Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Stevia - An Herb With Natural Sweetness!

Stevia is an herb from the species of herbs and shrubs in the sunflower family. It is native to the subtropical and tropical regions from western North America to South America. A natural scientist named Antonio Bertoni, first recorded its usage by native tribes in 1887. It has a record of centuries of safe use by indians in Paraguay. It is 300 times sweeter than sugar. Medical research has also shown possible benefits of stevia in treating obesity and high blood pressure. Because stevia has negligible effects on blood glucose, it is attractive as a natural sweetner to people on carbohydrate-controlled diets, like diabetes. The availability of stevia varies from country to country. In a few countries, it has been available for decades or centuries; for example, stevia is widely used as a sweetener in Japan where it has been available for decades. In some countries, health concerns and political controversies have limited its availability; for example, the Unites States banned stevia in the early 1990's unless labeled as a supplment, but in 2008 approved rebaudioside-A extract as a food additive. Stevia occurs naturally, requiring no patent to produce it, therefore the government can really seek to gain nothing by employing its use more often. It is a perfectly safe sweetener and has been proven so for many centuries. There is somewhat of an aftertaste which one can grow accustomed to and if used in larger quantities is can be bitter tasting. However in the right amount it can add a pleasant sweetness to drinks and desserts without affecting your health in a negative way.

No comments:

Post a Comment