Sunday, 01 August 2010

Stevia

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Stevia Q&A
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What is Stevia?
Stevia Rebaudiana Bertoni is a plant (member of the sunflower family, Asteraceae), home to Paraguay. It is in use as a sweetener for food and beverages for more than 1500 years by the native Guarani Indians of South Americans.
Is Stevia helpful in weight management?
Stevia is a great tool for weight management, because it contains no calories, very low carb counts and has no glycemic index. Eat foods with Stevia, cut your fat grams and get some exercise and you will be on your way to your weight loss goal.
What exactly is Rebaudioside-A?
Rebaudioside-A is one of the two main components used in the creation of the Stevia sweetener. It is the sweeter of the two glycosides extracted from the Stevia leaves. It tastes sweet and is not bitter.
Can Stevia be used by people who have diabetes?
Stevia is the perfect sugar substitute for anyone with diabetes. It contains no calories, only two grams of carbs per serving and does not impact the glycemic index. It will not cause any changes in your blood glucose at all.
What about if my sugar substitute already has 90% of steviosides?
While this is a good level of steviosides, you should check on the percentage of Rebaudioside-A in the product. 90% or more Rebaudioside-A will make a huge difference to the taste of the product. Compare them and see.
Are there any known allergies to Stevia?
No allergies have been reported to any ingredient in Stevia
What types of products is Stevia used in?
The list is very long. Amongst the many products made with Stevia are jams, jellies, sweetened drinks, energy bars, candy, toothpaste, mouthwash, ice cream, seafood, cosmetics, gum, baked goods, vitamins, breakfast cereal, sauces and alcohol.
Is Stevia safe?
More than 200 studies have been conducted on the use of Stevia in humans and they have all found the product completely safe. Stevia has been used in food in Japan since the mid-1970s and in South America for hundreds of years. It is approved for use in food in Asia and much of South America. It is an approved dietary supplement in the US, Canada, Australia and some parts of Europe.
Does Stevia dissolve in water?
Yes, Stevia is indeed water-soluble. Just try it.
How much does Stevia cost?
If you compare it to sugar in terms of sweetness, it is in reality less expensive. In fact, a pound of Stevia has the same sweetness as 146 pounds of sugar.
Can I cook with Stevia?
Yes, you can definitely cook with Stevia! It is very heat stable and works well for cooking and baking. Follow the information on the Usage Tips page to get started.
What is the shelf life of Stevia?
Stevia will be fine for a period of 5 years in powder form if kept away from moisture, and sealed and stored at temperatures of less than 60 degrees Celsius. Liquid Stevia is stable unless it is in direct sunlight.
Is Stevia anti-microbial?
Stevia is naturally anti-microbial, making it an excellent food additive.
Is Stevia pH stable?
Yes, it is very pH stable between pH 2 and 10.
What is the FDA status for Stevia?
Rebaudioside-A has recently been approved by the FDA in the US as a foodstuff. All other Stevia products remain approved as a dietary supplement only with the FDA.