Interesting facts about the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana plant

The versatile Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni plant from South America offers consumers and diabetics a new natural sweetening option. It is becoming increasingly popular not only for use in the kitchen, but also in cosmetics and dental care. The benefits of the sweet ingredients in Stevia leaves are causing a rethink among many people around the world who want to consume less sugar. Stevia leaves with their natural sweetening power are not only low in calories, tooth-friendly and have many other valuable properties that can be particularly helpful for people suffering from diabetes or obesity.

The Stevia plant is native to South America, particularly Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil. There, Stevia leaves have been used for centuries by the local population in a variety of ways, not only to sweeten mate tea, but also in medicine. The Stevia plants are mainly grown in farmers' cooperatives, often harvested by hand and gently air-dried. They are therefore free from artificial additives and guarantee the best quality. In a raw food diet, nothing is eaten that has been heated to over 42 degrees Celsius. This is to preserve enzymes and vitamins that can be destroyed by heating. We are also seeing more and more products in which the ingredients of the leaves are used to utilise the benefits of this natural product.

The natural, dried leaves of the Stevia plant are ideal as a sugar alternative for tea or other drinks. The sweetening power of Stevia leaves is naturally much stronger than that of standard household sugar. The popular sugar substitute has a particularly long shelf life and can be used very sparingly due to its enormous sweetness.

The leaves can be used in a variety of ways. They are not only suitable for sweetening tea. The leaves are also ideal for decorating desserts, sweet dishes or pastries. They are therefore the perfect alternative to industrially produced household sugar!

The advantages of Stevia leaves at a glance:

• 100% natural, free from additives
• Ideal as a sugar alternative or natural sweetener
• Very high yield due to its high sweetening power
• Versatile in use

Stevia leaves as a natural sweetener and sugar alternative

The leaf of the Stevia plant has an amazing natural sweetening power. The sweet components of the plant are also known as Steviosides or Steviol glycosides. This is a natural sweetener that is found exclusively in the leaves of the plant. The leaf itself is around 30 to 40 times sweeter than sucrose (household or granulated sugar). Concentrated Stevia extract even has up to 400 times the sweetening power in comparison.

Even very small amounts are sufficient to sweeten drinks and food. Stevia is therefore particularly economical. Not only diabetics appreciate the benefits of the calorie-free, insulin-neutral and tooth-friendly sweetener.

Stevia leaves are also used in cosmetics. For example, they are used in face masks, shampoos and conditioners to nourish the hair and skin. The leaves of the South American plant are also used in fluoride-free toothpaste. The leaves can also be used to make your own extract (also known as dulce). This can be used to sweeten tea as well as other drinks and dishes. Stevia leaves are becoming increasingly popular around the world, as they are not only a genuine, natural alternative to sugar, but are also particularly suitable for people who are watching their weight or are on a diet. Diabetics with type 1 or type 2 diabetes appreciate Stevia to keep their blood sugar levels neutral and to avoid having to give up sweets. Recipes with Stevia leaves help to reduce sugar consumption.

Further information on the quality, processing and use of the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana plant can be found on our website. You can buy high-quality Stevia leaves in our Stevia shop. Discover the new sweetening power of steviapura brand quality.

The best known and also one of the sweetest steviol glycosides is "rebaudioside A". Numerous studies have proven the safety of this sweet ingredient.

Interesting facts about the Stevia plant

The plant originally comes from South America. It has been used there for centuries by the indigenous people. In Brazil and Paraguay, the plant is also known as "caa-hee" (honey leaf). In Japan, Stevia has long been authorised as a sweetener. In the East Asian country, the sugar alternative now has a market share of 40%. In the European Union, however, products containing Stevia were only authorised at the end of 2011.

Before being authorised, the plant and its ingredients were researched for around 20 years in order to rule out any possible risks. For a health-conscious diet, switching from sugar to Stevia can make a lot of sense.

Cultivation, harvesting and processing

You can purchase natural Stevia leaves from the Stevia Group. The harvest usually takes place from May to September. The leaves are then hand-picked and checked for possible residues such as pesticides or heavy metals.

In a final step, the individual components of the plant are gently dried. We sell our Stevia leaves 100% natural, without any additives.

Notes on the use of Stevia leaves

Stevia leaves produce a very natural, pleasant sweetness, especially in teas or tea blends. Due to their small mass, cut Stevia leaves float in liquids. It is best to use a tea strainer.

Notes on the use of food supplements:

Take care not to exceed the daily intake of the respective food supplement. Food supplements are no substitute for a balanced diet rich in vital substances. From the point of view of the legislator, food supplements are not able to prevent, alleviate or even cure diseases.

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