Stevia

Scientific Name(s): Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni. Asteraceae (daisies)
Common Name(s): Stevia , rebiana , sweet leaf of Paraguay , sweetleaf , sweetherb , honey leaf , candy leaf , honey yerba , caa-he-é , ca-a-yupi , eira-caa , capim doce , Truvia ,

Stevia is a bushy herb with an extremely sweet flavor. It is a great substitute for table sugar, and can be used to sweeten herb tea mixes.

Uses:

Stevia also contains certain vitamins (A, B, C), minerals (iron, zinc, and calcium), electrolytes (sodium, potassium), proteins, and other elements.

It can aslo be used by grinding , having it made in dusty form, make it dry then use it as per your requirement. [raw use]

Stevia is a delicious alternative to table sugar. It is often said to be up to 300 times sweeter than sugar, making it measurable by the drop or pinch, vs Tablespoon or cup. Stevia is very easy to grow. It is becoming more popular in mainstream gardening, and can be found in large garden retailers as well as at small greenhouse growers and herb catalogs. Stevia can easily be brought into an indoor herb garden, and does very well. Grow stevia in full sun, watering profusely. It does grow well enough in dry soil, but for the largest and most leafy plant, water often.To use stevia, dry the harvested leaves until they crumble easily. Use a light hand and add these leaves as an ingredient in your herb tea mixtures. You can also powder the leaf and add it to your drinks. There are some recipe books that allow for stevia as the sweetener, but remember that with the concentrated taste, you will need to find replacement for the bulk of the sugar part of the recipe, as you will replace the larger table sugar portion with no more than 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of stevia powder.

Stevia is a word both for a plant and for a sweetener extracted from the leaves of that plant. Stevia has been grown and used in South America for centuries, and it spread to the rest of the world during the 18th century, when people first began taking the product with them to Europe in large volumes.

In the early 1900s, stevia exploded into popularity in several markets, but the rest of the 20th century was accompanied by vicious battles over it around the world. Some people hail the extract as a healthy all natural alternatives to sugar, while others have health concerns about it, on the basis of laboratory research which suggests the need for further study.
The stevia plant is a perennial shrub native to Paraguay and Brazil. Native Americans in these regions realized that the leaves were sweet, and used them to season teas and other foods. The plant is also sometimes called sweetleaf or sugarleaf, in a reference to the natural sweetness held in the leaves. As Europeans began to explore the foods consumed by Native Americans, they were introduced to stevia.

In the 1930s, chemists in France isolated stevioside, the compound in the leaves which is responsible for their sweetness. This compound is sometimes sold isolated from the leaves in a highly refined form. In other cases, stevia is made by crushing or distilling the leaves of the plant to form a powder or a syrup with an intensely sweet flavor.
It has been shown that stevia is much sweeter than other sugars, meaning that only a small amount needs to be used. The body also processes stevia very slowly, which greatly reduces the risk of a sugar high. In addition, stevia is essentially calorie free, which is why it is popular with dieters. Research also suggests that stevia may be safe for diabetics, although diabetics should always consult their doctors about additions to their diet which may alter their blood sugar.
Although stevia sounds like a miracle herb, scientific research may suggest otherwise. Some scientists are concerned that stevia may be a mutagen, meaning that it could cause cancer.Stevia has also been linked to reproductive malfunction. Some of these studies have been imperfectly performed, but the need for more thorough analysis of the compound has certainly been demonstrated. Proponents of stevia suggest that these studies may be part of a larger effort on the part of sugar companies to keep alternatives to sugar off the market, pointing out that stevia is widely used in South America and Asia with no noticeable ill effects. Given the argument over stevia, it would appear that more controlled studies are needed.

Used worldwide as an no-calorie herbal sweetener, Stevia is a South American herb that is 30 times sweeter than sugar. With hundreds of studies showing Stevia is a safe alternative, it’s the next big thing.
No wonder. It's all-natural, contains zero calories, and has a zero glycemic index. Finally, you can supplement your food and drinks without the chemicals of artificial sweeteners and calories of sugar!
And it is safe for diabetics and hypoglycemics.

