Stevia Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni)

About: Stevia is a herbal sweetener that is good for you, stevia leaf adds no calories, and has no harmful side effects. The sweet leaves of this plant are a pleasant and guilt free alternative to sugar. The active photochemical in stevia leaves, stevioside, is at least one hundred times sweeter than sugar, the exact amount varies from leaf to leaf and plant to plant. There have been some studies, mostly animal, that suggest that stevia may be able to lower blood sugar and has a place in the prevention and treatment of type II diabetes¹. Stevia's value for anyone wishing to cut down on calories from sugar as part of a healthy diet is unquestionable.

If this all sounds too good to be true, it is, stevia has a downside in the slightly bitter, licorice-like aftertaste. This is especially pronounced when you use liquid stevia extract, or powdered crystals. You can tell by the clear color of these extracts that a lot of processing has gone on, and it is a safe bet that nutrients and health benefits have been lost in the changes, along with stevia's natural green color. The best stevia I ever tasted was from a plant I grew on the patio one summer. Using the whole, fresh or dried leaf gives the best flavor to herbal teas, the taste is milder, sweeter, and the whole herb retains the complete range of medicinal properties. The downside is that use of the whole leaves is pretty much limited to flavoring teas, you can't use whole stevia leaves in baking for instance, or carry a handy bottle with you for work or travel.

Stevia can work as a complete sugar replacement, but you need to have dried leaves, crystals, and liquid extracts on hand, and in a perfect world a few stevia plants as well.