Pure Via is manufactured through that FDA-allowed process, and so it’s considered safe to consume. It competes with various other purified stevia products on the market, and in fact has been used in SoBe Lifewater, a zero-calorie water product produced by Pepsi Co.
With compounds roughly 300 times as sweet as sugar and virtually no calories, stevia offers a more natural – but still processed – alternative to artificial no- and low-calorie sweeteners. The Food and Drug Administration has classified stevia as a dietary supplement and, as is the case with other supplements, has not evaluated it for safety before it hits the market. While there are no long-term studies on any form of stevia, including Pure Via, there’s also no evidence it presents a serious risk of side effects.
There are no confirmed side effects of including stevia in your diet, reports Go Ask Alice, a health and nutrition education service provided by Columbia University. While some preliminary test tube studies have linked stevia to genetic mutations – a driving force behind cancer development and cellular aging – there’s no evidence that stevia has the same effect in your body.
While stevia is not a common allergen, you could theoretically experience an allergic reaction to any stevia product, including Pure Via. Check the label before buying – if you’re allergic to stevia or any of the other ingredients in Pure Via, don’t buy it.
Using sweeteners regularly, however, might affect your sense of taste, increasing your cravings for sweets, explains Harvard Medical School. This side effect is not specific to Pure Via but applies to any artificial sweetener.