Stevia is a genus of about 240 species of herbs and shrubs in the sunflower family

(Asteraceae), native to subtropical and tropical South America and Central America. The
species Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni, commonly known as sweetleaf, sweet leaf, sugarleaf,
or simply stevia, is widely grown for its sweet leaves. As a sugar substitute, stevia's taste
has a slower onset and longer duration than that of sugar, although some of its extracts
may have a bitter or licorice-like aftertaste at high concentrations.

With its extracts having up to 300 times the sweetness of sugar, stevia has garnered
attention with the rise in demand for low-carbohydrate, low-sugar food alternatives.
Stevia also has shown promise in medical research for treating such conditions as
obesity[1] and high blood pressure.[2][3] Stevia has a negligible effect on blood glucose,
even enhancing glucose tolerance;[4] therefore, it is attractive as a natural sweetener to
diabetics and others on carbohydrate-controlled diets.[5] However, health and political
controversies have limited stevia's availability in many countries; for example, the United
States banned it in the early 1990s unless labeled as a supplement. Stevia is widely used
as a sweetener in Japan, and it is now available in the US and Canada as a dietary
supplement, although not as a food additive. Rebiana is the trade name for a stevia-
derived sweetener being developed jointly by The Coca-Cola Company and Cargill with
the intent of marketing in several countries and gaining regulatory approval in the US and
EU. Truvia is Cargill's consumer brand of Rebiana-based sweetener.

Contents
• 1 History and use
o 1.1 Availability
• 2 Controversies
o 2.1 Health controversy
o 2.2 Political controversy
• 3 Names in other countries
• 4 See also
• 5 Notes and references
• 6 Further reading
• 7 External links

• 8 Pictures

History and use

The genus Stevia consists of 240[6] species of plants native to South America, Central
America, and Mexico, with several species found as far north as Arizona, New Mexico,
and Texas.[7] Human use of the sweet species originated in South America. For centuries,
the Guaraní tribes of Paraguay and Brazil used Stevia species, primarily S. rebaudiana
which they called ka'a he'ê ("sweet herb"), as a sweetener in yerba mate and medicinal
teas for treating heartburn and other ailments. The leaves of the stevia plant have 30–45
times the sweetness of sucrose (ordinary table sugar).[8]
The Swiss botanist Moisés Santiago Bertoni first described the plant and the sweet taste
in detail.[9] But only limited research was conducted on the topic, until in 1931, two
French chemists isolated the glycosides that give stevia its sweet taste.[10] These
compounds were named stevioside and rebaudioside, and are 250–300 times sweeter than
sucrose, heat stable, pH stable, and non-fermentable.[11]

The exact structure of the aglycone and the glycoside were published in 1955.

In the early 1970s, Japan began cultivating stevia as an alternative to artificial sweeteners
such as cyclamate and saccharin, which are suspected carcinogens. The plant's leaves, the
aqueous extract of the leaves, and purified steviosides are used as sweeteners. Since the
Japanese firm Morita Kagaku Kogyo Co., Ltd. produced the first commercial stevia
sweetener in Japan in 1971,[12] the Japanese have been using stevia in food products, soft
drinks (including Coca Cola),[13] and for table use. Japan currently consumes more stevia
than any other country, with stevia accounting for 40% of the sweetener market.[14]

Today, stevia is cultivated and used in food elsewhere in east Asia, including in China
(since 1984), Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Malaysia. It can also be found in Saint Kitts
and Nevis, in parts of South America (Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Paraguay, and Uruguay)
and in Israel. China is the world's largest exporter of stevioside.[14]

Stevia species are found in the wild in semi-arid habitats ranging from grassland to
mountain terrain. Stevia does produce seeds, but only a small percentage of them
germinate. Planting cloned stevia is a more effective method of reproduction.

