Stevia, The Sweetest Botanical Phenomenon

By Ihor Cap
Historical background

The Guarani Indians knew it as “kaa-he-he” (meaning sweet herb). In the 1800s, Spanish historical documents chronicle its widespread use among Paraguay’s indigenous population of the Amambay Mountain region in South America. In 1905, the Italian botanist Moises Santiago Bertoni is credited for making it known to mainstream society. His “discovery” was technically named Stevia Rebaudiana Bertoni. The plant was harvested soon after and that is how the Stevia food industry got its start. German sugar producers were less than happy about this find, says a 1913 Hamburg laboratory report which examined the specimens of the now well-known Stevia plant. American Trade Commissioner George Brady learned of the possibilities of this plant in 1921, but it was the French chemists who in 1931 successfully extracted the white, crystalline compounds from this perennial herb and called these compounds steviosides. The Japanese had done intense research with steviosides in the 1960s. By 1990, Japan captured at least 40% of the worldwide market on steviosides use. The Japanese use steviosides to sweeten many food products such as bread, candies, ice cream, and soft drinks. Steviosides use was initially banned by the FDA in the USA in 1991 but that ban was unjustified and it was lifted 3 years later. In 2008, stevia was granted Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status by the US Food and Drug Administration. On September 18, 2009, Canada revised its guidelines for the use of Stevia in Natural Health Products identifying specific dosage limits in medicinal ingredients and approving it for non-medicinal ingredients as a sweetener or flavour enhancer.
The Botanical phenomenon
So what is the phenomenon you might ask? Well, centuries of stevia use and modern research have not shown any adverse or negative effects such as the health risks posed by the artificial sweeteners saccharin and aspartame. In its natural raw form, stevia is known to contain over 100 phytonutrients. It is non-toxic, has next to zero-calories and carbohydrates with a zero- glycaemic index rating. Unlike sugar, it does not promote tooth decay. Centuries ago it was used in tea-like beverages and medicinal potions or was chewed for its refreshing qualities. Today, this highly concentrated extract is certified safe to USDA standards in liquid and powder form for use as a dietary supplement that anyone can enjoy. One drop is said to be 150 to 400 times sweeter than sugar depending on how the plant was prepared. It has many other touted general health benefits that are applicable to one’s general health and diet such as improving cold and flu recovery time or curbing tobacco and alcohol addiction. In cosmetology, it has post-operative healing purposes and facial mask applications. For most of us who are inclined to just lose weight or lower our sugar levels fast, look into Stevia. Ask for it at your local food store today.
About the Author:
Ihor Cap is a Web Author and Dad. 
Learn More About Stevia on The Following Web Sites
Stevia, in Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevia
Stevia Canada , http://www.steviacanada.com/about.html
Natural Products Market Place, http://www.naturalproductsmarketplace.com/articles/2010/07/sweet-on-stevia.aspx  
HEALTH BENEFITS OF STEVIA http://reid_j.tripod.comstevia.htm

Image Attribution:
By Ethel Aardvark (Own work) [CC BY 3.0  (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons