## 4 Discussion
According to the total sugar measurements carried out, the Stevia Strong sample contains 3.7 g total sugar/100 g product, the Stevia Medium and Water samples contain 3.4 g total sugar/100 g product, while the Agave Stevia sample contains 6.2 g total sugar/100 g product, and the Glucose Sugar sample contains 16 g total sugar/100 g product. For a product to be labeled as low in sugar, it must not contain more than 5 g sugar/100 g product [78]. Therefore, samples with a higher or medium content of Stevia and only water can also be labeled as low in sugar. Another important result besides the sugar content is the comparison of the energy content per serving (205 g) between the commercial product with 152 kcal and the product with Agave and Stevia with 92.25 kcal. The regulation of blood glucose levels has been proven with meal tests [79]. Stevia is recommended by the FDA (Federal Drug Administration) for consumption by people with diabetes mellitus as it has no nutritional value [80]. It has also been observed that Stevia consumption increases insulin production in the human liver and improves tolerance to dietary glucose ingested with food from carbohydrates. It also has a stabilizing effect on general blood glucose levels and postprandial blood glucose levels [81]. In summary, Stevia provides a number of protective mechanisms against the side effects caused by T2 DM and can therefore be used as a sugar substitute in these cases to improve patients' quality of life [82]. In addition, the phenolic content and antioxidant activity of canned fruits are increased by high-temperature treatment [83], and the higher antioxidant properties correlate with the stability of postprandial glucose levels [37]. Although the glycemic index (GI) is a very good criterion for selecting foods for a balanced diet, it can sometimes be misleading [46; 47; 84]. Many foods with a low glycemic index are indeed healthy and have their place in the daily human diet [85]. However, this does not mean that all foods with a high glycemic index are unhealthy. Although eating foods with a low glycemic index can help people with diseases such as T2 DM to control their blood glucose levels, it should be used as a supplement and not as the sole criterion for food selection [86]. Consumption of fruit as part of a low glycemic index diet has been associated with lower HbA1c, lower blood pressure, and lower risk of coronary heart disease, suggesting that consumption of low glycemic index fruit may play a role in the management of T2 DM [50]. A National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that approximately 11% of the population consumed cannot fruits or vegetables daily and that this habit was associated with higher intakes of selected nutrients, higher quality diets, and comparable obesity and blood pressure levels in both adults and children [12]. The meal test results indicate that the novel product did not cause significant fluctuations in blood glucose levels among the control subjects (Figure 6). Instead, it had a beneficial effect, with only a slight increase in glucose levels that stabilized within a few hours [46; 47]. However, the study's sample size was limited, making it difficult to draw definitive scientific conclusions. While previous research has explored Stevia's role in glucose regulation, its effectiveness has varied. Nonetheless, all studies consistently reported a reduction in appetite and a lower risk of weight gain [80; 87; 88]. One suggestion would be to use them in a more comprehensive scientific study to substantiate these claims. However, fruits preserved in syrup tend to have a higher glycemic index, probably due to the high bioavailability of the added sugars [38]. Another explanation could be related to the results of previous studies on the glycemic biomarkers of Stevia consumption [89; 90]. An acute cross-over study involving 12 patients with T2 DM demonstrated that supplementing a test meal with 1 g of stevioside slightly reduced postprandial glucose concentrations and improved the insulinogenic index [89].