Stevia is a natural herb native to South America. It is a small shrub-like perennial plant which belongs to the sunflower (Asteraceae) family. Stevia has been in wide use in South America, Japan, and many other parts of the world. Our Stevia Extract Powder has been enzyme treated (debittered) to remove the bitter steviosides and improve the overall taste. This is a 100% natural herbal extract with nothing added.
The Guarani Indians had known for centuries about the unique advantages of kaa he-he, a native term which translates as “sweet herb”. These native people knew the leaves of the wild stevia shrub had a sweetening power unlike anything else; they commonly used the leaves to enhance the taste of bitter medicinal potions. The widespread native use of stevia was chronicled by the Spaniards in historical documents preserved in the Paraguayan National Archives in Asuncion. Historians noted that indigenous peoples had been sweetening potions with stevia leaves since ancient times. By the 1800s, daily stevia consumption had become well entrenched throughout the region — not just in Paraguay, but also in neighboring Brazil and Argentina.
Dr. Moises Santiago Bertoni, director of the College of Agriculture in Asuncion, first learned of what he described as “this very strange plant” from Indian guides while exploring Paraguay’s eastern forests in 1887. It was 12 years before he was presented with tangible evidence — a packet of stevia fragments and broken leaves received from a friend who had gotten them from the “mate” plantations in the northeast. He subsequently announced his discovery of the “new species” in a botanical journal published in Asuncion.
Within the next couple of decades, however, the enterprising Japanese had discovered just how useful stevioside really was. The Japanese either banned or strictly regulated artificial sweeteners during the 1960s, consistent with a popular movement away from allowing chemicals in the food supply. They soon discovered the ideal replacement for both sugar and its synthetic substitutes: refined stevia extracts.
In addition to demonstrating stevia’s nearly instant popularity in locales far removed from its native habitat, Japan’s experience proved several other significant facts about this phenomenal plant: its adaptability and its safety. Adaptability was proven through the discovery that the plant could be grown throughout most of this temperate island nation, albeit under special hothouse conditions. Studies were even initiated to evaluate the substitution of stevia for rice under cultivation in some areas. Stevia’s safety was proven through extensive scientific testing.
What gives stevia its unique flavor profile is that it has 2 glycosides naturally occurring in it (stevioside and rebaudioside). The steviosides are sweet and the rebaudiosides are bitter. This is why the consumer sees a difference in the taste from one product to another. The extraction process can be quite costly especially if a company is looking to extract a unique combination of these glycosides in order to get a specific flavor to come through. We at Z Natural Foods sell what would be considered a "full spectrum" extract of the stevia plant. This assures our customer gets the best and most well-balanced end product.
Suggested Use: As an herbal dietary supplement, take 1/32 teaspoon as desired. Stevia extract can be mixed into hot water or other beverages to dilute its intensity.
Other Names: Sweet Leaf, Sugar Leaf, Sweet Honey Leaf, Rebiana, Candy Leaf, Yaa waan, Caa-he-ee, Kaa jhee, Erva doce, Sweet herb, Honey Yerba.
Ingredients: Organic Stevia Leaf Extract (Debittered).
Origin: Grown in Paraguay and extracted in China. Packaged with care in Florida, USA.
Z Natural Foods strives to offer the highest quality organically grown, raw, vegan, gluten free, non-GMO products available and exclusively uses low-temperature drying techniques to preserve all the vital enzymes and nutrients. Our Pure White Stevia Leaf Extract Powder passes our strict quality assurance which typically includes testing for botanical identity, heavy metals, chemicals and microbiological contaminants. ZNaturalFoods.com offers Pure White Stevia Leaf Extract Powder packaged in airtight stand-up, resealable foil pouches for optimum freshness. Once opened, just push the air out of the pouch before resealing it in order to preserve maximum potency. Keep your Pure White Stevia Extract Powder in a cool, dark, dry place.
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