ed these to sweeten my coffee etc. as there are no negative after effects unlike artificial sweeteners.  Stevia is made from herb in South America. Japanese tea drinkers have been using stevia for years with no ill effects she said.  It's quite a bit sweeter than sugar, so you need less of it as a replacement.<br /><br />I like this brand and put two packets in my iced coffee every morning with almond milk and 1 T cocoa--it tastes like a coffee milk shake for only about 70 calories as the Stevia