Pot Belly Nutrition: Stevia as an Alternative Dietary Supplement

 

Do you presently agonize on how your pot belly nutrition will accommodate a particular dietary supplement? Are you at loss as to what diet you need to embrace with a view to shedding your abdominal fat? For those of us who have had to fight protruding belly at one time or the other, we have realized that cutting down on our intake of sugar, calories and oil is one sure way of cutting down on amassing fat in the mid rib region and also even avoiding diabetics. Medical research has however found out that using Stevia as an effective dietary supplement has been found to be low in calorie and consequently aiding weight loss.

Stevia Rebaudiana (Also known as Azucacaa, Estevia, Ca-A-Jhei, Capim Doce etc) is a herb which is native to South America, particularly in parts of Paraguay and Brazil. It grows in small shrubs in the wild. It is known as a source of natural sweetener. The glycosides in the leaves (including up to 10% Stevioside) account for its incredible sweetness. A Natural Scientist by name Antonio Bertoni first recorded its usage by the natives in 1887. The natural sweetener is derived from the sweet leave plant. It is said to be 300 times as sweet as cane sugar, therefore it takes only a small amount to produce the same sweet taste as sugar cane. It has been used in other cultures as a sweetener for long, however it only recently started gaining acceptance in the United States as a sugar substitute although it was introduced into the US in the 1990’s as a herbal supplement.

Benefits of Stevia as Dietary Supplement

·        1.  Stevia is carbohydrate and calorie free. It is therefore ideal for dieters watching their carbohydrate and calorie intake. Since it contains no carbohydrate or calorie, dieters can use it as supplement in their nutritional plans. It is therefore better as a sweetener than the artificial sweetener which most times are injurious to health.

·       2.   It also lowers blood sugar content. It is known to have the possible benefit of lowering blood sugar level. It is therefore possibly an acceptable substitute for a person suffering from high sugar or insulin problem. It is advisable however that a person using it as a supplement should continue to monitor the sugar and insulin levels to know if they are in check or not.

·        3.  Stevia is known to possess antibacterial properties. As a result of its antibacterial properties it is an ideal ingredient for toothpaste and mouthwash rather than the sweetener most toothpaste manufacturers use. It is also used topically as ointment for the treatment of eczema and acne.

·        4.  It is found to aid calcium formation. Some studies conducted on chickens fed with food preparations laced with Stevia found out that the eggs they lay had tougher shells. This therefore presupposes that it will be ideal for calcium formation in women and children growing bones. Being herbal and natural, it is better as a dietary supplement than the artificial supplements which sometimes aid weight gain.

From the foregoing it is evident the use of Stevia as an effective dietary supplement does work in pot belly nutrition. Refined sugar on the other hand is devoid of any nutritional benefit and has been found to be the cause of many degenerative diseases and weight gain. Stevia is sweeter and has none of sugar’s many side effects. For many people therefore the overwhelming benefit of Stevia is the fact that it offers a healthy alternative to cane sugar, saccharine and corn syrup. To them the fact that it has been used for many centuries in some cultures without side effect is enough conviction. Before going into the full use of Stevia as a supplement, it is advisable you contact your physicians for medical advice.