STEVIA

Alternate Names: Sweet Leaf, Sweet Herb, Honey Leaf

Parts Used: Above ground portion.

Properties: Antibacterial, Diuretic, Hypoglycemic, Tonic.

Internal Uses: Dental Decay, Fatigue, Hypertension, Obesity

Internal Applications: Tea, Tincture, Capsules.

The herb relieves both mental and physical fatigue. It actually inhibits dental decay as opposed to sugar, which contributes to it. It also only has 1/300th the amount of calories contained in sugar. Safe for those with candida and helps to control sugar cravings.

Culinary uses: Used to sweeten tea, low calorie foods, yogurt, pickles, baked goods and cereal. Unlike many chemical sweeteners, Stevia's flavor is stable when heated. It can be used instead of sugar to can fruits. In Japan, Stevia is used to sweeten pickles, dried seafood, gum and ice cream.

Energetics: Sweet.

Chemical Constituents: Diterpene glycoside stevioside (which is 150 to 250 times sweeter than sugar), rebaudioside, chromium.

Comments: Stevia was named after the Spanish botanist P.J. Esteve (1500's). This plant is native to Paraguay and Brazil and has been used as a natural sweetener for centuries in South America, especially by the Guarani Indians in Paraguay. In Japan, Stevia was approved as a sweetening agent in 1970 and makes up about 40% of the sweetening market.

-- Phil in KS (pemccoy@yahoo.com), February 27, 2002

Answers

Now this is information I like to read. Do you have pictures that could be added so that those of us who are ignorant will know what these herbs look like? Mike

-- Mike (uyk7@hotmail.com), February 27, 2002.

Thanks Mike! This isn't the greatest picture, but it's the best I could find on short notice!

Here's a good website or two, too!

http://www.stevia.net

http://www.raysahelian.c om/stevia.html

-- Phil in KS (pigfarmerphil@yahoo.com), February 27, 2002.

thanks, i have heard bits and pieces andwas wondering about this plant but it was one of those things that you just cant remember when you have a search engine in front of ya

-- Mike in KS (mhonk@kscable.com), February 27, 2002.

Hi All,I raise them-I think they are the greatest thing since white sugar :>) Daryll http://www.localharvest.org/listing.jsp?id=3937

-- Daryll in NW FLA (twincrk@hotmail.com), February 27, 2002.

Daryll, do you still have stevia seed?? I got distracted with my daughter and her premature labor etc. and never sent the money. You got any left??

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), February 27, 2002.

Hi Diane, Sure do. Daryll

-- Daryll in NW FLA (twincrk@hotmail.com), February 27, 2002.