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Sugar tax and sweetener usage

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M0nica Sun 03-Nov-19 21:15:38

Well, the Stevia Council describe the process as follows: The process involves steeping the dried leaves of the stevia plant in water, filtering and separating the liquid from the leaves and stems, and further purifying the remaining plant extract with either water or food grade alcohol. which, seems pretty simple and unmanipulted to me

The problem is that stevia, like other more chemically derived sweeteners have a very distinct odour, taste and after taste that a lot of people find unpleasant, of which I am one.

I just think that if a manufacturer is not adding sugar and boasting about it, then they should say in the same size print in an equally prominent position that the sugar has been replaced by a sweetener, then those of us who find the taste unpleasant will not buy something we cannot drink - or, possibly, eat - because we have no reason to believe the product does in fact contain sweeteners.

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rubysong Sun 03-Nov-19 20:45:46

I use actual Stevia when I can get it but would avoid 'derived from Stevia' which could have chemicals included in its production.

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M0nica Sun 03-Nov-19 20:41:52

Many food manufacturers are reducing the sugar in products but replacing it with sweetener and falling over backwards to hide it.

On a long journey today we stopped at a service station for sandwich lunch. I bought a bottle of Robinson's Refresh'd. The label was covered with statements like simply real fruit, no added sugar and spring water and real juice and a statement that says we've taken spring water added a dish of fruity juice and steered clear of anything artificial using only NATURALLY SOURCED mouthwatering ingredients...., which statement is quite clear and catagoric, only earth grown ingredients, nothing processed or manipulated.

I opened the bottle and the smell of sweetener nearly knocked me off my feet. The taste was even worse. I then looked very carefully at the text on the bottle wrapper again and there it was in 2pt type just above the bar code. 'Ingredients.....steviol glycoside..... A sweetener, but a sweetener derived from the stevia plant. Therefore, technically, the drink contains only naturally sourced ingredients, but mouthwatering? Where is the break between artificial and natural? Shouldn't the manufacturer have to make it a lot clearer when sugar isn't added because an alternative sweetener has been added.

I managed to drink a third of the drink because I was thirsty, but then had to throw the rest of the bottle, which cost £1.85 away I couldn't drink anymore, when I emptied it down the sink the smell of sweetener was almost overpowering and the taste stayed in my mouth for over an hour.

This is not the first time I have been caught like this. When on holiday I found a fruit drink in a farm shop, manufactured by a local 'artisan' drink maker contained sweetener.

I am now going to have to scrutinise everything on the backs of bottles when ever I have a fruit drink to avoid artificial sweeteners in any form (including stevia) I can taste them and I really dislike the taste.

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