(*This information is for educational and informational purposes only, and comes primarily from Wisdom Natural Brands, my source for stevia. In the U.S., stevia is considered a "supplement", not a sweetener, but if you taste the sweetness of this herb, you’ll see why many USE it in their sweet tea, etc. Nothing in this note is intended to diagnose, prescribe, or treat. Use as a springboard for your own research, and at your own risk.)
The Forum – September 23, 2005 STEVIA, NATURALLY SWEET!
Years ago, when I was pregnant, it was determined I had to cut sugar OUT of my diet – COMPLETELY!! – for the duration of the pregnancy.
I tell you, it was tough!
If I were to have to make that lifestyle change permanently, I’d do it WITH stevia and/or xylitol!
Stevia is a naturally sweet herb that is sold as a supplement but many also use it to sweeten beverages and foods.
(There’s even NEW flavored Stevia extracts - delicious, even in plain water!)
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WHY USE STEVIA?
* ZERO calories! Sugar sweetened beverages can add a lot of empty calories to your day. I don’t think artificial sweeteners are any healthier.
* ZERO glycemic index, ZERO glycemic load! Being able to sweeten things without altering your blood sugar can be beneficial for some.
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WHAT EXACTLY IS STEVIA???
It’s LEAVES!
Somehow they convert the sweetness of the green leaves into a white powder or liquid.
WISDOM NATURAL BRANDS WRITES,
“Stevia is a naturally sweet plant native to Paraguay that is 30 times sweeter than sugar in its unprocessed form. With more than 1,000 studies and patents on Stevia, it is known to be all-natural, contain zero calories and have a zero glycemic index. Through a patented process the pure glycosides can be extracted from the Stevia leaves and turned into an intensely sweet powder that is 300 times sweeter than sugar. Stevia can also be turned into a delicious consumer friendly product safe for all beverages, soft foods and baking.”
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HOW DOES IT TASTE?
I make a lemonade with just half a squeezed lemon, water, stevia, and ice that is delicious! My husband and children snitch it every time! Now I see they have FLAVORED stevia, and I’m hearing GREAT things about it!
I’ve not had time to really cook or bake with stevia, but they make a cookbook that I’ve been told is EXCELLENT!
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STEVIA COMES IN MANY DIFFERENT FORMS SO I’VE INCLUDED SOME BASIC INFORMATION ON EACH ONE.
STEVIACLEAR™ LIQUID STEVIA –
When using in beverages, I find this to be the easiest of all the forms of Stevia because it’s the simplest to measure – just put 2 drops to equal the sweetness of 1 tsp. of sugar. But I don’t know how this would be to bake with.
WISDOM NATURAL BRANDS WRITES,
“Instead of adding sugar or artificial sweetener to your beverages or food, use SteviaClear™ Liquid Stevia all-natural dietary supplement. SteviaClear™ Liquid Stevia contains an intensely sweet extract from Stevia leaves that is 250 to 300 times sweeter than sugar – yet has no calories, carbohydrates nor bitter aftertaste. SteviaClear™ Liquid Stevia is safe for diabetics and hypoglycemics. “
· No alcohol
· No glycerine
· Most concentrated liquid on the market!
SERVING SUGGESTIONS -
”As a dietary supplement, add 2 drops to beverage or food. Adjust to preference. Refrigerate after opening to extend freshness.”
INGREDIENTS - Purified Water, pure Stevia leaf extract standardized to a minimum of 90% Steviosides including 40% Rebaudioside A, Grapefruit Seed Extract.”
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STEVIA EXTRACT POWDER
This is the most basic white Stevia powder, and the only disadvantage I’ve found is how difficult it is to MEASURE! You only need a tiny touch of powder to sweeten a cup of tea and it’s easy to get too much.
WISDOM NATURAL BRANDS WRITES,
“This product is extremely sweet, with no bitter aftertaste when used sparingly. “
“Stevia Extract is heat stable and is safe for diabetics and hypoglycemics.”
· 300 times sweeter than sugar
· Pure premium quality Stevia extract
· Use for baking and cooking
· 25 gram bottle = almost 17 lbs of sugar
· Zero calories, carbs
· Safe for diabetics
SERVING SUGGESTIONS -
”Add 1/3 teaspoon to supplement 2 quarts of unsweetened beverage, or use sparingly to supplement desired food preparations. Reduce sugar usage by one cup for each 1/3 teaspoon of Stevia Extract used.”
INGREDIENTS - ”100% pure Stevia leaf extract standardized to a minimum of 90% Steviosides including 40% Rebaudioside A.”
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STEVIAPLUS® FIBER PACKETS AND SHAKER –
This is similar to the white powder above, only with fiber added to it.
