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| Picture: ingredient-supply.com |
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.
Stevia, which is also known as sweetleaf and sugarleaf, has been used by indigenous peoples of South America for centuries. Stevia was originally cultivated by the Guarani of Peru who used it both its leaf form and as a concentrate. The Guarani called stevia ka’a he’e (“sweet herb”), and it was given its current name by a Spanish botanist and naturalist named Pedro Jaime Esteve whose last name became the Latinized word, stevia.
There has been considerable controversy in the US about the FDA approval status of stevia. Currently, stevia is approved as a “dietary supplement,” but not as a food additive. The consensus among natural food advocates is that this legal limbo is due to the lobbying efforts of the sugar and artificial sweetener industries. The stevia refinement process is not really patentable and so poses a threat to the sweetener industry’s profits. Subsequent FDA investigations have turned up no harmful side effects of stevia and the FDA also refuses to release the name of the original company that brought the complaint to the government agency that began the investigation. The European Union, whose own investigations also turned up no side effects, legalized all commercial uses of stevia in December of 2011.
Because stevia is widely available in the US as a dietary supplement, making a concentrate from dried stevia leaves (which are available right here on www.ingredient-supply.com), is really simple and inexpensive.
Here’s a really simple stevia concentrate recipe you can make at home:
Ingredients:
· Dried stevia leaves (which can be ordered by clicking here)
· Any variety of neutral grain alcohol (vodka and Everclear work well)
· A sanitized glass container with a tight fitting lid
Step One:
Wash the stevia leaves and remove any brown parts. Chop the dried stevia leaves and place them in the jar.
Step Two:
Fill the jar to the top with the alcohol. It’s OK to use inexpensive vodka because the alcohol will be reduced and cooked away later on in the process).
Step Three:
Cover the jar with a tight fitting lid, shake well, and place in a cool dark place. Leave the jar to steep overnight. Don’t leave the mixture steeping for more than 48 hours because excessive steeping can cause bitterness.
Step Four:
Pour the mixture through a strainer or cheese cloth to strain out the leaves. Place the liquid in a medium sauce pan over very low heat and allow it to reduce for 20-30 minutes. This allows the alcohol to be cooked off and the liquid to be reduced into a concentrated form.
Your stevia concentrate can be stored in the fridge for up to three months. Remember that stevia, especially in its reduced form, is much stronger than sugar so add it sparingly and to taste. The concentrate can be diluted with water for specific uses.
Stevia, which is also known as sweetleaf and sugarleaf, has been used by indigenous peoples of South America for centuries. Stevia was originally cultivated by the Guarani of Peru who used it both its leaf form and as a concentrate. The Guarani called stevia ka’a he’e (“sweet herb”), and it was given its current name by a Spanish botanist and naturalist named Pedro Jaime Esteve whose last name became the Latinized word, stevia.
There has been considerable controversy in the US about the FDA approval status of stevia. Currently, stevia is approved as a “dietary supplement,” but not as a food additive. The consensus among natural food advocates is that this legal limbo is due to the lobbying efforts of the sugar and artificial sweetener industries. The stevia refinement process is not really patentable and so poses a threat to the sweetener industry’s profits. Subsequent FDA investigations have turned up no harmful side effects of stevia and the FDA also refuses to release the name of the original company that brought the complaint to the government agency that began the investigation. The European Union, whose own investigations also turned up no side effects, legalized all commercial uses of stevia in December of 2011.
Because stevia is widely available in the US as a dietary supplement, making a concentrate from dried stevia leaves (which are available right here on www.ingredient-supply.com), is really simple and inexpensive.
Here’s a really simple stevia concentrate recipe you can make at home:
Ingredients:
· Dried stevia leaves (which can be ordered by clicking here)
· Any variety of neutral grain alcohol (vodka and Everclear work well)
· A sanitized glass container with a tight fitting lid
Step One:
Wash the stevia leaves and remove any brown parts. Chop the dried stevia leaves and place them in the jar.
Step Two:
Fill the jar to the top with the alcohol. It’s OK to use inexpensive vodka because the alcohol will be reduced and cooked away later on in the process).
Step Three:
Cover the jar with a tight fitting lid, shake well, and place in a cool dark place. Leave the jar to steep overnight. Don’t leave the mixture steeping for more than 48 hours because excessive steeping can cause bitterness.
Step Four:
Pour the mixture through a strainer or cheese cloth to strain out the leaves. Place the liquid in a medium sauce pan over very low heat and allow it to reduce for 20-30 minutes. This allows the alcohol to be cooked off and the liquid to be reduced into a concentrated form.
Your stevia concentrate can be stored in the fridge for up to three months. Remember that stevia, especially in its reduced form, is much stronger than sugar so add it sparingly and to taste. The concentrate can be diluted with water for specific uses.
Source: Ingredient Supply
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