Beat the Baltimore heat this summer with a refreshing treat that will help balance your blood sugar level and curb your craving for sweets. Stevia-sweetened lemonade is my favorite new beverage for quenching thirst after digging around in the garden. The sour taste from the lemons balances strong sweet-tooth cravings and the plant stevia ,which grows easily in most gardens, is hundreds of times sweeter than sugar. Fortunately, the sweet taste of stevia does not come with the calorie count or blood sugar spiking effects of the sugar cane plant. In fact, stevia is safe for use in diabetics since it actually helps to stabilize blood sugar levels. The key to using stevia is knowing that a little goes a LONG way. A small pinch is enough to sweeten a cup of tea and when baking with powdered stevia preparations, 1/4 cup of stevia can often replace 1 cup of sugar. Using too much stevia can shift the experience on your palate from sweet to bitter. Stevia is available at most health-food stores and through Dr. Emily’s dispensary.
Stevia-Sweetened Lemonade Recipe:
- Juice 3 lemons and add to 10 cups of filtered water
- Dissolve 4 tsp of powdered stevia into a small amount of warm/hot water
- Add dissolved stevia to water and lemon mix. Stir and chill.
Entire mixture contains approximately 36 calories
(source: Omnivite Nutrition, Inc.)
