Stevia is derived from the herbaceous perennial Stevia rebaudiana which is native to rainforest areas of Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, and Paraguay. The indigenous Guarani people of Paraguay have used the leaf for almost two thousand years as a natural sweetener and also as a way of disguising the taste of unpalatable medicines. This practice was followed by European colonists as they progressively settled throughout South America in the 1700s and 1800s.

Two compounds, stevioside and rebaudioside, are responsible for the intense sweetness of Stevia, which is up to three hundred times sweeter than sugar. For this reason Stevia is a valuable alternative, not only to sugar, but also to artificial sweeteners such as aspartame (Nutrasweet) and saccharin. Stevia has been used extensively in Japan since the 1970’s where consumers embrace the compound as a way of avoiding introduced chemicals into their diet.

So successful has Stevia become in the Asian market that in Japan alone it represents 40% of the non-sugar sweetener market and is now used extensively in Israel, Korea, Thailand and China, as well as in its traditional South American environment.

Apart from its obvious use as a means of weight control, Stevia may be a useful aid in controlling blood sugar levels, a property beneficial to diabetics, hypoglycemics and dieters alike. It contains no calories, nor does the body respond to it as it does to a carbohydrate such as sugar; hence Stevia is of immense value in assisting with weight management.

It also remains stable when exposed to heat and is therefore suitable for use in cooking. In addition, Stevia does not cause tooth decay, a well-known and unwanted side effect of sugar.

Some studies indicate that Stevia can dilate blood vessels, thus improving blood flow and reducing blood pressure. There is also evidence that it possesses antibacterial and antiviral properties.

There are no known side effects associated with the intake of Stevia, either historically in South American countries, or more recently, from Asian consumers. Interestingly, artificial sugar substitutes, such as aspartame, account for substantial numbers of food additive-related complaints in the US alone.

Label Information And Ingredients:

Stevia Extract Liquid (2 fl. oz.)

Suggested Use:

As a dietary supplement, adults use five (5) drops or as needed.

Serving Size: 0.15 ml

Supplemental Facts: (per serving)

Stevia Leaf Extract (Stevia rebaudiana) (Standardized to 90%(38.7mg) steviosides) *

Caution: Keep out of reach of children.