Everything Stevia

The Plant

Stevia rebaudiana bertoni is an herb in the Chrysanthemum family native of Eastern Paraguay, first discovered by the Guarani people of Paraguay. Called "Ka’a He’e" (“Sweet Herb”) in Guarani, stevia was used to sweeten their traditional drinks such as the herbal tea "Yerba Mate". The stevia leaf was an important ingredient in the indigenous native diet.

Stevia has been used for hundreds of years, and is currently used widely in such countries as Japan, South Korea, Israel, Mexico, Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina.

The Sweetness

Stevia’s sweet flavor is found in the naturally sweet steviol glycosides. Once solubilized, extracted and crystallized, these natural compounds are incredibly sweet, more than 200 times sweeter than sugar.

The sweetness of stevia is mainly attributed to two compounds viz stevioside (4-10% of dry leaf weight) and rebaudioside A (Reb A) (2-6%). Reb A is less bitter than stevioside (which has a slightly bitter taste), making it the most suitable ingredient for the creation of PureVia™.

The Process

Whole Earth Sweetener Company and its commercial partners use a process much like that of making tea to extract the Reb A from the stevia leaf. It is steeped in fresh water, then filtered and purified before it is crystallized into a very high purity Reb A. This process brings out the sweetness and helps eliminate the bitter components commonly associated with stevia.

The Benefits

Stevia has numerous advantages as a sweetener. It is:

  • 100% natural
  • Calorie-free
  • Carbohydrate-free
  • Heat stable
  • Safe

Since stevia has zero calories and zero carbohydrates, it may be beneficial in managing weight and diabetes. Having no carbohydrates means it is also perfect for individuals monitoring their blood glucose levels. This includes those with diabetes and anyone looking to maintain a healthy lifestyle. By helping to reduce calorie and carbohydrate intake, PureVia™ is a valuable addition to any health-conscious diet plan.

The safety of stevia is well documented in numerous published scientific studies.