Too often, juice cleanses and shakes are considered a necessary evil when detoxing. Something to be chugged as quickly as possible.

At Chef V, we’re on a mission to change this perception of blended juices and shakes. Our recipes perfectly balance nutrition and flavor, ensuring you never force yourself through our cleanses, but you actually enjoy them.

“How are you capable of producing deliciously nutritious beverages?”, you ask. Well, at least when it comes to our shakes, stevia is a key ingredient.

Read on to learn more about stevia, including its health benefits and flavor profile.

What is stevia?

Stevia is an all-natural sweetener extracted from a plant called Stevia rebaudiana. It also goes by a number of delicious common names such as candy leaf, sweetleaf, and sugar leaf.

What makes stevia special?

While many types of sugar are extracted from plants (sugarcane, anyone?), not all are created equal. In fact, we would argue stevia is by far the superior extract.

First, stevia is significantly sweeter than the white sugar in your cupboard. This means that you can use less of it to reach the same level of desired sweetness.

Second, stevia is naturally low in calories and carbs, making it an excellent alternative for individuals looking to lose weight or lower their blood sugar.

Beyond just adding fewer carbs to your diet, stevia has also been noted to help control cravings.

Finally, the European Food Safety Committee (EFSA) concluded that stevia itself is non-allergenic. Meaning, anyone is safe to eat it.

So what’s the catch?

There really is no catch!

In all honesty, there was a period of time when some people believed the sweetener was linked to kidney problems. However, that study has been debunked. In fact, safety studies have concluded stevia is side-effect free.

Perhaps the only reason Americans haven’t permanently binned their refined sugar is because of flavor. Refined sugar and stevia have different flavor profiles. This means anyone looking to replace sugar with stevia in their favorite recipes will notice a difference in the final product.

Try a sugar-free shake today

At Chef V, stevia is a key ingredient in our organic detox shakes. We believe in being able to enjoy a little sweetness along with all the hard work you’re doing during a cleanse. The sweetness of stevia helps our chocolate and vanilla shakes taste great. This way, they can help you beat cravings, boosting your weight loss as you undergo your cleanse.