Stevia buyers beware: There are some ‘awful’ extracts out there…

Stevia buyers beware: There are some ‘awful’ extracts out there…

While traders “jumping in and out of the stevia marketplace” are disrupting prices and standards by peddling some “awful” extracts, high-quality stevia suppliers in it for the long-haul will ultimately prosper, according to one leading player.

http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Market/Stevia-buyers-beware-There-are-some-awful-extracts-out-there

Eating Desserts Regularly Helps You Lose Weight

Diet’s that deprive you of the foods you love are designed to FAIL.

The only way to actually stick to any diet long-term is to be able to SATISFY your cravings WITHOUT SABOTAGING your diet.

Because then your diet won’t actually feel like a diet at all!

But don’t just take my word for it…

Recent Scientific Study PROVES That Eating
Desserts Regularly Helps You Lose Weight

In the study, the researchers split 29 girls up into 2 groups: Group A ate a dessert of their choice once a week while Group B ate desserts 4 days/week.

At the end of 3 months, the group that ate desserts 4 days per week:

• Lost more weight
• Lowered their systolic blood pressure more (the top number)
• Had a lower fasting insulin level (the lower your fasting insulin, the more fat your body BURNS)
• Had better levels of a hormone called leptin, which suppresses appetite and is involved in fat burning

 here’s a link to the study to read for yourself.

How to grow stevia at home

Picture: sugarfreestevia.net

Growing of Stevia plants is not an easy task. But once you get your stevia started, it's one of the simplest herbs to grow. It has a reputation for repelling insects, which is great for your organic garden.

If you are growing stevia for the first time keep in mind that it does well in containers. If you are planning to grow it inside, surface sow seed 8 weeks before the last frost date.
Ensure that the last frost is past and soil temperatures are in the 60 degree F range before planting your stevia in the ground. Stevia plants pout in cold soil.
Stevia needs sandy loam or rich loamy soil. It also needs full sun.

Buy starter plants

It would be difficult, at best, to start a stevia patch from scratch — that is, by planting seeds. Even if you could get them to germinate, results might well prove disappointing, since stevioside levels can vary greatly in plants grown from seed. The recommended method is rather to buy garden-ready ‘starter’ plants, which given stevia’s ‘growing’ popularity, may well be obtainable from a nursery or herbalist in your area. Prepare beds by digging deeply in well-drained soil. Add a lot of compost or manure, and a handful of complete organic fertilizer for each plant.

The Stevia Cookbook - Cooking With Nature's Calorie-Free Sweetener

If you would like your family to eat much less sugar or you are attempting to lose excess weight, The Stevia Cookbook could be an excellent addition to your cookbook library. It is filled with useful information about Stevia, the "sweet" herb that's also totally calorie  free.

The very first part from the Stevia Cookbook talks about the background of Stevia - each since the beginning as well as in modern occasions. Here's an fascinating query: why, even though Stevia is popular in Asia and has also been in use by South American Indians for hundreds of years, is Stevia so unknown in the States? The guide points to large company (cash) and government intervention (politics). Are we shocked by that? Not really.

Stevia Recipe: AVOCADO ALFRESCO

Photo: Avocado Alfresco Sandwich, onsandwiches

AVOCADO ALFRESCO

The pungent taste of fresh horseradish is not only good for the lungs it enlivens this dish. Serve alone or, as an open-faced sandwich, brush olive or pumpkin oil on bread, add sprouts or lettuce and top with A.A.





1 Avocado,
1/3 cup Tomato, diced
1/3 cup Vidalia or sweet onion, diced
1/3 cup Celery, diced
1 tsp. Fresh horseradish, grated
Dressing
2 drops SteviaClear
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 tsp. Cumin
Sea salt to taste

1 Combine stevia, lemon juice, salt, and cumin in a cup.
2 Mash the avocado pulp with a fork and add the rest of the ingredients.
3 Blend in the dressing. Adjust seasonings to taste.


Servings: 2

Source: SteviaInfo.com

How to Make a Stevia Liquid Extract

Stevia rebaudiana, commonly known as sweetleaf, sweet leaf, sugarleaf, or simply stevia, is widely grown for its sweet leaves. As a sweetener and sugar substitute, stevia's taste has a slower onset and longer duration than that of sugar. ` wikipedia

Stevia is a natural sweetener with 0 calories that is unfermentable and does not provoke an insulin response for diabetics. It can be boiled or steeped in leaf form to sweeten teas, beverages and in cooking. Commercial liquid extracts are available (highly potent) through stores like GNC. Powdered single-serving packets can usually be found in supermarkets next to the Splenda or in the tea/powdered drink isle.

