RAAB Stevia Extract Powder 50 g

A calorie-free table-top sweetener in powder form. 1 g = 200 g of sugar.

Ingredients: steviol glycosides (E960)

Stevia, also known as sweetleaf or candyleaf

belongs to the aster family; its closest relatives are the Eupatorium species. Stevia grows wild in the humid climate of the border regions of Paraguay and Brazil. There are almost 200 species of stevia, but only one of them is noticeably sweet. In the wild, Paraguayan stevia grows to 60-70 cm, and on plantations to over 1 metre. The sweet compounds are concentrated in the lance-shaped, hairy leaves, up to 3-4 cm long. The stem, roots and flowers are less sweet. Stevia is a short-day plant: its flowers open when the day is no longer than 13 hours. With longer days, the sweetness of the leaves decreases. Its white flowers are small, up to 1.5 cm across, and its seeds carry a feathery tuft that helps them spread on the wind.

The leaves of this plant from Paraguay are about 15 times sweeter than sugar, and the extract up to 300 times sweeter. 100 g of fresh leaves can sweeten 180 litres of tea. Stevia contains no calories, making it a popular sugar alternative for those who want to reduce their sugar intake.

In its homeland, the indigenous people used the plant to sweeten mate tea – a single leaf was enough to sweeten a small gourd of tea.