There are several stages that we all go through when trying to give up sweets, when we realize all the destructive consequences of carbohydrates in excess - or when we simply come to the understanding that any rational diet is based on limiting sugars, and even more so concentrated and concentrated sugars. refined.

At first it seems that good idea- replace sugar with fructose (in fact, it’s terrible, see the tag “harms of fructose”).
Then it seems that there is a whole range of natural syrups and nectars that are healthier than sugar - agave, Jerusalem artichoke, maple syrup. A little later it becomes clear that these liquid sweeteners are also, in fact, “fructose” and, therefore, among other things, put a heavy load on the liver and continue to feed sugar addiction - in any case, these are concentrated sugars...

Then, at some point, we all learn about the wonderful no-carb sweetener, the herb stevia.

It turns out that stevia has its own slight taste, but it contains no carbohydrates at all (and in addition, it has some suppressive effect on fungi of the genus Candida, and the growth of this culture is most ensured by carbohydrates - flour and sugar-containing. And on the other hand, the more this culture grows in the tissues of the body, the more we feel the need for sweet).

So, there is only one natural and carbohydrate-free option available in stores: stevia. But it turns out that this knowledge is still not enough, and I would like to say a few words about the nuances of producing sweeteners from stevia.

Stevia is now sold in most stores, and even more so in stores healthy eating– in the form of crushed leaves, white extract powder, or the same powder in tablets, or in the form of a liquid tincture.
Some manufacturers are disingenuous: on the cover it says “natural stevia” - but in the composition on the back you can also find highly industrially processed ingredients, such as maltodextrin (this is a sugar that softens the taste of the extract and prevents the powders from clumping). The white stevia powder itself is a product of complex processing, and in addition, it is bleached using chemicals.

The liquid extract is most convenient: it is sweeter than the leaves (more concentrated), and is convenient to use in baked goods and drinks, for other needs. But we honestly don’t know how it is produced in the purchased version - the shelf life is so long that it raises questions.

Because we know how easy it is to make a similar one at home!

So, liquid stevia extract:

1) dry stevia leaves in an oven or dehydrator (or use dried store-bought raw materials)
2) it is advisable to use a jar with a tight lid, 250-300 ml in volume: fill it with leaves, pour good vodka
3) leave for a day, drain the leaves
4) evaporate the alcohol by heating: 20-30 minutes over low heat, without bringing to a boil
5) it’s more convenient to pour the infusion into a bottle with a pipette - and you can store it in the refrigerator for up to three months

PS If you don’t have stevia on hand and you have to choose between honey and different types sugar, you might want to try using “coconut palm sugar” - its processing involves evaporating the sap of coconut palms. They write that this sugar is rich in amino acids, and it contains 30 times more phosphorus, 20 times more potassium, magnesium and iron, 10 times more zinc than brown sugar.

However, similar figures can often be found in relation to honey, Jerusalem artichoke syrup, maple syrup, agave nectar... It is important to understand that for any reasonable volume of consumption of sweetened products, in terms of the amount of sweetener and, accordingly, nutrients, the share of the latter from the sweetener is very insignificant.

Stevia has zero calories and a very low glycemic index (a measure of the effect on blood glucose levels).

Stevia is not only safe (this was confirmed by the World Health Organization in 2006), but also healthy.

Stevia slows down the aging process in cells, has an antiseptic and antifungal effect on the body, and normalizes the functioning of the nervous, cardiovascular and digestive systems.

NOW produces 6 varieties of stevia. They differ in release form, additional ingredients and, of course, price. In brackets I indicated the price based on 30 servings.

LIQUID WITH GLYCERIN

60 ml - 375 servings - $6.06 (0.48)
237 ml - 1,481 servings - $17.54 (0.36)

BACKED WITH MALTODEXTRIN

Externally, this option can be distinguished by the beige/yellow-orange design of the box

45 bags/servings - $3.23 (2.15)
75 packets/servings of French Vanilla flavor - $6.74 (2.70)
100 sachets/servings - $6.06 (1.82)

What can be confusing about glycerin, alcohol, maltodextrin? These components do not pose any danger to a healthy person.