Health Benefits and Therapeutic Uses:

There are numerous reasons to include Stevia in your diet.
No Harmful Side Effects - Stevia does not have any of the negative side effects that have been associated with artificial sweeteners such as aspartame.

Diabetes - Stevia is nurturing to the pancreas. It can be used by diabetics as a sweetener and also as a method for controlling blood sugar levels. Studies have shown that Stevia actually helps to regulate blood glucose levels in people with diabetes and hypoglycemia.

Hypertension - Studies have shown that Stevia lowers high blood pressure and does not affect regular blood pressure.

Teeth and Gums - Stevia will not cause cavities and actually helps to prevent them. It has antibacterial properties, inhibiting the growth of bacteria and other infectious organisms. Some manufacturers are adding Stevia to toothpaste and mouthwash.

Skin Care - Stevia can be applied to the skin to treat acne and other skin ailments. It has also been shown to protect against premature aging. A few drops of liquid Stevia extract can be placed directly in a cut to help quicken healing.

Digestion - Stevia has been shown to aid with digestion and soothe upset stomach.

Weight Loss - Stevia does not have any calories nor carbohydrates which makes it excellent as a weight-loss aid. Some reports suggest that Stevia can help to minimize the sensations of hunger and cravings for sweets or fatty foods.
Stevia for Exceptional Skin Care
Water based whole leaf Stevia concentrate offers several exceptional benefits when used regularly in skin care. When applied as a facial mask it effectively softens and tightens the skin, smoothes out wrinkles and helps to heal various skin blemishes including acne. One simply smoothes the dark liquid over the entire face, allowing it to dry for at least 30-60 minutes. As it dries you will feel the skin tightening. A drop of the concentrate may be applied directly on any blemish, acne outbreak, lip or mouth sore. People report success from applying Stevia to a variety of problem skin conditions. Stevia concentrate is also effective when used on seborrhea, dermatitis and eczema. Reports indicate that when a few drops of the concentrate are placed in cuts and scratches there is a more rapid healing of the wound without scarring. This will sting for 30-40 seconds followed by a significant lowering of pain. The concentrate is easily washed away with soap and warm water.

In Paraguayan experiments the Stevia concentrate was added to a unique native herbal soap made from edible oils extracted from the seeds and leaves of trees native to the Paraguayan rain forest. Marketed in the U.S. under the name Cream of Coco Hair & Body Shampoo, the soap blends well with the concentrate. Used together these two natural products help retard the graying process and retain natural hair color, eliminate dandruff and various scalp problems, and improve the health and luster of the hair. Many Americans today add the concentrate to this native soap or to their regular shampoo and report excellent results. Most people wash the hair first and then add Stevia concentrate to the second shampoo, allowing it to remain on the hair for a few minutes before rinsing.

Safety of Stevia

There has never been a complaint that Stevia, in any of its consumable forms, has caused any harmful side effects in the 1500 years of use in Paraguay and about 20 years in Japan. Scientists who have studied Stevia state that it is safe for human consumption.

Following extensive research Dr. Daniel Mowrey reported:

"More elaborate safety tests were performed by the Japanese during their evaluation of stevia as a possible sweetening agent. Few substances have ever yielded such consistently negative results in toxicity trials as have stevia. Almost every toxicity test imaginable has been performed on stevia extract [concentrate] or stevioside at one time or another. The results are always negative. No abnormalities in weight change, food intake, cell or membrane characteristics, enzyme and substrate utilization, or chromosome characteristics. No cancer, no birth defects, no acute and no chronic untoward effects. Nothing."

This brief review of the Stevia plant and its worldwide uses in no way constitutes an endorsement of such uses. At this time the FDA permits Stevia to be imported, labeled and sold only for its approved use as a dietary supplement and in skin Care. The information contained is provided for educational purposes only. Medical advice is neither implied nor intended. Please consult your health care professional for medical advice.