When you are looking to sweeten your cup of tea or add the main ingredient for a batch of cookies, you don’t necessarily have to reach for the sugar. Artificial sweeteners became popular for some time, but they have been held back by the negative stigma that has been associated with the use of these types of sweeteners. Artificial sweeteners have been linked to harmful health conditions, which has somewhat stymied there popularity. This has resulted in the popularity of natural sweeteners like Stevia and Truvia. Both of these sweeteners are made using the ingredients found in the stevia plant and this gives individuals access to a natural calorie free way to sweeten drinks and food. However, what is the difference between Stevia and Truvia?
What Is Stevia?
Stevia is a natural sweetener that is created from stevia plants that are found in South America. The leaves of this plant are what have been found to contain stevia. It can be sold in leaf form or in a liquid extract. It is used as a sugar substitute and tastes great with little to no apparent aftertaste.
What Is Truvia?
Truvia is made using stevia leaves, which is the most noticeable similarity between Truvia and Stevia. However, Truvia only contains a small amount of stevia leaves. This type of natural sweetener is created by seeping the stevia leaves to extract rebiana. Rebiana is the sweetest part of the stevia leaf and Truvia is created by getting rebiana to its most pure form that is crystalized. The crystalized rebiana looks very similar to traditional sugar, but it is a more natural sweetener.
Are They Safe To Consume?
Both Stevia and Truvia have been labeled by the FDA as safe natural sweeteners and they are commonly referred to as herbal products. When you are looking for a more natural way to sweeten food or drinks, you can always opt for Stevia or Truvia.
What Makes Them Different?
Both Stevia and Truvia contain stevia leaves, but they each have the leaves in different forms. The stevia leaf is the main component of Stevia, but rebiana is the main ingredient of Truvia. Although rebiana is found from the stevia leaf, this is what makes these two natural sweeteners different. Each sweetener looks different and has a distinct taste. Truvia looks similar to sugar, but Stevia is liquefied or in leaf form.
