Is Stevia safe during pregnancy?
Purified stevia sweeteners are acceptable in moderation. Skip raw stevia leaves, homemade infusions and crude extracts.
What the sources say
FDA has not questioned GRAS status for high-purity (95%+) steviol glycosides such as Reb A, but stevia leaf and crude stevia extracts are not GRAS and can't be imported as sweeteners. A peer-reviewed review rates purified steviol glycosides acceptable in pregnancy within the acceptable daily intake but advises against raw stevia leaves, infusions or extracts. Breastfeeding data are limited; moderate use of purified products is the cautious approach.
Common alternatives
Also listed as
steviol glycosides, stevia extract, stevia leaf extract, rebaudioside a, reb a, rebaudioside m, reb m, stevioside, truvia, pure via, stevia in the raw, e960
Sources
- FDA: Aspartame and Other Sweeteners in Food
- NIH/PubMed (peer-reviewed review): Non-caloric sweeteners in pregnancy and lactation (Cavagnari, 2020)
Last reviewed . This is general information, not medical advice. Ask your doctor or midwife about your own situation.