Availability

Stevia has been grown on an experimental basis in Ontario, Canada since 1987 for the
purpose of determining the feasibility of growing the crop commercially. In the United
States, it is legal to import, grow, sell, and consume stevia products if contained within or
labeled for use as a dietary supplement, but not as a food additive. Stevia has also been
approved as a dietary supplement in Australia, New Zealand[15] and Canada. In Japan and
South American countries, stevia may also be used as a food additive. Stevia is currently
banned for use in food in the European Union.[16] It is also banned in Singapore and Hong
Kong.[17]

Rebiana is the trade name for a patent-pending, calorie-free, food and beverage
sweetener derived from stevia and developed jointly by The Coca-Cola Company and
Cargill. In May 2007, Coca-Cola announced plans to obtain approval for its use as a food
additive within the United States by 2009. Coca-Cola has also announced plans to market
rebiana-sweetened products in 12 countries that allow stevia's use as a food additive. The
two companies are conducting their own studies in an effort to gain regulatory approval
in the United States and the European Union.[18][19] In May 2008, Cargill announced the
availability of Truvia, a consumer brand of Rebiana..[20]
The U.S. ingredient firm Blue California claims to have developed an economical
industrial production process for isolating Rebaudioside A, a sweet compound derived
from stevia, using a "more economical and proprietary process". The company expects to
go into industrial scale production in 2008. The isolation process for Rebaudioside A
results in a product that delivers the desired sweetness without a bitter aftertaste.[21]

Controversies

Steviol is the basic building block of stevia's sweet glycosides: Stevioside and
rebaudioside A are constructed by replacing the bottom hydrogen atom with glucose and
the top hydrogen atom with two or three linked glucose groups, respectively.

Health controversy

A 1985 study reported that steviol, a breakdown product from stevioside and
rebaudioside (two of the sweet steviol glycosides in the stevia leaf), is a mutagen in the
presence of a liver extract of pre-treated rats[22] — but this finding has been criticized on
procedural grounds that the data were mishandled in such a way that even distilled water
would appear mutagenic.[23] More recent animal tests have shown mixed results in terms
of toxicology and adverse effects of stevia extract, with some tests finding steviol to be a
weak mutagen[24] while newer studies find no safety issues.[25]

Other studies have shown stevia improves insulin sensitivity in rats[26] and may even
promote additional insulin production,[27] helping to reverse diabetes and metabolic
syndrome.[28] Preliminary human studies show stevia can help reduce hypertension[29]
although another study has shown it has no effect on hypertension.[30] Despite these more
recent studies establishing the safety of stevia, government agencies have expressed
concerns over toxicity, citing a lack of sufficient conclusive research.[31][32]

Whole foods proponents draw a distinction between consuming (and safety testing) only
parts, such as stevia extracts and isolated compounds like stevioside, versus the whole
herb. In his book Healing With Whole Foods, Paul Pitchford cautions, "Obtain only the
green or brown [whole] stevia extracts or powders; avoid the clear extracts and white
powders, which, highly refined and lacking essential phyto-nutrients, cause imbalance".
[33]

In 2006, the World Health Organization (WHO) performed a thorough evaluation of

recent experimental studies of stevioside and steviols conducted on animals and humans,
and concluded that "stevioside and rebaudioside A are not genotoxic in vitro or in vivo
and that the genotoxicity of steviol and some of its oxidative derivatives in vitro is not
expressed in vivo."[34] The report also found no evidence of carcinogenic activity.
Furthermore, the report noted that "stevioside has shown some evidence of
pharmacological effects in patients with hypertension or with type-2 diabetes"[34] but
concluded that further study was required to determine proper dosage.
Indeed, millions of Japanese have been using stevia for over thirty years with no reported
or known harmful effects.[35] Similarly, stevia leaves have been used for centuries in
South America spanning multiple generations in ethnomedical tradition as a treatment of
type II diabetes.[36]

Political controversy

The stevia plant may be grown legally in most countries, although some countries restrict
or ban its use as a sweetener.

In 1991, at the request of an anonymous complaint, the United States Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) labeled stevia as an "unsafe food additive" and restricted its
import. The FDA's stated reason was "toxicological information on stevia is inadequate to
demonstrate its safety."[37] This ruling was controversial, as stevia proponents pointed out
that this designation violated the FDA's own guidelines under which any natural
substance used prior to 1958 with no reported adverse effects should be generally
recognized as safe (GRAS).

