Stevia For Children
Is Stevia safe for kids?
By Keith Ayoob, EdD, RD Global Stevia Institute Advisor, internationally known nutritionist, and Associate Clinical Professor of PediatricsThe overconsumption of added sugar by children is debated by everyone from parents to policymakers around the world. Further fueling the debate, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a report on the consumption of added sugars by children and adolescents in the U.S.1 The report summarized data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2005-2008.The good news is that between 1999-2000 and 2005-2008, there was a decline in the percentage of daily calories derived from added sugars. However, children still consume many calories from added sugar, more than is generally recommended.On average, boys consume about 360 calories from added sugars, compared to 280 calories consumed by girls. Teen boys consume about 440 calories from added sugar, nearly ½ a cup each day, and teen girls get 314 calories from sugar.Of course, boys typically eat more calories than girls anyway, so they’d eat more sugar, too. Put into percentages, boys consume 16.3% of their daily calories from added sugars, and girls get 15.5%. The 2010 US Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend between 5-15% of calories from added sugars and fats combined. That would suggest a maximum of about 7 or 8% of calories from adde d sugars – about half what children are consuming now.Interestingly, food supplied about 20% more added sugar to the diet than beverages. Nearly six in ten added sugar calories came from food, with the rest of the calories coming from beverages.Home Sweet HomeThe report found that most of the added sugars children consume comes from food and drinks in their own homes, not at places like schools and fast food. So it is especially important for parents to be an active part of their children’s diets.There’s hope The question at hand remains, is stevia safe for kids? Stevia, a naturally-sourced zero calorie sweetener, can be used by the whole family to enjoy the taste of sweet with no added calories.High purity stevia leaf extract has been approved for use in foods and beverages around the world. And these approvals include that high purity stevia extract is safe for use by children, as well as pregnant women and people with diabetes. Stevia, as found in tabletop sweeteners, can be used in place of table sugar in hot and cold drinks, cereals, and even as partial replacement for sugar in baking. Foods and beverages sweetened either with 100% stevia or a blend with other naturally sourced sweeteners like sugar can help reduce calories from added sugars without sacrificing taste.Coming from the stevia leaf, native to Paraguay, the high purity extract of the stevia leaf gives us a natural, sweet taste we can feel good about giving to our kids, but without the added sugar calories they don’t need.It’s how Mother Nature does a zero-calorie sweetener, and it’s time to bring it home to your family.To learn if stevia is safe for kids, see our Stevia Safety page.REFERENCES
1. Ervin RB, Kit BK, Carroll MD, Ogden CL. Consumption of added sugar among U.S. children and adolescents, 2005–2008. NCHS data brief no 87. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2012.
The Rise of Adolescent Obesity
- Eat slowly and consciously— while eating, do not divert attention to TV or magazines
- Proportion your plate and avoid second helpings
- Shave calories throughout the day easily with simple substitutions that add up over time, i.e. substitute stevia sweetener for 1 teaspoon of sugar, to save up to 15 calories in beverage or when sprinkled on top of foods; and skim off excess butters or jams on bread with flat edge of a butter knife to help save calories while still enjoying the food
- Eat at regular times throughout the day, with low-calorie, nutritious snacking in between meals with fruits, vegetables, light yoghurts, vegetable dips or hummus. Consume sweet foods and beverages in moderation, and reduce calorie intake by choosing reduced-sugar versions sweetened with zero-calorie, natural origin stevia
- Reduce down time— spend less time watching television and playing computer games, make it a habit to climb stairs instead of using escalators/elevators, and encourage walking and more physical movement through household and yard chores
1. The Pediatrics Society of Brazil Nutrition Manual, accessed online May 3, 2012 http://www.sbp.com.br
2. Obesity the Global Epidemic, International Obesity Taskforce, http://www.iaso.org Accessed on May 4, 2012
3. Prevalence of Obesity in the United States 2009-2010, US National Center for Health Statistics, Center for Disease Control. Accessed on May 4, 2012
4. Vigitel Brasil Study 2011, Ministry of Health, www.slideshare.net. Accessed on May 4, 2012
5. Mossberg, HO. 40-year follow-up of overweight children, Lancet, 1989. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov). Accessed on May 3, 2012
6. Braddon et al “Onset of obesity in a 36 year birth cohort study” British Medical Journal, 291:1534-8, 1986. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Accessed on May 3, 2012
7. Lonstein T, Baur L, et al Obesity in children and young people: a crisis in public health. Obesity Reviews an Volume: 5 Suppl 1, Issue 1, 2004. http://www.mendeley.com. Accessed May 4 2012
8. Fisberg M, Baur L, et al. Obesity in children and adolescents: Working Group report of the second World Congress of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2004; 39 (Suppl 2):S678-S687 ). http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Accessed May 4, 2012