This web sit is a blessing for me. Knowing other people are having a lot of the same emotional problems really does help. And when I am having a really bad, not getting out of bed day, there is at least one or more people giving me support. I\'m not sure if I would be going back to work full time if it wasn\'t for the support that I have received from people on this site. I can\'t talk about my problems to a counsler or anybody else, but I can write about them.

I can\'t say enough about Daily Strength. I have told so many people about it that I\'m surprised there is room for us all here. If there is one thing I look forward to during a day - good or otherwise - it\'s coming to Daily Strength and sending or recieving hugs, helping others through their times of trouble, and letting all of my frustrations and sucesses out. We are all able to help each other because we have all been there. It doesn\'t get much better than that. Thank you all.

Meow

I\'ve noticed an improvement in my mood since coming to DS. I\'m suprised at the impact it\'s had on me.

i just stumbled onto this while \'patrolling the streets\' of DailyStrength. for those of you who don\'t know, i\'m one of the co-founders.

you made our day with these posts. i\'m smiling as i write this, and the encouragement motivates us to keep making improvements and help more and more of you.

thanks...you don\'t know how much it means to all of us.

I agree totally reisen! I found this space when i was at my lowest, darkest place..feeling like i might never be able to find my way out again! To me it and the members are a godsend! where else can you find such caring, supportive friends : )

You can, indeed, cook/bake with Truvia (from the Stevia plant). I have a cookbook* I bought years ago that has many types of recipes using Stevia. I'll try to find it, and maybe can give some conversion help. Oh, you can also buy Stevia in a jar from Pilgrims Pride. For baking & cooking, this is much handier.

*I am a cookbook & recipe nut !!

OOPS!! That should be Puritan's Pride, at 1-800-645-1030 or www.Puritan.com

I use the Stevia Packets some of the time; however, for baking I use the bulk (8 oz. stevia powder) instead of having to open so many packets.

Baked goods do not rise quite as much as when made with sugar, and do not brown quite as well. You need to test for "springiness" and/or use toothpick to test for doneness.

The conversion rate is:
1 tsp extract = 1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp extract = 1 Tbsp sugar

The cookbook I have is:
The Stevia Cookbook by Sahelian & Gates
(Avery)

I hope this is of help to someone.

Stevia has been around forever, but not approved by the FDA. Right after the FDA approved Stevia as an acceptable sweetener, all the Soda companies started scrambling to patent their version to keep people addicted to soda. Coca-Cola and Cargill beat everyone to the punch with Truvia. Pepsi has their own patented name. You are about to see a tidal wave of Stevia sweetened sodas, ice cream, and all other products that Americans crave. I used to buy generic Stevia from vitamin and health food stores before the FDA approval. Same thing is happening with Agave Nectar. Food Companies have to keep people eating sweets, drinking sodas, and buying those trash-can sized coffee drinks with whipped cream!!!!

Its a good video. I not sure I am looking to take any more pills but good for others. My goal is to get off the meds I am on. I wouldn't want to get hooked on something I could not get off of. Sounds like it could be adictive. I hope this drug is used only for obessed and lifestyle changes are also learned. Weight loss challeges can be so hard and so complicated. There is days I feel something is wrong and I just can't lose anymore. Then I have a good week, like this week, and lose 8 pounds.

I have a correction on the conversion rate for using Stevia in recipes. My cookbook was copyright in 1999, and apparently they were not using maltodextrin in the product then, and you used much smaller amounts. I called Puritan's Pride to ask about conversion rate, and they said:
1 Tbsp Stevia = 4 Tbsp Sugar
1/4 tsp Stevia = 1 tsp sugar
1/4 cup Stevia = 1 cup sugar
In other words, 1/4 as much Stevia as sugar called for in recipe.

I feel sure you could call the makers of Truvia and find out if it is the same. You might even ask if they have any recipes available.

Go to http://www.truvia.com/recipes/baked-goods/default.aspx and you'll find baking & cooking recipes as well as a conversion chart for Truvia.

Does anyone else find Stevia to be very bitter? I first heard of it several years ago and bought a ton at a health food store but it was so bitter I can't use it. Is it just me? Maybe there's some weird chemical reaction for me but not others?

I tried Truvia a couple of months ago and found the taste odd as well. I couldn't stand it and returned it to the grocery store - something never do.

Because I'm not sure how artificial sweeteners affect insulin, I try to be careful with using them.

I think it's okay to bake and make sweets once in a while when my blood sugar level is stabilized, but I want my tastebuds to get away from wanting everything to taste sweet. Boy do I have a sweet tooth.

I like to use unsweetened applesauce, vanilla, cinnamon and other spices to make desserts have a good flavor. Fruit desserts are great.

I am not sure stevia is OK for blood sugar too.
But I can`t take it much anyway because it is acidic to my taste. My gut is supersensitive to acids and I have pain if I eat much stevia.