Stevia is the gift of Paraguay to the world. Discovered in the 18th Century by Swiss scientist Moises Bertoni, who lived and worked in Paraguay between 1884-1929. However, the native Paraguayans knew and used Stevia leaves for centuries. Today, there is a great interest in Stevia, as it is a 100% natural sweetener and several times more potent than traditional sugar, with the added value that Stevia has almost 0% calorie content. The acceptance of Stevia by the rigorous markets in North America and Europe is set to revolutionize the natural sweetener and dieting product sector, as Stevia has been granted acceptance as a product with no adverse side effects on human health.
- Message of Ambassador of Paraguay in India, His Excellency Genaro Vicente Pappalardo to the Stevia Global Forum 2010 India.
Read on to learn more about this amazing herb, which originated abundantly in Paraguay and Brazil, but is now grown around the world.
1. About 30 times sweeter than sugar, dried stevia leaf contains no carbohydrates and so has no effect on the body’s insulin levels when ingested. Stevia has been shown to help equalize blood sugar levels raised by other sugars and starch consumed at the same time. Stevia, as you might expect, is quickly gaining popularity as a natural sugar substitute among those in pursuit of a leaner body. Improved digestion is another of stevia’s benefits. An excellent alternative to manufactured artificial sweeteners, stevia leaf is a whole food, just dried and ground into powder.
- Brendan Brazier, The Thrive Diet: The Whole Food Way to Lose Weight, Reduce Stress, and Stay Healthy for Life
2. Whole stevia leaf can be bought at health food stores or by mail order, or you can grow your own. Grind the whole leaf into a powder and add to food and teas for a sweet taste. You can also buy water-extracted stevia in liquid form from your local health food store in the supplements section. Avoid alcohol-extracted and refined forms of stevia. Unrefined stevia is dark green in color.
- Gabriel Cousens, There Is a Cure for Diabetes: The Tree of Life 21-Day+ Program
3. The natural stevia leaf also has been found to be nontoxic and has no mutagenic activity. Studies conflict as to the effect of stevia leaf on fertility. The majority of clinical studies show stevia leaf to have no effect on fertility in both males and females. In one study, however, a water extract of the leaf was shown to reduce testosterone levels and sperm count in male rats. Brazilian scientists recorded stevioside’s ability to lower systemic blood pressure in rats in 1991.
- Leslie Taylor, ND, The Healing Power of Rainforest Herbs: A Guide to Understanding and Using Herbal Medicinal
4. An excellent alternative to manufactured artificial sweeteners, stevia leaf is a whole food, just dried and ground into powder. Its ability to help regulate blood sugar levels is important for sustained energy. I even add stevia to my sport drink to improve its effectiveness.
- Brendan Brazier, The Thrive Diet: The Whole Food Way to Lose Weight, Reduce Stress, and Stay Healthy for Life
5. Stevia has been used as a natural sweetener for centuries in South America, especially by the Guarani Indians. Stevia is safe for those with Candida, helps control sugar cravings, and does not disrupt blood sugar levels. Its flavor comes on slower than that of sugar, and some say it has a licorice aftertaste. In Japan, stevia accounts for about 40 percent of the sweetener market.
- Brigitte Mars, A.H.G., The Desktop Guide to Herbal Medicine: The Ultimate Multidisciplinary Reference to the Amazing Realm of Healing Plants, in a Quick-study, One-stop Guide
6. STEVIA LEAF Latin: Stevia rebaudiana WHAT IT DOES: Stevia leaf is sweet in taste and neutral in action. It sweetens without adding calories. SAFETY ISSUES: Not known. Do not use in excess. [If you're using] drops or powder add to food and drink as a sweetener, to taste. Stevia leaf is a natural sweetener that comes from the rain forests in Paraguay and Brazil. Per weight gram, the purified white dried leaf extract of stevia is up to several hundred times as sweet as sugar-almost as sweet as saccharine.
- Alan Keith Tillotson, Ph.D., A.H.G., D.Ay., The One Earth Herbal Sourcebook: Everything You Need to Know About Chinese, Western, and Ayurvedic Herbal Treatments
7. Stevia is a herb that can be used as a powder extract or a liquid concentrate for varying levels of sweetness. Stevia may take a little getting used to, because sometimes it will have a slight aftertaste. Notably, stevia does not seem to trigger a rise in blood sugar and has become a popular alternative to artificial sweeteners.
- M.D. David Brownstein, The Guide to Healthy Eating
8. Unfortunately, stevia does produce an aftertaste that some find unpleasant. Preliminary studies in animal models show that stevia can lower blood glucose levels and blood pressure, two effects of prime importance in dealing with diabetes.
- Michael T. Murray, Beat Diabetes Naturally: The Best Foods, Herbs, Supplements, and Lifestyle Strategies to Optimize Your Diabetes Care
9. Technically, stevia is a dietary supplement because it has not been evaluated or approved by the FDA as a sweetener. Preliminary studies show that stevia may have blood sugar lowering and blood pressure lowering effects. It does exert a mild to unpleasant aftertaste.
- Michael T. Murray, Beat Diabetes Naturally: The Best Foods, Herbs, Supplements, and Lifestyle Strategies to Optimize Your Diabetes Care
10. It is almost calorie-free, does not promote tooth cavities since it cannot be ingested by most common bacteria, contains a nutritious array of vitamins and minerals, and has been noted to have benefits for diabetics and hypoglycemic. Stevia is approved as a food source in South and Central America, Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and China, and as such, is used as a sweetener in many food products. However, in the United States and Canada, probably due in large part to concerns raised by the sugar industry about potential competition, to date, stevia is approved only as a food supplement.
