Many people put this in their herbal tea, coffee, etc. Stevia is an outstanding, sweet tasting herb that has remarkable health promoting qualities, yet it is an herb that has been surrounded by much controversy in the United States. It has been used for over 1500 years as a sweetener and for medicinal purposes. Since the 1970's, stevia has been used in Japan as the main alternative to sugar, used instead of the banned aspartame in diet soda, gum and other food and beverages. Several other countries, including China, Korea, Brazil, and other South American nations also use stevia extensively.
Stevia is also being used as a sweetener in other countries after extensive studies proved its safety. Stevia has been used with success to treat many ailments including diabetes, high blood pressure, gingivitis, digestion ailments, addictions, topically for acne and other skin ailments and also as a wonderful weight loss aid. It is safe for diabetics since it does not raise blood sugar!
Stevia has many favorable and exciting health benefits and it is completely non-toxic. The herb is nutrient rich, containing substantial amounts of protein, calcium, and phosphorous, as well as sodium, magnesium, zinc, rutin, vitamin A, vitamin C, and over 100 phytonutrients.
STEVIA BENEFITS:
WEIGHT LOSS AIDE:
Stevia contains no calories and actually reduces cravings for sweets and fatty foods. Studies have shown that it also minimizes hunger sensations. Once again your sweet tooth can be satisfied guilt free. It is not only a diet aide, but beneficial for you too. New reports are stating that if taken 20 minutes before a meal, you will feel satiated sooner.
DIABETES:
Known for its nourishing properties for the pancreas, stevia has been used by diabetics for centuries as a sweetener and also as a method of controlling blood sugar levels. Studies have shown that stevia can regulate blood sugar levels when taken appropriately. This is not meant to replace current practices of a diabetic, but as an aide to control diabetes.
HYPERTENSION:
Studies have shown that stevia lowers high blood pressure without affecting normal blood pressure. The Guarani Indians of Paraguay have used stevia for centuries without any negative effects.
TEETH AND GUMS:
Due to high beneficial mineral content and anti-bacterial properties, stevia is a wonderful additive to toothpaste or diluted as a mouthwash. Not only will it not cause cavities, but it actually prevents them!
DIGESTION:
Stevia improves digestion and intestinal function, soothes an upset stomach and promotes quicker recovery from minor ailments. It is best to consume stevia as a tea for this effect, although other methods may also be beneficial to digestion and minor ailments.
SKIN CARE:
Applied to the skin, stevia treats acne and other skin ailments. It also protects against premature aging. Place a few drops of our stevia liquid concentrate on your skin, rinse after 30 minutes and feel the difference. Stevia may also be used on skin inflictions. After a 20 second stinging sensation, the pain is significantly reduces and the healing time is accelerated.
ADDICTIONS:
Reports keep coming in that the use of stevia has reduced cravings for tobacco, alcohol, sweet and fatty foods. Chew directly on a stevia leaf or take a few drops of the stevia liquid to help curb cravings. Take 20 minutes before a meal to feel satiated sooner.
The Stevia Story:
Stevia is derived from the leaves of a Paraguayan plant known as yerba dulce or "sweet leaf". Stevia contains stevioside, a glycoside that is 100-200 times sweeter than sugar, depending on the concentrations of the solution. It is a natural non-caloric sweetener alternative to potentially harmful artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and Acesulfame-K.
Despite widespread use, there has been no evidence of adverse health consequences from stevia in these countries, nor have any problems related to stevia been reported in the United States. (Several US companies, including Celestial Seasonings and Traditional Medicinals used it in the past, as a natural sweetener in their teas.) Still, in 1991, the FDA issued an import alert, classifying it as an unsafe food additive. Although they admitted stevia has been used throughout history and is approved for use in foods in Brazil and Japan, the FDA said "Available toxicology information on stevia is inadequate to demonstrate the safety of this substance as a food additive or to affirm its status as GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe)."
Many groups within the natural product industry, including the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) have been trying to convince the FDA of the safety of stevia, with the intention that it would eventually be approved as a food ingredient of GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) status. Their position has been that stevia is not a food additive but a food ingredient commonly used in foods before 1958, making it a candidate to be exempted from the extensive toxicological studies typically needed for pre-market approval for substances to be used in food products.
The "common use" exemption refers to a clause in the 1958 Food Additive Act which said that ingredients that have been historically used in foods with no apparent problem don't have to go through the approval process and, thus, would automatically be considered GRAS. Although this safe, natural, calorie-free alternative is readily available, the FDA had refused to allow its use in the United States.
AHPA has also been supplying the FDA with hundreds of pharmacological and toxicological studies from around the world, to support the safety status of stevia. The FDA has been reticent to accept these studies yet, ironically, they used a flawed Brazilian study using 7 mice as evidence why it may not be safe. In this study, the 7 "control" group mice which did not receive stevia all became pregnant (as mice will tend to do). Of the 7 mice administered stevia, 1 mouse didn't become pregnant. From this, the FDA made the ludicrous claim that stevia had a 14% contraceptive factor.
More ironically, artificial sweeteners with questionable health effects have been approved by the FDA. Neurological aberrations are frequently reported from the use of aspartame. Both saccharin and Acesulfame-K have been linked as potential carcinogens.
Latest FDA Ruling
Another tactic to get stevia approved has been to convince the FDA to approve its use as a dietary supplement ingredient. With the passage of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) in October 1994, some people within the herb industry believe stevia should be considered as one of the "grandfathered" dietary supplement ingredients that the new law permits. Although this would not automatically clear the way for its use in foods, some believe the FDA would have no rationale not to approve it for food use.
On September 18, 1995 the FDA finally lifted its four-year import ban of stevia, approving its use as a dietary supplement or as a dietary ingredient of a supplement, but not as a food additive or ingredient.
The ruling now allows the sale of stevia as long as the bottle or package clearly labels it as a dietary supplement. What you'll probably begin to see are companies marketing stevia packaged on its own as well as protein powders, powdered supplements, and chewable supplements that contain Stevia. The key is that companies, including retailers, can not refer to stevia as a sweetener.
SOURCE: www.WholeFoods.com
DIRECTIONS FOR USE: 2-8 drops as needed SERVING SIZE: 7 drops SERVINGS PER BOTTLE: approx. 169
