Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana) Leaf, Cut and Sifted, Certified Organic

INDIA. Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana) Leaf, Cut and Sifted, Certified Organic Common names: Candyleaf, Sweetleaf, Sugarleaf, Honeyleaf, Amaha Sutebia, Azucacaa, Seeni Tulsi, Madhu Patra, Yerba Dulce, Kaa Jhee, Ya Waan, Satiwia, Heuningbalr, Capim Doce, Chanvre d’Eau Family: Asteraceae Stevia is a perennial plant native to parts of Brazil and Paraguay, and currently cultivated in many regions as well including Colombia, Peru, Uruguay, the West Indies, China, Thailand, India, Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, and Israel. The Guarani Indians of Paraguay used Stevia leaves to sweeten maté tea and medicinal potions, and simply chewed them as a sweet treat. Native herbalists also used Stevia to lower blood sugar and to combat hypertension. Women of the Matto Grosso tribes drank Stevia tea daily as an oral contraceptive. The intense sweetness of Stevia leaf is produced by steviol glycosides, especially stevioside and rebaudioside, which are estimated to be 150 to 300 times sweeter than sug