Stevia sweet herb

Seeds: 100  / Botanical name: Stevia rebaudiana

The healthier alternative - and 30 times sweeter than sugar

Stevia rebaudiana, also known as sweet honey leaf, is a perennial plant that has been used for centuries as a sweetener with a licorice-like flavor. Stevia is considered an ideal alternative to artificial sweeteners and sugar. The sweetness of its leaves is approximately 10 to 30 times that of sugar, it contains zero calories, and unlike sugar, it is generally believed to have no caries-promoting or other harmful properties. Stevia is also considered suitable for diabetics and is not thought to raise blood sugar levels. This small perennial, which grows to about 50 to 80 centimeters in height, is best cultivated in a pot. Its soft leaves grow on flexible, hairy shoots, and in autumn, stevia produces white flowers at the shoot tips. In

its natural habitat, stevia was cultivated by the indigenous populations of the highlands of Paraguay, Brazil, and Argentina, with their semi-humid climate, as far back as pre-Columbian times and was known as a sweetener and medicinal remedy.