What is Stevia?
Stevia is one of the most health restoring plants on earth. What whole leaf Stevia does
both inside the body and on the skin is incredible. Native to Paraguay, it is a small
green plant bearing leaves which have a delicious and refreshing taste that can be 30
times sweeter than sugar. Besides the intensely sweet glycosides (Steviosides,
Rebaudiosides and a Dulcoside), various studies have found the leaf to contain proteins,
fiber, carbohydrates, iron, phosphorus, calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium, zinc, rutin
(a flavonoid), true vitamin A, Vitamin C and an oil which contains 53 other constituents.
Quality Stevia leaves and whole leaf concentrate are nutritious, natural dietary
supplements offering numerous health benefits.
Stevia as a Sweetener
Stevia is the sweetener of the future. Because the human body does not metabolize the
sweet glycosides (they pass right through the normal elimination channels) from the leaf
or any of its processed forms, the body obtains no calories from Stevia. Processed forms
of pure Stevia can be 70-400 times sweeter than sugar. Whether these products are called
Stevia, Stevioside, Rebaudioside, Stevia Extract, or Stevia Concentrate, if they are in
their pure unadulterated form they do not adversely affect blood glucose levels and may be
used freely by both diabetics and hypoglycemics. For people with blood sugar, blood
pressure or weight problems Stevia is the most desirable sweetener.
In all of its current forms Stevia has a
taste unique to itself. Along with its sweetness there is also a bitter component. The
poorer the quality of the leaf the more bitterness is evident in the taste. In good
consumer products, however, this bitter flavor disappears as does the slight licorice
taste of whole-leaf products when appropriately diluted for consumption. Unlike artificial
sweeteners, the sweet glycosides do not break down in heat which makes Stevia an excellent
sweetener for cooking and baking.
Stevia as a Dietary Supplement
The vast majority of reported health benefits, both from the research laboratory and
consumer experience, comes from daily use of a water based whole leaf Stevia concentrate.
Scientific research has indicated that Stevia effectively regulates blood sugar and brings
it toward a normal balance. It is sold in some South American countries as an aid to
people with diabetes and hypoglycemia. Since its introduction into the US, numerous people
have reported that taking 20-30 drops with each meal brought their blood glucose levels to
normal or near normal within a short time period. Obviously each individual's condition is
different and such experimentation should be done under the supervision of a qualified
physician. An important benefit for hypo-glycemics is Stevia's tonic action which enhances
increased energy levels and mental acuity.
Studies have also indicated that Stevia
tends to lower elevated blood pressure but does not seem to affect normal blood pressure.
It also inhibits the growth and reproduction of some bacteria and other infectious
organisms, including the bacteria that cause tooth decay and gum disease. This may help
explain why users of Stevia enhanced products report a lower incidence of colds and flu
and why it has such exceptional qualities when used as a mouthwash or added to toothpaste.
Many people report significant improvement in oral health after adding Stevia concentrate
to their toothpaste and using it, diluted in water, as a daily mouthwash.
Stevia is an exceptional aid in weight
loss and weight management because it contains no calories and reduces one's craving for
sweets and fatty foods. Hunger sensations are lessened when 10 or 15 drops are taken 20
minutes before meals. Preliminary research data indicates that Stevia may actually reset
the hunger mechanism in people where the pathway between the hypothalamus and the stomach
has become obstructed. If so, Stevia would help people to feel satiated sooner, helping
them to eat less.
Other benefits of adding Stevia to the
daily diet include improved digestion and gastrointestinal function, soothed upset
stomachs and quicker recovery' from minor illness. Users have also reported that drinking
Stevia tea or Stevia enhanced teas helped to reduce their desire for tobacco and alcoholic
beverages.
Stevia concentrate tablets are available
for those who want the medicinal benefits of Stevia concentrate in an easy to swallow
tablet form.
