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Welcome to Ever Stevia
What is Stevia?
Stevia or "stevioside" is extracted from the Stevia
Rebaudiana a sweet herbal plant. It's also called honey
leaf. It was originally used by the South American from the Guarani
Paraguayan Indians few centuries ago, who used the herb to flavour bitter
tribal beverages.
The
Japanese began to study Stevia
in 1954.
Researchers found the extract
interesting, resulting in dozens of
well-designed studies of its safety,
chemistry and stability for use in
different food products. In the
1970s, the Japanese government
approved the plant, and food
manufacturers began using stevia
extracts to sweeten everything from
soft drinks, deserts,
candy,
pickles, dried foods,
pastries, pies, baking, jam, ice
cream, dried sea foods, soy sauce, fruit
juices, frozen deserts, chewing gum,
chocolate and
low-calorie food.
In addition to Japan,
other governments have approved stevia and stevioside,
including Asia, Brazil, China and South Korea.
The
amount of Stevioside in the Stevia leaf varies with climate, soil conditions, and time of harvest and can range
from 250 to 300 times sweeter than sugar.
Today, Stevia is
available in powder, liquid, pills
and capsules form.
It can be used to replace sugar in a
variety of baking and cooking
situations in a ratio of 50:1 (sugar:Stevia).
However, the decrease in volume must
be accounted for by adding a bulking
agent. Stevia is extremely heat
stable, does not contribute to
browning effects, is non-fermentable
and is compatible with dairy
products as well as acidic fruits.
In addition,
Stevia may aid in losing or managing
weight as it contains no calories,
is not metabolized by the body, and
reduces cravings for sweets and
fatty foods. Stevia may be ideal for
diabetics, as it does not cause the
same rapid increase in blood glucose
levels that sugar and ordinary
carbohydrates do. Its mild
anti-bacterial activity may make it
effective against gum disease, sore
throats and inhibits plaque and
cavities.
Stevia is approved
for use in ten countries including
Japan, Brazil and Paraguay. In
Canada, ground or powdered forms of
the Stevia herb may be added to food
products and may be distributed for
food use. However, extracts and
other concentrated forms are not
approved as a food additive. In the
U.S., Stevia is not of GRAS
(Generally Recognized as Safe)
status and has gone to market only
as a dietary supplement.
Primary
Applications of Stevia:
Diabetes,
Hypoglycemia, Obesity, Indigestion,
Plaque retardant, Dental Health,
Hyperactivity,Yeast infections,
Hypertension treatment and Blood
Pressure control, Oral Health, Carbohydrate
Cravings, Skin Toning And Healing -
eczema and acne control,
Tobacco and Alcohol enhancer.
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