Many of you might have already heard of the wonder that is stevia, and some of you might have not so you’re probably wondering what it is and what are the benefits you can get from incorporating it into your everyday life. Stevia is a plant that is native to South America and it has been used for centuries for its medicinal purposes and natural sweetness. Of course these days we don’t see much of the stevia plant itself as it’s been extracted and refined to the plants sweeter compounds. The compounds that are extracted from stevia however, are hundreds of times sweeter than sugar!

One benefit of stevia is that it is good for your teeth and will help you get a whiter brighter smile. Stevia artificial sweetener, unlike any other sweetener or sugar, has an alkalizing effect on the body and it is all natural, unlike some sweeteners that are all made in a lab somewhere. The main reason this is so great for your teeth is that unlike sugar which creates plaque and promotes decay, stevia actually stops bacteria from growing in your mouth, keeping your teeth cleaner and whiter for longer.

Beside being good for your teeth, there are a few other ways you can benefit from the use stevia artificial sweetener. Stevia has no calories, which is drastic compared to refined sugars which we all know make us fat. We also know that refined sugars are addictive and our body tends to crave them if we don’t have them in a while. Other sweeteners may not be as bad for you but bring on cravings for sugary sweets, stevia however, does not promote any cravings. Diabetics can also benefit from consuming stevia as the glycemic index of stevia is 0. Stevia can also regulate blood pressure, some doctors even prescribe medication with stevia in it; it does not however lower blood pressure in people who have normal blood pressure. Another added benefit of stevia is that it can also help those who suffer from candidiasis.

If no-calories and no cravings for sugary sweets isn’t enough to switch to stevia, having a bright smile sure is. Let’s go over some other foods that can also help brighten your smile.

If you are a wine drinker like so many of us are, cheese can actually protect your teeth from the acidity of the wine so make sure to nibble on some while drinking. Strawberries are another food that will brighten teeth; it is high in folic acid and will also exfoliate and clean your teeth naturally. Pineapple has an enzyme in it that actually lifts and removes stains off your teeth, so if you don’t want to pay for bleaching try adding more pineapple in your diet. Any kind of crunchy fruit or vegetable as they scrub stains away like apples, carrots, or celery. Chicken, as well as the eggs, are both alkalizing on the body so they promote healthy bacteria in the mouth. Mixed nuts also have this effect on the body and they are also high in good fatty acids which can aid in the prevention of gum disease. You really have so many foods to choose from!

Stevia is the only sweetener that so far has proved to be effective and safe, along with some many benefits it’s also hard to believe that something so sweet can be calorie free, hence use stevia artificial sweetener instead of sugar. Try to choose a high quality sweetener as it will be purer so you can reap all the benefits. You can find stevia in online health food stores where you can compare brands and prices and find an extensive variety and many different forms including pill, liquid, or granulated. There really are endless ways to use stevia artificial sweetener and add it into your daily life.