Check this out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/stevia
read the link i put there you can hear alot at the link.
The protein powders I buy are sweetened by Stevia. This particular vendor allows you to choose the sweetener you prefer for your protein mixes. I tried Splenda, Nutrasweet, and Stevia, with Stevia being the clear winner. In this medium, it has a subtle, syrupy sweetness to it that lacks the artificial edge I find with Splenda and Nutrasweet.
I have not tried the soda yet, but I don’t really like to drink soda anyways. It’s water or green/white tea!
I’ve been using stevia for a while. I like it & avoid artificial sweeteners.
A couple of things to bear in mind. It’s better to get Stevia in bulk form. The stevia sold in little packets has filler added to make it the size equivalent of other sweeteners because it’s intensely sweet, so it has carbs. In bulk form it has no carbs,
The liquid form of stevia is better for baking. A little goes a long way.
Stevia glycinate (liquid) has less or no aftertaste.
Sure there are more, but Sweet Leaf & Stevita are two companies who make liquid flavored stevias–chocolate, root beer, vanilla, orange, lemon, grape. Just need a few drops to flavor things. Could be added to carbonated water to make soda.
where do you buy stevia? I’ve never seen it in stores.
You can get it at Whole Foods
My Kroger carries stevia (packets, liquid & bulk in jars) in their health food section. Also seen it in health food stores. It is expensive, but you use such small amounts. Individual packets are the most expensive, of course. If you have Trader Joe’s in your area, they have it.
I’ve never seen the flavored stevia in stores where I live, but I live in a small town. These can be ordered on-line from places like Netrition.
If you must use sweeteners, and cannot find the natural ones, like Stevia, it is better to use sugar. Though not as much as you would like. This is what I have been told by nutritionists and from my own deducing. Splenda is just as bad as Sweet n Low and any other man made chemical sweetener. When my husband was first diagnosed, he was having some x rays done. The x ray tech said to us. don’t use Splenda because if heavily used and for a long time, the side effects are just as bad as any chemical.
So after that, my husband just gave up sugar in his coffee and tea. He figured, diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol were enough to fight with. No need to add to the mix.
I have not used Stevia yet, but I do plan to buy some in the next week to use in my Christmas holiday baking.
Sandy
Only problem with relying on Wikipedia is anyone can upload information to the site so you might get informatoin that is incorrect as no one checks to make sure the information is correct or not.
Actually, everyone checks it. 
Dear Cody. I usually find wiki reasonably informative and accurate. The political stuff is a problem because there is no truth in politics only a point of vue.
There are several good studies on Stevia. It is from the sunflower family. I have been using it for at least a year but only recently has it been available in the forms Equal, Splenda, etc. have been for many years.
Part of the issue is that in the US, as I recall, it can only be marketed as a dietary supplement, not as a sweetener. Stupid sugar lobby.