Natural sweetener Stevia rebaudiana

Functionalities, health benefits and potential risks

Authors

  • Victoria Peteliuk Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University, 57 Shevchenko Str., Ivano-Frankivsk, 76018, Ukraine https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9135-5872
  • Lesia Rybchuk Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University, 57 Shevchenko Str., Ivano-Frankivsk, 76018, Ukraine https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3945-817X
  • Maria Bayliak Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University, 57 Shevchenko Str., Ivano-Frankivsk, 76018, Ukraine https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6268-8910
  • Kenneth B. Storey Institute of Biochemistry, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6, Canada https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7363-1853
  • Oleh Lushchak Oleh Lushchak, Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University, 57 Shevchenko Str., Ivano-Frankivsk, 76018, Ukraine. E-mail: oleh.lushchak@pnu.edu.ua https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4627-1987

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17179/excli2021-4211

Keywords:

Stevia rebaudiana, stevioside, rebaudioside A, sweetener, health benefits

Abstract

Stevia rebaudiana is a South American plant, the cultivation of which is increasing worldwide due to its high content of sweet compounds. Stevia sweetness is mainly due to steviol glycosides, that are ~250-300 times sweeter than sucrose. Many studies have suggested the benefits of Stevia extract over sugar and artificial sweeteners, but it is still not a very popular sugar substitute. This review summarizes current data on the biological activities of S. rebaudiana extract and its individual glycosides, including anti-hypertensive, anti-obesity, anti-diabetic, antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial effects and improvement of kidney function. Possible side effects and toxicity of Stevia extract are also discussed.

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Published

2021-09-22

How to Cite

Peteliuk, V., Rybchuk, L., Bayliak, M., Storey, K. B., & Lushchak, O. (2021). Natural sweetener Stevia rebaudiana: Functionalities, health benefits and potential risks. EXCLI Journal, 20, 1412–1430. https://doi.org/10.17179/excli2021-4211

Issue

Vol. 20 (2021)

Section

Review articles

License

Copyright (c) 2021 Victoria Peteliuk, Lesia Rybchuk, Maria Bayliak, Kenneth B. Storey, Oleh Lushchak

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