But for the sick diabetes mellitus- theoretically they can. Because they have a high glycemic index. But the amount of these substances in a serving is so negligible that, it seems to me, their presence can be safely neglected.

This idea is confirmed by the fact that Iherb has special dietary supplements for diabetics, where glycerin and maltodextrin, as in stevia, are additional ingredients of the drugs. But if you still don’t like their presence, pay attention to three other stevia options.

BACKED WITH INULIN

Boxes with this stevia are decorated in a turquoise/blue design.

35 bags/servings - $3.23 (2.77)
75 bags/servings - $6.06 (2.42)
100 sachets/servings (an interesting variety with chromium and inulin - Better Stevia balance) -$7.41 (2.22)

POWDER IN A JAR

28 g - 622 servings - $6.06 (0.29)
113 g - 2,511 servings - $20.24 (0.24)
454 g - 10,088 servings - $68.39 (0.20)

This is the purest (contains no other ingredients) and most economical stevia.

STEVIA TABLETS

THUS, THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION WHICH STEVIA IS THE MOST BENEFITABLE SHOULD BE:

1st place (the most profitable) - powdered stevia in a jar. The larger the jar, the more profitable it is.

2nd place - liquid stevia (alcohol is cheaper than glycerin).

3rd place - stevia tablets.

4th place - packaged stevia.

WHICH STEVIA IS THE MOST CONVENIENT TO USE?

I like liquid stevia best. Before use, shake the bottle and - by pressing on the soft plastic walls -squeeze out a few drops. It is the liquid version that is most convenient to take on the road. Because in the bags - which seem to be intended for travel - there is too much stevia for me at one time. Half of it remains; you have to wrap the edge of the bag and make sure that the powder does not spill out of it. In addition, it is more convenient to add liquid stevia to cold food - it dissolves best.

WHICH STEVIA IS THE TASTEST?

It is clear that a matter of taste is an individual matter. All options seem about the same to me. In any case, you will have to get used to stevia at first. At first, its sweetness may seem as if separated from the taste of the drink itself.

Just in case, I remind you that the benefits of fructose, honey, cane sugar and other supposedly safe alternatives to sugar are actually nothing more than a myth.

All over the world, scientists are trying to obtain the highest quality, safe and effective sugar substitute. Indeed, such a product is in great demand among diabetic patients, people who want to quickly and safely lose weight, athletes and other categories of citizens who adhere to healthy image life. However, so far the positive results are conditional, and the prospects for development are vague.

For this reason, at this stage of development it is worth paying attention to such an amazing plant as honey stevia. It originally grew in South America and was used by local Indians as a sweetener for dishes and a medicinal element in medicinal preparations. Stevia extract not only gave a sweet taste, but also added strength, and also relieved fatigue, both physical and psychological. Today it is artificially grown in many countries, and above all in Japan.

We offer to buy high quality honey herb extract at the best price.

The assortment includes:

• liquid stevia extract;
• dry stevia extract in powder form.

A distinctive feature is the absence of a bitter aftertaste.

Taste properties and composition

It’s worth starting with the fact that the extract (stevioside) of this plant is approximately 250-300 times sweeter than the sugar we are used to. This means that you should be as careful as possible with the dosage when consuming it. The flavor bouquet also includes other components that form an additional pleasant aroma. In addition, stevia leaf extract contains many useful material, which have a beneficial effect on health and saturate the body with useful elements and substances, such as: glycosides; amino acids, including essential ones; carotenoids; vitamins of basic and rare groups; alkaloids and many others. All of them together provide us with everything we need. And this fact must be taken into account, especially in the autumn-winter-spring period.

The sweet taste of honey grass is given by glycosides contained in the leaves of the plant.

These substances have varying degrees of sweetness, but some of them, unfortunately, have a bitter taste.

Therefore, sometimes the natural sugar substitute from stevia has an unpleasant bitter aftertaste. This is due to the fact that the extract from which the sweetener is made has not undergone high-quality purification from “bitter” glycosides. Our company offers exceptionally high-quality products with the maximum degree of purification, which brings the taste of the substitute closer to the usual sugar.

