Stevia is nature's sweet gift to all of us. This remarkable plant, from the rainforests of Paraguay, is up to 300 times sweeter than sugar, does not affect blood sugar levels, and has no calories. It is nutritious, noncarcenogenic, nontoxic, and safe for diabetics and hypoglycemics.

Stevia leaves have been used for 1500 years by the Guarani Indians of Paraguay as a soothing tonic for the stomach and as a healing concentrate when cooked in water. It was first discovered and introduced to Europe in 1899 by M. S. Bertoni. Since then, hundreds of scientific tests have been performed on these sweet leaves, which have been found to contain, among other elements, Vitamin C, calcium, beta-carotene, chromium, fiber, iron, magnesium, niacin, potassium, protein, and silicon. It is the intensely sweet glycosides, referred to as steviosides (produced within the leaves), which make stevia so sweet. This white, crystalline powder is approximately 300 times sweeter than cane sugar. Research has shown that the body does not digest or metabolize these intensely sweet glycosides. They are not converted into glucose in the body and, therefore have a glycemic index of 0. This makes stevia a most valuable sweetening source for those with sugar restrictions, such as diabetes, hypoglycemia, or weight control.

Today, stevioside has a 52% share of the commercial sweetener market in Japan and is rapidly becoming the favored sweetener in China and throughout the Orient. In fact, China has become the major grower and processor of the stevia plant. Most stevia farmers cultivate their plants without the use of pesticides and under the conditions required for organic certification.

Additional Information:

• Presently, the FDA will only allow stevia products to be distributed as a dietary supplement. Despite sweeping toxicology tests and widespread global use without incidence of adverse reaction, stevia has yet to be approved as a food source by the FDA. They rejected two comprehensive petitions submitted in the 1990s, citing insufficient proof of stevia's safety. Paradoxically, the FDA-approved sweetener, aspartame, receives one of the highest number of consumer complaints made to the FDA. Consequently, because of this ruling, stevia is sold only in the nutritional supplement section in health food stores.
  
  
• For the last several years, many Japanese farmers have been growing their fruits and vegetables with a powerful and effective fertilizer formulated from the leaves and stems of the stevia plant. These crops are noticeably tastier, more fragrant, have a higher sugar and nutrient value and remain fresher longer. Additionally, this plant food also prevents and cures plant diseases, dissolves agrochemicals in the soil, increases their harvest, and makes the plants more resistant to frost and strong winds. When used with other composting materials, such as manure and kitchen refuse, it greatly accelerates fermentation without noxious fumes, producing high-quality organic manure in less than 3 months. A formula produced for fisheries and for livestock has also reported amazing results.

• Scientific research indicates that stevia effectively regulates blood sugar in people with diabetes and hypoglycemia, bringing it toward more normal levels.
  
  
• Studies have indicated that stevia tends to lower elevated blood pressure while not affecting people with normal blood pressure.
  
  
• Stevia inhibits the growth and reproduction of oral bacteria and other infectious organisms. Regular users of stevia as a mouthwash or for brushing teeth
  (added to toothpaste) have reported an improvement to bleeding gum problems. This inhibition of oral bacteria may explain why users of stevia-enhanced products
  report a lower incidence of colds and flu. Subsequently, an increasing number of toothpaste manufacturers are now using stevia in their products.
  
  
• When applied externally stevia poultices and extracts have been observed to have therapeutic effect on acne, seborrhea, dermatitis and eczema. Extracts placed
  directly in cuts and wounds, have demonstrated rapidly healing without scarring.
  
  
• Other benefits of adding stevia to the daily diet include improved digestion and soothed upset stomachs.
  
  
• Stevia is also an exceptional aid in weight loss management because it contains no calories and reduces the craving for sweets and fatty foods. Steviosides,
  the principle sugar molecule component of stevia, pass through the human alimentary canal without being altered by digestive processes, demonstrating remarkable stability. They simply cannot be broken down into their metabolites under normal gastric conditions. As a result, the sugar molecules pass unchanged through the human gastrointestinal tract and are not absorbed into the blood, producing no calories. Preliminary research indicates that stevia may actually reset the hunger mechanism in people where the pathway between the hypothalamus and the stomach has become obstructed. In other words, it clears the communication pathway between the stomach and the brain, reducing hunger sensations faster.