Stevia extract is a natural, calorie-free sweetener derived from the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana plant. It is up to 300 times sweeter than sugar and is used as an alternative sweetener in baked goods, desserts, and other culinary dishes. It is increasingly popular in the Western diet, but conclusive studies on its safety have not yet been conducted.
Stevia extract is a sugar-free, plant-based sweetener. It is used in place of sugar and artificial sweeteners and is promoted as a healthy sugar substitute. Stevia has a long history of use in its native range in South America and is becoming increasingly popular in the modern Western diet.
Stevia extract is derived from the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana plant species, native to Paraguay and Brazil and a member of the Asteraceae family. Traditional cultures have used the crushed and boiled leaves of the stevia plant to sweeten their mate tea. The stevia plant used as a sweetener grows wild in Paraguay and Brazil and is cultivated in its native range and in other countries such as Japan, China, Mexico, and parts of the United States. Stevia rebaudiana is the only member of the Asteraceae family that has the compounds that make the leaves sweet.
Stevia extract, in its natural state, is said to be 10 to 15 times sweeter than regular sugar. The fresh leaves or a green powder made from the ground leaves is stevia in its natural form. Refined stevia powder is white in color. When refined, stevia is up to 300 times sweeter than sugar. The intensely sweet flavor of pure stevia extract is often diluted to make it more useful as a sweetener.
Stevia also has no calories. The sweet taste of stevia extract comes from the stevioside molecule. Stevioside is a glycoside that is present in the leaves of the plant. When consumed, stevioside passes through the body unchanged.
Stevia can be used to replace regular sugar and artificial sweeteners in baked goods, desserts, and other culinary dishes. People who want to avoid calories or sugar for health reasons often use stevia as an alternative sweetener. Stevia is increasingly appearing alongside sugar in cafeterias, in health food products, and also in health food stores.
Diabetics often use stevia extract because, as a sweetener, it does not raise blood sugar. Although stevia is often considered a suitable alternative sweetener for diabetics, conclusive studies on the safety of the substance have not yet been conducted. People with a medical condition should consult a doctor before using stevia.
Calorie free and natural does not automatically mean safe. Unrefined stevia has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a dietary supplement, but refined forms as a sweetener are not yet approved as a food additive. Still, stevia is widely used in the United States, Europe, and Japan as a natural, alternative, zero-calorie sweetener.
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