Stevia
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Anti-inflammatory/Joint Health
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Stevia Sweeten your health and life with Stevia. While aspartame, acetyl sulfame potassium (aceK), and saccharin continue to dominate the non-caloric sweetener scene, a remarkable natural sweetener, and herb called stevia, remains relatively unknown. For individuals with blood-sugar disorders (like diabetes) or those concerned with caloric intake, stevia represents a valuable dietary supplement. Available Products from Stevita Stevia
History The historical archives of the Paraguayan government indicate that the first Spanish explorers to visit the natural habitat of the plant in the early 1500s reported back to Spain the existence of the Stevia plant. They described it for its very sweet taste and that the indigenous population used its leaves to sweeten their beverages, medications and foods. In 1887, a Swiss naturalist, Moises Bertoni, for the first time attempted to classify the plant by observing that the plant had some affinity to the Stevia genus. A few years later Bertoni introduced the plant to Dr. Ovidio Ribaudi, a Paraguayan chemist, who began studying the chemical properties of the plant. The description of the plant, its properties, its habitat and the results of the first studies performed by Bertoni and Ribaudi were published in England by the Kew Bulletin (Gosling) in 1902. In 1905, the International Botanical Association named the plant Stevia Rebaudinana Bertoni, in honor of these two researchers.
Frequently Asked Questions: 1. What is Stevia? The Stevia Rebaudiana Bertoni, as this variety is known, is a perennial plant of the Compositae family. It is native of the highlands of central southeast South America covering portions of Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina. Currently it is cultivated throughout the world. In Paraguay and Brazil Stevia has been used for centuries as a traditional medicine for diabetics and also as a source of sweetness. 2. What are Steviosides? Steviosides is a term used to describe the active principles (glycosides) present primarily in the leaves of the plant that produces its distinctive highly intensive sweetness. 3. What is Erythritol? Erythritol is an all-natural low calorie bulk agent, developed in Europe to help in the formulation of various products. It is a natural crystal granulated filler from fruits and vegetables. Unlike other fillers, it is easily digested, dissolves quickly, is safe for diabetics, promotes healthy teeth, and has a caloric value near zero (0.2kcal/g) per serving. It naturally has no carbohydrates, a high digestive tolerance, is rapidly and easily absorbed by the small intestine, does not affect blood glucose and insulin levels, and is non-Cariogenic. Uses of Steviosides in Foods There are more than 100 products in the Brazilian market containing the stevia extracts. Some of these products are:
Products containing stevia in Japan include:
Taste of Stevia How does the taste of Stevita Stevia compare to other sweeteners? The steviosides in their pure forms have a characteristic clean, intensive sweet taste with a mild herbal after-taste. When blended with other products, however, it exhibits synergistic effects and often enhances the flavor of the other products.
Safety of Stevia Safety Studies There are more than 200 scientific papers covering the safety aspects of the stevia products. According to some of the critics of stevia, the findings in some of these papers raise concern about the safety of this plant. The following text is a review of these issues, the conclusions of which support that stevia and stevia extracts are safe for human consumption. A. Toxicity The acute and sub-acute toxicity of steviosides has been extensively investigated. In one particular study, the steviosides have been tested for acute, sub-acute and chronic toxicity test in rodents, over a period of 22 months with male rats and 24 months with female rats. (Ako Yamada et. al.). This extensive investigation revealed no significant dose-related changes in the growth, general appearance, hematological and blood biochemical findings, organ weights and macroscopic and microscopic observations as the result of feeding these rats with steviosides up to 1% of their daily food intake for up to two years. B. Fertility It has been claimed that the stevia leaves or its products are used as contraceptive. The fact that the rural inhabitants of the stevia growing areas of Brazil and Paraguay, who are the heaviest drinkers of Terere and Chimarrao teas (up to 10 cups per day) and have the largest average family sizes, does not support the contraceptive suggestion. Furthermore, three studies with rats, by different researchers, showed no effect on the reproductive capacity of the rats when they were fed daily doses of steviosides. Prof. Mauro Alvarez, a renowned scientist and author of several published studies on the safety of stevia, found flaws on these studies. He concludes by saying that the use of stevia or its extracts for contraception is pure folk lore. C. Mutagenicity Stevia extracts have been extensively tested for their mutagenic activity. By using various strains of Salmonella typhimurium or E. coli either in the presence or absence of activating systems, one or more of these substances have been reported as non-mutagenic in laboratory tests in Brazil, Japan and the United States. D. Other Safety Studies Scientific studies have been carried out in the several major safety categories. These studies show no dose-related abnormalities that are significant from a safety standpoint and thus are supportive of the safety of stevia for human consumption reinforced by the safety data accumulated during all these years of usage by humans.
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This page was last modified on Wednesday July 16, 2008 |
