Hi, I really like using stevia. I use the pure powdered product. But I am starting to feel worried about possible side effects. I've tried finding information online but I read conflicting reports about the safety of stevia. I know Japan and a few other countries have been using it for decades, but I can't find any research done by these countries. Also, I've started using quite a bit of it. Some online stuff about stevia say it can cause kidney problems and maybe even cancer.

I haven't heard anything bad. I use it. Not my favorite in terms of taste, but some of the brands are good.

Stevia also has some positive qualities:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevia

Compared to the damage sugar does to us, I'd say stevia is far safer.

Hate to be a downer, but everything nowadays causes cancer, or weakens/alters organ function, causes brain tumors etc. The non-organic bell peppers I ate in a salad at my aunts house last week were COVERED in cancer causing pesticides, and genetically modified to grow faster. We don't even know what the effects of GMO stuff will be on evolution. We're killing off our race by poisoning our own food. The plastic bottles I drank from as a baby were full of BPA. And don't even get me started on the vaccinations that get pumped into us all our lives, whether we like it or not. The worst part - instead of outlawing the products, pharmaceuticals, and poison food that are killing us, they are made even less accessible by being more expensive or harder to get. Ass backwards to me. Anyways, I could go on forever.

My point is: we are surrounded by things that are killing us all day, everyday. All you can do is be educated and try to choose the things that have less negative impact on us. I use stevia. And I don't think it will kill me any sooner than sugar would have.

people are different. just sniffing peanuts can be fatal to some people.

I suspect that the vast majority of people would benefit on at least a net basis by switching from sugars (including honey and other so called "natural" sugars) to non-nutritive sweeteners of all types.

Some people seem to have a sensitivity to some substances and those people should limit or eliminate their use of those substances.

Ran across this on wheat belly, remembered your question:
http://www.wheatbellyblog.com/2012/...t-of-sweetness/