Stevia occurs naturally, requiring no patent to produce it. As a consequence, since the
import ban in 1991, marketers and consumers of stevia have shared a belief that the FDA
acted in response to industry pressure.[15] Arizona congressman Jon Kyl, for example,
called the FDA action against stevia "a restraint of trade to benefit the artificial sweetener
industry."[38] Citing privacy issues, the FDA has not revealed the source of the original
complaint in its responses to requests filed under the Freedom of Information Act.[15]

The FDA requires proof of safety before recognizing a food additive as safe. A similar
burden of proof is required for the FDA to ban a substance or label it unsafe.
Nevertheless, stevia remained banned until after the 1994 Dietary Supplement Health and
Education Act forced the FDA in 1995 to revise its stance to permit stevia to be used as a
dietary supplement, although not as a food additive — a position that stevia proponents
regard as contradictory because it simultaneously labels stevia as safe and unsafe,
depending on how it is sold.[39]

Although unresolved questions remain concerning whether metabolic processes can

produce a mutagen from stevia in animals, let alone in humans, the early studies
nevertheless prompted the European Commission to ban stevia's use in food in the
European Union pending further research.[16] Singapore and Hong Kong have banned it
also.[17] However, more recent data compiled in the safety evaluation released by the
World Health Organization in 2006[34] suggest that these policies may be obsolete.

Names in other countries

Both the sweetener and the stevia plant Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni (also known as
Eupatorium rebaudianum Bertoni[40]) are known simply as "stevia" (pronounced /
ˈstɛviə/) in English-speaking countries as well as in France, Germany, Italy, Portugal,
Israel, Norway and Sweden — although some of these countries also use other terms as
shown below. Similar pronunciations occur in Japan (sutebia or ステビア in katakana),
and in Thailand (satiwia). In some countries (India, for example) the name translates
literally as "sweet leaf." Below are some names for the stevia plant in various regions of
the world:[41]

• Afrikaans-speaking countries: heuningblaar (honey leaf)

• China: 甜菊 (tian jü – sweet chrysanthemum), 甜菊叶 (tian jü ye – stevia leaf)
• Dutch-speaking countries: honingkruid
• English-speaking countries: candy leaf, sugar leaf, sweetleaf (USA), sweet honey
leaf (Australia), sweet herb of Paraguay
• German speaking countries (also Switzerland): Süßkraut, Süßblatt, Honigkraut
• Hungary: jázmin pakóca
• India: madhu parani (Marathi), gurmaar (Punjabi), madhu patra (Sanskrit), seeni
tulsi (Tamil), madhu patri (Telugu)
• Israel: ‫( סטיביה‬sṭīviyyāh in Hebrew)
• Japan: アマハステビア (amaha sutebia)
• Portuguese-speaking countries: capim doce (sweet grass), erva doce (sweet herb,
also a Portuguese term for fennel), estévia (Brazil), folhas da stévia
• Spanish-speaking countries: hierba / yerba dulce, estevia, ka´a he´ê (Guaraníes,
Natives of Paraguay)
• Sweden: sötflockel
• Thailand: satiwia, หญ้าหวาน (ya wan, or sweet grass in Bangkok)
Stevia, Sweet Leaf, Caa-he-È, Erva Doce are just some of the names given to Stevia
rebaudiana Bertoni of the family Asteraceae. Stevia is a leafy, green plant related to
lettuce, marigold, and chicory. It originally grew wild in the regions of northern Paraguay
and southern Brazil. Today, it is grown and used worldwide, especially in Asian
countries, but also in South America, North America, Europe, and India. All grow or
import stevia.

Stevia was identified and classified by Santiago Bertoni in the late 1800s and named in
honour of a Paraguayan chemist named Rebaudi. The Guarani Indians in South America
had been using the leaves for centuries to sweeten bitter teas, as a digestive aid, and as a
topical salve for wounds.

Some of stevia’s benefits include

• no calories;
• natural, not chemically manufactured;
• 250-300 times sweeter than sugar, so very little is needed;
• stable to 200°C (392°F);
• does not ferment;
• has plaque-retardant properties that prevent cavities ;
• has no impact on blood sugar, therefore safe for diabetics;
• non-toxic.

Because of its carbohydrate content, stevia is able to regulate blood sugar and reduce
the cravings for sweets or fatty foods. Using a few drops before a meal will reduce
hunger. Stevia does not promote fungal growth, therefore is a safe sweetener to use
during Candidiasis outbreaks. It is also safe to use during pregnancy and for children.

