Stevia- Natural Plant Sweetener

"Stevia Rebaudiana" or "Stevia" is the newest threat to multinational companies around the world concerned with production of artificial sweeteners and sugar based products. It is for this reason that its popularity has been hampered, although this did end up working out the other way round. With all the restrictions on its benefits and uses, and with internet today, its popularity has been blown out of proportion. But, of course that which threatens something that is already holding majority of the market share (which most of the time "happens" to be a product that is harmful), will always be shunned or banned.

Now, why is it a threat one may ask.

It is nature's answer to all aching diabetics who suffer a hard time because they cannot indulge or even get a taste of their favourite dessert because their life depends upon it. Well, this of course doesn't mean that with Stevia, one can eat himself or herself to obesity or chronicity.

It is nature's pure alternative to sugar. It is scientifically proven to be 200 to even 300 times sweeter than sugar.

This plant is native to Paraguay, where the natives have widely used it for it's many curative abilities. Apart from it being a sweetener, it also helps in cleansing of the oral cavity, it fights high blood pressure, is a natural anti-bacterial and anti-viral agent, it also has a therapeutic effect on topical (local) application.

The reason why stevia is such a life saver is because the human body reacts in a completely different way to it as compared to the way it does with sugar.

This plant's active principle (Steviosido/Steviosides) are glycosides that are extremely sweet agents that the body does not metabolize but it gets flushed out directly. This is unlike sugar which is converted into glucose and is absorbed into the blood stream thus leading to increase in blood sugar levels and could consequently lead to diabetes. This is not the case with Stevia. It has also been proven to stimulate the production of insulin in the body & is also good for heartburn.

As of today, only one market in the world has openly accepted the import and the sale of Stevia and that is Japan (other than Paraguay of course). Over 50% of the market is governed by the use of Stevia .

Since the majority of  markets in the world are against promoting this beatiful plant, the only way to spread knwoledge about it is to talk about it. So, go ahead and spread the word!