WISDOM NATURAL BRANDS WRITES,
“Stevia is a naturally sweet tasting, highly beneficial product that can be used in all beverages and foods. Convenient for preparing cereal or fruit and stable for both heating and freezing, Stevia is a unique and versatile product that does not have a bitter aftertaste. Stevia has a glycemic index of 0 and does not affect blood sugar. Safe for diabetics, it is 8-10 times sweeter than sugar. Stevia is a small green plant native to Paraguay and provides the intense sweetness for Stevia. Stevia also contains Frutafit® Inulin Fiber (FOS), a functional food ingredient found in chicory, fruits and vegetables. Mildly sweet and zero calories per servings, FOS is a premium soluble fiber that selectively nourishes the friendly bacteria (lactobacillus and bifidobacteria) in the intestines. The increased number of these good bacteria will help gastrointestinal functions and may: “
· Improve regularity
· Cleanse the colon
· Support liver health
· Assist and strengthen the immune system
· Help control the formation of free radicals
SERVING SUGGESTIONS -
"Add 1/2 packet to supplement unsweetened beverage, or use sparingly to supplement desired food preparations.”
INGREDIENTS - ”Frutafit® Inulin Fiber (FOS), Stevia Extract (standardized to a minimum of 90%). “
Q: What benefits are there to using SteviaPlus® over other sweeteners?
A: A higher quality product, zero calories, zero glycemic index and it is all-natural.
Q: What are the beneficial vitamins and minerals in SteviaPlus®?
A: The benefits of SteviaPlus® stem more from its fiber effect and as a replacement of sugar and artificial sweeteners, aiding in weight loss. Frutafit® Inulin (FOS) is a soluble fiber that dissolves completely in liquids. FOS can help support a healthy immune system, help maintain cardiovascular function and a healthy cholesterol level.
Q: What is the Inulin Fiber (FOS) used in SteviaPlus® Fiber?
A: Inulin is a natural extract from chicory or other vegetables. It is a probiotic enhancer. It feeds the friendly bacteria in the intestines and is a natural fiber. Our FOS comes from Belgian endive.
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SteviaTabs™ Stevia Extract –
These are great for travel or at work, but I did find I sometimes needed more than 1 or 2 to get the same level of sweetness from say the liquid or the white powder, and they seemed to dissolve fastest in hot liquid, verses ice cold drinks.
WISDOM NATURAL BRANDS WRITES,
“SteviaTabs™ Stevia extract will dissolve in hot or cold liquids, adding quality nutrition with an intensely sweet flavor without sugar or artificial sweeteners. It’s calorie-free and safe for diabetics and hypoglycemics. Stevia is a natural herb native to Paraguay that is 30 times sweeter than sugar. It has been used for centuries in South America to enhance medicinal remedies. One SweetLeaf™ SteviaTab™ Stevia extract tablet is as sweet as a teaspoon of sugar.”
SERVING SUGGESTIONS -
”Dissolve 1-2 tablets in a hot or cold beverage.”
INGREDIENTS - ”Stevia extract, sodium bicarbonate, citric acid, lactose, magnesium stearate”
”Contains less than 25 mg of lactose per serving. An 8 oz glass of milk contains 11 g (11,000 mg) of lactose or 440 times more lactose than one SteviaTab™. SteviaTabs™ will not affect those with lactose intolerance.”
Q: If I am gluten intolerant, will the lactose in your SteviaTabs™ harm me? What if I am lactose intolerant?
A: Lactose is considered to be a “safe” gluten free product and is safe for people with gluten intolerance (Celiac Disease). The amount of lactose in each serving of SteviaTabs™ is less than 25 mg and therefore should not have an adverse affect on a lactose intolerant person either. An 8 oz glass of milk contains 11 g (11,000 mg) of lactose or 440 times lactose than in one SteviaTab™. However, people with allergies, intolerances or concerns about gluten or lactose should consult their health care professionals prior to using any product that may have gluten, lactose or gluten and lactose byproducts.
Q: Where does the starch in your SteviaTabs™ come from? If I have Celiac Disease (gluten intolerant) will this starch be harmful to me?
A: The starch used in the SteviaTabs™ is made from corn. Each tablet has a total weight of 100 mg and less than 8 of those are starch. Corn should not be a problem to people with gluten intolerance. However, people with allergies, intolerances or concerns about gluten should consult their health care professionals prior to using any product that may have gluten or gluten byproducts.
Q: How much sugar does a SteviaTab™ equal?
A: 1 tablet equals 1 tsp. of sugar
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Sweet Leaf Stevia Flavored Liquid Extracts
My stevia representative says his grandson uses these extracts in water and is so attached to them that he now won’t drink water without them!
CHOOSE FROM -
* Valencia Orange,
* Apricot Nectar (*Excellent in herbal teas!)
