Coke and Pepsi with Stevia Extract as a Natural Sweetener: A Health Drink?

Coke and Pepsi are now jockeying for position to be the first soft drink company to launch a beverage using stevia extract as a natural sweetener in the US. All that's holding them up is FDA approval. Well, it's never been a problem before to approve new sweeteners that were considered carcinogens! Now, there's a hold up on approval on what could be the next generation of low calorie beverages containing some form of stevia extract, a natural sweetener.

What is stevia? Stevia is a plant native to South America, part of the chrysanthemum family, that is sweeter than sugar and has a slight licorice aftertaste.

There's a growing market for healthier, more natural foods and beverages. Some of us won't touch a beverage with chemical-based, artificial sweeteners which are marketed to us as "made from sugar, tastes like sugar". They are still artificial sweeteners. Sugar itself is definitely not a healthy alternative. Why do you think it's called "white death"? So, when a healthy, alternative sweetener like Stevia extract is mentioned, our ears perk up.

Coke and Pepsi are trying to pass an extract of the stevia plant called rebaudioside A, thru the FDA. I'm not sure what's going on, but it doesn't sound quite so natural anymore. I did some research on rebaudioside Aand didn't find much, other than it is one of the components of the stevia plant; most likely the part without bitterness. Of course, it will be branded as PureVia by Whole Earth Sweetener Co.; a Pepsi partner, and Truvia by Cargill Inc.; a Coke partner. It seems that plant extracts, under a fancy name, have now become big money!

Whatever they call it will not matter if it doesn't taste good. Anything new will taste different. People will have to acclimate their taste buds to a new sweetener flavor. I say it is still better than the FDA nightmare chemical known as NutraSweet (aspartame), the questionable safety of Ace-K, or the chemical that's supposedly made from sugar: Splenda (sucralose).

Now, if Coke and Pepsi could only find a healthy substitute for carbonation in beverages, we could all enjoy them; guilt free. The problem is with any carbonated beverage, even carbonated water. The carbonic acid and phosphoric acid in carbonated beverages draw calcium from the blood, which causes the body to pull calcium from the bones to continue with normal bodily functions that require calcium in the blood. Obviously, this can weaken bones; causing them to be brittle. I'm trying to get my bones to last a little longer so I'll wait for a new carbonated substitute!

Pepsi has a product called "So Be Life" launching in Peru now, using the new natural sweetener, PureVia. I think it's only a matter of time before we see new Coke and Pepsi products on the shelves using PureVia and Truvia. 

Update:  It's now offiicial!  Truvia is on the shelf!  Comment on the taste below. 

Becky is a Health and Wellness coach using Attraction Marketing principles to build Internet Network Marketing businesses of any type. For more information on Health and Wellness or Attraction Marketing coaching for your business, contact Becky at http://www.beckyjoubert.com/. You can also sign up for free training with Becky as your guide at http://www.marketstealth.com/.