Stevia is famously about 250-300 times sweeter than table sugar and has very little effect on the levels of glucose in the blood. It is therefore thought to be a good alternative sweetener for diabetics or individuals on low carbohydrate or low calorie diets.
$Since 1977 stevia and stevia extracts (steviosides and rebaudiosides) have been widely used in Japan as a more natural alternative to artificial sweeteners such as saccharin or aspartame.
$In Europe$, the United States and Australia the use of stevia and stevia extracts has been banned in the past and is now limited. The import of stevia products is permissible only if they are labelled as a dietary supplement and there use is not allowed to be listed as a sweetener.
$Many feel that these limitations to the use of stevia are due to pressure from the sugar industry and the other artificial sweetener manufacturers.
$Individuals interested in using stevia and stevia extracts are able to buy cuttings of the plants for growth in pots or in their own gardens. Alternatively extracts can be purchased. It is adivised to buy the whole extract (usually a brown or green colour) rather than more refined extracts (white or clear in colour).
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