School of Ayurvedic Diet & Digestion
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How Can This Ayurvedic Food Make You Feel Great?AYURVEDIC ANALYSISThe extraordinary powerful taste of stevia is difficult to ignore. The intensity makes your mouth water for a few minutes. Then, tingling sensations arise around the mouth. Your lip quivers. It's simply unusual and unnatural to find a zero calorie sweetener. But leaves from the stevia plant are both. They are natural and zero calorie. Stevia is very sweet, up to 150 times the sweetness of sugar. So a little goes a long way. When the sweet taste passes, it leaves a mild, licorice-like aftertaste that's slightly bitter and astringent. It is light, cold, and sharp because of its intensity. Normally, sweet taste calms and sedates. But stevia is so intense that it has the opposite effect - adding to the quirky character of this unusual herb. Some people love it. To others, it tastes terrible, almost like a chemical. That's because most stevia powders in the grocery store aren't whole stevia. They are a highly purified extract of stevia known as Reb-A. One student notes, "It lingers, a little like plastic or a foreign substance."  Footnote: The information for this article was in part gathered from a 2019 study and survey of 16 students of Ayurveda who experimented with stevia. During the study, students ate stevia for 3 days and journaled the pharmacological effects. This study was sponsored by the Joyful Belly School of Ayurveda, and specifically the Mastering Ayurvedic Digestion & Nutrition certification course. What is It?Stevia is a sweetener and sugar substitute derived from a remarkably sweet plant species called Stevia rebaudiana. It is an aster family plant native to Brazil and Paraguay. There, it has been used for more than 1,500 years by the Guaran? people of South America.
The secret to this zero calorie sweetener is the glucose residues bound to other non-sugar molecules. The glucose residues stimulate taste buds. However the sugary glucosides aren't digestible because they are firmly attached to the non-sugar molecules. The stevia you buy in the grocery store does not contain the whole leaf, but a purified extract called rebaudioside A (Reb-A). This is because whole stevia hasn't been tested by the FDA. The FDA has tested the extract only. The FDA has approved whole stevia for use as an herbal supplement only. In Japan and Europe the raw stevia leaf has GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status. Lowers Blood Sugar & PressureIf you have diabetes, stevia may help keep your blood sugar levels in check. A 2010 study of 19 healthy, lean individuals, and 12 obese ones found that stevia significantly lowered insulin and glucose levels.
Most importantly, these study participants felt satisfied and full after eating, despite the lower calorie intake. So they didn't reach for cakes and cookies after the study. The secret to stevia's magic is a protein that stimulates the ion channels of cells which influence your sensory input. This protein puts sweet taste receptors in hyperdrive and also stimulates the pancreas to produce insulin. Studies also show that stevia reduces your daily, normal, liver based, blood sugar level spike in the morning. One study even suggests Stevia leaves for treatment of central diabetic neuropathy. To boot, it helps regulate blood pressure levels as well. Nevertheless, we're always suspicious when it comes to zero calorie sweetener. Will it trick the body, like fake news? Will the sweet taste reinforce a sugar addiction? When the body figures out it had a bunch of sugar but no calories, will it crave more sugar as a result? It's comforting to know that studies suggest otherwise. So far, stevia can be trusted, and seems to have some amazing qualities. While we're still cautious of refined products, stevia appears far superior to other sweeteners. Vata individuals beware: The drop in blood sugar levels was so pronounced for our Vata students that several experienced hypoglycemia symptoms after drinking stevia. "My mind was loopy. I couldn't think while trying to do some accounting. I was shaking so I checked my blood sugar and it was 40. Normally it is much higher for me. It made me want to eat so my blood sugar would go up again." Happy MindStudents reported that stevia lightened their mind and lifted their mood. Stevia's stimulating effects made it easier to concentrate and think. One student even said, "Stevia makes me feel enlightened." Here's what others had to say:
Some students noted stevia was too stimulating, "I noticed that my mind was more restless, very agile and I woke up early twice during the experiment because my mind was so busy." Yet another remarked, "My mind was racing a little. It aggravated my Pitta and induced a hot flash." Another said, "My mind was irritated because it was simply too sweet." We believe this is due to dosha. Kapha individuals felt their spirits lifted, but Vatas and Pittas found it too intense. Several students drank it with coffee and complained stevia made the coffee more buzzy. "My mind was racing and it irritated my stomach," said one student. We therefore suggest caution in combining stevia with other stimulants. To get the mental benefits of stevia, students recommended cooking with it instead of making a strong tea. Diluting the stevia in the meal seemed to reduce the intensity. Stimulates Your StomachJoyful Belly founder John Immel notes, "The intensity of stevia's sweetness irritated our Vata students." He concluded that, "Stevia is so intensely sweet it is stimulating. If you have a thin mucus barrier and highly sensitive nervous system it can overstimulate, causing nausea, sourness, and acid reflux."
