HERBS: The Many Benefits of Stevia

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The Many Benefits of Stevia

By A. May

Stevia is sweeping the natural-food industry. Consumers want to use it,

stores want to sell it and manufacturers want to include it in their

food and cosmetic products. Unfortunately, very few people know anything

about stevia, the various forms in which it comes, how and when to use

it or which forms offer the maximum benefits.

Prior to 1991, stevia was in widespread use in the United States and

several other countries. In Japan, it was developed by a complex

refining process into a sweetener called stevioside -- a white powder

250 to 300 times sweeter than sugar -- which has a 47 percent market

share in the Japanese commercial-sweetening industry.

In 1984, stevia importers were informed by the Food and Drug

Administration (FDA) that they could no longer import concentrated

stevia liquid into the United States for sale as a sweetener. FDA

officials did say that there was no problem with importing stevia in tea

bags for sale as a tea. The FDA imposed an import alert on stevia in May

1991, instructing importation agents to not allow stevia in any form

into the United States. The agency later relaxed that order, allowing

stevia to be imported and sold only as a liquid concentrate for skin

care. The FDA issued a revised import alert Sept. 18, 1995, informing

its agents that stevia could be imported and sold if, and only if, it

was labeled as a dietary supplement.

Good quality stevia leaves, whether whole, cut and sifted or in tea

bags, are about 30 times sweeter than sugar and have no calories. The

best quality leaves are imported from South America and Mexico, and are

about 12 percent to 13 percent stevioside. The poorest quality, but most

ample supply, is currently coming from China, where the leaves contain

only 5 percent to 6 percent stevioside. A simple taste test quickly

demonstrates the difference.

A few companies are marketing liquid stevia extracts or concentrates.

The water-based concentrates are superior to the alcohol-based extracts

because they usually contain a greater concentration of the nutrients

essential to the healing activity. Virtually all research performed with

whole-leaf stevia has been done with water-based concentrates. Also,

alcohol nullifies much of the plant's healing activity on the skin and

the scalp. The effectiveness of a water-based concentrate depends on its

purity and the ratio of leaves to water used in the preparation process.

The more leaves to water, the better and more effective the final product.

In all of its current forms, stevia has a taste unique to itself. With

all of its sweetness, there is a bitter taste when the leaf, extract or

stevioside powder is placed in the mouth. This bitter taste disappears,

as does the slight licorice flavor, when the product is appropriately

diluted in water or another liquid prior to use. The bitter taste comes

from the leaf veins. The majority of the veins must be removed during

the cut-and-sift process, or the delightfully sweet taste is overcome by

a strong bitterness.

Whether in dry-leaf or concentrate form, stevia has the wonderful

ability to help the body regulate blood sugar. Several researchers have

reported that, in these natural forms, stevia seems to correct both high

and low blood sugar1. Other scientists have stated that stevia appears

to lower blood pressure, but does not seem to affect normal blood

pressure2. Stevia leaves and the water-based concentrate are sold in

some South American countries as aids for people with diabetes,

hypoglycemia and high blood pressure.

Research has demonstrated that stevia liquid concentrate inhibits the

growth and reproduction of harmful bacteria and other infectious

organisms, including those that are a problem for the food and cosmetic

industries3. Stevia also inhibits the growth of the bacteria that cause

gum disease and tooth decay, and in many countries it is used in

oral-hygiene products. Because such products are not yet allowed by the

FDA, many Americans simply add several drops of stevia concentrate to a

small amount of water, swish thoroughly in the mouth and swallow. This

ability of stevia to destroy infectious organisms may help explain why

stevia users report a lower incidence of colds and flu4.

Less known, but no less remarkable, is the ability of water-based stevia

concentrate to help heal numerous skin problems, including acne,

seborrhea, dermatitis and eczema. It also has been observed that placing

it in cuts and wounds brings more rapid healing without the scarring.

This will cause a severe stinging for several seconds, but is followed

by a significant lowering of pain5. Physicians have reported using

stevia concentrate to heal psoriasis and burns, while others have

reported that it is extremely helpful in healing various lip sores.

The stevioside mentioned earlier, although more intensely sweet than the

leaf or concentrate and certainly safe for diabetics and hypoglycemics,

does not retain any of the healing properties described above. It is far

too sweet to be eaten by itself, but it is in high demand by consumers

who want a noncaloric sweetener.

Virtually all scientific researchers who have studied stevia and

stevioside have attested to their complete safety. Mowrey, Ph.D.,

a renowned scientist and director of the American Phytotherapy Research

Laboratory, has written the following:

" Few substances have ever yielded such consistently negative results in

toxicity trials as has stevia. Almost every toxicity test imaginable has

been performed on stevia extract or stevioside at one time or another.

The results are always negative. No abnormalities in weight change, food

intake, cell or membrane characteristics, enzyme and substrate

utilization or chromosome characteristics. No cancer, no birth defects,

no acute and no chronic untoward effects. Nothing6.

Stevia is here. Use it, recommend it, sell it and enjoy it.

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References:

1. Bracht, A.K, Alvarez, M. and Bracht, A., " Effects of Stevia

Rebaudiana Products on Rat Liver Mitochondria, " Biochemical

Pharmacology, Vol.34, 6, p.873-882, 1985.

2. Boeckh, E.A., " Stevia Rebaudiana (Bert.) Bertoni: Clinical Evaluation

of its Acute Action on Cardio-Circulatory, Metabolic and Electrolitic

Parameters in 60 Healthy Individuals. " Third Brazilian Seminar on Stevia

Rebaudiana (Bert.), p.22-23, July, 1986.

3. Laboratory analyses performed by BBC Laboratory, Tempe, Ariz., and

ANR Laboratory, Phoenix, Ariz.

4. Mowrey, D.B., Life With Stevia: How Sweet It Is. p.9

5. Mowrey, op. cit. p.10.

6. Mowrey, op. cit. p.12.

A. May is founder and president of United American Industries Inc.

He has been using, researching and experimenting with stevia for 14

years, and he established the method of grading the quality of stevia

that is currently used in Paraguay.

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