Stevia

Other common names: Stevia Rebaudiana,  Sweetleaf,  Candyleaf,  sweet herb.

 Steviosides: 90%, 95%, 98%

Rebaudioside A (Reb A or RA): 40%, 60%, 80%, 90%, 95%, 97%, 98%, 99%

 No Bitter Aftertaste ST 80%, ST 90%

Molecule Formula: C38H60O18

Molecule Weight: 805.00

CAS NO.: 57817-89-7   

HS Code:  29389090

Appearance: White or off-white Crystalline Powder

Stevia is in a member of the chrysanthemum family and is a plant native to rain forests of Paraguay and Brazil. It is now grown in those areas, as well as in China, Japan, South Korea, Thailand and Israel.

The leaves from the small shrub are traditionally utilized by the native people as a non-sugar-sweetening agent in foods and beverage. It is now widely consumed by millions of people from Paraguay to Asian counties. The leaves are a very sweet liquorice-like flavor. It contains "STEVIOSIDE", a substance that is approximately 300 times sweeter than sucrose.

Stevia is a genus of about 240 species of herbs and shrubs in the sunflower family (Asteraceae), native to subtropical and tropical regions from western North America to South America. The species Stevia rebaudiana, commonly known as sweetleaf, sweet leaf, sugarleaf, or simply stevia, is widely grown for its sweet leaves. As a sweetener and sugar substitute, stevia's taste has a slower onset and longer duration than that of sugar, although some of its extracts may have a bitter or licorice-like aftertaste at high concentrations.

With its extracts having up to 300 times the sweetness of sugar, stevia has garnered attention with the rise in demand for low-carbohydrate, low-sugar food alternatives. Medical research has also shown possible benefits of stevia in treating obesity and high blood pressure. Because stevia has a negligible effect on blood glucose, it is attractive as a natural sweetener to people on carbohydrate-controlled diets.

The availability of stevia varies from country to country. In a few countries, it has been available as a sweetener for decades or centuries; for example, stevia is widely used as a sweetener in Japan where it has been available for decades. In some countries, stevia is restricted or banned. In other countries, health concerns and political controversies have limited its availability; for example, the United States banned stevia in the early 1990s unless labeled as a supplement, but in 2008 approved rebaudioside-A extract as a food additive. Over the years, the number of countries in which stevia is available as a sweetener has been increasing.