Meet Global Stevia Institute Member Robyn Webb

This month the GSI Newsletter highlights Advisory Board Member Robyn Webb and her newest cookbook, “The American Diabetes Association Diabetes Comfort Food Cookbook”. Robyn is an award winning nutritionist, cookbook author and teacher, with extensive experience in diabetes nutrition and recipe development. In her newest book, Robyn shares her expertise through recipes designed to reduce sugar and carbohydrate levels in our favorite comfort foods.

1. What’s new in your latest cookbook?

Webb: The new book features more desserts than past books, and they are decadent too—chocolate pudding, chocolate cake, and even cheesecake. I use stevia in nearly all of the dessert recipes, and stevia can be used to flavor sauces and savory items as well. The Apple Pan Dowdy, a baked biscuit and spiced apple dessert, is one of my favorite recipes of all.  The biscuits and spice mixture use stevia, roughly saving 200 calories or more per serving.  View Robyn’s video on how to prepare the Apple Pan Dowdy

2. How does stevia differ from other sweeteners that are safe for people with diabetes?

Webb: What is so great about stevia is that you are able to cut down on sugar and carbohydrate intake naturally. For people with diabetes the goal is to cut down on carbohydrates overall. Non-calorie artificial sweeteners were the only sugar alternatives on most grocery store shelves, but their versatility is limited. I’ve found that stevia has an improved taste and structure for baking and cooking than most artificial sweeteners, making it the best alternative to sugar for many of my recipes.

3. What has been your experience with stevia and your patients and cooking clients so far?

Webb: Today people want to know where there food is from and how it’s produced. I find this especially in families as they search for more natural options for their children’s diets. The term natural can be overused in the food industry, but people can see the plant that stevia is derived form, how it’s grown, and its history and safety. This makes stevia so intriguing, even though it’s actually not a new ingredient to many.

In addition to its natural source, stevia’s popularity is due to an increased awareness of diet-related health conditions and diseases. They are related to calorie control in some way and people and food producers are looking for solutions.

4. How do you recommend that patients and clients use stevia in a healthful diet?

Webb:  When people have been diagnosed with diabetes, they think that their diets must be completely restricted. For most, it’s foolish to try avoiding sweets completely--depriving yourself does not need to be part of the diagnosis. Yes, you need to cut down on sweets, but with alternatives like stevia, you can still maintain great flavor healthfully.

I recommend that people first try foods and beverages sweetened with stevia, or try the table top packets of stevia to add to coffee or tea. Baking with it is easy, but just as with any alternative ingredient, you should have a good recipe that accounts for any of the ingredients differences. Stevia blends well with sugar too and I often use both for recipes to reduce but not completely replace sugar.

5. How do you develop healthy recipes for your cookbooks and clients?

Webb:  First and foremost, food must taste good.  A successful recipe is one that people want to make again. It has too look good and be easy too. I also consider cost and current foods trends, so that people can make the recipes from restaurants or cooking shows at home.  Developing healthy recipes is not just about substituting egg whites or one ingredient; it’s about combining good quality, natural ingredients. You don’t have to take every calorie or carb out—but the intelligent use of an ingredient is important.

6. What are the main dietary concerns of your patients and clients?

Webb:  People are always interested in more information about food and ingredients, and there is so much information that it can be overwhelming or difficult to judge which sources to trust. This is our job at the GSI.  Stevia has been around for many years, but people need credible resources about stevia and how to use it to support healthy eating.

Check out past GSI newsletters for Robyn’s flavorful recipes. To learn more about her recipes and books, visit www.robynwebb.com. Robyn’s newest book, “The American Diabetes Association Diabetes Comfort Food Cookbook” is available on www.shopdiabetes.org or www.Amazon.com.

The Global Stevia Institute
Questions.en@globalsteviainstitute.com

The American Diabetes Association does not endorse any product. The use and display of the American Diabetes Association name, its registered trademarks, and its image of the Diabetes Comfort Food Cookbook is intended solely as promotion for the published work. There is no affiliation, endorsement, nor partnership between American Diabetes Association and the Global Stevia Institute.