You can get stevia in three forms, and I’ve tried them all. The most natural and at the same time the least satisfactory is the powdered green leaf. It has a bitter after-taste. You can buy stevia in liquid form, and some people might like to get it this way, but I don’t. My preferred way, which I think is also the most common way, is a white extract of stevia.

I’ve tried all the major brands of stevia. Some of them do have a bitter after-taste just like the raw leaf does. Right now I prefer the Now Foods “Stevia Extract” and the NuNaturals “NuStevia,” neither of which have a bitter after-taste.

Still, Splenda is clearly superior to stevia is one respect. You can cook with it. Stevia doesn’t brown, crystallize, retain moisture, or make foods gooey. So don’t expect me to throw out the Splenda that I have on hand now.

See what nutrition expert Cynthia Haines has to say about the safety of artificial sweeteners, such as Splenda.

Interested in other sites about the effects of artificial sweeteners? See this list of sites that a community member has put together.