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Stevia

A South American plant whose leaves are intensely sweet, now a common zero-calorie sweetener. Purified extracts are accepted by FDA as safe in food, while the whole leaf and crude extracts are not permitted as sweeteners. WHO advises against using non-sugar sweeteners, stevia included, for weight control.

Traditional use

Stevia is native to parts of South America. Its sweet compounds, steviol glycosides, are reported to be 200 to 400 times sweeter than table sugar, and highly purified extracts are used as general-purpose sweeteners in foods and drinks (FDA). It is sold as a tabletop sweetener and in diet drinks, often for weight control and blood sugar.

What studies show

  • Limited· shows no benefit

    Weight control: WHO's 2023 guideline recommends against using non-sugar sweeteners, stevia and stevia derivatives included, to control body weight or lower the risk of noncommunicable diseases. Its systematic review found no long-term benefit for body fat in adults or children. WHO rated the recommendation conditional, and it does not apply to people who already have diabetes.

  • Limited

    Blood sugar: a 2024 meta-analysis of 26 studies (1,439 people) found stevia lowered blood glucose slightly, with low certainty, and did not change insulin or HbA1c. A 2015 meta-analysis found small reductions in fasting glucose from stevioside and said the differences between trials limit any conclusion.

  • Limited

    Blood pressure: a 2015 meta-analysis of nine trials found small reductions in diastolic pressure with stevioside but no significant effect from rebaudioside A; a 2019 meta-analysis found a reduction in systolic pressure. Both call for more and better studies.

  • Limited· shows no benefit

    Cholesterol: the 2015 meta-analysis found no significant effect of steviol glycosides on blood lipids.

Be careful of

Cautions

  • NoteFDA has not questioned the safety of high-purity steviol glycosides (at least 95 percent pure) in foods. Stevia leaf and crude stevia extracts are not considered generally recognized as safe, and they may not be imported into the U.S. for use as sweeteners.
  • NoteWHO notes that long-term use of non-sugar sweeteners may be linked to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and death in adults, though these links may reflect who uses sweeteners rather than the sweeteners themselves.
  • NoteSide effects reported in trials included a feeling of fullness, stomach pain and dizziness.
  • Ask a clinicianTalk with a clinician or pharmacist before using this if you take prescription medicines, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are giving it to a child.

Sources

  1. Aspartame and Other Sweeteners in Food (opens in a new tab) · FDA · read September 25, 2026
  2. WHO advises not to use non-sugar sweeteners for weight control in newly released guideline (opens in a new tab) · WHO · read September 25, 2026
  3. Effect of stevia on blood glucose and HbA1C: A meta-analysis (Diabetes Metab Syndr, 2024) (opens in a new tab) · NIH · read September 25, 2026
  4. Effect of the natural sweetener, steviol glycoside, on cardiovascular risk factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised clinical trials (Eur J Prev Cardiol, 2015) (opens in a new tab) · NIH · read September 25, 2026
  5. Effect of Steviol Glycosides on Human Health with Emphasis on Type 2 Diabetic Biomarkers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials (Nutrients, 2019) (opens in a new tab) · NIH · read September 25, 2026

Reviewed September 25, 2026.