Stevia - Natural Sweetener

Stevia is a sweet-tasting plant product that is used as a natural sweetener in various food and beverage products. It is much sweeter than sugar but has zero calories.
Category
Food ingredient
Where to get
Available in supermarkets, health food stores, and online.
Prepared by Lee Cheng, reviewed by Jane Cox

Stevia FAQ


Image credit: farmaciatorrent.com

What is stevia used for?

Stevia is a useful sweetener for hot and cold drinks and can be sprinkled over foods for instant sweetness. Stevia can be used in cooking, particularly where the primary role of stevia is to add sweetness.

Where does stevia come from?

Unlike artificial sweeteners, which are made in a lab, stevia does come from plant leaves. But it needs to be processed before it gets to your table or in your food — it’s not likely you’re eating the leaf itself. The leaves are first harvested, dried, and steeped in hot water.

Can stevia be used in food?

According to the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) high-purity steviol glycosides, an extract of the stevia plant, is considered generally safe for use in food. On the other hand, the FDA stated that stevia leaf and crude stevia extracts are not generally recognized as safe (GRAS) and do not have FDA approval for use in food.

Stevia References

If you want to know more about Stevia, consider exploring links below:

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