Hello
Soda with Stevia ?
Does it exist in the US? I've heard they use Stevia in diet Coke in Japan, the closest soda I found to a natural diet soda is "After The Fall", which was not bad but they do not use stevia

Thanks in advance !

No thoughts on this?

I guess not ,but surprised since Stevia taste better than Sugar and is good for you !!

I have no idea what you are talking about. But I see you like my irish monk avatar...

It's not legal as a sweetener in the United States, although it can be sold as a "food supplement".

Even the CSPI (of "Everything you eat will kill you fame") isn't crazy about it: http://www.cspinet.org/nah/4_00/stevia.html

I've tried the packets of granulated stevia available at health food stores. They seemed to be ok for sweetening coffee and tea. I tried making some lemonade with it, and wasn't impressed (too bitter tasting, rather than complementing the acids in the lemon juice)

The last time I tried Stevia, it clumped up in the liquid. The cost is another factor.

Too bitter by itself...maybe with a little aspartame or nutrisweet.......

It's all about the quality of stevia extract that you use. Minimum 80% rebaudioside-A is the best with virutally undetectable bitter or metallic aftertaste. Most stevia extracts use the lower quality (cheaper) steviosides that are only used in dog food in Japan.

[ 07-20-2004, 01:56 PM: Message edited by: Stevia Dude ]

But the bottom line is that it's still not allowable as a sweetener in the US. The sugar lobby will make sure it will never become a legal sweetener.

There is a really good soda supplement (is that the right term???) called TERRA SODA. It's made in the desert of California and it is really good. It is kind of like having one of the 1970's diet sodas in a way; not as sweet as regular diet soda. But it's got a taste that makes you crave more. And it's got almost no calories. So far there's an orange, a root beer, and a black cherry. Blank bottle caps (too bad!!) but actually pretty darn good!!

Seems like Stevia is making a play in beverages...there is a green tea soda call Steaz that uses it in their diet line...the article I read said it is used as a nutritional enhancement along with the green tea...need to try it...any of you "webbers" try it yet?