Stevia

[Guest guest]

Here in Australia you can buy stevia at the health food shops. It's pure and

very expensive - but as it's so much sweeter than sugar and I've learned to

eat most fruits and other dishes without sweetener - I only use it for

desserts and icecreams - which I rarely make - so my 1 kg will last my

lifetime!

Sandy - sugar is also from plants - usually sugar cane - and is extracted

without any additive.

Stevia is the same.

Obviously some herbal companies may wish to add other ingredients in order

to make their product unique and charge a premium for it but stevia is

definitely available in it's pure form. I also have dried leaves - which I

sometimes add to green tea when I plan to drink it iced. My last stevia

plant has died but I will try to find some more.

Bea

Sandy Burdsall

> It is highly unlikely (probably impossible) that any granulated stevia is

> 100% stevia without a carrier (usually maltodextrin) -- especially since

> it's raw form is a leaf . . . but since USDA defines stevia as a " dietary

> supplement " rather than a " food product, " it isn't subject to the same

> labeling laws as food products that require disclosure of all contents in

> descending order. Rather, stevia (as a " dietary supplement " ) is subject to

> the laws that apply to how companys label/sell vitamins and other such.

> Just because something isn't listed on the label of a " dietary supplement "

> doesn't mean it doesn't contain any.>

[Guest guest]

I use the liquid stevia from Optimum Nutrition. I get it from my local GNC

store, in a 2-oz bottle with dropper for about $7. I prefer the liquid

because I use it mainly for sweetening iced tea , and it mixes much better,

but it's important not to use too much. Too much causes a bitter taste, so

if it tastes bitter, try using less. Much less.

Ellen

Type 2