Stevia is a new natural sweetener which is extracted from the stevia leaves (Stevia Rebaudiana Bertoni). It has a high sugar sweetness equivalent level with extremely low caloric value. Its sweetness is 200-300 times that of cane sugar and its caloric value is 1/300 that of cane sugar. After a large amount of laboratory tastings, stevia sugar has been proven to be without any toxic and side-effect, non-carcinogenic and is safe to be consumed. If taken frequently, it can prevent a lot of diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, heart disease and tooth decay, etc. It is an ideal sweetener in place of cane sugar.
Stevia can be widely used in food, beverages and drinks, medicine, chemical products for daily use, wine-making, cosmetics, flavorings, etc. industries. Compared with using cane sugar, it can reduce cost by as much as 60%.
Stevia is off-white color, with appropriate taste, free of peculiar smell and is a new sugar source with a very bright future. At present, stevia has been approved by P. R. Chinas Ministry of Health and Ministry of Light Industries as a natural, low calorie sweetener whose taste is closest to that of cane sugar.