IPB University Expert Confirms Stevia is Safe for Consumption, Refutes Negative Claims on Social Media
A public figure’s statement that long-term consumption of stevia is dangerous and can cause diabetes and cancer has gone viral on social media.
Prof Nuri Andarwulan, a professor at IPB University from the Department of Food Science and Technology and a researcher at the South-East Asia Food and Agricultural Science and Technology Center (SEAFAST), firmly refuted these claims.
“Stevia belongs to the group of natural sweeteners. Its compound, steviol glycoside, is extracted and purified from the leaves of Stevia rebaudiana,” explained Prof Nuri when responding to this issue.
In Indonesia, its use is regulated by the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) and follows the standards of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, the world food body under the United Nations (UN).
She emphasized that to date, there is no scientific evidence or official statement from the World Health Organization (WHO) stating that non-nutritive sweeteners, including stevia, are harmful if consumed in the long term.
According to her, most of the data showing the risk of non-communicable diseases, especially diabetes, is more related to synthetic artificial sweeteners, not natural sweeteners such as stevia.
“The cause of increased diabetes risk is not solely due to stevia, but rather overeating. Artificial sweeteners or natural sweeteners usually do not provide the same sweet sensation as sugar. As a result, people tend to look for other additional foods, leading to excess calorie intake that triggers obesity and ultimately diabetes,” she explained.
Regarding the issue of stevia causing cancer, Prof Nuri considers the claim premature. “The link between artificial sweeteners and cancer is still only a hypothesis. There is no strong, internationally recognized scientific evidence that artificial sweeteners, let alone natural sweeteners such as stevia, cause cancer,” she said.
Furthermore, she explained that sweetener consumption is strictly regulated through the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI). “ADI is the maximum amount that can be consumed daily throughout one’s lifetime without posing a health risk. This figure is set by experts through Codex and adopted by BPOM,” she explained.
However, these rules apply to the general healthy population. “For sensitive groups or those with specific health conditions, it is best to avoid food additives, including sweeteners,” she added.
Prof Nuri also reminded public figures of the importance of being cautious when conveying health information. “Content creators or influencers need to prepare their material carefully, because if the information they convey is incorrect, the public may misunderstand it. The government and academics will then have to clarify the information, which will certainly cost energy, time, and money,” she said.
As a conclusion, Prof Nuri emphasized that sweeteners, whether natural or artificial, should be understood as food additives, not complete replacements for sugar.
“Use sweeteners to reduce sugar consumption, not to replace it entirely, as the body still needs sugar. All regulations related to sweeteners are openly accessible through the BPOM website,” she concluded. (Fj) (IAAS/HRD)