The Stevia Leaf
Stevia leaves vary widely in quality due to many environmental factors including soil,
irrigation methods, sunlight, air purity, cleanliness, farming practices, processing and
storage. There are also numerous species of Stevia with differing Stevioside/Rebaudioside
content. Bacterial and fungal contamination is a serious problem and one must be careful
about the original source of Stevia. Chinese Stevia leaves are a poor quality, containing
only 5-6% of the sweet Steviosides/Rebaudiosides, while Paraguayan leaves contain 9-13%.
Stevia should be compared according to aroma, taste, appearance and sweetness.
Leaves are available in tea bags (only
from Wisdom of the Ancients at the time of writing) and make a delicious tea. Tea bags may
be placed in any beverage desired and make a delightful lemonade. The sweet glycosides are
released more rapidly in hot liquid than in cool liquid. You may want to place a tea bag
in a small amount of hot water for a few minutes and then add the sweetened water to the
beverage. A mild Stevia tea offers excellent relief for an upset stomach. After use, a
Stevia tea bag placed over the eyes (similar to using a cucumber) for a few minutes
effectively tightens the skin and smoothes out wrinkles.
Ground Stevia is excellent when sprinkled
lightly over cooking vegetables and meats, cereals and salads. Besides adding its own
sweet taste it significantly enhances the flavor and nutritional value of the food. Ground
Stevia can be used in many cooking and baking applications.
Stevioside
Refined Steviosides & Rebaudiosides are the sweetest form of Stevia and may be
purchased in a semi-white powder form (usually referred to as an extract) or in a clear
liquid made by adding the powder to water and a preservative. The powder may be added
directly to food and beverage but in very tiny amounts. The liquid is used drop by drop.
Stevioside has over 50% of the commercial
sweetening market in Japan, which consumes 90% of the world's supply of Stevia leaves. The
refined Chinese Stevioside product is only 80-91% pure and some samples have been found to
be high in pathogens.
Although Stevioside is a desirable
sweetener it does not have the extraordinary health benefits of the Stevia leaf or
products made from whole leaf Stevia concentrate.
Stevia for Exceptional Skin Care
Water based whole leaf Stevia concentrate offers several exceptional benefits when used
regularly in skin care. When applied as a facial mask it effectively softens and tightens
the skin, smoothes out wrinkles and helps to heal various skin blemishes including acne.
One simply smoothes the dark liquid over the entire face, allowing it to dry for at least
30-60 minutes. As it dries you will feel the skin tightening. A drop of the concentrate
may be applied directly on any blemish, acne outbreak, lip or mouth sore. People report
success from applying Stevia to a variety of problem skin conditions. Stevia concentrate
is also effective when used on seborrhea, dermatitis and eczema. Reports indicate that
when a few drops of the concentrate are placed in cuts and scratches there is a more rapid
healing of the wound without scarring. This will sting for 30-40 seconds followed by a
significant lowering of pain. The concentrate is easily washed away with soap and warm
water.
In Paraguayan experiments the Stevia
concentrate was added to a unique native herbal soap made from edible oils extracted from
the seeds and leaves of trees native to the Paraguayan rain forest. Marketed in the U.S.
under the name Cream of Coco Hair & Body Shampoo, the soap blends well with the
concentrate. Used together these two natural products help retard the graying process and
retain natural hair color, eliminate dandruff and various scalp problems, and improve the
health and luster of the hair. Many Americans today add the concentrate to this native
soap or to their regular shampoo and report excellent results. Most people wash the hair
first and then add Stevia concentrate to the second shampoo, allowing it to remain on the
hair for a few minutes before rinsing.
Safety of Stevia
There has never been a complaint that Stevia, in any of its consumable forms, has caused
any harmful side effects in the 1500 years of use in Paraguay and about 20 years in Japan.
Scientists who have studied Stevia state that it is safe for human consumption.
Following extensive research Dr. Daniel
Mowrey reported:
"More elaborate safety tests were
performed by the Japanese during their evaluation of stevia as a possible sweetening
agent. Few substances have ever yielded such consistently negative results in toxicity
trials as have stevia. Almost every toxicity test imaginable has been performed on stevia
extract [concentrate] or stevioside at one time or another. The results are always
negative. No abnormalities in weight change, food intake, cell or membrane
characteristics, enzyme and substrate utilization, or chromosome characteristics. No
cancer, no birth defects, no acute and no chronic untoward effects. Nothing."
