NOW Stevia Extract Packets, 100 Packets/Box

• Non-Bitter
• Calorie-Free
• Great Natural Herb Taste
• Aspartame-Free
• Natural Herbal Supplement
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Stevia is a small perennial plant native to Central and South America with a long and storied history.  The Spanish conquistadors found out about Stevia during their sixteenth century exploration of Central America.  They reported that the natives used the leaves of this herb to counteract the bitter taste of a popular community drink, mate, and also used it as an herbal remedy for various ailments.

In 1887, Antonio Bertoni, a South American scientist, observed Indians of the Guarani tribe of Paraguay who used Stevia to flavor bitter tribal beverages.  Bertoni erroneously classified Stevia as a member of the daisy family, but it was later re-assigned to the chrysanthemum family in 1905.  Twenty-five years later, two French chemists conducting research on Stevia isolated the primary constituents responsible for Stevia's properties and named them steviosides.  Our Stevia Exttract is based on this research.

Today, Stevia is cultivated in over a dozen countries worldwide.  It is a major export product and is widely used in countries such as China, Brazil, North and South Korea, Taiwan, Israel, Paraguay and Malaysia.  Stevia has also been grown successfully in California, southern Ontario, Canada and even southern England.  Although there are several different species of Stevia, the most potent and effective seems to be Stevia rebaudiana, and this species is used in most dietary supplements on the market today. A sweet secret cannot be kept forever!

For dieters, stevia is carbohydrate free, and contains no calories. This makes it possible for dieters to satisfy sweet cravings and used as much stevia as they enjoy, without ruining their eating plans.

Some studies have shown that stevia can lower blood pressure. One double-blind, placebo controlled study demonstrated that stevia taken at doses of 250 mg, three times a day for one year resulted in significant and lasting decreases in systolic and diastolic blood pressure in patients with moderate hypertension.

For people with high blood sugar levels, stevia does a great job of lowering blood sugar levels. This makes it a wonderful sugar substitute for anyone with blood sugar and/or insulin problems, including diabetics. It is advisable for diabetics to continue to monitor their blood sugar levels and insulin levels after using Stevia, just to be safe.

Stevia stabilizes blood sugar levels, helps insulin resistance, may even promote insulin production by promoting the pancreas health, discourage glucose absorption in the blood, and inhibit candidiasis, a yeast infection that flourishes when fed sugar. It has also been shown to inhibit the craving for sweet and oily or fatty foods.

Other studies have shown that the antibacterial properties of Stevia may help with gingivitis, cavities, tooth decay and mouth sores, and suppresses the development of infectious organisms in the gums and teeth. Stevia also inhibits the growth of plaque and improves overall oral health. People who have used Stevia as a mouthwash has reported significant decrease in gingivitis, bad breath, bleeding gums, and other mouth infections.