Stevia

A natural, sweet-tasting, non-caloric shrub, Stevia is consumed and used around the world for its fine taste, as well as its potential for lowering blood pressure and inhibiting fat absorption. For centuries, the Guarani Indians have known about the unique advantages of kaa he-he, which means sweet herb in their native language. The Native Americans of Brazil and Paraguay used stevia shrub and its species as a sweetener in medicinal teas and yerba mate for treating conditions such as high blood pressure, heartburn and obesity, or simply chewed them for its taste. The Europeans learned about the herbal qualities of stevia in the 16th century, whereas North American interest began in the 20th century when it's sweetening properties were learned by researchers. Glycosides, responsible for the plant's sweetness was discovered in 1931. The use of stevia was chronicled by the Spanish people in historical documents that have been preserved in the Paraguayan National Archives in Asuncion. Daily stevia consumption had become quite popular during the 1800s, not only in Paraguay but also among its neighbors Argentina and Brazil. In recent years, there has been a lot of attention towards stevia and its herbal properties because of the rise in demand of low-sugar and low-carbohydrate food. Stevia has many uses other than the traditional known sweetener. The Japanese use stevia in diet sodas and sugar-free chewing gums. Despite its centuries-old use, in 1991 the FDA in America pronounced stevia as an unsafe food additive and issued an order to seize all imports. In 1994, the DSHEA legislation issued a green signal for stevia importers, allowing imports to resume. It can be sold legally only as a 'dietary supplement' in America. The largest exporter of stevia extract and stevioside in the world is China.