Stevia : A Healthier Sweetener

Stevia is a popular sugar substitute derived from the leaves of Stevia rebaudiana, a shrub that grows in the tropical and subtropical regions of Central and South America. Several of the chemical compounds derived from stevia plant leaves are natural sweeteners, however, only one of these compounds is FDA-approved for use in foods: rebaudioside-A. In the US, rebaudioside-A is what people commonly referred to as simply "stevia." Other compounds found in the leaves are approved for use in herbal supplements. The two main advantages of using stevia are that it has fewer calories than sugar, and that it is much safer than other sugar substitutes.

Since stevia first became available to US consumers, more and more people have chosen it as a replacement for sugar, Equal (TM), and Sweet 'n Low (TM). Many consumer advocacy groups warn people against using aspartame (used in Equal) and saccharine (used in Sweet n' Low) as artificial sweeteners, citing their carcinogenic properties. Stevia, however, is regarded as uncommonly safe.

Animal studies on stevia show that it can reduce hypertension and increase sensitivity to insulin. This latter finding makes stevia an ideal choice for diabetics. Though stevia has been available in the US for only a short time, it has been used in Japan since 1970. In 40 years, Japanese scientists have found no adverse health effects from long-term consumption of stevia.

As far as taste is concerned, stevia is 250 times sweeter than sugar. Less stevia is needed to achieve the same level of sweetness as sugar. Stevia itself has virtually no calories, thus, foods made from stevia instead of sugar are much lower in calories. Stevia is an excellent sweetener for soft drinks and uncooked desserts.

Stevia is a heat-stable compound, so it can be used safely in cooked desserts, as well as uncooked. However, the chemical properties of stevia are different from those of sugar, so it isn't suitable for a chemical process such as caramelization. For example, you can't make a caramel sauce from scratch using stevia in place of sugar.