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HISTORY: Stevia is a small perennial plant native to Central and South America with a long
and storied history. The spanish conquistadors are credited with Stevia's initial discovery
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.
Antonio Bertoni, a South American scientist, is credited with the modern recording of Stevia
in 1887, when he first observed Indians of the Guarani tribe of Paraguay use it 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 chemical constituent responsible
for Stevias flavorful properties and named it stevioside.
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.
These products have been treated with plant enzymes to reduce any bitter aftertaste.
A sweet secret cannot be kept forever!
No Aftertaste
Calorie-Free
Great Natural Herb Taste
Consumer's Choice
Aspartame-Free
Cautions and Interactions
There are no known interactions with Stevia.
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