Native to Paraguay but cultivated in other parts of the world, stevia, or Stevia rebaudiana, is a shrubby perennial that has an intensely sweet taste. Stevia is available in dried leaf form in bulk or in herbal tea blends. It is an ingredient used to sweeten diet colas and other food products where the use of sugar is not desirable. While stevia is sold mainly as a sweetener in the United States, it may have other health effects that not documented by clinical studies. Your doctor is the best source of advice for determining if stevia is safe for you.
The Stevia Herb
According to the "PDR for Herbal Medicines," all parts of the stevia plant are sweet, due to the presence of stevioside. The herb also contains glycosides, rebaudoside, volatile oils and flavonoids that may have an effect on glucose levels and blood pressure, although clinical studies are necessary to confirm these activities. In Paraguay, stevia is used traditionally as a treatment for diabetes and a contraceptive, but there are no studies supporting stevia for these uses.
Products
Stevia is one of a number of alternative sweeteners used in sugar-free candies, cookies and colas, but you may also purchase stevia in liquid or powdered form to sweeten tea and other foods. Consuming refined stevia in food products is apparently safe, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Recommended Use
Blend stevia leaves with other herbs to prepare a sweetened herbal tea or stir 1 to 2 tsp. of refined stevia powder into a cup of tea or sprinkle it on top of a bowl of cereal as a no-calorie sweetener. You may use stevia and stevioside extracts in cooking; follow the conversion rate on the stevia package to replace sugar in your recipe. Stevia does not caramelize as sugar does, however.
Considerations
According to "Leung's Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients," stevia is nontoxic and is safe for use as a sweetener. Claims of hypoglycemic benefits are not supported by clinical evidence, but stevia may have weak antimicrobial properties. Some stevia users report a mild aftertaste from consuming food products sweetened with stevia.
References
- "Leung's Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients"; Ikhlas A. Khan; 2010
- "PDR for Herbal Medicines, 2nd Edition"; Joerg Gruenwald, Ph.D.; 2000
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Has Stevia Been Approved by FDA to be Used as a Sweetener? December 30, 2009
- Stevia.com; FAQs; David Richard
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