Beating obesity, high blood pressure with ''calorie-free'' sweetener

Washington D.C, September 26

Good news! Soon, treating obesity, hypertension and elevated levels of blood sugar and lipids can be as easy as taking a calorie-free sweetener.

According to researchers, the Stevia rebaudiana (SR) plant has pharmacological and therapeutic activity, including effects that make them natural alternatives for treating all the disorders associated with metabolic syndrome.

The potential for using SR extracts to combat this growing public health problem is the focus of study.

Authors Areli Carrera-Lanestosa and Maira Segura-Campos, Autonomous University of Yucatan and Yolanda Moguel-Ordóñez, National Institute for Forest, Agronomic, and Livestock Research, Yucatan, Mexico, reviewed the antiobesity, antihyperglycemic, antihypertensive and antihyperlipidemic effects.

The steviol compounds and aqueous and alcoholic extracts derived from the leaves, flowers, and roots of SR.

The research appears in the journal of Medicinal Food. — ANI