Advantages

• Glycosides act as the basic compounds that form the sweet taste. They, among other things, also have a number of useful properties: they kill harmful bacteria in the body, reduce sugar levels, which is fundamentally important for diabetics, and improve the resistance of the immune system.
• The amino acid lysine, which is also present in abundance in stevia. It improves the process of protein and lipid metabolism, stimulates hematopoiesis, and accelerates the healing process of wounds.
• The amino acid methionine has made the leaves of this plant especially popular in Japan, since it stimulates the body's defense mechanisms against harmful radiation exposure and also promotes the removal of radionuclides. By the way, in our country this positive property of stevia extract is very relevant in our country.

Flaws

Research conducted over many years has shown that glycosides combine well with a wide variety of foods or medications. The only contraindication that can limit the intake of this sugar substitute is individual intolerance.

Therapeutic and prophylactic properties

The extract of this plant can be used effectively and beneficially by many citizens, and for preventive purposes.

• We should start, naturally, with people with diabetes. Stevia not only replaces sweetness, maintaining the usual quality of life, but also significantly reduces blood glucose levels. If you do not have diabetes, but there is a predisposition, then the optimal solution to the problem would be to replace regular refined sugar with stevioside.
• Almost zero calorie content allows you to actively use this drug when losing weight and playing sports. It fits perfectly into any diet menu.
• This extract is recommended by specialists for various blood diseases, as it stimulates its formation.

How to use stevia leaf extract

Stevia extract is perfect for use not only in drinks, but also in many dishes, such as cereals, fruit salads, and so on. For various dishes you can use the sweet extract in both dry and liquid form. In addition, glycosides withstand long-term exposure very well. high temperatures. For this reason, it can be used in canning.

Storage conditions

The offered drugs should be stored out of the reach of children, in a dry place, protected from sunlight.

How to order?

Our company has been successfully operating in the market for a long time. The competitive advantages of our company include:

Stevia is made from the medicinal plant of the same name, which has numerous beneficial properties and is considered the sweetest plant in the whole world. It contains a unique molecular component called stevioside, which gives the plant its extraordinary sweetness.

Stevia is also popularly called honey herb. All this time, the medicinal herb was used to normalize glucose levels in human blood and prevent diabetes. Today, stevia has gained not only popularity, but also widespread use in the food industry.

Features of Stevia sweetener

Stevia is fifteen times sweeter than regular refined sugar, and the extract itself, which contains stevioside, can be 100-300 times sweeter. This feature is used by science to create a natural sweetener.

However, this is not the only thing that makes natural sweetener an ideal option for diabetics. Most sweeteners made from natural and synthetic ingredients have significant disadvantages.

• The main disadvantage of many sweeteners is the high calorie content of the product, which is harmful to health. Stevia, having stevioside in its composition, is considered a non-calorie sweetener.
• Many low-calorie synthetic sweeteners have an unpleasant feature. By changing the metabolism of blood sugar, a significant increase in body weight occurs. The natural substitute Stevia does not have such disadvantages, unlike its analogues. Studies have shown that stevioside does not affect glucose metabolism, and even, on the contrary, reduces sugar levels in human blood.

The sweetener in some cases has a pronounced taste of leech grass. However, today there are sweeteners that use stevioside extract.

Stevioside has no taste, is widely used in the food industry, is available as a food additive and is referred to as E960. At the pharmacy, a similar sweetener can be purchased in the form of small brown tablets.

The benefits and harms of the sweetener Stevia

The natural substitute Stevia is now widely used in most countries and has excellent reviews. The sweetener has gained especially wide popularity in Japan, where Stevia has been used for more than thirty years, and during all this time side effects she was not identified. Scientists from a sunny country have proven that sweetener does not harm human health. At the same time, Stevia is used here not only as a food additive, but is also added instead of sugar to diet drinks.

