Stevia

(Stevia rebaudiana)

Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Stevia
Species: rebaudiana
Synonyms: Eupatorium rebaudianum
Common Names: Stevia, sweet leaf of Paraguay, caa-he-éé, kaa jheéé, ca-a-jhei, ca-a-yupi, azucacaa, eira-caa, capim doce, erva doce, sweet-herb, honey yerba, honeyleaf, yaa waan, candy leaf
Phytochemicals: apigenin, austroinulin, avicularin, beta-sitosterol, caffeic acid, campesterol, caryophyllene, centaureidin, chlorogenic acid, chlorophyll, cosmosiin, cynaroside, daucosterol, diterpene glycosides, dulcosides A-B, foeniculin, formic acid, gibberellic acid, gibberellin, indole-3-acetonitrile, isoquercitrin, isosteviol, jhanol, kaempferol, kaurene, lupeol, luteolin, polystachoside, quercetin, quercitrin, rebaudioside A-F, scopoletin, sterebin A-H, steviol, steviolbioside, steviolmonoside, stevioside, stevioside a-3, stigmasterol, umbelliferone, and xanthophylls.
Part Used: Leaves

HERBAL PROPERTIES AND ACTIONS

Main Actions: naturally sweetens lowers blood sugar increases urination lowers blood pressure dilates blood vessels

Other Actions: kills bacteria kills fungi kills viruses reduces inflammation

Standard Dosage: Leaves Ground leaves: ¼ teaspoon is equal to 1 teaspoon of sugar Infusion: 1 cup 2-3 times daily

Stevia is a perennial shrub that grows up to 1 m tall and has leaves 2-3 cm long. Stevia is still found growing wild in the highlands of the Amambay and Iguacu districts (a border area between Brazil and Paraguay). It is grown commercially in many parts of Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Central America, Israel, Thailand, and China.

Western interest in stevia began around the turn of the nineteenth century, when researchers in Brazil started hearing about a plant with leaves so sweet that just one leaf would sweeten a whole gourd full of bitter yerba mate tea. It was first studied in 1899 by Paraguayan botanist Moises S. Bertoni, who wrote some of the earliest articles on stevia (in the early 1900s).

Over 100 phytochemicals have been discovered in stevia since. It is rich in terpenes and flavonoids. The constituents responsible for stevia's sweetness were documented in 1931, when eight novel plant chemicals called glycosides were discovered and named.
The great interest in stevia as a non-caloric, natural sweetener has fueled many studies on it - including toxicological ones. The main sweet chemical, stevioside, has been found to be nontoxic in acute toxicity studies. It also has been shown not to cause cellular changes (mutagenic) or to have any effect on fertility. The natural stevia leaf also has been found to be nontoxic and has no mutagenic activity. Studies conflict as to the effect of stevia leaf on fertility. The majority of clinical studies show stevia leaf to have no effect on fertility in both males and females. In one study, however, a water extract of the leaf was shown to reduce testosterone levels and sperm count in male rats.

Brazilian scientists recorded stevioside's ability to lower systemic blood pressure in 1991. Then in 2000, a double-blind, placebo-controlled study was undertaken with 106 Chinese hypertensive men and women. The researchers concluded, "This study shows that oral stevioside is a well tolerated and effective modality that may be considered as an alternative or supplementary therapy for patients with hypertension." Another team of scientists tested the hypoglycemic effects of the individual glycoside chemicals in stevia and attributed the effect on glucose production to the glycosides steviol, isosteviol, and glucosilsteviol.  Researchers in Denmark published a study (in 2000) which demonstrated that the in vitro hypoglycemic actions of stevioside and steviol are a result of their ability to stimulate insulin secretion via a direct action on beta cells. They concluded, "Results indicate that the compounds may have a potential role as antihyperglycemic agents in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus."