The stevia leaf contains

• proteins
• fibers
• carbohydrates
• iron
• phosphorus
• calcium
• potassium
• sodium
• magnesium
• zinc
• rutin
• vitamins A and C
• an oil that contains fifty-three other nutrients

Sugar or sugar substitutes that are presently on the market today cannot even come close
to containing these nutrients.
Types of stevia available

• Fresh leaves have a mild licorice flavour.

• Dried leaves are only about ten to fifteen times sweeter than sugar and are used in
herbal teas and for making liquid extracts.
• Tea cut leaves are small pieces that are sifted to remove twigs and other
unwanted matter from the leaves themselves.
• Ground leaves or powders are simply dried leaves ground into a powder and
used in teas, but not for use in baking.
• Dark concentrated syrup is made from the dried leaves in a base of water and
alcohol. Its sweetness varies among the manufacturers. This form offers the
greatest amount of benefit from the stevia plant.
• Clear, a solution of powdered steviosides dissolved in water, alcohol, or glycerin.
Sweetness varies among manufacturers.
• Stevioside or 'white-powder stevia' is the purified or processed form that results
after the removal of unwanted plant matter. The processessing concentrates the
sweet glycosides into an off-white powder that is 200-300 times sweeter than
sugar. The quality of the powder, that is from 80%-100% pure, depends on the
purity of the glycosides; the higher the concentration of stevioside, the better the
taste. Because of the strength of the stevioside powdered extracts, manufacturers
often add filler to tone down the strength, making the product easier to use and
more palatable. These fillers are usually non-sweet food additives with little or no
nutritional value. For example, lactose (derived from milk) and maltodextrin (a
complex carbohydrate derived from corn, rice, tapioca, or other starches).

Another filler that is used primarily in Japan, but becoming more popular, is erythritol. It
is a white granulated powder derived from natural grains and fruits, and has virtually no
calories and a very low glycemic index. It has the appearance and texture of white table
sugar. When combined with a high quality stevioside, it results in the stevia blend
dissolving more quickly and tasting almost like sugar. In addition, erythritol is easily
digested, promotes healthy teeth, and is safe for diabetics. It is sometimes used
commercially to add texture to sugar-free foods.

Stevia Controversies
Stevia has been used since pre-Columbian times with no ill effects; and decades of
modern research has also proven it to be safe for human and animal consumption.
Despite all this history, stevia has not yet been approved by the same FDA1 who have
approved the many commercial sweeteners and substitutes that have proven to be harmful
to the human body. Stevia has been around for a long time in the US. However, ever
since the 1950s, the sugar industry has fought hard to prevent its use.

• "Greed, corruption and good old-fashioned politics also stood in the way of the
public learning about stevia".2

Chemical sweetener manufacturers and the soft drink industry have long lobbied the FDA
to prevent the use of stevia, despite the fact that their products carry some serious health
risks. But, the FDA stands firm behind its decisions to eliminate stevia while condoning
the use of other sweeteners.3

Armies of special lobbiests are called in to make sure that stevia is not approved at any
time. Any natural food cannot be patented and, therefore, available for free to anyone.
Therefore, anything that cannot be controlled by big business is looked on as a threat.
Programs are then implemented to persuade the public that these free and natural
products are indeed bad for them.

Celestial Seasonings used stevia for their sweetener until they had their stock seized by
the FDA in 1986.4 No warning or explanation was given. In 1991, the FDA officially
banned stevia as an "unsafe food additive," despite the fact that it is safely used
worldwide without incident. However, the saga against its use does not stop there.

