Stevia is an herb from the Chrysanthemum family which grows in the wild. With close to 300 species of Stevia plants, it has an incredible sweet taste, nearly 200 to 300 times sweeter than sugar.
Stevia comes in powdered form as an all-natural herbal product and has been found to be non-toxic. So why switch to stevia? Besides its non toxicity, its stevioside and rebaudioside A has beneficial effects in people with hypertension and also for type-2 diabetics as it does not raise blood sugar levels. It's also great for children since they eat a lot of sweets, stevia inhibits the development of plaque on a person's teeth, therefore preventing cavities.
Raw stevia has plenty of phytonutrients and volatile oils, including Rutin which is believed to strengthen blood vessels, in effect preventing internal bleeding, hemorrhoids and strokes. B-Sitosterol an immune boosting phytonutrient, is also found in the stevia leaf and has benefits against heart disease, high cholesterol and has shown to prevent colon cancer. It's also used for enlarged prostates and for symptoms of menopause.
With its slight bitter aftertaste, stevia helps in weight control as it reduces a person's craving for fatty foods and sweets.
Stevia is stable in heat and acidic foods and drinks, and can be used in certain pastries and especially in hot drinks like tea.
Here's a rundown on what this small shrub replaces: sugar, extremely unhealthy to the system. Aspartame, sucralose, saccharin and including cyclamate which a substance contained in Sweet ‘N Low, are all artificial sweeteners and have links to the development of some forms of cancers and weight gain.
The taste of stevia may differ from refined sugar, but overall, choosing stevia is a safe, all-natural and healthy alternative for your diet.
1 comment:
great information thanks, i think it's definitely a good switch to make. Sugar is real bad.
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