for 3 days that all these symptoms were teething... but there has to be some dairy somewhere. That's what always causes blood for her. Is it possible there's dairy in the stevia plus? I thought that FOS was from fruit....

[Thandiwe]

We have a minimally used bottle of the Stevia Plus in our house, too. I don't mind it, but everytime my oldest son has any of it, he immediately heads to the bathroom. He's never rash-free, so I can't gauge that. But I do know that I've personally felt that radar go off about it. I steer clear of giving it to my son. I kind of drew that conclusion after he started having a reaction to an ionic calcium drink we tried using that has stevia in it as well.

Let us know when (if??) the company gets back to you about the source of the FOS.

[Chinese Pistache]

Yikes! I'm sorry your lo is having that reaction. I just wiki'd it and it said that Stevia is part of the sunflower family. Can you guys tolerate sunflower oil/seeds?

[changingseasons]

Originally Posted by Chinese Pistache

Yikes! I'm sorry your lo is having that reaction. I just wiki'd it and it said that Stevia is part of the sunflower family. Can you guys tolerate sunflower oil/seeds?

Awwww shit. Are you serious? No, we definitely can NOT do sunflower. I didn't even think to look up the food family. Thanks CP for finding that !! Wow, apparently that allergy is as bad as her dairy allergy, because that is the only thing that has EVER caused blood.

The company emailed me back and said the FOS is derived from chicory root.

So I guess there will be no sweetness in my life.

[changingseasons]

Just looked into this some more.... and not only is stevia in the composite family (with sunflower), chicory is too! So we just got a double dose of composite.

[Chinese Pistache]

Originally Posted by changingseasons

Just looked into this some more.... and not only is stevia in the composite family (with sunflower), chicory is too! So we just got a double dose of composite.

Oh, wow. See, that I did not know.

We can't do sunflower either and it really sucks because all the "health" food chips and cookies (yeah, I know they're not "healthy," but still. . .) are made with sunflower oil. It would be nice to be able to buy some premade snacky stuff some time.

[menomena]

Originally Posted by Chinese Pistache

I just wiki'd it and it said that Stevia is part of the sunflower family. Can you guys tolerate sunflower oil/seeds?

REALLY???? Crap. We (both DD1 & I) most certainly cannot do sunflower seeds or oil, either.

I saw this thread title and remembered that we had Stevia in the house. I've been taking GSE in water and it is so, so, so bitter. I just now sprinkled some Stevia in and it was so much better. Then I brought the container over to the computer to sit down, open the thread and see if I could help. We'd stopped using Stevia because we thought there may have been a reaction. But, I couldn't figure out how and since we went off the B.E.D. I've just been using minor amts of honey or maple syrup to sweeten things. And DD1 had a few sips directly, so I can't just hold off on nursing her for a day.

Well, crud. I hope our reaction is minor and short lived. *sigh* [This is of course on top of the hives she got yesterday picking blackberries. We can never win. It's ALWAYS something. ALWAYS. *scream*]

[menomena]

Sorry, I didn't mean to make that last post all about us us us on your thread.

to you and your LO. Blood in the stool is so scary.

[changingseasons]

Originally Posted by menomena

REALLY???? Crap. We (both DD1 & I) most certainly cannot do sunflower seeds or oil, either.

I saw this thread title and remembered that we had Stevia in the house. I've been taking GSE in water and it is so, so, so bitter. I just now sprinkled some Stevia in and it was so much better. Then I brought the container over to the computer to sit down, open the thread and see if I could help. We'd stopped using Stevia because we thought there may have been a reaction. But, I couldn't figure out how and since we went off the B.E.D. I've just been using minor amts of honey or maple syrup to sweeten things. And DD1 had a few sips directly, so I can't just hold off on nursing her for a day.

Well, crud. I hope our reaction is minor and short lived. *sigh* [This is of course on top of the hives she got yesterday picking blackberries. We can never win. It's ALWAYS something. ALWAYS. *scream*]

Oh man... I hear you. Always something. It never ends. And hives- yuck.

Originally Posted by menomena

Sorry, I didn't mean to make that last post all about us us us on your thread.

to you and your LO. Blood in the stool is so scary.

No apologies necessary!! I'm glad we are all learning something here.

[Thandiwe]

Originally Posted by Chinese Pistache

We can't do sunflower either and it really sucks because all the "health" food chips and cookies (yeah, I know they're not "healthy," but still. . .) are made with sunflower oil.

We came up with safflower on our ELISA test. Aren't safflower/sunflower related?

[changingseasons]

Originally Posted by bens_mommy_2005

We came up with safflower on our ELISA test. Aren't safflower/sunflower related?

I don't think so.... All we've been using is safflower, and DD seems fine with it. But sunflower is definitely on our bad list.

ETA: Ok, I started Googling, because now I'm freaked out about my safflower oil.... and I found one site that lists it in the composite family (which means it is related to sunflower), and one said the aster family.

ETA: OK- I'M A MORON. Apparently the composite family IS the aster family. So that's weird... I guess DD is ok with one member of the family, but not the rest? weird.

[Chinese Pistache]

Originally Posted by bens_mommy_2005

We came up with safflower on our ELISA test. Aren't safflower/sunflower related?

Wiki says they're both in the sunflower family. We don't really ever eat safflower oil, so I'm not sure if my dd reacts to it.

[menomena]

How do I miss these things?? We did Safflower oil constantly as a main source of flavorless oil (sometimes olive oil is too strong or not quite the right flavor). I never knew it was related to sunflower. The composite/aster family gives us issues in general - including sunflower seeds/oil and chamomile tea.

We've since taken safflower oil out. We're trying to keep our omegas in balance and per Nourishing Traditions, safflower oil is not a "good" oil. At this rate, our only good oils are: olive, coconut and palm.

[JaneS]

I admit I haven't checked these out yet, but what about:

Wholesome Sweeteners Zero, unlike other erythriol, is not made from corn but sugar cane.

Body Ecology Lakanto, erythriol and luo han fruit extract.

Maybe someone else has done the legwork...

[Chinese Pistache]

One more idea is xylitol made from birch (and not corn).

[Chinese Pistache]

Or agave nectar?

[JaneS]

I wouldn't eat xylitol, Rami Nagel has some interesting research on his site also published in the recent Wise Traditions:

http://www.curetoothdecay.com/Tooth_...ooth_decay.htm

FYI, agave can make you gassy (very complex sugar that is why it's low glycemic).

Sorry so negative.

[Chinese Pistache]

Originally Posted by JaneS

I wouldn't eat xylitol, Rami Nagel has some interesting research on his site also published in the recent Wise Traditions:

http://www.curetoothdecay.com/Tooth_...ooth_decay.htm

FYI, agave can make you gassy (very complex sugar that is why it's low glycemic).

Sorry so negative.

Dont' be sorry! I'm glad we're all able to put our heads together to figure this stuff out.

[changingseasons]

Originally Posted by menomena

How do I miss these things?? We did Safflower oil constantly as a main source of flavorless oil (sometimes olive oil is too strong or not quite the right flavor). I never knew it was related to sunflower. The composite/aster family gives us issues in general - including sunflower seeds/oil and chamomile tea.

We've since taken safflower oil out. We're trying to keep our omegas in balance and per Nourishing Traditions, safflower oil is not a "good" oil. At this rate, our only good oils are: olive, coconut and palm.

Yeah, I totally missed it too.... DD seems ok with it, but I might try switching out the safflower oil for a while. Maybe that will get us over the last hump to baseline. And chamomile tea too, huh? Geez.... I really haven't been paying attention. I drink Sleepy Time tea a lot, and I'm pretty sure it has chamomile in it.