Joyful Belly students are constantly researching the application of Ayurveda to their bodies, food, herbs and nutrition. You too can participate in Joyful Belly's Ayurvedic Digestion and Nutrition research by registering for one of our certification courses. In our programs you'll gain the knowledge and skills necessary to impart the time tested wisdom of Ayurveda to your clients. BUYING & PREPARATIONThese additives also have effects on your body. For example, dextrose is especially cooling. When one of our students transitioned from whole leaf stevia to stevia extract with erythritol, she got a "massive headache". So, make sure you look on the label. Herb suppliers will typically sell the whole, unadulterated, dried leaf. Remember, a little goes a long way when using the leaf. The fresh leaf was found to be less bitter as compared to the dried leaf. The purified extract was most bitter. The powdered leaf can become sticky in humid conditions so be sure to seal and keep it dry. When using the raw leaf, 4 leaves are enough for a gallon of water. For mixed powders sold in grocery stores, 1/8 tsp is enough for a cup of tea. COOKING STEVIA Browse RecipesWhen cooking, sometimes you want to accentuate one effect of an herb, and diminish another. Here are the main effects you may want to balance in stevia. Stimulating effectUse with mint to increase the mentally stimulating effect of stevia. If stevia is too intense for your stomach pair it with something grounding. Use almond or coconut milk instead of water as a base for stevia. The dull, heavy qualities will alleviate feelings of nausea or sourness in the stomach, and prevent hypoglycemia. Almond or coconut milk will provide some substance to this etheric herb in a Vata body.Cold effectIf the coldness of stevia aggravates your system, warm it up with turmeric. Turmeric is unique because it is hot without being spicy, so it won't make Stevia even more stimulating. To accentuate the cold or bitter effect, pair with cilantro or cucumber.Diluting SteviaIf having trouble getting the dose right, try placing 1/8tsp of the powder in a cup of hot water, then using a tbsp of that for your drink.Learn about the health benefits of stevia for FREEYou'll receive free access to our entire website including healthy recipes, nutritional diet plans, medicinal uses of ingredients, & ayurvedic health tips. Sign in once and you can use our website indefinitely..WHY EAT AN AYURVEDIC DIET?Eating Ayurvedically makes you feel nourished and energized. An Ayurvedic diet is tailored to your individual body type and the specific imbalances you are working with at any given time. Ayurveda shows you your specific body type’s needs and what should be favored in your Ayurvedic menu. Watch as you eat less but feel more satisfied because what you are eating truly nourishes you. Since Ayurveda believes all disease begins in the digestive tract, food is your first medicine. By eating a healthy diet that’s ideal for your body, you experience optimal health.Is Stevia Good for My Ayurvedic Diet?SERVING SIZE: 1/2 leaves SPECIES: Stevia rebaudiana FAMILY:
Asteraceae MEAL: PREPARATION: AYURVEDIC MEDICINAL BIOCHARACTERISTICSWhat is the biocharacteristic theory of medicine?
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES Experiences are Personal
Experiences vary according to the person and constitution. Individual results may vary.
The list of herbal-actions below has not be approved by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition.Here are the herbal actions of Stevia: Nauseating NAUSEATINGBrings about feelings of unease and discomfort in the stomach, often accompanied with the involuntary urge to vomit.Makes jittery, Stimulates front of brain , STIMULATES-FRONT-OF-BRAINCreates a feeling of awareness or tension in the area in the forehead. Activates the frontal lobe - the area responsible for motor function, emotional expression, thinking, and decision making.Wakes you up , WAKES-YOU-UPInvigorates the body and nervous system, increases energy.Brain Tonic BRAIN-TONICAn herb that strengthens the brain, thereby improves either mental function, stamina, or stability.Satisfies stomach , SATISFIES-STOMACHProvides a sense of gratification and fullness in the stomach.Stimulates energy STIMULATES-ENERGYThis category groups thyroid and adrenal stimulating herbs.Adaptogen ADAPTOGENHerbs that promote stabilization of physiological processes and homeostasis. Adaptogens increase the body's ability to resist the damaging effects of stress and promote or restore normal physiological functioning.Cardiac stimulant , CARDIAC-STIMULANTHerbs that increase the heart rate. Useful in cardiovascular health, blood stagnation, and subjective feeling of heaviness in the chest area.Antioxidant , ANTIOXIDANTAn antioxidant is a molecule that inhibits oxidation. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that can produce free radicals that lead to a chain reaction causing damage or death to cells. Antioxidants terminate these oxidation reactions.Hypotensive HYPOTENSIVEAn herb that lowers blood pressure.Hypolipidemic , HYPOLIPIDEMICScrapes fats / cleanses blood vessels.Lowers Blood Sugar LOWERS-BLOOD-SUGARAn herb that lowers blood sugar.
