Sweeteners/Natural high-intensity

Stevia

Also known as: Reb A, Rebaudioside A, Truvia base, PureVia

GoodNatural high-intensityE960

Steviol glycosides from Stevia rebaudiana. 200–400× sweeter than sugar, zero glycemic.

78
SweetSpot score
Sweetness vs sugar
250×
Glycemic index
0
no glucose response
Calories
0 kcal/g
Verdict
Good

At a glance

6 of 10 metrics graded

How Stevia compares to table sugar on the three numbers most people actually want.

Sweetness vs sugar
250×
vs sugar 1×
Used in trace amounts
Glycemic index
0
vs sugar 65
No glucose response
Calories per gram
0 kcal
vs sugar 4 kcal
No calories
SweetSpot score
78/100
AvoidPoorModerateGoodExcellent

Ten-metric breakdown

See methodology →
  • Taste quality
    Weight 20%
    85
  • Glycemic impact
    Weight 18%
    80
  • Naturalness
    Weight 10%
    95
  • Tooth friendliness
    Weight 8%
    80
  • Overall safety
    Weight 14%
    Pending
  • Digestive comfort
    Weight 8%
    90
  • Gut microbiome
    Weight 8%
    Pending
  • Aftertaste
    Weight 6%
    Pending
  • Sustainability
    Weight 4%
    Pending
  • Allergen safety
    Weight 4%
    95

Source: public.sweeteners snapshot, refreshed 2026-04-27. "Pending" cells are catalogued but not yet graded by SweetSpot research.

What it actually is

Stevia gets its sweetness from steviol glycosides — primarily Reb A and stevioside — extracted from leaves of Stevia rebaudiana. They are 200–400× sweeter than sucrose and pass through the body almost unchanged: gut bacteria cleave them to steviol, which is absorbed, glucuronidated and excreted.

Twenty-plus years of human safety data underpin its GRAS status. EFSA's ADI of 4 mg/kg/day in steviol equivalents is high enough that a 70 kg adult would need to consume ~10 g of pure Reb A to reach it — practically unreachable.

The honest weakness is taste. Stevia has a recognisable liquorice-like aftertaste that some people detect strongly. Reb M and Reb D fractions, now common in premium products, are noticeably cleaner. Look for those on labels.

What it does well
  • Zero calories, zero glycemic impact
  • Plant-derived, well-studied
  • Heat-stable up to 200°C — usable in baking
Where it falls short
  • Liquorice / metallic aftertaste in some people
  • Reb A blends often paired with erythritol or maltodextrin — read labels
  • Mild blood-pressure-lowering effect — relevant if hypotensive

Regulatory status

FDA (United States)
GRAS (high-purity steviol glycosides since 2008)
EFSA (Europe)
Authorised E960
Acceptable daily intake
EFSA: 4 mg/kg body weight/day (steviol equivalents)

In practice

Best for
  • Coffee, tea, smoothies, low-carb baking
Avoid if
  • Severe taste sensitivity to liquorice notes
Where you'll find it

Truvia, Stevia In The Raw, PureVia, many zero-cal sodas

The evidence

Selected peer-reviewed sources behind the score. Open access where possible. Read our scoring methodology for how we weight evidence tiers.

Recommended swaps

Higher-scoring alternatives that perform similarly in use.

Monk Fruit
86

Mogrosides from Siraitia grosvenorii. 150–250× sweeter, no glycemic effect, cleaner aftertaste than stevia.

Allulose
88

A rare sugar that tastes 70% as sweet as sucrose with ~10% the calories and a negligible — sometimes mildly suppressive — insulin response.