SC - innapropriate language on the list;various maunderings:OT

[Kappler, MMC Richard A.]

Allison, Barony Marche of the Debatable Lands, Pittsburgh, PA, Kingdom of
Aethelmearc, asked:
>I use lots of sugar.  What is Stevia, Christianna?  Don't think I've
>heard of that.  Herb?  Sweetener?  Chemical?

Stevia itself is an herb. Many products sweetened with it utilize an
crystalized extract. This is excerpted from the website of a company that
sells just such a commercial extract:

           The family of extracts of the Stevia plant which are taken from
           the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni plant (shown in
           picture to left). The extracts are known as Steviosides and
           Rebaudiosides depending on which part of the plant is isolated.
           These extracts are approximately 300 times sweeter than sugar
           unless diluted. The plant is native to Paraguay and Brazil.
           Since pre-Columbian times the Guarani Indians in Paraguay
           have used the Stevia leaves to sweeten medicines and drinks. In
           1970 the Japanese began extracting the pure sweet powder found
           in the leaf for testing and commercial use. Stevia sweeteners
           have been fully approved and widely used in Japan since 1970
           in food products and soft drinks and for table-top use. It is also
           fully approved and in use in Brazil, where it is also
           recommended for diabetics. As a result of the Health Freedom
           Act passed in September 1995 by Congress, Stevia leaves and the
           extract of Stevia leaves (Steviosides & Rebauiosides), are
           allowable for import and commerce in the United States of
           America, if they are explicitly labeled as a DIETARY
           SUPPLEMENT, or for use as a dietary ingredient of a dietary
           supplement. The FDA still has not approved this product for use
           as a food additive due to lack of costly testing in the United
           States and suspected lobbying pressure by chemical companies
           producing synthetic sugar substitutes.

Sorry for the long quote. I found this the most straightforward and
informative of the websites i visited, many of which touted stevia as a
wonder leaf, with little factual data.

Hope this helps. I can testify that it is very sweet - when preblended in
teas, i find it too sweet, as i normally drink my coffees and teas without
sweetening.

Yours, in service,
Anahita Gaouri bint-Karim al-Fassi



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