This video shows you how to make a tincture (liquid extract) out of stevia leaves

Stay away from lab made sweeteners! Use Stevia instead

Splenda is an organochlorine, other members of that family are DDT and Mustard gas!
Thanks to yet another loophole in the law Splenda is allowed to advertise itself in some places as 0 calories when in fact it does has calories. Its also 99% sugar so if u thought it was a good replacement for sugar think again.
Stevia is as versatile, cheap, natural and healthy. Splenda is a lab made poison.
Be smart!

Youtube

Revealed: The Shocking Truth About Diabetes!

Photo: fysiotherapienorg.nl

“The People” have had enough apparently!

The “World of Medicine” is scamming people – and even worse: with the help of “law-makers!”

It seems that “money” (as usual) has blinded doctors and medical practitioners to the degree that they are now willingly *suppressing* the truth regarding diabetes – its control and even its cure!

That’s right: I said it ... “cure!”

And this should shock you even more:

It seems that it’s against the law to say the word “cure” when describing anything that actually cures you.

Yet it’s very much okay to say that something “treats” or helps “offset” the symptoms of some health condition or disease.

But if you say “cure” (and this even includes when you in fact have a real and bona fide cure for something and can even prove it!) you can get arrested.

Ever wonder why no one ever talks about “curing diabetes”? Everyone seems to be content with finding ways to “control diabetes” or “live with diabetes”. And for good reason.

How to REVERSE DIABETES NOW!


No one’s out to “cure” anyone because there’s little money in doing so.

How to Harvest and Save Stevia Rebaudiana Seeds aka Sweet Leaf Herb

John from http://www.growingyourgreens.com/ shares with you his annual stevia harvest. In this video you will learn how John harvests his Stevia seeds. You will also discover the easiest way to propogate Stevia, and its not by seed.. In addition, you will also learn some other interesting facts about the stevia plant.

Source: Youtube

STEVIA: A SWEET CONTROVERSY

Picture: ingredient-supply.com

Stevia is a shrub-like herb that has been used for centuries for its ability to sweeten food without adding calories. Amidst America’s burgeoning health crises, stevia’s unique qualities serve a dual role: it provides a zero calorie alternative to sugar and it contains none of the artificial and dangerous chemicals that come with using commercial artificial sweeteners. One of the biggest health benefits of stevia is that it has no effect on blood sugar levels, which makes it a great choice for diabetics. 

Stevia is actually roughly four times the strength of conventional sugar and sweeteners, so a little goes a long way which makes it a more economical choice as well.

Bigger and Better Stevia plants

Picture: Zacks.com

S&W Seed (SANW) has been working with Dr. Clinton Shock for a number of years. Dr Shock, whilst in the Peace Corp. in Paraguay, developed an interest in stevia and collected many samples of stevia plants and seeds from remote villages. Many of these are atypical examples of wild stevia, and they have been made available to S&W Seed. Some of these samples have been crossed with each other and seeds grown and tested for glycoside types and concentrations. In the photo below Dr. Shock is standing behind some of the plants that are substantially bigger than the plants sourced from China (as seen in the background) The monster plants are at least waist high whereas the others are knee high.

Stevia recipe: Clamless Chowder

Photo: VeganFlower.com

This has the rich taste of clam chowder without the milk, while the dulse adds a seafood flavor and lots of essential minerals. I use the SoyLife Machine to prepare freshly made oat milk from oat groats. The result is award-winning. 2 cups Water 1 medium Onion, diced 1 medium Potatoes, cut into bite-size cubes 1/2 lb. Corn, fresh or frozen 1 oz. Dulse 2 cups Oat milk or plain soymilk 1/2 tsp. Stevia 2 TB Sweet white or brown rice miso Chopped parsley for garnish 1 In a medium pot, add water, onions, potatoes and stevia. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until potatoes are done. Add dulse and corn and cook for 1 minute. 2 Add milk and reduce heat to simmer. Do not allow it to boil. 3 In a cup, dilute the miso in some of the soup broth. Add to the soup. Allow flavors to meld for 5 minutes before serving. Servings: 4 Source: Steviainfo

Cooking with stevia: guideline to sugar free success

Photo: chaephealthygood.blogspot.com

Cooking with stevia can be a lot of fun. After all, you know you're doing something healthy, because you can see that not only are you working with an all natural product, you also need less of it. A lot less! In fact, less is certainly more when it comes to cooking or baking with stevia.