This brief review of the Stevia plant and
its worldwide uses in no way constitutes an endorsement of such uses. At this time the FDA
permits Stevia to be imported, labeled and sold only for its approved use as a dietary
supplement and in skin Care. The information contained is provided for educational
purposes only. Medical advice is neither implied nor intended. Please consult your health
care professional for medical advice.
Ordering address for USA / Canada
clients:
http://www.healthyshopping.com/
Stevia plant in Malaysia
Stevian Biotechnology Corporation Sdn Bhd
is a pioneer biotechnology company of its kind in the South-east Asian region with large
investments in a polyfunctional biotechnology plant in Malaysia capable of producing
enzymatically enhanced natural sweeteners and a whole range of biochemical products and
derivatives.
Our growth story is premised on our vision and commitment to be a major producer of
beneficial and high quality products catered to the food, pharmaceutical, microbiology and
chemical industries.
STEVIAN’s growth is based on a well-found vision of being one of the pioneer
companies in Malaysia in the field of biotechnology that will clearly establish Malaysian
biotechnological products on the world map through its belief and investment in the
state-of-the-art polyfunctional biotechnological plant and R&D.
Products:
Stevia (stevia rebaudiana) is a
small bush native to Paraguay. The leaves of this plant contain carbohydrate-based
compounds 200-300 times sweeter than sugar. These compounds, steviosides, can be extracted
and used as alternative sweeteners to sugars.
Traditionally, stevia leaves have been used for hundreds of years in Paraguay and Brazil
to sweeten local teas, medicines and as a "sweet treat." Stevosides contain zero calories and can be
used as a sugar substitute in cooking and baking. They are especially beneficial to
diabetics and those wishing to reduce sugar intake for health reasons. Its primary use is
as a sweetener to enhance the palatability of food and drinks. Unlike aspartame, Stevia
sweeteners are heat stable to 200 degrees centigrade, are acid stable and do not ferment,
making them suitable for use in a wide range of products. |
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| Some Uses for Stevia Products and
Extracts |
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Table top sweetener - for
tea, coffee and beverages |
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Soft drinks, cordials, fruit
juices |
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Ice creams,
yoghurts, sherbets |
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Pastries, pies, baking |
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Jams, sauces, pickles |
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Jellies, desserts |
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Chewing gum |
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Candies, confectioneries |
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Sea-foods, vegetables |
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Weight-watcher diets |
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Diabetic diets |
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Flavour, colour and odour
enhancers |
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A source of antioxidants |
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Alcoholic beverage enhancer
(aging agent and catalyst) |
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| Medicinal Uses |
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Toothpaste, mouthwashes -
plaque retardant |
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Skincare - eczema and acne
control, rapid healing agent |
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Diabetic foods
and weight loss programs |
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Hypertension treatment and
blood pressure control |
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Calcium antagonist |
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Bacterial agent |
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Pill and capsule additive to
improve taste |
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Technology
Our biochemical expertise in the
application of enzymatic technology as embodied in our intellectual property rights is the
outcome of over 30 years of scientific research in enzymes and cyclodextrins.
Our technology has opened doors to new
and improved products which could not previously reach their full commercial potential due
to inherent characteristics. A case in example is through our application of CGTase
enzymes to remove the bitter after-taste of the stevioside natural sweetener in a
high-yielding low cost production environment which now enables the enzymatically modified
natural sweetener to be more viable and sold competitively on a mass commercial scale.
Our R&D facility, which is part of our integrated laboratory cum production complex,
is operated by a group of highly qualified scientists renowned for their research work in
the field of enzymes and cyclodextrins. The facility, which undertakes ongoing research in
product and process improvement and development, also has in-grown microbes and enzyme
cultivation to support its production in an integrated manner.
Contact info