Stevia

Species name:  Asteraceae.

Also known as: sweetleaf, sweet leaf or sugarleaf.

If you are looking for a great alternative to sugar, then Stevia may be just the answer to all of your needs. It has been said to be 300 times sweeter than sugar. Can you believe that? You may be thinking that something this sweet would be bad for you but stevia doesn’t have the negative side effects that sugar has.

What is Stevia: Stevia is an herb with as sweet flavor that many people have used as a sugar substitute. It is also one that has caused great controversy in the United States. Since the passage of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), stevia can be sold legally in the United States. However, it is only approved as a "dietary supplement."  Even so, it can be found in many forms in most health-food stores, and is also incorporated into drinks, teas and other items (all labeled as "dietary supplements").  It cannot, however, be called a "sweetener" or even referred to as "sweet” in advertising. There is still today both a health and political controversy over stevia and its safety.

Home Remedies using Stevia:

Benefits of Stevia:

Do you know what the benefits are to Stevia? There are many benefits to Stevia in addition to its great taste. Stevia is a natural, sweet-tasting plant with no calories used around the world for its pleasant taste, as well as for its increasingly researched potential for inhibiting fat absorption and lowering blood pressure. Stevia does not cause cavities, it is safe for children, is appropriate for diabetics, blends easily with other sweeteners such as honey and is a great alternative to synthetic sweeteners that may not have very good flavor.

From all this, you may be wondering why you haven’t tried Stevia sooner. These are just a few of the reasons why you might consider using Stevia with your drinks and meals. In the United States, Stevia is marketed as a dietary supplement and not as a sweetener or sugar alternative. You will have to look for it where you purchase other herbs and natural medicines.

Uses of Stevia:

  • As a sugar substitute
  • Lower blood pressure
  • As a food and drink sweetener
  • Extract
  • Concentrate
  • Dried leaf form

Side Effects of Stevia:

Much of the scientific data points to the fact there are no side effects from using Stevia.