Stevia's effects and uses as a heart tonic to normalize blood pressure levels, to regulate heartbeat, and for other cardiopulmonary indications first were reported in 1978. Following these studies, a crude extract of stevia demonstrated hypotensive activity in a 1996 clinical study. In addition to its studied hypotensive effects, a Brazilian research group demonstrated that water extracts of stevia leaves had a hypoglycemic effect and increased glucose tolerance in humans, reporting that it "significantly decreased plasma glucose levels during the test and after overnight fasting in all volunteers." In another human study, blood sugar was reduced by 35% 6-8 hours after oral ingestion of a hot water extract of the leaf.

In other research, stevia has demonstrated antimicrobial, antibacterial, antiviral, and antiyeast activity. A water extract was shown to help prevent dental cavities by inhibiting the bacteria Streptococcus mutans that stimulates plaque formation. Additionally, a U.S. patent was filed in 1993 on a extract of stevia that claimed it to have vasodilatory activity and deemed it effective for various skin diseases (acne, heat rash, pruritis) and diseases caused by blood circulation insufficiency.

For hundreds of years, indigenous peoples in Brazil and Paraguay have used the leaves of stevia as a sweetener.

In addition to being a sweetener, stevia is considered (in Brazilian herbal medicine) to be hypoglycemic, hypotensive, diuretic, cardiotonic, and tonic. The leaf is used for diabetes, obesity, cavities, hypertension, fatigue, depression, sweet cravings, and infections. The leaf is employed in traditional medical systems in Paraguay for the same purposes as in Brazil.

For nearly 20 years, millions of consumers in Japan and Brazil, where stevia is approved as a food additive, have been using stevia extracts as safe, natural, non-caloric sweeteners. Japan is the largest consumer of stevia leaves and extracts in the world, and there it is used to sweeten everything from soy sauce to pickles, confections, and soft drinks. Even multinational giants like Coca-Cola and Beatrice Foods use stevia extracts to sweeten foods (as a replacement for NutraSweet and saccharin) for sale in Japan, Brazil, and other countries where it is approved as a food additive.

STEVIA PLANT SUMMARY

Main Preparation Method:	infusion or dry powder extract
Main Actions (in order):	sweetener, hypoglycemic, hypotensive (lowers blood pressure), cardiotonic (tones, balances, strengthens the heart), antimicrobial
Main Uses:	as a natural sweetener for diabetes for high blood pressure for cavity prevention as a weight loss aid
Properties/Actions Documented by Research:	antibacterial, anticandidal, antifungal, antiviral, cardiotonic (tones, balances, strengthens the heart), diuretic, hypoglycemic, vasodilator
Other Properties/Actions Documented by Traditional Use:	tonic, wound healer
Traditional Preparation:	In the U.S. stevia is mostly employed as a sugar substitute. About 1/4 teaspoon of the natural ground leaves (or one whole leaf) is the equivalent to about 1 teaspoon of sugar. In South America, a standard infusion is sometimes used as a natural aid for diabetes and hypertension; 1 cup is taken 2-3 times daily.
Contraindications:	Stevia leaf (at dosages higher than used for sweetening purposes) has been documented to have a hypoglycemic effect. Those with diabetes should use high amounts of stevia with caution and monitor their blood sugar levels as medications may need adjusting. Stevia leaf has been documented to have a hypotensive, or blood pressure lowering effect (at dosages higher than used for sweetening purposes) . Persons with low blood pressure and those taking antihypertensive drugs should avoid using large amounts of stevia and monitor their blood pressure levels accordingly for these possible effects.
Drug Interactions:	In large amounts, it may potentiate antihypertensive and antidiabetic medications.

WARNINGS: Information, statements and products on this website have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, mitigate, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or health condition. The natural properties of the botanicals are only referred to their common uses among folk and herbal traditions. Our products are not intended to diagnose, cure, or prevent any disease as well. It's not meant to give any suggestion of diagnosis or disease treatment. Please see a doctor when needed.