* Grape (*A few drops in water and it reminds me of the grape sodas we enjoyed as children!)
* Root Beer (*In water, it reminds me of a healthy soda!)
* Peppermint (*Want a REFRESHING glass of water?! Try it!)
* Vanilla Crème (* My stevia rep.says mix with mineral water for a Crème Soda taste!!!)
* English Toffee (* My stevia rep also makes candied apples by sautéing sliced apples in a little butter, with cinnamon, nutmeg, and this English Toffee! A dear friend LOVES this in her morning oatmeal!)
* Milk Chocolate (*Delicious in warm milk to make hot cocoa, except it’s WHITE in color!)
* Dark Chocolate (*Excellent in anything - milk, coffee!)
* Cinnamon (*Hm...oatmeal, coffee, anything that goes with cinnamon!)
These are brand new so I’m just beginning to learn the MANY ways they could be used but already I love them!
A nice way to flavor tea, coffee, mineral water, milk, water, plain ice cream, plain yogurt – and anything else you can come up with!
WISDOM NATURAL BRANDS WRITES,
"We’ve taken our best selling SteviaClear and added delicious natural flavors to create the world’s most amazing and versatile zero calorie, zero carb dietary supplement. Add nutritious SteviaClear flavors to coffee, tea, milk, sparkling water, club soda, herbal infusions, protein shakes, smoothies or plain water. Try it also in ice cubes, yogurt, whipped cream or your favorite desert recipes. Hey, we said it was versatile and amazing!”
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Stevia, Naturally Sweet Recipes for Desserts, Drinks and More! by Rita DePuydt
WISDOM NATURAL BRANDS WRITES,
“Cut your calories, improve your health and still enjoy your favorite sweet treats!”
100 Tested Recipes including:
* Cranberry Punch
* Date Shakes
* Yam Pecan Muffins
* Cranberry Orange Muffins
* Banana Bread
* Breakfast Sweet Rolls
* Cheesecakes
* Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
* Blueberry Tofu Bundt Cake
* Brownies
* Molasses, Almond, Jam Dot and Peanut Butter Cookies
* Rice Pudding
* Strawberry Cream Pie
* Sparkling Gelatin
* Orange Sherbet
* And Much More!
“If you are concerned about too much sugar in your diet and are reluctant to use artificial sweeteners try these delicious low-sugar recipes sweetened with an extract of the herb Stevia rebaudiana. “
“The intense flavor of stevia extract is about 200 to 300 times sweeter than sugar with no calories and glycemic index of ZERO. Used by millions of people around the world and deemed safe by doctors and scientists, stevia may be the answer to your sugar woes. “
“This book is a combination of Rita’s two previous cookbooks, Baking with Stevia I and II, along with new and revised recipes. Includes information on how to use stevia as a substitute for other sweeteners. “
214 pages
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Wisdom Natural Foods Answers These General Questions -
Q: Are all Wisdom Natural Brands™ products gluten free?
A: Yes. However, our Sweetleaf® SteviaTabs™ use starches made from corn. Corn is generally considered a safe product for gluten intolerant individuals. As always, people with allergies, intolerances or concerns about gluten should consult their health care professionals prior to using any product that may have gluten or gluten byproducts.
Q: Is any of the equipment used for the production of Wisdom Natural Brands™ products also used for the production of products with animal derivatives?
A: No.
Q: If I am taking prescription of over-the-counter medications will there be any interactions between your herbal products and the medications I am taking?
A: No interactions have been reported. World wide, millions of people use the herbs in these products daily. However, we are not able to offer medical advice. We recommend that you consult with your health care professional concerning all questions on possible interactions between drugs and herbs.
Q: Is Stevia safe for diabetics?
A: Yes.
Q: Why is the whole leaf powder green and the stevioside white? Do you use bleach to whiten the powder?
A: The whole leaf powder is in its natural, unprocessed state. It is just the leaves of the Stevia plant ground into powder, therefore it retains the natural green color.
The stevioside has gone through an extraction process to isolate the sweet glycosides of the leaves thereby making it a much sweeter product. This extraction process leaves the naturally white glycosides behind. No bleach or other chemical whiteners are used.
Q: How are the glycosides extracted from the Stevia leaves?
A: The stevioside is extracted from the leaf using a potato-derived alcohol based extraction process and membrane filtration. There is no alcohol in the finished product. It evaporates.
Q: What are the nutritional benefits of stevioside?
A: In addition to having a zero glycemic index, zero glycemic load and no calories, stevioside has been shown to reduce high blood sugar and lower blood pressure.
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Well, that’s probably MORE than you ever expected to know about Stevia, but here’s to your health!
Let me know if you want to order any, and bye until next time!
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