Way They Sell Stevia in Canada
By suspenseful
@suspenseful (40192)
Canada
December 18, 2007 9:14am CST
Doesn't it make you annoyed? I read all about Stevia, how it is a good replacement for sugar, and yet here in Canada, they sell it as a food supplement as if taking stuff such as artificial sweeteners like Splenda and Equal are better for your health? I am sure that the Canadian food industry is trying to help the doctors by making us less not more healthy. I was in our bulk store/health food story yesterday. I had to pick up some food coloring and some tea, so I decided to look for some Stevia --I could not buy any right then, because I had just finished Christmas shopping, and they had it in packages just like you put in coffee instead of sugar or artificial sweeteners. (At least they put Splenda in large packages so you can scoop it out) and in a small bottle with an eyedropper, an eyedropper mind you. I will check Zellers to see if they sell it in a better package, but doesn't that make you annoyed that Stevia, a natural product is considered more dangerous than those artificial sweeteners on the market?
4 people like this
8 responses
@slickcut (8141)
• United States
19 Dec 07
I am really not to familar with stevia, i have only heard the name but i don't remember seeing it here in Texas..I am assumming that it is simular to equal and splenda? But you said it was a natural sugar...i would like to know more about it but at this point i have not seen any here.
2 people like this
@suspenseful (40192)
• Canada
19 Dec 07
It is a natural sweetener and I heard it has a slight licorace taste. I would be using it in baking either substiutting part of the sugar for it as it is expensive.
@ElicBxn (63643)
• United States
18 Dec 07
I have tried Stevia - I didn't find it that sweet, I had to put a lot in to get a little sweeting - it left a grit in the drink & it seemed to bother me. If course, I do much better with fake stuff rather than real stuff since I'm allergic to so many things....
I won't be buying Stevia again.
2 people like this
@suspenseful (40192)
• Canada
19 Dec 07
I do not like things that sweet and I like my coffee and tea plain. So I am mainly interested it in cooking. I ate somethings with Splendea and they were way too sweet. I guess it depends in what form you use it.
@wolfie34 (26771)
• United Kingdom
18 Dec 07
Here in the UK we have hermasetas and canderel in sweetener forms, I never take sugar, my cereal is always sweetened anyhow and in my coffee I add two sweeteners, I have heard that artificial sweeteners are bad for your health, but to be honest I can't drink coffee without them. I suppose in moderation it's ok. You hear so many stories about the dangers of artificial sweeteners.
@suspenseful (40192)
• Canada
19 Dec 07
That is why I am interested in Stevia. I drink my coffee or tea straight, although I do like flavored cream in my coffee when there is a special on like Easter or Christmas, but I have had baking with Splenda and the other sweetener substitutes and they have a metallic undertone. And I read up on them, and they are not that good.
@desertdarlene (8910)
• United States
19 Dec 07
In my store here in San Diego, they sell Stevia in a box with small packets like those you get with Splenda and Sweet and Low. I don't like the aftertaste, but it's really the only sweetener I can afford that I can eat everyday. All the others give me headaches if I use them more than a couple of days.
You're right, though, about selling it as a supplement. It's in our store's supplement aisle instead of with all the other sugars and sweetners.
I also saw something called Ztrim that I hear tastes really good, but it's really expensive.
1 person likes this
@desertdarlene (8910)
• United States
20 Dec 07
I'm not sure, but I think I remember seeing some Stevia sold in boxes with a pour spout. I bought it at Henry's market, which is basically a southern California store, though. Whole Foods may have it too, but I don't know if they have it where you live.
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40192)
• Canada
19 Dec 07
It is those small packages that bugs me. They sell Splenda here so that you can use it in baking, and I have used it, but it is a bit too sweet for me. And sugar is not that good for you. I will check into this Ztrim.
1 person likes this
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
18 Dec 07
I believe in the USA, you can only get stevia at a health food store. I may be wrong, but it looks as though in Canada, you can but it in any local store... So are you complaining that in the USA we can't just get it at a local store? Because I totally agree, if they did I would purchase it, the nearest health food store is too far away...
@skinnychick (6905)
• United States
20 Dec 07
I live in the USA- Stevia here is sold in my local grocery store in the organic section, it's cheaper than Splenda packets but they don't sell bags of it. I use it to flavor handmade lip balm as well in the liquid form.
Not many have heard of it, but it is a way better option than Splenda or the others that are loaded down with chemicals. Stevia tastes like strong sugar too without an aftertaste- unless you use too much.
The packets at my grocery store are about 5.99 for 100 or so. I use less than a half for my coffee and it is pretty sweet.
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40192)
• Canada
22 Dec 07
I would like to use it in baking. I have found some recipes, but they assume you can get the kind that is not in those little packages.
@terri0824 (4991)
• United States
27 Dec 07
I know that stevia comes in a liquid form. My aunt and cousin use it. I've never bought any of it though. Not sure why it would be considered more dangerous than other artifical sweetners when it is considered a natural product. I do like splenda, but for the other artificial sweetners I never did like them.
