Is Stevia Bad for You? What Clinical Experts Say About This Sugar Substitute

Stevia has become known among the mainstream as sugar substitute that comes from nature. This plant-based sugar swap made a splash for its potential to aid in weight loss and diabetes management after it first hit the market in 2008. But research has painted a more complicated picture in the years since. 

“The jury is out on the health benefits of stevia,” says Liz Weinandy, MPH, RDN, LD, a registered dietitian nutritionist and instructor of practice in medical dietetics and nutrition at The Ohio State University School of Health and Rehabilitation.

“As a plant, it has some health properties and appears to be relatively safe for human consumption,” she says. “However, there is some evidence consumers should be aware of with all sugar subs—and that is they may not be as inert as previously thought.”

What is stevia?

Stevia is a natural, zero-calorie sweetener made from the leaves of South America’s Stevia rebaudiana plant. Its compounds, steviol glycosides, are up to 400 times sweeter than table sugar, Weinandy says. “Stevia can be used in baking and mixed directly in foods as a sugar substitute,” she explains. “A little goes a long way!” 

You’ll also find stevia in grocery store items, especially those marketed as low- or no-sugar, including drinks, desserts, gum, baked goods, candy, and yogurt. 

But does it taste like sugar? Not exactly, says David Levitsky, PhD, professor emeritus of nutritional studies and psychology at Cornell University: “You will never get a sugar substitute that tastes exactly like sugar.”

Is stevia safe?

“Stevia is approved by the U.S. FDA as a generally recognized as safe (GRAS) substance,” Weinandy says. Specifically, only purified steviol glycosides are approved for use, not stevia leaf or crude extract.

You might see it listed on ingredient labels as:

• Steviol glycosides
• Stevia extract
• Rebaudioside A (Reb A)
• Rebaudioside D (Reb D) 

The FDA sets an acceptable daily intake of 12 milligrams per kilogram of body weight, highlights Leah Kaufman, MS, RD, CDE, CDN, a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator at NYU Langone’s Weight Management Center. 

Early animal studies raised concern that stevia might increase cancer risk. However, the National Cancer Institute reports that research in humans shows no evidence that artificial sweeteners—including purified, processed stevia—cause cancer. 

But it’s worth noting that a common stevia additive is drawing concern. Erythritol, a sugar alcohol, is sometimes added to stevia blends to improve its taste and texture. Research from SUNY Upstate Medical University says that high intake of erythritol may be linked to liver cancer, while the Cleveland Clinic also suggests an increased risk of heart problems. Kaufman adds that erythritol can cause gastrointestinal issues in some people as well.

Does stevia have health benefits?

Controlling blood sugar levels is the cornerstone of diabetes management. Because stevia doesn’t affect blood sugar, it’s considered a good sugar alternative for people with diabetes, Kaufman explains. 

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) agrees—but emphasizes moderation. In a 2025 update to its Standards of Care in Diabetes, the ADA says that sweeteners like stevia are best for short-term use to support healthy eating patterns by reducing overall calorie and carbohydrate intake.

Research on additional health benefits of stevia is still evolving, and experts say we should take findings with a grain of salt. For instance, early research suggested stevia might reduce appetite, but a 2025 study in Obesity Reviews found no evidence of this effect. “The main thing to keep in mind with most of the research on stevia is that we don’t have a lot of good long-term data on stevia intake in humans,” Weinandy explains.

She adds that some research has found stevia may have beneficial effects against obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure, and it may act as an antioxidant. “But most of these studies were conducted in rats and mice or in the laboratory and not usually in humans.” 

Can stevia help you lose weight?

Stevia is calorie-free, so using it instead of sugar will reduce your overall calorie intake, says Dr. Levitsky. “Theoretically, this could lead to weight loss over time, but this is very hard to show in studies,” he says. “For losing weight, this is one mechanism to use, but it’s not going to make you lose 100 pounds. Reducing fat, monitoring portion size, and eating only when you are hungry are far more effective than substituting stevia for sugar for weight loss.”

In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) recently updated its guidelines, advising against using sugar substitutes for weight management, Weinandy says. This recommendation comes from a review of research showing no link between these sweeteners and reduced body fat. The WHO also notes that there may be adverse effects from their long-term use.    

So, is stevia bad for you? 

“The human studies to date have largely been short-term, and it is hard to get strong conclusions until we have longer-term studies, usually over years and even decades,” Weinandy says. 

For example, she says that in recent years, stevia and other GRAS sugar substitutes have come under more scrutiny for possible negative effects on our gut microbiome. A 2024 study published in Nutrients found that consuming stevia for 12 weeks did not significantly change the gut microbiome—but the trial was small, only including 27 participants. 

So, while stevia is generally considered safe by the FDA, “We are waiting to get more research to make better recommendations, and this will take time, especially to see how long-term use of stevia and other sugar subs affect our bodies,” Weinandy says. “In the meantime, it may be wise to use these sugar subs in moderation.”

She also points out that there are other natural sweeteners, like fruits, that provide sugar but also have fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial compounds. She recommends adding pureed prunes or dates to recipes for added sweetness. 

If you currently consume products with a lot of sugar or sugar substitutes—such as baked goods and diet soda—Weinandy suggests you consider moving toward alternatives such as whole-grain muffins or fruit-sweetened water. “Remember, your taste buds are trainable, and, over time, they can learn to enjoy less sweetness, which naturally means less sugar and fewer sugar substitutes on your plate.” 

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