About Stevia Herb

This herb is commonly known as sweet leaf or sugarleaf which is widely grown for its sweet leaves, as a sugar substitute. It's taste is sweet and refreshing with a slower onset and longer duration than that of sugar, although some of its extracts may have a bitter or licorice like aftertaste at high concentrations.

In the late 1880's a scientist named Antonio Bertoni discovered Stevia in Paraguay and announced his discovery of this species in a botanical journal and was credited with "discovering" the herb. Hence the botanical name Stevia Rebaudiana Bertoni. Since then, there has been a steady growth in it's popularity outside of South America, to the extent that it is now being consumed in North America, China, Japan, Malaysia, Israel, South Korea, the whole Pacific Rim and Australia.

Since artificial sweeteners have been banned in Japan for more than 20 years, the Japanese are the greatest consumers of the sweet herb world wide and it is now estimated that in Japan this herb is being used in over 30% of their food products. In Japan, the herb is used in Coca Cola for its Diet Coke, by Sunkist and Nestle as a sweetener and by Wrigleys in their sugar free gums. (Rebiana is the trade name for a stevia derived sweetener being developed jointly by Coca-Cola and Cargill, with the intent of marketing in several countries and gaining regulatory approval in the US and EU).

Health and political controversies have limited this herb's availability in some countries; for example, the United States banned it in the early 1990's unless labeled as a supplement. Government agencies have expressed concerns over toxicity, citing a lack of sufficient conclusive research.

The herb has many favorable and exciting health benefits and is completely non-toxic. The herb is nutrient rich, containing substantial amounts of calcium, phosphorous, as well as sodium, magnesium, zinc, rutin, Vitamin A, Vitamin C and over 100 phytonutrients.

Stevia is also being used as an aid to weight loss and weight management, since it contains zero calories and reduces the craving for sweet and fatty foods. Therefore great for weight watchers. It is ideal for children as it prevents tooth decay and cavities.

Unlike sugar, it does not trigger a rise in blood sugar levels. You wont get a sudden burst of energy followed by fatigue. Studies suggest that the herb may have a regulatory effect on the pancreas and could help stabilize blood sugar levels in the body, making it a wise choice for people with diabetes and hypoglycemia. It increases energy, aides digestion and gastrointestinal functions and has many other health benefits.

The herb's leaves vary widely in quality and taste depending on the region in which the plant is grown, environmental factors, including soil, irrigation methods, sunlight, air purity, farming practices, processing, degree of refinement, extraction methods and storage conditions. Bacterial and fungal contamination can be a problem and one must be careful about the original source of the herb. Generally, those plants grown in their natural habitat are of superior quality and taste. Other than its native countries Paraguay and Brazil in South America, it is also being cultivated in a number of countries including Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Korea, and Malaysia.

Stevia comes in many forms. Fresh leaves and dried crushed leaf are its most natural state. These are 15 to 30 times sweeter than sugar, green in color and not water soluble. Liquid forms made from whole leaf are very dark in color, almost black and come in different purity and strengths. It is advisable to read labels carefully as some contain chemical additives and some liquids contain alcohol. Generally speaking the white extract powder is more pleasant with only a slight and negligible aftertaste. Extracts range between 150 to 300 times sweeter than sugar and come in either powder form, tablets or clear liquid (liquids need refrigeration if they do not contain preservatives and/or alcohol).

The herbs extract powders are so sweet that it is very difficult to measure out the correct dosage. A lot of people end up using too much and this can influence their opinions in using this remarkable herbal extract. A good quality extract does not have the grassy or slightly bitter aftertaste that sometimes have been reported with its use.

Learn how to grow stevia here.

Learn how to cook with stevia here

The best quality stevia can be purchased through www.naturallysweet.com.au

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