Be sure to take a look at the sugar to stevia conversion chart before you start on your journey. For most stevia recipes, just a simple conversion is enough, just replace the amount of sugar by the correct amount of stevia sweetener, and you're done!

Stevia recipe: Homemade Root Beer

photo: mccormick.com

Ingredients
3 Tbsp. sarsaparilla root (about 1/2 ounce)
1 Tbsp. licorice root
1 qt. purified water
2-3 tsp. dried Stevia leaf  -OR-
3-4 Stevia teabags
2 qts. carbonated water

ProcedureSimmer the sarsaparilla and licorice root in the quart of water for about 45 minutes.  DO NOT BOIL -- it brings out bitter principles.  Add the Stevia leaf or teabags and simmer for 15 minutes longer.

Stevia Could Be Your Best Friend On Your Diet

Photo: eetbare-tuin.info

For all of you out there who love to sweeten up your favorite foods and drinks, you’re going to adore the brand new product around town. Unlike other low calorie sweeteners who just don’t seem to quite cut it, flavored stevia really has everything. So when you think about livening your next cup of tea or espresso, why not test swirling in the only true guilt-free sugar substitute around?

While Stevia Products are fairly new within the U.S., they’re common in numerous parts of the globe. Those in South and Central America are already experiencing the benefits associated with Stevia for years and years. Derived from the plant situated in that region, the Stevia sweetener is as natural as it gets. In reality, health conscientious Japan claimed Stevia Products as a favorite for decades.

The impact of stevia in 2012

Foto: Puur-aroma.com

As the stands were dismantled in December on the largest Fi Europe exhibition ever to have taken place in the event’s 25-​year history, companies were already actively hatching their launch plans for early2012 for the first products naturally sweetened with stevia to be introduced in Europe.

Steviol glycosides (or stevia) received final approval for use in Europe following the formal adoption of the European Commission’s Regulation in November. This opens the floodgates to ‘natural’ product launches and relaunches during 2012 as stevia extracts, already used in the US, Latin America and France among other markets, can now be formulated in a wide range of products such as yogurts, cereals, beverages, soft drinks, confectionery, chocolate and tabletop sweeteners in Europe.

Recipe: Banana Bread

Photo: banana-bread.biz

 (Excerpted from Stevia: naturally sweet recipes for desserts, drinks and more!, Book Publishing Company )

1 loaf - 12 servings

2 very ripe, medium to large bananas

1/4 tsp powdered stevia extract

1/2 tsp stevia concentrate

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 cup oil

1 large egg

1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt or buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)Preheat the over to 350 degrees F. Oil a medium-sized loaf pan (7 1/2 "x 3 1/2 " x 2 1/2").
Mash the bananas in a small bowl. Mix the stevia extract, stevia concentrate, and lemon juice into the mashed bananas. Set aside.
Sift the flour, leavenings, and salt together in a bowl.
Beat the oil and egg together in a mixing bowl until creamy. Beat in the yogurt or buttermilk and the vanilla. Stir the mashed bananas into the liquid mixture.
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, stirring as little as possible. Mix in the walnuts just before the flour is completely blended.
Place into the loaf pan. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour until a toothpick or fork stuck in the middle comes out clean. Turn out the loaf and cool on a rack.
Note: For maximum flavor, use very ripe bananas (brown spotted).

Enjoy your healthy banana bread!

How to Substitute Stevia for Sugar in Baking

• 

  Source: Picasa   Author: nntungsv

  Stevia has been said to have many health benefits, such as: weight control (it controls cravings), can be used during pregnancy, it is known to be beneficial to the pancreas, does not contribute to tooth decay, can reduce high blood pressure, assists digestion, and so on.

  Unlike most artificial sweeteners, Stevia does not break down and can withstand high temperatures while cooking and cold temperatures when frozen. It is also compatible with salt and organic acids and natural sweeteners such as barley malt, honey, fructose and sorbitol.
• Stevia can be used safely and effectively as a substitute for sugar in all recipes where sugar and low calorie sweeteners would be normally used.