Joyful Belly is a recognized school of biocharacteristics medicine. Compare Stevia with these FoodsCoffee Coffee has these Actions in CommonMakes-jittery, Wakes-you-up, Stimulates-energy, Antioxidant, Stimulates-front-of-brainMustard Seed Mustard Seed has these Actions in CommonNauseating, Wakes-you-up, Stimulates-energy, Cardiac-stimulant, Stimulates-front-of-brainGrapefruit Grapefruit has these Actions in CommonStimulates-energy, Antioxidant, Wakes-you-up, HypolipidemicDandelion Leaves Dandelion Leaves has these Actions in CommonLowers-blood-sugar, Antioxidant, Stimulates-energy, HypolipidemicAllspice Allspice has these Actions in CommonStimulates-energy, Cardiac-stimulant, Stimulates-front-of-brain, Lowers-blood-sugarBrussels sprouts Brussels sprouts has these Actions in CommonSatisfies-stomach, Stimulates-energy, AntioxidantPeanuts Peanuts has these Actions in CommonNauseating, Satisfies-stomach, Makes-jitteryRed Leaf Lettuce Red Leaf Lettuce has these Actions in CommonHypolipidemic, Stimulates-energy, Wakes-you-upKale Kale has these Actions in CommonHypolipidemic, Lowers-blood-sugar, Stimulates-energyAjwain Ajwain has these Actions in CommonHypolipidemic, Stimulates-energy, Cardiac-stimulantCompare Stevia with these Herbs & SupplementsPunarnava Punarnava has these Actions in CommonLowers-blood-sugar, Nauseating, Stimulates-front-of-brain, Antioxidant, Cardiac-stimulant, Hypolipidemic, HypotensiveEleuthero Ginseng Eleuthero Ginseng has these Actions in CommonWakes-you-up, Adaptogen, Hypolipidemic, Hypotensive, Lowers-blood-sugar, Stimulates-energyAmalaki Amalaki has these Actions in CommonAdaptogen, Antioxidant, Brain-tonic, Lowers-blood-sugar, Stimulates-energy, Wakes-you-upHoly Basil Leaf (Tulsi) Holy Basil Leaf (Tulsi) has these Actions in CommonAdaptogen, Cardiac-stimulant, Hypolipidemic, Stimulates-energy, Stimulates-front-of-brainArjuna Arjuna has these Actions in CommonAntioxidant, Hypolipidemic, Hypotensive, NauseatingVacha (calamus) Vacha (calamus) has these Actions in CommonStimulates-front-of-brain, Wakes-you-up, Stimulates-energySage, Red Sage, Red has these Actions in CommonAntioxidant, Hypolipidemic, HypotensiveTriphala Guggulu Triphala Guggulu has these Actions in CommonCardiac-stimulant, Hypolipidemic, Lowers-blood-sugarBitter Orange Peel Bitter Orange Peel has these Actions in CommonStimulates-energy, Wakes-you-up, Cardiac-stimulantRhodiola Rhodiola has these Actions in CommonAdaptogen, Brain-tonic, Stimulates-energyGinseng, Chinese Ginseng, Chinese has these Actions in CommonAdaptogen, Brain-tonic, Stimulates-energyHEALTH & WELLNESS PRACTITIONERS!(Not you? Keep scrolling!) HOW DOES EATING AYURVEDICALLY MAKE YOU FEEL?Eating Ayurvedically makes you feel nourished and energized. Food digests with ease when right for your body type (dosha). Healthy digestion is seen as the cornerstone of well-being in Ayurveda. Healthy digestion generally prevents illness. If you do get sick, a strong digestive fire reduces the severity of illness and increases your resilience. It also improves your mood. Once you begin eating Ayurvedically, you will feel refreshed, vital and strong.View Other Ingredients for Autumn-WinterStevia is recommended for Autumn-Winter. Check out these other Autumn-Winter foods here.Comments & Impressions of 'Stevia'Do you like 'stevia'? Why or why not? What makes it unique? Is there something you'd like to know about 'stevia'?  (3.00 out of 5 stars) 2 ratings, 233 likesSign in to review this food
I bought a plant and tried to crumple a fresh leaf in hot water but I didn't get much flavor from it.
The "natural" version of Stevia...the leaf....is very very concentrated and very very sweet. If you don't care for the powdered versions of Stevia, you might try the liquid.
How did you come to the conclusion that stevia is vata pacifying? The sweet taste, perhaps? In reading this article, the effects led me to believe that stevia would be considered vata aggravating.
The sweet taste is generally Vata pacifying.
