The latest low-calorie sweetener to appear on market shelves is stevia, derived from the South American plant of the same name. Also known as sweet leaf or sugar leaf, stevia contains a chemical called stevioside, which gives it a sweet taste, as much as 300 times more than table sugar, according to Rutgers University. While stevia products are now more widely available, you can grow the plant itself at home and use the fresh leaves to sweeten foods and beverages.
Step 1
Pick the fresh leaves of the stevia plant, crush them and immediately add them to the food or drink you want to sweeten. Sweeten to taste. Remember stevia is much sweeter than sugar, so be conservative.
Step 2
Dry the leaves to increase the sweetness of the stevia plant. Cut the plant stems when they are from 24 to 36 inches tall. Bundle the stems, tie them together with string, hang them up and allow them to dry for about a week. After the plants are dried, rake the leaves from the stems with your fingers into a large plastic bowl.
Step 3
Place the leaves in an electric coffee or herb grinder and grind them to release the sweetness of the stevia plant. Store the ground stevia leaves in an airtight container to preserve freshness.
Step 4
Make an extract from the ground stevia leaves by adding about 1/4 cup of the dried leaves to 1 cup of warm water. Steep the leaves overnight. Filter the extract through a coffee filter the next day. Refrigerate the extract to keep it fresh.
Step 5
Add either the ground leaves or the extract of the stevia plant to your foods or drink to sweeten them to taste.
Tips and Warnings
- According to the University of Nebraska, when cooking with stevia, use the exact amount called for in the recipe. More than that amount can impart a bitter taste to foods.
Things You'll Need
- String
- Plastic bowl
- Coffee or herb grinder
- Funnel
- Coffee filter
- Plastic container
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