Stevia Rebaudiana
Stevia is a natural sweetener extracted from Stevia rebaudiana
- Sowing: March/April
- Harvesting: September/October
- Use: Excellent sweetener with a light licorice aftertaste
Stevia rebaudiana bertoni is a perennial plant native to Paraguay whose leaves have long been known for their intense sweetness; knowledge of this plant and its special properties remained confined to indigenous populations for many centuries, and only later spread to countries such as Japan, China, and Brazil. The stevia plant has proven to be highly adaptable from a climatic point of view, and today it is successfully grown in many countries other than its place of origin, in terms of both temperature and sun exposure.
The active principles that give stevia its sweetness are called ''steviol glycosides'': among these, the most abundant are stevioside and rebaudioside A: they are found mainly in the leaves. It is from the dried leaves that this extremely powerful sweetener is obtained.
Extremely powerful because stevia is able to sweeten up to 300 times more than sugar and also other artificial sweeteners, it is completely natural and has no calories. The total absence of calories is one of its strong points, one of the characteristics that make stevia a primary choice for a low-calorie diet.
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Stevia is not only a calorie-free sweetener, but it is also a health-beneficial food: being a natural derivative, stevia contains minerals and vitamins. Specifically, the leaves of this plant are rich in important minerals such as manganese, potassium, zinc, and iron. The vitamins most present in stevia, on the other hand, are vitamin C and vitamin A.
But there is more: in stevia we also find a good amount of flavonoids, powerful antioxidants and allies especially for women's health during certain periods (pre-menopause and menopause). Furthermore, flavonoids help counteract the action of free radicals with evident benefits, also visible on the skin.
This plant also helps keep bad cholesterol (LDL cholesterol) in the blood under control and thus proves to be an ally for those suffering from hypercholesterolemia and in cases of predisposition to cardiovascular diseases.
Consuming stevia could also be useful in cases of hypertension, thanks to the hypotensive effect of the active principles present in the plant. Furthermore, stevia has a gentle laxative, digestive (it reduces gastric acidity), and even antibacterial action.
Stevia is also recommended for those who suffer from diabetes or, in any case, for those who need to keep their blood sugar under control. In fact, stevia can help regulate hyperglycemic states. The credit goes to stevioside, one of the plant's active compounds.
Stevioside modifies the functioning of certain pancreatic cells, the cells that produce insulin. Thus, it stimulates insulin production and reduces hyperglycemia. In particular, this plant seems to reduce postprandial glucose levels in cases of type 2 diabetes.
How to use stevia
Processed forms are available on the market, such as powder (300 times sweeter than sugar), tablets, or liquid (about 70 times sweeter than sugar). The latter is excellent for sweetening spoon desserts (for example, creams and puddings).
There is also the use of stevia leaves, unprocessed and therefore even more natural, simply using fresh and dried leaves (20/30 times sweeter than sugar), crushing them directly into sweet preparations, or leaving them to steep, for example, to make tea.
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AgriGeuna chose to grow Stevia out of a need to replace traditional artificial sweeteners, and in particular the one used by the mothers of millions of children (the classic liquid sweetener to put on pacifiers...), and specifically for a child who entered the world in 2012...
This led to the decision to grow a sweetening plant that can be consumed in a truly natural way, without any processing other than drying itself.
Our company is fighting its own little "battle" to make natural Stevia known, a completely different product compared to both its processed derivatives mentioned above and artificial sweeteners.
Stevia leaves are good both fresh and dried. They have a distinctive licorice aftertaste that makes them unique and they are fantastic paired with still red wines. A great pairing is also with dark chocolate.