TRADITIONALLY INDICATED FOR THESE SYMPTOMSStevia may be beneficial for these symptoms. The suitability of any food for a condition is highly dependent on the individual. Please see your doctor before using this food to treat a medical condition.Mind, Stress & SleepConflict makes me depressed, lazy ,  How does IT FEELS BETTER IT FEELS WORSE IT FEELS THE SAME We will use this information to better predict food that helps you. Confusion / Cloudy Mind , How does IT FEELS BETTER IT FEELS WORSE IT FEELS THE SAME We will use this information to better predict food that helps you. Depressed , How does IT FEELS BETTER IT FEELS WORSE IT FEELS THE SAME We will use this information to better predict food that helps you. Depressed when stressed , How does IT FEELS BETTER IT FEELS WORSE IT FEELS THE SAME We will use this information to better predict food that helps you. Difficulty concentrating , How does IT FEELS BETTER IT FEELS WORSE IT FEELS THE SAME We will use this information to better predict food that helps you. Difficulty waking up , How does IT FEELS BETTER IT FEELS WORSE IT FEELS THE SAME We will use this information to better predict food that helps you. Excessive sleep , How does IT FEELS BETTER IT FEELS WORSE IT FEELS THE SAME We will use this information to better predict food that helps you. Sleep deep & long, trouble waking up , How does IT FEELS BETTER IT FEELS WORSE IT FEELS THE SAME We will use this information to better predict food that helps you. Sleep during the day , How does IT FEELS BETTER IT FEELS WORSE IT FEELS THE SAME We will use this information to better predict food that helps you. Tired in morning How does IT FEELS BETTER IT FEELS WORSE IT FEELS THE SAME We will use this information to better predict food that helps you. DietDessert after meals , How does IT FEELS BETTER IT FEELS WORSE IT FEELS THE SAME We will use this information to better predict food that helps you. Refined sugar , How does IT FEELS BETTER IT FEELS WORSE IT FEELS THE SAME We will use this information to better predict food that helps you. Soda / corn syrup , How does IT FEELS BETTER IT FEELS WORSE IT FEELS THE SAME We will use this information to better predict food that helps you. Sweet cravings How does IT FEELS BETTER IT FEELS WORSE IT FEELS THE SAME We will use this information to better predict food that helps you. Heart, Blood & CirculationDiabetes (Adult Onset Type II) , How does IT FEELS BETTER IT FEELS WORSE IT FEELS THE SAME We will use this information to better predict food that helps you. High Blood Pressure , How does IT FEELS BETTER IT FEELS WORSE IT FEELS THE SAME We will use this information to better predict food that helps you. High Blood Sugar , How does IT FEELS BETTER IT FEELS WORSE IT FEELS THE SAME We will use this information to better predict food that helps you. High Cholesterol , How does IT FEELS BETTER IT FEELS WORSE IT FEELS THE SAME We will use this information to better predict food that helps you. Insulin Resistance , How does IT FEELS BETTER IT FEELS WORSE IT FEELS THE SAME We will use this information to better predict food that helps you. Low energy How does IT FEELS BETTER IT FEELS WORSE IT FEELS THE SAME We will use this information to better predict food that helps you. Weight LossEat when lonely / depressed , How does IT FEELS BETTER IT FEELS WORSE IT FEELS THE SAME We will use this information to better predict food that helps you. Emotional eating , How does IT FEELS BETTER IT FEELS WORSE IT FEELS THE SAME We will use this information to better predict food that helps you. Feel overweight , How does IT FEELS BETTER IT FEELS WORSE IT FEELS THE SAME We will use this information to better predict food that helps you. Trying to lose weight How does IT FEELS BETTER IT FEELS WORSE IT FEELS THE SAME We will use this information to better predict food that helps you. DigestionSweet taste on tongue How does IT FEELS BETTER IT FEELS WORSE IT FEELS THE SAME We will use this information to better predict food that helps you. 
About the Author John Immel, the founder of Joyful Belly, teaches people how to have a healthy diet and lifestyle with Ayurveda. His approach to Ayurveda exudes a certain ease, which many find enjoyable and insightful. John also directs Joyful Belly's School of Ayurveda , which specializes in digestive tract pathology & Ayurvedic nutrition. John and his wife Natalie recently published Explore Your Hunger: A Guide to Hunger, Appetite & Food.John's interest in Ayurveda and digestive tract pathology was inspired by a complex digestive disorder acquired from years of international travel, including his public service work in South Asia. John's commitment to the detailed study of digestive disorders reflects his zeal to get down to the roots of the problem. His hope and belief in the capacity of each & every client to improve their quality of life is nothing short of a personal passion. John's creativity in the kitchen and delight in cooking for others comes from his family oriented upbringing. In addition to his certification in Ayurveda, John holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Harvard University. John enjoys sharing Ayurveda within the context of his Catholic roots, and finds Ayurveda gives him an opportunity to participate in the healing mission of the Church. Jesus expressed God's love by feeding and healing the sick. That kindness is the fundamental ministry of Ayurveda as well. |
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