Meanwhile, in such countries the USA, Canada and the EU do not officially recognize the sweetener as a sweetener. Here Stevia is sold in the form of dietary supplements. The sweetener is not used in the food industry, despite the fact that it is not harmful to human health. The main reason for this is the lack of research that confirms the safety of Stevia as a natural sweetener. At the same time, these countries are primarily interested in selling synthetic low-calorie substitutes, around which, despite the proven harm of these products, a lot of money is circulating.

The Japanese, in turn, have proven through their research that Stevia does not harm human health. Experts say that today there are few sweeteners with such low toxicity levels. Stevioside extract has undergone numerous toxicity tests, and all studies have shown no adverse effects on the body. Reviews show that the drug does not cause harm digestive system, does not increase body weight, does not change cells and chromosomes.

Stevioside has antibacterial functions, so it can be used to treat small wounds in the form of burns, scratches and bruises. It promotes rapid healing of wounds, rapid blood clotting and getting rid of infection. Stevioside extract is often used in the treatment of acne and fungal infections. Stevioside helps babies get rid of pain when their first teeth erupt, which is confirmed by numerous reviews.

Stevia is used to prevent colds and strengthens immune system, serves as an excellent remedy for the treatment of diseased teeth. Stevioside extract is used to prepare Stevia tincture, which is mixed with an antiseptic decoction of calendula and horseradish tincture in a 1 to 1 ratio. medicine rinse your mouth to relieve pain and possible suppuration.

Also, Stevia, in addition to stevioside extract, contains useful minerals, antioxidants, vitamins A, E and C, and essential oils.

With long-term use of dietary supplements, vitamin complexes, or significant consumption of fruits and vegetables, hypervitaminosis or an excess of vitamins in the body can be observed. If a rash develops on the skin or peeling begins, you should consult a doctor.

Sometimes Stevia may not be tolerated by some people due to the individual characteristics of the body. In particular, the sweetener is not recommended for use during pregnancy and breastfeeding. And yet, there is simply the most real and natural one, which is considered the best sugar substitute.

Healthy people do not need to use Stevia as a primary dietary supplement. Due to the abundance of sweets in the body, insulin is released. If this condition is maintained continuously, the sensitivity to increases in sugar in the body may decrease. The main thing in in this case– stick to the norm and do not overdo it with sweetener.

Use of Stevia in food

The natural sweetener has positive reviews and is widely used in the preparation of drinks and fruit salads where sweetening of the taste is required. Stevia is added to brews instead of sugar and used in baked goods.

In some cases, stevioside may taste bitter. This reason is primarily due to the excess of Stevia, which was added to the product. To get rid of the bitter taste, you need to use less sweetener when cooking. Some types of the stevia plant also have a bitter taste.

To reduce body weight, drinks with the addition of stevioside extract are used, which are drunk on the eve of lunch and dinner in order to reduce appetite and eat less food. Also, drinks with sweetener can be consumed after meals, half an hour after eating.

When losing weight, many people use the following recipe. In the morning, you need to drink a portion of mate tea with the addition of Stevia on an empty stomach, after which you should not eat for about four hours. During lunch and dinner, you must eat exclusively healthy and natural food without flavorings, preservatives or white flour.

Stevia and diabetes

Ten years ago, the sweetener Stevia was recognized as safe for human health and health care allowed the use of the sweetener in food. Stevioside extract has also been recommended as a sugar substitute for people suffering from type 2 diabetes. Including the sweetener is very useful for hypertensive patients.

Studies have shown that Stevia improves the effects of insulin and affects the metabolism of lipids and carbohydrates. In this regard, the sweetener is an excellent sugar replacement option for diabetics, as well as.

When using Stevia, it is important to ensure that the product you purchase does not contain sugar or fructose. It is necessary to use bread units to accurately calculate the required dose of sweets. It must be remembered that even a natural sugar substitute, if used in excess and improperly, can harm human health and increase blood glucose levels.

Purchasing a sweetener

Today you can purchase a natural substitute for Stevia at any pharmacy or online store. The sweetener is sold as stevioside extract in powder, liquid or dried leaves of the medicinal plant.

Powder white added to tea and other types of liquid. However, some disadvantage is that it takes a long time to dissolve in water, so you need to constantly stir the drink.