Maybe you’re one of those folks who can just decide to switch and never look back, but I sure wasn’t. It took me a long time to get used to the taste of stevia.
It’s so sweet that it is easy to overdo it and it tastes almost bitter when you’ve got too much in your tea or coffee. The flavor is strange, and it doesn’t have any hint of those caramel overtones you get in honey, or the body and depth you get from sugar.
Still, I made the switch, and I’m glad.
The trick is to start adding a little stevia to your drinks or food. Just a drop or two, so you don’t even notice it. Once you do that for a week or so, up it by a drop or two per week, while starting to cut back on your usual sweetener.
Eventually you’ll be ready to stop the old sweetener completely.
Now, if you stall out halfway and can’t bring yourself to make the final leap- that’s cool. Celebrate your successes rather than beating yourself up for your supposed failures.
Think of how many calories you’re saving each time. Think of how much less the bacteria and yeast in your mouth and digestive tract have to feast on. It’s all good.
I’ve used stevia in a lot of foods and I can tell you it’s great with milk products like plain yogurt or kefir and also to sweeten almond milk (can you tell I have a sweet tooth?) I’ve used it on sweet potatoes and liked it a lot. The only thing I’ve not liked it with is sesame paste (tahini). For some reason it seems to immediately taste bitter with sesame.
This little plant is pretty amazing. Just be patient with yourself while switching over and you’ll have a lifetime to enjoy its sweetness:-)