(NaturalNews) Newsflash: In case you haven't heard the news, sugar is bad for you. Well, of course you know this - there is hardly a soul on the planet who hasn't heard of the evils of sugar. After all, just about every magazine, health blog, website and health guru is shouting it from the rooftops.

So, if you are a parent - it makes complete sense to have strict rules about sugar consumption for your child. In fact, there are thousands of parents who take the no-sugar-ever rule and wield it like a weapon. This article is not in any way written to criticize that. Your intentions are good, and the benefits of keeping sugar away from children are countless. Bravo to you for caring that much about your child's health!

How sugar is harmful

Here are just a few (out of perhaps hundreds) reasons that sugar is harmful:

• Can cause insulin resistance (hint: this leads to diabetes)
• Evidence that overconsumption of sugar leads to cancer
• Increased risk of obesity
• Is a major energy-sapper and can lead to hypoglycemia
• Can cause tooth decay

If this doesn't convince you to keep a strict rule of avoiding sugar, then just do a quick web search on the harmful effects of sugar.

Still, there is no need to rob your children or yourself from the - admit it - glorious taste of sweets. In a life with so many options for enjoyment, it would be remiss to neglect the positive feelings a sweet treat can provide. Who wants to be someone who can't ever indulge a sweet tooth?

Great news! You don't have to ban all sweets from your life, or your child's life. There is a fantastic alternative - stevia.

All about stevia

First of all, what is stevia? You might have heard of it - it has been mentioned in the news plenty - but many people still don't know what it is.

Stevia comes from a plant, which is oddly enough part of the family that daisies and ragweed are cousins with. Species of stevia come from Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. However, the most exclusive, hence popular, form is known as Stevia Rebaudiana, and it hails from Brazil and Paraguay.

That's the boring part. The exciting part? Stevia is a full 200 times sweeter than plain table sugar, with no calories. Again, no calories - zip, zilch, nada.

Additionally, it is approved as a good additive, and considered a dietary supplement. The best news of all? Stevia has been found to actually be good for you! It is loaded with nutrients, including beta-carotene, vitamin C, magnesium and iron.

How to use stevia

Because stevia has no bulk, it can be challenging to use it in your baking. However, there are multiple uses for this sweet-but-not-harmful additive. For example:

• Add it to hot drinks such as coffee or tea
• Mix it into plain yogurt
• Put some in your green smoothies to give them a kick of sweetness

Now that you know you can keep the yummy factor in your and your children's life without the dangers of sugar, thanks to stevia - head out to your supermarket and stock up. It's time to sweeten up your life!

Sources:

www.nejm.org

cebp.aacrjournals.org

www.sciencedirect.com

ajcn.nutrition.org

www.mayoclinic.org

healthyteeth.org

www.livescience.com

www.nlm.nih.gov

healthyeating.sfgate.com

About the author:
A science enthusiast with a keen interest in health nutrition, Antonia has been intensely researching various dieting routines for several years now, weighing their highs and their lows, to bring readers the most interesting info and news in the field. While she is very excited about a high raw diet, she likes to keep a fair and balanced approach towards non-raw methods of food preparation as well. >>> Click here to see more by Antonia