Grow Stevia - The Natural Zero Calorie Sweetener

(photo from Civil Eats)

In 2008  the Food and Drug Administration declared a natural zero-calorie sweetener derived from the herb Stevia safe for use in foods and beverages. A long time favorite of natural foodies, Stevia, or sweetleaf, is a tender herb native to South America (zones 10, 11 ). Its extract is widely sold here as the tabletop sweetener, Truvia.

There is a good reason why stevia is called sweetleaf. Its dried leaves are 15 times sweeter than ordinary table sugar and a glycoside that can be extracted from Stevia leaves is 300 times sweeter than sucrose!

In Japan stevia has been sold as a sweetener for over 30 years and they use it in their version of Coke. It  is also available  in Brazil and China. Stevia is banned for use in food in the European Union.
The story of stevia is quite interesting. It shows how a natural product can be banned by the government, only to be adopted by the largest multi-national beverage manufacturers in the world (Pepsi, Coca Cola) and then ushered in by the FDA.

Stevia’s “natural” label will indeed make it the holy grail of sweeteners.

So how did we go from sugar and honey to Stevia?

And why if Stevia is safe, as some other countries have deemed it to be, did the FDA ban it and then restrict  it for years, only to legalize it and allow the biggest names in soft drinks to use it? And is this little leaf from Paraguay why George Bush bought 100,000 acres in northern Paraguay?

The verdict is still out on Stevia's safety - a report prepared for the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CPSI) by UCLA toxicologists found that several laboratory tests have shown stevia to cause DNA mutations in lab animals.

CPSI Executive Director Michael F. Jacobson denounced FDA’s decision, saying, “It is far too soon to allow this substance in the diet sodas and juice drinks consumed by millions of people. It looks like this is President Bush’s parting gift to the soda industry.”   You can read more on this in Jenny Hawke’s “The Bittersweet Story of Stevia.”

But on a small scale why not try growing Stevia?

(from the blog Zanthan Gardens)

This annual is a fragrant, bright green herb that grows 12  inches high in well drained soil and full sun. It sports small white flowers in summer. It will look wonderful in a mixed flower herb garden of Basil, Catnip, Golden Sage, Lavender, and annual flowers.

(this is from Tanglewood Gardens - great site)

Plant Stevia as an annual in late spring or early summer when all danger of frost has passed. The roots are shallow so water lightly and frequently, allowing the soil to dry between waterings. Do not Overwater! Yocan grow it in a pot using a light weight potting soil.

Ifyou grow your own stevia, dry and crush the leaves before using as a sweetener. Grind the dried leaves and sprinkle them into cereals and other cold dishes as you would sugar. Or use it like a bay leaf to sweeten meat and vegetables dishes while they cook.

One other great note - it is aphid resistant.

Buy seeds or better yet, buy small plants of this easy-to-grow miracle plant....join the revolution!

Heres a great article on growing stevia in my part of the world - Westfair on line