Many of the foods we eat, such as sweets, juices, cake, etc. contain sugar and artificial sweeteners that are very harmful to human health and lead to many serious diseases, such as diabetes, digestive problems, pancreatic cancer, and other common diseases. These sweets are not limited to a specific category of foods, as they are found in baby foods, diet foods and regular foods.
Therefore, in order to avoid falling victim to these sweeteners, the alternative solution came through a natural plant called Stevia, which was announced by the Food and Drug Administration in the United States that saves you from sugar and artificial sweeteners. Stevia is available in a variety of forms. Make your pick based on the quantity of sweetness you desire (white extract powders are the sweetest) and how well the licorice-like flavor of less-refined varieties will compliment a particular recipe or beverage.
Fresh Stevia Leaves
This is the most natural and unprocessed form of stevia. Chewing a stevia leaf produces an intensely sweet, licorice-like sensation that lasts for a long time. The leaves of stevia must be dried or extracted before being used as a tea or sweetener, which intensifies the sweet flavor.
Dried Leaves
Drying and crushing the stevia leaf is required to release more of the taste and sweet components. The dried leaf of stevia, which is used to make herbal tea, is much sweeter than the fresh leaf.
Dried stevia leaf can be purchased in bulk or in tea bag form. It’s also available finely powdered. It has a greenish tint and can be used in coffee, applesauce, and hot cereals, among other things. You can also brew a herbal tea blend using it. Its peculiar flavor is evocative of licorice, and it pairs well with a variety of fragrant spices like cinnamon and ginger.
Stevia Extracts
In Japan, stevia is most commonly used as a sweetener in the form of a white powdered extract. It’s about 200 to 300 times sweeter than sugar in this form (by weight). This white powder is an extract of the stevia leaf’s sweet glycosides (natural sweetening ingredients).
All stevia extract powders are not created equal. The degree of refinement and the grade of the stevia plant used will most likely determine the taste, sweetness, and cost of the various white stevia powders. Some powders may have a stronger aftertaste than others.
Liquid Extract
There are a few different types of them. The leaves are boiled in water to produce a syrupy black liquid that can be used to enhance the flavor of a variety of meals. Stevia leaves are steeped in distilled water or a combination of water and grain alcohol to make another variety. A beverage prepared from the white powder concentration, water, and grapefruit seed extract is also available.
Above we have mentioned the different forms of stevia, which can be used to replace normal table sugar or other sweeteners. Use stevia syrup, drops, powder or leaves in drinks, hot or cold sauces, salad dressings or soup.
The most amazing thing is that you can grow stevia at home or in garden. With help of stevia plant, you can make your own stevia liquid extract, powder or syrup. Stevia makes our life more healthy and easier.