I was home one day last week with a cold. The best course of treatment for me was an empty house and quality couch time with my cat and HGTV. I noticed several commercials for the new natural zero-calorie sweetener, Truvia, which is derived from the stevia plant. What caught my attention in one of the spots, though, was the phrase, “from a miracle of nature, not chemistry.” I readily admit that I am not a chemist, but I do know it takes chemistry to get from leaf to crystal.

Now, I realize the ad was likely targeting the artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame, and maybe I’m a little sensitive to the recent uses of chemistry in ads (like Burt’s Bees, HFCS, and soup wars), but perhaps the Truvia ad makers should take a lesson from the Splenda folk and call things as they are before trouble comes a steepin’. And, more importantly, chemistry is not a bad thing, people.