[Cglasscock1]

I recently decided to to get away from artificial sweetners as much as possible -- I know, they are in everything! I wanted something to use in my one cup of coffee in the morning and my endless glasses of unsweet tea the rest of the day. I went online at Truvia.com and read all the info there.
Truvia is made from the leaf of the Stevia plant and they combine it with another substance (forgot the name)which is made using a naturally occuring fermentation process. I didn't see a long list of chemicals, etc.added toTruvia. It has been deemed safe for all ages and pregnant women.
So, I started trying it about 3 weeks ago. It is sweet but not too too sweet in my coffee and tea. I like that is granulated like sugar. I like it a lot, but I wonder what you guys think. I know that a artificial sweeteners can bring on migraines and major gas bloat in some people.
So, what do you think about Truvia if you have tried it?

[MissKelly]

It's all I use...love it. I use it in tea...oatmeal & greek yogurt...

[duckchick]

I've been thinking about trying this. I'll be watching the responses!

[skygirl]

i also decided to stop having any artifical sweeteners a long time ago. it was challenging at first because they are in so many things. and imho, unnecessary. i have strong opinions about this, so take what i'm saying with a grain of salt. but for me, i don't understand why something like yogurt would need an artifical sweetner. and that is just one example. and sometimes they have sugar and an artifical sweetner. imho, not locigal, not healthy. as with so many other things related to our food supply, this is likely motivated by financial factors.

as for truvia, though it may be safer/better than some other artificial sweetners (though i don't know that this is the case, this as i have not research it), for me, i would probably try to use plain stevia, instead of stevia that has been somehow (chemically?) fused with some other thing (though please correct me if i am off on this). or, i would try xylitol.

currently i can't even use stevia or xylitol (in large amounts throughout the day, only on occassion in small amounts in gum or mints) because they would trigger a sugar/junk binge for me. however, i do know people who have found both stevia and xylitol at the grocery or health food store, and have even found them in little packets that you can take with you in your bag to use in tea and coffee when you're out (like little sugar packets).

but that's just my preference, since you asked for different opinions, and obviously everyone will do what works best for them.

[ncuneo]

I HATED it! It tasted awful and have me horrible headaches, so weird considering what I've read about it. I too wish I could get away from the artificial stuff. I've made some big improvments and either use the real stuff or honey where I can, but sometimes I just can't seem to find a better alternative.

[westernsoutherngirl]

I really just don't like the way it tastes. I either do without or use a little bit of the real stuff or agave nectar.

[Sakai]

I also gave up the fake sweeteners and plain old table sugar. Though it slips in here and there because it's in everything! it it says "No sugar added" It's because it has the fake stuff in it.
Though Truvia and Splenda(I believe) are better than most sweeteners out there...it's still fake and that stuff stays in your system for 72 hours before your body gets rid of it.
I don't want lab-made junk floating around in my system for 3 days. @.@ And it gave me horrible headaches that would last longer than 24 hours.
I agree with above...I use agave Nectar and Honey to sweeten my tea and ceareal if it needs it. Otherwise I try and use Raw sugar, which isn't much different than white table sugar, but it's a start.

[thesame7lbs]

I have tried to reduce the amount of artificial sweetener that I use, but I do drink usually one diet soda a day, so it's in there.

I bought Truvia because I sampled it and thought it tasted pretty close to sugar, but in my coffee it doesn't cut it. For me, it was not worth giving up 16 calories (or 8, since I now use 1/2 tsp of sugar in my coffee). I do use a sprinkling of it maybe once a week on cottage cheese with cinnamon, and if I'm craving something sweet I might put it in iced tea, but I usually drink that unsweetened.

I have never noticed it giving me headaches or bloating, but I think that has a lot to do with individual sensitivities. I also don't think it makes me crave more sweets -- I get that more from real sugar.

I think, like anything, if you've noticed no negative effects, it's fine to use sparingly or in moderation. What I find alarming is the guy putting 3 Splendas (as sweet as 2 sugars each, right?) in his tall coffee at Starbucks the other day. Hopefully that's not a daily habit!

[sweetnlow28]

I have looked for Truvia but I can't find it in our area. I have recently made the switch from Splenda to a non bitter form of stevia for my hot drinks. This change has cut out several tablespoons of Splenda each day. I still eat foods with sweetners because they are hard to avoid but I am trying to be more conscious of how much I consume. I use splenda for baking and stevia for drinks. I think Stevia tastes great in tea or coffee.

[Ursula745]

I use Stevia for two reasons.

1. I don't want to give Coca Cola credit for mmarketing something natural when they've altered it.
2. I don't want something added to my sweetener.

I use plain liquid stevia in my drinks, except I use the powder in my gallon of green tea I make.

I use Stevita.

[Cglasscock1]

Thanks for all the input on Truvia. I think I want to try the Stevia in the powder of liquid form. Don't think I've seen it in Wal-Mart or Food World.
I'll check Publix. Let me know where you found it if you have a minute.

[skygirl]

hi cglasscock1, i've found both stevia and xylitol in powder form in little packets at our local grocery store, and also at whole foods, and at vitamin shoppe. good luck!

[SilverLife]

I grow stevia plants and use the fresh leaves. I prefer using the real thing.

[WebRover]

Originally Posted by sweetnlow28

I have recently made the switch from Splenda to a non bitter form of stevia for my hot drinks. ... I think Stevia tastes great in tea or coffee.

I've tried Truvia. I find it bitter and don't like the taste.
I need to see if I can find straight Stevia. Is there Stevia that's marked non-bitter? Or is it just that Stevia tastes better than Truvia.

I also don't like Agave Nectar. It also tastes bitter and has a funky honey-related after taste.

[SilverLife]

Webrover, the stevia leaves straight from the plant do have a somewhat bitter taste. Not as much as in the extracts and powders, but you can taste it a little. The younger, smaller leaves have less of the bitterness. Boiling the leaves makes a sweet liquid which can be used for baking or to sweeten drinks. I've made lemonade with it. The boiled liquid made from the leaves does not have the bitterness. I live in zone 7B and most years the stevia grows back in the spring. This last winter was horridly cold and I had to buy new plants. If you live in a colder climate, you can bring the plants inside in the winter.

Growing your own plants is much, much less expensive than buying sweeteners made from stevia.

I bought mine at Lowe's.