A worthy alternative to sugar-stevia. Stevia rebaudiana, commonly known as a sweet leaf or sugar leaf, is a growing plant belonging to a family of sunflowers native to Central and South America. Studies have shown that this is a safe and natural substitute for sugar without calories and is usually used to sweeten a number of foods and beverages. The composition responsible for the sweetness of the plant is a glycoside found on the leaves of the plant. Glycosides of steviol are 300 times sweeter than sugar. Stevia can be used in hot or cold drinks or in themselves as herbal tea. The leaves are dried to form a powder that can be used for baking - two tablespoons of Stevia powder - this is one cup of sugar. Without calories, without sugar and without carbohydrates, the glycemic index of stevia is 0. It was found that the pure extract of stevia does not affect the level of glucose in the blood. Stevia can improve insulin sensitivity and improve diabetes. Stevia can be useful in the treatment of hypertension and the treatment of type 2 diabetes, and has some anti-inflammatory properties. The herb does not contain calories, so it can be useful for weight loss. Tags: thai, cuisine