  What is stevia? It’s an "all-natural sweetener" that’s "200 to 300 times sweeter than regular sugar" and "suitable for diabetics." The FDA banned its import as a sweetener in 1991, and to this day allows it into the country only as a "dietary supplement." Sahelian (Natural Sex Boosters) here teams up with longtime stevia advocate Gates (The Body Ecology Diet) to advocate for the South American plant’s sweetening properties. Among the short chapters that begin the book are detailed descriptions of stevia’s chemical composition and probable effects on the metabolism and of Gates’s dealings with the FDA in trying to get stevia recognized as a safe sweetener. The heart of the book comprises more than 100 sugar-free, stevia-sweetened recipes, for everything from Autumn Apple Crepes to Sweet Spaghetti Squash. A resource list and bibliography round out this introduction to a below-the-radar alternative, which Sahelian and Gates say can play a role in dealing with diabetes, weight issues, hypertension and even cavities. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. |