Yet even more humor from the FDA and the media, who seem to have forgotten that a journalist's role is to DIG, not parrot.

The FDA says that stevia can't be used as a food additive because it "might be dangerous to blood sugar, reproductive, cardiovascular and renal systems", based on some mysteriously absent "literature reports [that] have raised safety concerns". According to the same FDA however, it's a-okay to use it as a dietary supplement:
 
"Boulder, Colorado-based Hain said in a statement the FDA agreed that the company could change the products' labels to reflect that they are supplements and not food."

I'm far too stupid to wonder why it's fine when called one thing, yet potentially a destructive, nation-flattening weapon when used as a cheap, abundant sweetener that would coincidentally compete with the safe-as-mother's-milk health chemicals like Splenda and Aspartame.

No wonder "[a]n FDA spokeswoman was not available for further comment." The only way she could feel more ridiculous is if she had the words "Useful Idiot" tattooed on her forehead. I'll bet the job of White House press secretary is looking pretty good to her right about now.

Of course, where would the story be without the jack-booted kick -- er, concerned input -- from the vegetarians at the Center for Science in the Public Interest which "believes there is not enough data to support the safety of stevia in food"? Wouldn't centuries of harmless use qualify it as GRAS?