Can we replace sugar with stevia for weight loss?

September 11, 2026 (Conversation)

• Stevia has a sweet taste 200 – 400 times stronger than ordinary granulated sugar
• Even though it does not cause side effects, pure stevia should still be consumed within reasonable limits.
• To lose weight, stevia consumption needs to be balanced with other diet management.

In recent years, consuming sugary drinks has become a lifestyle for many young people in Indonesia . Whether it’s a way to accompany your hangout at a cafe , or a go-to for boosting focus at work, it seems like a day goes by without sugar.

In Jember, East Java, for example, 97.75% of the 222 adolescent respondents in a 2025 study consumed more than one type of packaged sweetened beverage 2-3 times per week.

This finding aligns with data from the 2023 Indonesian Health Survey , which found that 48% of young people aged 15-34 consumed sugary drinks more than once a week.

This risky habit can be dangerous to your health, starting from triggering obesity , diabetes , to kidney failure .

Many young people are turning to a non-sugar sweetener called stevia—which is hundreds of times sweeter than regular sugar but contains no calories. Stevia is marketed in powder and drop form.

Because of its benefits, some people use stevia as a sugar substitute for weight loss . However, is simply replacing sugar enough?

What is stevia?

Stevia is a natural sweetener extracted from the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni plant. For centuries, this South American plant has been used as a natural sweetener and traditional medicine by the people of Paraguay and Brazil.

Japan then became the first country outside South America to commercially popularize stevia as a sugar alternative .

In 1977, Japanese entrepreneurs brought this plant to Indonesia to cultivate in several regions. Today, commercial-scale stevia cultivation can be found in Tawangmangu, Central Java, and Ciwidey, West Java.

The advantage of the stevia plant is that its leaf extract provides a taste 200 – 400 times stronger than ordinary granulated sugar.

As an illustration, the sweetness level of a full teaspoon of sugar (4 – 8 grams) is equivalent to ¼ teaspoon of stevia leaf powder or a drop of liquid stevia (1 – 2 mg).

This super sweet taste comes from the steviol glycoside compound it contains.

In our digestive system, steviol glycosides are also directly absorbed by the bacteria in the large intestine so they do not contribute calories —nor do they increase blood sugar levels in our bodies.

In addition, various studies have shown that steviol glycosides can act as potential antioxidants , anti-inflammatory, and anticancer agents .

Due to its natural properties, many people use stevia as an alternative to sugar which is considered safer to consume than artificial sweeteners , such as aspartame, saccharin, sucralose, and neotame.

Excessive consumption of artificial sweeteners is associated with an increased risk of metabolic syndrome , a cluster of health problems that can increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and even type 2 diabetes.

Is stevia safe to consume?

Since 2007, the Joint Committee of Experts of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) together with the World Health Organization (WHO) has determined that stevia extracts that are safe for consumption contain 95% steviol glycosides .

In 2008, this highly purified steviol glycoside was awarded GRAS ( generally recognized as safe ) status by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) .

Also read: The flawed logic behind postponing excise tax on sweetened drinks: Preventing disease can’t wait for the economy to grow.

In Indonesia, the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) classifies steviol glycosides as a natural sweetener that is safe for public consumption, including people with diabetes.

However, because each person’s body’s response and metabolism can vary, stevia should be consumed within reasonable limits. The acceptable daily intake (ADI), or safe daily intake, for steviol glycosides is 4 mg per kg of body weight.

As an illustration, the safe daily limit for stevia consumption for an adult weighing 60 kg is 240 mg per day .

If one drop of liquid stevia is equivalent to 1-2 mg, then consuming 1-3 drops per cup of beverage per day is equivalent to 6 mg. This means that stevia consumption is still safe and well below the maximum limit.

However, please note that this rule only applies to the general public with healthy conditions .

Sensitive groups with specific health conditions, such as pregnant women and people with digestive disorders, should avoid stevia. Although there is currently no solid scientific evidence regarding the negative effects of stevia .

This natural sweetener has not been proven to cause side effects or allergic reactions .

Can you lose weight using stevia?

Besides being safe to use as a natural sweetener for people with diabetes, pure stevia is also safe to consume as part of a diet program to control weight.

However, because stevia doesn’t provide calories, we should still meet our energy needs from moderately high carbohydrate sources, such as brown rice, shirataki noodles, sweet potatoes, cassava, and taro.

Another important consideration when managing weight using stevia is to gradually reduce your consumption of sweet foods. The goal is to truly reduce your dependence on sweet foods and drinks.

That way, we can avoid the risk of the halo effect , which can actually cause weight gain due to consuming excessive amounts of other sweet and high-calorie foods without realizing it.

To lose weight , reduce sugar consumption by eating healthy, balanced, nutritious foods, and living an active lifestyle and exercising regularly.

Don’t forget to control stress and get enough sleep.