Stevia Natural Sweetner

 
I don't sweeten with anything but honey. I use honey in teas, in oatmeal, on toast, etc. But here are some alternatives if honey doesn't calm your sweet tooth.

Established brands like SweetLeaf have stevia in easy to carry packets and even stevia tabs.

The Miracle of Stevia by James A. May is one of the best books on the subject. Herbs for Texas tells you how to grow it - it's very easy.

Years ago the Mayo Clinic website stated aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal) is NOT okay for cooking! Why? It turns out that aspartame partially breaks down to methanol when it is heated above 86 degrees Fahrenheit. That article is no longer published.

When you drink a diet soda, the aspartame is broken down to methanol in your small intestine. Heating aspartame to above 86°F creates free methanol which is absorbed faster by your body! Free methanol breaks down into formic acid and formaldehyde in the body. Formaldehyde is a deadly neurotoxin - another reason it shouldn't be added to hot coffee or tea.

A look at Aspartame side effects from Healthline tends to dismiss those formaldehyde concerns. Whether through pressure or politics, institutions dismissing Aspartame risks don't  make side effects such as diarrhea, depression, confusion, and other associations with disease go away.

HG

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