How to grow stevia part 5: Growing Stevia Without Land

Picture: Backyardfarming.blogspot.com

Just because you live within the confines of an apartment or condominium doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the benefits of stevia farming. This versatile plant can be grown either in pots on your balcony or any sunny spot, or else in a hydroponic unit. Stevia plants also do quite well in “container gardens.” A 10″ to 12″ diameter container filled with a lightweight growing mix is an ideal size for each plant. 
A little mulch on the top will help retain the moisture in the shallow root zone. A properly fertilized hydroponic unit or container garden can provide you with as much stevia as an outdoor garden, if not more.


Story: Stevianet

How to grow stevia part 4: Gathering Autumn Stevia Leaves

picture: naturalherbalextracts.com

Harvesting should be done as late as possible, since cool autumn temperatures and shorter days tend to intensify the sweetness of the plants as they evolve into a reproductive state. While exposure to frost is still to be avoided, covering the plants during an early frost can give you the benefit of another few weeks’ growth and more sweetness.

When the time does come to harvest your stevia, the easiest technique is to cut the branches off with pruning shears before stripping the leaves. As an extra bonus, you might also want to clip off the very tips of the stems and add them to your harvest, as they are apt to contain as much stevioside as do the leaves.

How to grow stevia part 3: The Care and Feeding of Stevia

Picture: Madeinchina.com

Stevia plants do best in a rich, loamy soil — the same kind in which common garden-variety plants thrive. Since the feeder roots tend to be quite near the surface, it is a good idea to add compost for extra nutrients if the soil in your area is sandy.

Besides being sensitive to cold during their developmental stage, the roots can also be adversely affected by excessive levels of moisture. So take care not to overwater them and to make sure the soil in which they are planted drains easily and isn’t soggy or subject to flooding or puddling.

How to grow stevia part 2: How to Start Your Own Stevia Patch

Picture: stevia.net

It would be difficult, at best, to start a stevia patch from scratch — that is, by planting seeds. Even if you could get them to germinate, results might well prove disappointing, since stevioside levels can vary greatly in plants grown from seed.

The recommended method is rather to buy garden-ready ‘starter’ plants, which given stevia’s ‘growing’ popularity, may well be obtainable from a nursery or herbalist in your area — provided you’re willing to scout around a bit. If you’re not, or are unsuccessful in locating any, there are at least three growers of high-quality stevia who will ship you as many baby plants as you’d like.

How to grow stevia: part 1 Introduction

Picture: Henry Fools, iBankcoin

You need not be a South American planter to be a successful stevia grower. While the herb’s native locale may make it appear somewhat exotic, it has proved to be quite adaptable and capable of being cultivated in climate zones as diverse as Florida and southern Canada.

True, home-grown stevia may lack the potency of refined white stevia extract; whole stevioside content generally ranges from 81 to 91 percent, as compared to a leaf level of approximately 12 percent. But it can provide you with a quantity of freshly harvested stevia ‘tea leaves’ to augment your supply of commercial stevia sweeteners.

Stevia-Sweetened Diet Soft Drink Hits the Market: Zevia!

(This is an article from 2009. All named product are now (2012) on the market.)
A new company called Zevia has introduced a line of stevia-sweetened, zero-calorie carbonated soft drinks, the first such products to hit the U.S. market.

Zevia soda comes in four flavors: Cola, Orange, Root Beer and Twist (lemon-lime). It contains no calories, but everything else soda drinkers have come to expect, from carbonation to caffeine (the cola contains 45 milligrams, about as much as a Diet Coke).

Stevia and Diabetes

Too many diabetics!


Nearly 24 million Americans have diabetes, an increase of over 3 million in just two years. That translates to about 8% of the U.S. population that is affected mainly with Type 2 diabetes. Even more alarming, roughly 57 million people are pre-diabetic, a condition where blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not yet to be classified as diabetic.


Despite the daunting statistics, diabetes is preventable or can be delayed. The single greatest factor that can prevent the onset of diabetes is lifestyle modification. That means people who lose weight, exercise regularly, and maintain a proper diet can delay or even prevent the onset of diabetes.

Discover four fantastic benefits of stevia

During the holiday season, people are desperately searching for foods that will satisfy their sweet tooth without adding extra inches around their waistline. Stevia could very well be the answer not only for weight loss and maintenance, but also for many other health problems.

The natural sweetener, called stevia, is made from the leaves of the stevia plant. These little leaves are extremely sweet and contain no calories or sugar. Plus, stevia is a safer option to other artificial sweeteners. Webmd.com states, "Stevioside has been safely used in research in doses of up to 1500 mg per day for 2 years." Due to the fact that stevia can be up to 300 times sweeter than sugar, most people would not even be able to consume 1500 mg in a whole week.