Years ago stevia was recommended as safe as a sugar substitute. It had a slight taste but everyone was using it. Researchers from the University of Colorado, Boulder, discovered that erythritol the organic compound used for stevia cannot not only harm brain cells, but may increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. Millions of people have used stevia who wanted to eliminate sugar from their diet to lose weight, diabetics, and even individuals who simply wished to cut down on sugar. Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2001, it was very popular particularly because of its sweetness. Of course, many people will drink diet sodas, particularly diabetics, or individuals trying to lose weight only to discover that aspartame is a dangerous subtance. It literally can cause cancer. A professor and graduate student discovered this distrubing data in 2023. They discovered that erythritol causes the blood vessels to constrict. Certainly not good for your heart. I did cook with stevia in 1996 for a few years then decided to quit. If you have a diabetic child, organic decaf coffee or decaf black tea are far superior to the sodas, or diet sodas. I started drinking both coffee and tea when I was three. I still drink them both everyday with a thrist drink during the day of water, primarily Pellegrino. One last thought, read the labels as sugar alcohol is not good for your health. What do you drink? None of these items were available during the Good Gus series. A good read available in paperback and e-book. “Misplaced Trust” may have had people pass from any of these items. Take a break and read it. It is available in e-book form. The Good Gus Series is available online at Kindle, Nook and Waterstones. Hard copies, personally autographed, are available through our website www.goodgusbooks.com along with past blogs for your reading enjoyment. Now available audio and videos for the Good Gus series on YouTube! Digitizing for all the books are available now on YouTube! “Misplaced Trust” is now available on Amazon in e-book form. It is also available digitally at www.misplacedtrustbook.com. If you are thinking of a Will or a Living Trust, “Misplaced Trust” with a five star rating on Amazon will give you the information you need to make an informed decision.