- Ron Garner, Conscious Health: A Complete Guide to Wellness Through Natural Means
Important Note: If you purchase stevia, make certain that it is a pure product. Maltodextrin is sometimes added to the lower-priced stevia products, but maltodextrin and maltose are the two carbohydrates that have the highest glycemic index of all: 150.
- Message of Ambassador of Paraguay in India, His Excellency Genaro Vicente Pappalardo to the Stevia Global Forum 2010 India.
Read on to learn more about this amazing herb, which originated abundantly in Paraguay and Brazil, but is now grown around the world.
1. About 30 times sweeter than sugar, dried stevia leaf contains no carbohydrates and so has no effect on the body’s insulin levels when ingested. Stevia has been shown to help equalize blood sugar levels raised by other sugars and starch consumed at the same time. Stevia, as you might expect, is quickly gaining popularity as a natural sugar substitute among those in pursuit of a leaner body. Improved digestion is another of stevia’s benefits. An excellent alternative to manufactured artificial sweeteners, stevia leaf is a whole food, just dried and ground into powder.
- Brendan Brazier, The Thrive Diet: The Whole Food Way to Lose Weight, Reduce Stress, and Stay Healthy for Life
2. Whole stevia leaf can be bought at health food stores or by mail order, or you can grow your own. Grind the whole leaf into a powder and add to food and teas for a sweet taste. You can also buy water-extracted stevia in liquid form from your local health food store in the supplements section. Avoid alcohol-extracted and refined forms of stevia. Unrefined stevia is dark green in color.
- Gabriel Cousens, There Is a Cure for Diabetes: The Tree of Life 21-Day+ Program
3. The natural stevia leaf also has been found to be nontoxic and has no mutagenic activity. Studies conflict as to the effect of stevia leaf on fertility. The majority of clinical studies show stevia leaf to have no effect on fertility in both males and females. In one study, however, a water extract of the leaf was shown to reduce testosterone levels and sperm count in male rats. Brazilian scientists recorded stevioside’s ability to lower systemic blood pressure in rats in 1991.
- Leslie Taylor, ND, The Healing Power of Rainforest Herbs: A Guide to Understanding and Using Herbal Medicinal
4. An excellent alternative to manufactured artificial sweeteners, stevia leaf is a whole food, just dried and ground into powder. Its ability to help regulate blood sugar levels is important for sustained energy. I even add stevia to my sport drink to improve its effectiveness.
- Brendan Brazier, The Thrive Diet: The Whole Food Way to Lose Weight, Reduce Stress, and Stay Healthy for Life
5. Stevia has been used as a natural sweetener for centuries in South America, especially by the Guarani Indians. Stevia is safe for those with Candida, helps control sugar cravings, and does not disrupt blood sugar levels. Its flavor comes on slower than that of sugar, and some say it has a licorice aftertaste. In Japan, stevia accounts for about 40 percent of the sweetener market.
- Brigitte Mars, A.H.G., The Desktop Guide to Herbal Medicine: The Ultimate Multidisciplinary Reference to the Amazing Realm of Healing Plants, in a Quick-study, One-stop Guide
6. STEVIA LEAF Latin: Stevia rebaudiana WHAT IT DOES: Stevia leaf is sweet in taste and neutral in action. It sweetens without adding calories. SAFETY ISSUES: Not known. Do not use in excess. [If you're using] drops or powder add to food and drink as a sweetener, to taste. Stevia leaf is a natural sweetener that comes from the rain forests in Paraguay and Brazil. Per weight gram, the purified white dried leaf extract of stevia is up to several hundred times as sweet as sugar-almost as sweet as saccharine.
- Alan Keith Tillotson, Ph.D., A.H.G., D.Ay., The One Earth Herbal Sourcebook: Everything You Need to Know About Chinese, Western, and Ayurvedic Herbal Treatments
7. Stevia is a herb that can be used as a powder extract or a liquid concentrate for varying levels of sweetness. Stevia may take a little getting used to, because sometimes it will have a slight aftertaste. Notably, stevia does not seem to trigger a rise in blood sugar and has become a popular alternative to artificial sweeteners.
- M.D. David Brownstein, The Guide to Healthy Eating
8. Unfortunately, stevia does produce an aftertaste that some find unpleasant. Preliminary studies in animal models show that stevia can lower blood glucose levels and blood pressure, two effects of prime importance in dealing with diabetes.
- Michael T. Murray, Beat Diabetes Naturally: The Best Foods, Herbs, Supplements, and Lifestyle Strategies to Optimize Your Diabetes Care
9. Technically, stevia is a dietary supplement because it has not been evaluated or approved by the FDA as a sweetener. Preliminary studies show that stevia may have blood sugar lowering and blood pressure lowering effects. It does exert a mild to unpleasant aftertaste.
- Michael T. Murray, Beat Diabetes Naturally: The Best Foods, Herbs, Supplements, and Lifestyle Strategies to Optimize Your Diabetes Care
10. It is almost calorie-free, does not promote tooth cavities since it cannot be ingested by most common bacteria, contains a nutritious array of vitamins and minerals, and has been noted to have benefits for diabetics and hypoglycemic. Stevia is approved as a food source in South and Central America, Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and China, and as such, is used as a sweetener in many food products. However, in the United States and Canada, probably due in large part to concerns raised by the sugar industry about potential competition, to date, stevia is approved only as a food supplement.
- Ron Garner, Conscious Health: A Complete Guide to Wellness Through Natural Means
Important Note: If you purchase stevia, make certain that it is a pure product. Maltodextrin is sometimes added to the lower-priced stevia products, but maltodextrin and maltose are the two carbohydrates that have the highest glycemic index of all: 150.
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