Stevia is a natural herbal sweetener that comes from the leaves of a plant called Stevia rebaudiana. Since the body is unable to metabolize the sugars from the stevia plant, stevia has no calories. This makes it a popular choice for sugar substitution. Stevia is available as a powder or a liquid extract. While the powder is thought to be roughly 30 times more sweet than regular sugar, the liquid is roughly 200 to 300 times sweeter than regular sugar. Using stevia in place of regular sugar is simple. It requires using small amounts of stevia and replacing the bulk lost from the sugar removal.
Step 1
Measure 1 tsp. of liquid stevia for every cup of sugar in the recipe, and use this in place of the sugar .
Step 2
Fill a dropper with liquid stevia to use for recipes requiring less than a 1/4 cup of sugar. Add one drop of stevia, taste for sweetness, and add additional drops as necessary to achieve desired sweetness. On average, 1 tsp. of sugar is equivalent to 2 to 3 drops of liquid stevia.
Step 3
Measure 1/3 cup of a replacement liquid for every 1 cup of sugar you have omitted, and add this to your recipe. Choose a replacement liquid appropriate for that recipe. In a recipe for banana bread, for example, instead of using 1 cup sugar you would use 1 tsp liquid stevia plus 1/3 cup banana puree, applesauce, milk, or water.
Tips and Warnings
- Stevia is also available in a powdered form, which is much less sweet than the liquid form. For recipes with small amounts of sugar, it may be easier to use the powdered stevia instead of the liquid. Stevia should only be heated up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, so choose recipes which do not exceed this temperature.
- After being labeled an unsafe food additive by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1991, in 2008, the FDA granted GRAS, or "generally regarded as safe", approval to a form of stevia known as rebaudioside-A. Consult with your physician prior to taking this food additive.
Things You'll Need
- Measuring spoons
- Dropper
- Liquid stevia
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