Of all low-calorie and no-calorie sweeteners, stevia is considered the most "natural". Stevia is a concentrated extract from the leaves of the stevia plant. Stevia extract is very intensely sweet, more than 300 times sweeter than table sugar. Sweetness comes from chemicals called glycosides, which are about 15% of the weight of raw leaves. To get a sweetener, the producers basically make tea with the leaves of the plant, and then dehydrate to get the powder. One of the great advantages for stevia is its antidiabetic effect. The leaves of stevia plants contain various antioxidants, such as flavonoids and beta-carotene. The use of stevia preliminarily lowers blood sugar levels after a meal, stevia can help lower blood pressure. Tags: thai, cuisine
