All About Stevia

If you are hypoglycemic, a diabetic, on a low-carb diet, or a mood swinger you should download this PDF to learn more about Stevia. It is a non- caloric, truly natural sugar substitute made from the Stevia plant found mostly in South and Central America. Its extracts have up to 300 times the sweetness of sugar. That means you would use less of it to satisfy more for the taste buds.

It seems rather peculiar that the FDA has not approved it's use in products and only allow it to be sold as a "dietary supplement". It has been used for centuries as a sweetner and as a healing tea in Brazil and Paraguay. Today, stevia is most used in Japan where it is also included in Coca Cola! and for table use. There is reason to believe this might be a feeble attempt by the FDA to keep it off the market thus enabling the chemically produced Aspartame and Saccharin to dominate as sugar substitutes King and Queen. Naughty!

Forms of Stevia:

Stevia  is available in several forms, the less refined being the most healthful. It can  be purchased in dried leaf form, Stevia leaf powder, tea, or as a liquid tincture,  extract, or concentrate. The leaves and powder are light to medium green and are  not water-soluble. Stevia in this form is approximately 15 to 30 times sweeter  than common table sugar (sucrose). The liquid forms made from the whole leaf are  very dark in color, dark brown to almost black, and come in different purities  and strengths depending on the type and manufacturer. Read labels; additives are  sometimes used in these products, and some are made with alcohol, some with water.  Recently whole leaf Stevia has become available in tablet form, which provides  a convenient means of supplementation when at work, traveling, and the like.*

So where can we find a dependable source for Stevia? The best reviews are for the following products:

This is from the Amazon Herb Company, a bit pricey at $13.00 for 1 Oz. 2 drops are as sweet as 1 teaspoon of sugar. Good for tea, coffee, cooking, baking. About 360 servings per bottle.

From the SweetLeaf Company, Stevia Extract White Powder 25g for $13.98. Use a small amount in place of sugar for baking and cooking. 25 grams comparable to 17 pounds of sugar.

 

Also from SweetLeaf SteviaPlus Price:$6.99 for 50 Packets. One packet is as sweet as two teaspoons of sugar.

And from Body Ecology Stevia liquid concentrate. 2 oz. $19.95

It is nice to know that a good source of Stevia has no saccharin, aspartame, refined sugar, maltodextrin, fructose, or artificial sweeteners of any kind. So if you are a sugar adder, baker, diabetic or a typical PMS'er you should give Stevia a try:)

Stevia FAQ

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Comments

[flutter]

this makes my little diabetic heart so happy. Have you used it to bake with, before? Also do you know what the effects of Stevia are on bloodsugar levels?

[Briana]

Flutter:)
This is a really good link with a FAQ all about Stevia. It even has a conversion chart to use in cooking or baking. I highly recommend it:)
http://www.thebetterhealthstore.com/SteviaFAQ.html

P.S. I know that color/browning is an issue when cooking/baking with some stevia products. Some tend to have a licorice like aftertaste which may take some getting used to. I want to find the best Stevia product and when I do, I will be sure to let ya know more about it.

[bobby]

Thanks for the research info, it was very helpful! I've read a lot about the relationship between insulin resistance and stevia as well and came up with similar results. It seems to be a very safe and healthy alternative. I was very skeptical about using Stevia. I refuse to use artificial sweeteners and was searching for a healthier, natural alternative to sugar. I have researched Stevia and apparently Stevia-based sweeteners have been used in Japan since the 1970s – ever since that country banned artificial sweeteners. To this date, after being used by tens of millions of people for more than 40 years, there has not been a single consumer complaint about Stevia.

I have been using the Sweetleaf brand for several months now and absolutely love it! You can now purchase it at any Whole Foods store.

SweetLeaf can be used in hot drinks, cold drinks, is great on cereal, brings out the delicious flavors in fruits, can be used in cooking and baking, makes great-tasting desserts and is incredible in smoothies and blended drinks.

This is my favorite Stevia recipe. Enjoy!

Apple Crisp
8 servings

Ingredients
- 7 to 8 cups chopped apples (peeling is optional)
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp SweetLeaf Stevia Extract Powder
- 2 tbsp whole wheat flour
- 3 tbsp natural peanut butter (optional)
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2/3 cup apple juice or blend

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 x 13" baking dish. Place the apples in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the lemon juice. Mix the vanilla, Stevia extract, flour, peanut butter (if using), cinnamon, and salt into the apples. Pour the fruit juice into the bottom of the dish. Spoon in the apple mixture. Spread the topping (recipe below) over the apples so it is evenly distributed. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour. If the topping gets done before the apples, cover pan with foil the last 15 minutes of baking.

Topping

Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 2/3 cup chopped nuts and seeds
- 1/4 tsp SweetLeaf Stevia Extract Powder
- 3/4 tsp SweetLeaf Stevia Concentrate
- 2 tablespoons oil

Mix the oats, chopped nuts and seeds, Stevia extract, and Stevia concentrate together in a bowl. Sprinkle and stir in the oil.

(Excerpted with permission from "Stevia: naturally sweet recipes for desserts, drinks and more!" by Rita DePuydt - Book Publishing Co.)

[nick cole]

I think this is a very healthy and really natural when it comes to the benefits that it can give. Thanks for the post!

[cyberbrook]

I use stevia all the time, and have for years, and love it!