Herb Collection

Make Food and Drink Sweet, No Sugar

A sweet herb’s story

The Guarani people discovered or cultivated stevia, and they called it caa-hee (honeyleaf). The Guarani live from Paraguay to Brazil, and they persist despite colonization. Major corporations like Coca-Cola turned this into a $500m industry without speaking to indigenous locals or compensating them for their knowledge.

One study suggests the herb stimulates the pancreas to produce insulin, a potential treatment for Type 2 diabetes. Some say it tastes at least thirty times sweeter than sugar; the sweet compounds are called steviol glycosides. They don’t ferment because they aren’t sugar. It’s native range is limited, and scientists documented 230 species.

Nomenclature: Stevia rebaudiana Tastes: sweet, bitter, mild licorice Uses: sweetener, folk* (antiseptic, digestive aid, astringent, antiparasitic)

Recipe: Stevia Simple Syrup

Ingredients: Stevia powder, water

By JMHeatherly