In the late 1980s, health food stores began selling stevia as a natural sugar
substitute. When the FDA received an anonymous complaint about stevia, it
banned all imports and sales of the herb in the US. After years of pressure from
consumers and the health food industry, Congress passed the Dietary
Supplementand Health Education Act in November 1994. This act permitted the
purchase and sale of stevia as a dietary supplement – not as a food or food
additive. The Act also set forth rigorous guidelines for the labeling, sales, and
marketing of the herb. Simply suggesting that the stevia be mixed with water
could be construed as mislabeling and force a recall of the products. These
burdensome regulations eventually led to the FDA's order to ban this book.5

On May 19, 1998, the president of Stevita Company (a distributor of stevia in Arlington,
Texas) received a fax from the Dallas District Office of the FDA that ordered the seizure
and destruction of cookbooks and other literature related to stevia.6 According to the
FDA regulations, Stevita Company's sale of stevia-related publications was illegal. It is
legal to sell literature about the stevia herb, but you may not place the publication next to
the supplements. The FDA took this regulation a step further by saying that Stevita
Company's distribution of Cooking With Stevia violated the stringent labeling regulations
imposed on stevia. This action almost put the Stevita Company out of business. Only
after lengthy litigation was the company allowed to resume distribution of some
publications, but not Cooking With Stevia. Regulations like these continue to frustrate
everyone in the health food industry.

What is stevia - This is God Given Sugar, a wonder substitute for sugar. This is a herbal Medicine
with healing values says WHO (world health organization) - If you are diabetic, this is just for you,
you will find a miracle cure and yet you will be surprised by the rate. Stevia is 300 times
concentrated than the Cane Sugar. A very small quantity of stevia will come for a considerable
period. (which means, if you are using 3 kg of cane sugar per month, then a 10gm of Stevia will
equal your monthly needs.

Stevia : A Non-Caloric Herbal Sweetner

Stevia rebaudiana is a shrubby perennial herb with white flowers in cymes, native to Paraguay. It
prefers moist and cool high altitude areas for quality production. This lab has started cultivation of
this herbal sweetener under Ladakh climate.
Chemical Composition:
Stevioside, 110-270 times sweeter than sucrose. A herbal sweetener, useful for hyperglycemia and
diabetes. Stevia is likely to become a major source of high potency sweetener for the growing
natural food market in the future
Origin
The Amambay Mountain range and the Rio Monday Valley of South America (North-eastern Paraguay
and Southern Brazil). Used extensively by Gaurani India for more ten 1500 years.

History
16th Century : Spaniards noticed that naives in Paraguay used ka'a he'e to sweeten drinks, in medicine, and as a
sweet snack.
1887 : Dr.Moises Santiago Bentoni discovers stevia after studying the herbs used in Paraguay & named the new
variety in the honour of Paraguayan Chemist Dr.Rabaudi.
1931 : Two French chemists Bridel & Lavieille extracted Stevioside.
1954 : Japan, today the world's largest user of stevia, begins cultivating the plant.
1954 : Japan, today the world's largest user of stevia, begins cultivating the plant.

Nutrients found in
Stevia:
Vitamin C Beta-Carotene Chromium Cobalt
Vegetable fat Fiber Iron Magnesium
Manganese Niacin Phosphorous Potacium
Protein Riboflavin Selenium Silicon
Sodium Thiamin Water Zinc

Scientific Finding on Stevia

Toxicity : Nil Toxic Effect
Mutagenicity : Stevioside : Non-mutegenic
Reproduction Carbohydrate : Stevioside : No abnormalities
Metabolism : Nil Effect on Blood Glucose
Cariogenicity : Nil Cariogenic
Human Safety : Nil Safety Risk on Human

Stevia Characteristics and Benifits:

• Leaves - 20 to 30 times sweeter than sugar

• Extracts - 200 to 300 times sweeter than sugar.
• Highly Nutritious
• Highly Delicious
• Virtually no after taste.
• Zero Calorie
• Zero Fat
• Non toxic and Non additive sweetner
• Non glycemic
• Aids digestion and helps weight-reduction
• pH and heat stable to 200°C
• Flavour enhancer
• Can be used for cooking and baking
 • Does not precipitate
• Prevents dental caries
• Anti-oxidation
• Anti-Plaque
• Increases energy levels
• Increases mental alertness
• Does not affect blood sugar level.
• Does not contribute to corollary heart diseases
• Decreases desire for sweets and fatty foods.
• Decreases desire for tobacco and alcohol beverages.

Medicinal Application Areas of STEVIA:

• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Hyperactivity
• High Blood Pressure
• Carbohydrate Carvings
• Therapeutic
• Pancreas and Insulin
• Hypoglycemia
• Candida
• Indigestion
• Yeast Infections
• Skin Toning and Healing
• Tobacco and Alcohol Carvings

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